8 in usb interface??

[Re-tox_stl]

So i was just "window shopping" on musicians friend earlier today, and i spied a TASCAM US-1641 USB 2.0 Audio/MIDI Interface. It has 8 inputs and a few out puts, and its usb. Now my question is, can you record 8 simultaneous inputs with usb? I thought that was what firewire was for. Can anyone shed some light on this situation?

Much love, Drew

 

[Norris Shepherd]

I'm not sure about the specifics of that model you are talking about.. but i'm pretty sure that you can't track 8 tracks via a USB 2.0 connection.

I have a firewire mixer, and i think the most it will record is 4 tracks at a time... maybe even 2.

Sorry can't give a definitive answer, but i'd really doubt you could track 8 channels at a time.

 

[The Cancers]

That unit can, according to it's specs, do up to sixteen simultaneous inputs (I'm guessing the second eight are on an ADAT input) at 24 bit, 96k.
I've heard it said that USB 2.0 is actually capable of higher transfer rates than firewire, but that's apparently under the ideal sort of conditions you don't get in the real world.
Either way, USB 2.0's capabilities are as different from USB 1.0's as Firewire's are from USB 1.0.

 

[Re-tox_stl]

Hm, I might just have to look into this then. Because I have been looking around for an 8 in interface, and if this can track at least 6 ins at once, I might have to go snag one.

 

[Jim Lad]

Somebody on this site drew my attention to this one a few months ago.
This has to be about the best deal going on 8 channel audio interfaces.
And "Yes", USB is capable of transmitting 8 channels.
There are a lot of people who don't realize that.
Apparently, USB wasn't all that good when it first came out.
USB and Firewire each perform the same functions.
The general consensus around here however, is that Firewire is better.
I've never owned Firewire but judging by the intelligent comments I've read, I tend to follow the consensus.

 

[philbagg]

I have a firewire mixer, and i think the most it will record is 4 tracks at a time... maybe even 2.

That doesn't mean all of them will. The Digidesign 003/002 can record 16 inputs simultaneously.

 

[benherron.rrr]

Somebody on this site drew my attention to this one a few months ago.
This has to be about the best deal going on 8 channel audio interfaces.
And "Yes", USB is capable of transmitting 8 channels.
There are a lot of people who don't realize that.
Apparently, USB wasn't all that good when it first came out.
USB and Firewire each perform the same functions.
The general consensus around here however, is that Firewire is better.
I've never owned Firewire but judging by the intelligent comments I've read, I tend to follow the consensus.

OK, so whats with the price difference? I was looking at getting an M-audio ultra pro8 (if thats its name off the top of my head) but the firewire equivilent is about £100 more!

 

[LDS]

I routinely record 12 channels simultaneously with the 1641. It has 8 phantom-powered XLRs on the front along with 2 switchable instrument/line inputs, 4 line inputs on the back, and can accept a two channel digital input.

The first ten channels (XLRs and insturmen/line inputs on the front) have individual level controls. The four line inputs on the back are fixed gain, but switchable between -4 and +10 dB.

In order to get full bandwidth, you need to make sure it's the only device on the USB 2.0 bus. Using it in conjunction with other devices can potentially cause dropouts. If you're using it on a desktop PC, just add a USB 2.0 card for a few bucks and you'll be golden.

 

[mshilarious]

Effective USB 2.0 data rate is said to be 320Mbit/sec (raw rate is 480).

32 * 96KHz * 8 = 24.6Mbit/sec (32 bit is 24 audio plus 8 header, dunno what the actual data transmission format is though).

 

[TeyshaBlue]

I'm using a ZOOM R16 USB interface and routinely run 8 channels simultaneously into my DAW.

 

[Jim Lad]

OK, so whats with the price difference? I was looking at getting an M-audio ultra pro8 (if that's its name off the top of my head) but the Firewire equivalent is about £100 more!

Don't know.
I can check and compare later if you like or you could.
Regardless of the differences though, both are a pretty sweet deal.

 

[benherron.rrr]

Don't know.
I can check and compare later if you like or you could.
Regardless of the differences though, both are a pretty sweet deal.

well theres £50 difference between the pro ultra 8r and the profire 2626, i think its cause the profire has 24 simultanious tracks and ADAT. I know its not my thread but im using cubase 5 atm and mite go protools soon which one of these would be best, expansion would be useful and would i be able to hook up some rack fx to them?

 

[Jim Lad]

Look at the specs for "Inserts".
The Fast Track Pro has them so I'll guess that the Ultra does too.

 

[Re-tox_stl]

In order to get full bandwidth, you need to make sure it's the only device on the USB 2.0 bus. Using it in conjunction with other devices can potentially cause dropouts. If you're using it on a desktop PC, just add a USB 2.0 card for a few bucks and you'll be golden.

So I have a macbook, your saying that if I were to plug this into an open USB slot I would be good to go? Or am I missing something when you say "USB 2.0 bus"?

 

[LDS]

I'm not familiar with the macbooks. Haven't had a Mac since the Mac IIsi. Since Apple had firewire long before the PC world, I can't imagine them not having USB 2.0. As long as it supports the USB 2.0 standard, it should work for you.

 

[Jim Lad]

Okay, so I had a quick look at them.
Just comparing the three;
The Tascam unit has 8 XLRs, 6 Lines in (Balanced) plus SPDIF I/O for a total of 16 inputs. $300 That's a lot of inputs for the money

The M-Audio Fast Track Ultra has 2 XLR Combos, 2XLRs, 6 balanced jacks in the rear (In an either/or set up) plus SPDIF I/O for a total of 8 inputs. It also provides 2 inserts which are ideal for outboard gear. $350 Good bang for the buck and more than enough for a soloist like myself.

The M-Audio ProFire 2626 Firewire Audio Interface is a $700 unit which is so far ahead of the other two, it does not bear comparison.
I'm not going to get into the differences. I'll just say, It's up there with the MOTU stuff.
But..... for that kind of money, I want a surface controller/audio interface/stand alone studio.

 

[TelePaul]

Okay, so I had a quick look at them.
Just comparing the three;
The Tascam unit has 8 XLRs, 6 Lines in (Balanced) plus SPDIF I/O for a total of 16 inputs. $300 That's a lot of inputs for the money

The M-Audio Fast Track Ultra has 2 XLR Combos, 2XLRs, 6 balanced jacks in the rear (In an either/or set up) plus SPDIF I/O for a total of 8 inputs. It also provides 2 inserts which are ideal for outboard gear. $350 Good bang for the buck and more than enough for a soloist like myself.

The M-Audio ProFire 2626 Firewire Audio Interface is a $700 unit which is so far ahead of the other two, it does not bear comparison.
I'm not going to get into the differences. I'll just say, It's up there with the MOTU stuff.
But..... for that kind of money, I want a surface controller/audio interface/stand alone studio.

Was gonna respond to this last week but wanted to check around first. Was asking about this unit a music shop in town. Here's the deal; when I got into music recording a few years back, you couldn't track more than 2 tracks via USB, or at least that was the assumption. I guess people have gotten smarter with the code they write, because now it's a whole other story and that Tascam looks like serious kit for the money.