advice for first purchase - FW or USB interface

  • Thread starter Thread starter viva_zapata74
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viva_zapata74

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hi all, I'd like to ask for a word of advice...

I'd like to buy a FW or USB 2.0 audio interface to go with the iBook g4 I have.
I saw a few pieces of equipment which I think fit the bill:

edirol fa-66, or the fa-101 which has a lot more more ins and outs

line 6 toneport, only 2 preamp ins but I love those analog indicators...

Hercules FW 16/12, great value apparently

M-audio FW 410 or the bigger 1814

Motu Ultralite... looks and seems good altogether

Presonus firepod

Lexicon omega studio - seems good value too

now... I have an iBook G4, a Korg Triton Extreme and a Korg digital piano, a bass and a trumpet and I will have a guitar soon; add one mike for the voice. The music I do is varied, rock, blues, acid jazz, leaning mostly on the acoustic side of things, no techno et similia. What would you guys advice for a nice audio interface (is FW definitely better than USB 2.0?) in the 500/600 bucks range?

Thanks in advance, as always! :-)

Emiliano
 
expensive but probably worth it

yo, the fireface seem great stuff, I was just reading some specs on the internet; I suppose the old rule "you get what you pay for" applies here too

thanks
 
viva_zapata74 said:
I suppose the old rule "you get what you pay for" applies here too.
Click to expand...

Pretty much, except for the fabulous MSH- series of microphones. They are a steal.
 
Firepod, for sure. I also second spending the extra case for a fireface, but the firepod will do fine.
 
direct monitoring?

thanks for the replies guys

in fact it's a battle between firepod and the MOTU ultralite... cannot spend that much for fireface, maybe later!

anyone knows how the firepod behaves with regards to direct monitoring?
 
The question is how many inputs do you need, realistically? If it's just you then you really don't "need" a 10 input interface. Also, the Firepod has direct outputs for every channel. Cool, but you pay for the extra. If you don't have a need for it, you're just spending money unnecessarily. You may be able to get away with a much less expensive interface with fewer inputs as long as you're willing to plug in and unplug cables fairly often. Look at where your needs are now and try to anticipate where they will be in a year. If you don't see much change, like you're not suddenly recording a full live band, then don't spend money you don't need to.
 
viva_zapata74 said:
thanks for the replies guys

in fact it's a battle between firepod and the MOTU ultralite... cannot spend that much for fireface, maybe later!

anyone knows how the firepod behaves with regards to direct monitoring?
Click to expand...


I vote for the Firepod, more inputs, more inputs, I know you'll get hungry for more inputs :D
 
viva_zapata74 said:
I'd like to buy a FW or USB 2.0 audio interface to go with the iBook g4 I have.
Click to expand...

Since there's no such thing as a USB 2.0 audio interface (or at least not one that is spec-compliant), you'd better go FireWire....

I'd go with FireWire anyway. It is generally a lot more reliable. I won't bother ranting for a page on the flaws in the notion of using USB for audio, but if you care, do a search. :)
 
rockabilly1955 said:
how bout Firewire mixers??? :confused:
Click to expand...

Yep! I have not tried all the features on my [Church] Alesis MultiMix Firewire 16, but so far is good.
 
i've heard too many complaints with usb. if i were in the market, i'd go firewire (between the two).
 
once again, thank you all for the sound advice

I might - in the not so far future - need to record a live band and, when at home, I do get annoyed at plugging/unplugging cables all the time

also, if I have one instrument on one input that's going to one track in the computer I don't wanna mess around too much plugging and unplugging and setting and readjusting stuff... inspiration is as fast in coming as in leaving :-)

definitely, FW is the way

thanks again
 
dgatwood said:
Since there's no such thing as a USB 2.0 audio interface (or at least not one that is spec-compliant), you'd better go FireWire....
Click to expand...
What about the E-mu 0404?
 
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