Best Interface for $600?

[GuitarGuy51]

Hello all, I am going to school to be a recording engineer and I am beginning to build my own studio. I am searching for a well-built, good quality firewire interface for around $600 give or take 100. I am looking to record everything from acoustic stuff to metal so I need something that can handle a broad range of tunes. I am running a fairly new 2.4 ghz iMac with plenty of memory, which has Logic 8 on it. I prefer Logic to Pro Tools so I would like to stick with that. I have looked all over at reviews of different units like the firepod and fw410, but the reviews are either spectacular or horror stories. I just want a reliable, quality unit with at least 4 ins. A appreciate everyones help and hope to ge to know you all very well. Thanks!

 

[Daveg62]

Look for a used RME Multiface II. I picked up mine for under $500. Not exactly firewire but very stable and sounds one step above everything else in your price range.

 

[CoolCat]

i recently stumbled across this "noise floor" thing with my interface box.
then a 1997 MIX mag, full of adverts, showed a few bleeps refering to "noise floor" at -85db of pro equipment ad's. Apparently a proud achievement 11yrs ago at -85db.

during some FFT measuring, I came across a lot of idle, noise-floor, on my EMU 1820 from the front two pre's going as loud as -57db.
Using the back line in's are at -110db and the unit was only $100+ on clearance...but the point is.

-110db noise floor would have been winning excellence awards 11yrs ago, and
just something to check while your looking at interface boxes.

turn up the pre-amps and listen for the SSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSSSSSSHhhhhhhhh......