Well Keith, I just don't know what to think anymore .
I asked salesman because at first I wanted to learn how to recognize which interface has that "direct monitoring" option, and nobody at forums seems to know that and what that actually means.
I've even tried to find some websites with audio equipment that have some "search option" so I can choose number of inputs, or midi, or whatever..and no one has "direct monitoring" option so I can (finaly) see all kinds of audio-interfaces that have that, but without any luck.
All I really wanted is to have my keyboard connected to something so I can play it without turnong on computer.
It turned out rocket sience and reading every damn manual to see if some interface has "standalone mode" not even knowing what the standalone mode is.
Then I narrowed my search to interfaces who have power button (hoping that this is correct logic)
Then it turned out that even my current interface doesn't need 9v power and works fine WITHOUT turning on the pc, because it is connected via usb, and SOMEHOW it's sucking power from the pc turned off.
So I figured that the new interfaces must be able to do the same thing, and maybe that same thing is called "standalone" function.
Then again, I saw that Focusrite advertise interfaces in that way so we can see some lady singing in the mic, and with some "magic" there is no any latency. Moreover - she can HEAR ell the effects in the real time while singing !" And I was like.."who is crazy here? I can hear myself singing and playing guitar at the same tame (with effects, in he REAl time) with my long outdated interface, since the day one I bought it. So, was I lucky enough to have that option withput knowing it? Or Focusrite came out with the drivers M-Audio had long ago? I mean, that ad looked as if I would make an advertisement about some new car generation, and somewhere in the middle, proudly say " our team developed button-windows system" so you just push this button and the window's glass goes down. And when you wish to close window again, you just push the button again"..
YouTube
Anyway, I'am tottaly confused right now and I'm seriously thinking about giving up of bloody interface and recording music.
I've lost the tuch with technology, the things went a long way, and it seems to me that people don't understand what I am tallking about expecting something more complicated. But all I really needed is to see some concrete models of gear so I can see what to buy.
(Before I started this I was thinking is it possible to have two interfaces working together, and in my mind I somewhere had some "drivers conflict issue". Now I found at some forum, that lots of people are running two interfaces in the same time, and drivers conflict is an issue that people rarely have anymore ..)
Instead of that I'am getting answers like this "You need to make sure your computer audio interface has a standalone mode so you can route and control levels of audio inputs to outputs without computer control. Usually, the low end inexpensive stuff (e.g. Focusrite Scarlett 2i2) does NOT have this capability. Many mid-to-higher end units do. The interfaces that have standalone modes are usually more expensive (and fully featured)"
Nobody knows to say something liek this" Listen, if you want to buy an interface with standalone mode, that interface should have this kind of button or this number od inputs and you want to have the power switch" (for example)
After reading many topics and forums, I just don't know what to think.
Maybe my keyboard-interface is ok?
Maybe the noise I have with the guitar is common thing with every interface?
Maybe quality preamps and inputs will solve that, but only with more expensive gear?
Maybe even expensive gear have the noise?
All I wanted is to lose that guitar noise, and to connect condenser microphone, hopefuly with the new interface, but..
The more I thing about it the more difficult it becomes..
And english is not even my first language
I'm tired.