Acoustic Guitar + Vocals Recording and Live Streaming : Suggest Audio Interface

T

thebigk

New member
I'm out in the market for a good ( < $200 ) audio interface. After reviewing several sites, I'm inclining towards MOTU M2.

My specific requirements are:
  • Good quality recording
  • Ability to add sound effects on the fly while live-streaming (maybe using DAW)
I believe MOTU M2's loopback feature can be used to add sound effects while live-streaming; but I'm not 100% sure about it.

I'm newbie to audio recording and processing. Please help me understand the criteria / factors I should be looking at and are there any better options than MOTU M2.

I look forward to your responses. Thank you in advance.
 
Welcome to HR friend. I doubt there are any 'better' AIs than the MOTU M2 for the money and I doubt you would hear the difference if you paid five times as much for the same facilities. What you need to be sure of is that the M2 has the features you need, now and in the future? For instance, the Native Instruments Mkll is I bet comparable in sound quality but has two more line inputs, and extra pair (3/4) of line outputs and S/PDIF digital I/O.

The 'loop back' feature of the MOTU enables you to record any audio going through the PC such as YT or radio, a facility dropped in Windows ten (although you can still implement it in Audacity) Not sure you can 'mix' that in real time with live mic recording?

The ability to add real time effects demands low latency from the AI, the PC and to some extent the DAW but both the M2 and the suggested NI KA6 are well up for that. N very B, most people don't add compression, reverb e.g on 'the way in' because then you are stuck with them. Better to record 'flat and dry' and experiment with effects 'non destructively post tracking.

If you want a suggestion for a DAW, Reaper is a no brainer but there are others. 'Play the field' with all the free trials.

Dave.
 
Thanks a ton, @ecc83 . I am not going to need more instruments in future. I'm a solo performer and 2 inputs should suffice my needs.

MKII seems to be ~3x the price in my country (India); and I am looking at a software solution to process my inputs in real-time. I'm sure there's a way to do that. I've not tried any of the software you mentioned; but I am now going to look at Reaper. I searched for Ableton Live Lite and Digital Performer Lite - the software bundled with MOTU M2.

You are right about no adding real-time effects. I might just need them when I'm live-streaming; and the song requires a chorus. I've looked at a few interfaces that let you do this right with the hardware; but they cost a bomb.
 
"You are right about no adding real-time effects. I might just need them when I'm live-streaming; and the song requires a chorus. I've looked at a few interfaces that let you do this right with the hardware; but they cost a bomb."

Hm, I think I have the wrong idea about what exactly you are trying to do? (a perennial prbleme in the forum continuum!) What sort of "FX"? You can run say a reverb plugin in a DAW (all of them) and have that output from the interface but, unless you want to go mad, that demands very low latency which in turn demands a fairly fast computer.

Now, I might get some serious flack here but, I would say "internet streaming does not demand the HIGHEST of audio quality?" The MOTU, for all its simplicity and great value, is really pretty near cutting edge for audio/digital specification. That point leads me to the Behringer UMC204HD and interface I have used (and passed to a very talented guitarist son) . The 204 has much the same connectivity as the M2 but with the addition of inserts for the two inputs. Thus you could put guitar FX pedals in that loop and get realtime effects with zero latency.

Another direction might be a small USB mixer with on board FX and USB conectivity. Beware though because not all the functions of USB mixers get sent to the PC, they are just sent to the monitoring section. Do you have "Distance Trading Regulations" in India as here in UK?

I have to say, I think you are asking rather a lot for your proposed budget. Basic but very good recording quality has never been cheaper but once you start to get 'clever' costs escalate. Often you can do wonders on a shoestring however if you have some technical knowledge, a solder iron and an experimental bent!

Dave.
 
Steinberg models have a DSP capability, though it's limited to EQ, compression and reverb. No chorus. I'd suggest a pedal inline with the guitar or a vox harmonizer if that's what you mean. More complex DSP capabilities are going to put you into that UA Apollo land.

Some digital mixers might work, but as Dave notes, whether those with built-in FX route those to the USB output would require close reading of the manuals and maybe a visit to user forums to ask specific questions.
 
Thank you for the suggestions. Want to know if this is possible -

1. Connect my guitar and microphone to the AI.
2. AI is connected via USB to the computer running DAW or some other software
3. I go live on YouTube and use the software to add real-time effects to my voice and guitar.

I've ordered MOTU M2 and hope to get started. I'm a newbie and MOTU seems to fit the bill.
 
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