Do 4-mic-pre interfaces even EXIST??

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alexalex

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..this seems to be a real hole in the market. There are LOTS with 2, and LOTS with 8.. but very few with 4.

Any suggestions? Experiences? I've been researching this for weeks now and it's beginning to overwhelm me.

I'm kind of amazed there is not just a straight up 4-mic-pre interface out there (USB or Firewire) that is not a "mixer" (e.g. Alesis Multimix 8) or packed with unnecessary features/FX (e.g. MOTU Traveler mk3).

I don't have an incredibly powerful computer - 1.4GHz - which is also a drawback, otherwise the M-Audio Fast Track Ultra would be perfect (requires 1.6GHz).. as would the Alesis iO14 (requires 2.4GHz). Or are these requirements to be taken somewhat with a grain of salt? (I don't really get why these require over 1.6 when the tascam 1604 (with 8 mic pres) is happy with 1.4.

Bah! :mad:
 
Thanks both of you! The Fireface I hadn't looked too closely at (awesome!) - and the Lexicon I had not seen before.

Unfortunately tho, Fireface is a little out of my price range (which is up to say $600), and the Lexicon specifies a "dual processor" plus 1GHz of RAM, which I don't have..

I'm now wondering if the M-audio fast track ultra would be ok for me. It wants 1.6GHz (I have 1.4). What is .2GHz between friends?

ONE question which keeps bothering me, is: What exactly does a manufacturer base its "system requirement" on? Do they base it on the maximum possible number of tracks to be coverted at once? Maximum sample rate? On board effects? Or perhaps the bundled software?

Or is this just a subjective thing which reflects manufacturers' different standards? It doesn't seem to follow any universal logic - e.g. why do some 16x8 interfaces "require" slower CPUs that many 4x2s?
 
I'm not that much of a tech-head, but I think the estimate for system requirements are based on a combination of what you've stated. Yes, it's going to assume that you're using the available channels simultaneously.

The main concept to understand is that budget-type USB interfaces (like the Lexicon, etc.) rely on the host computer to do a lot of the processing work, thus the higher system requirement. FireWire presents less system load, which is why many of those boxes work with lower-horsepower computers.
 
That makes sense, thank you. It may be worth me going up a notch in price bracket then, and also looking more seriously at firewire. I have only a 4-pin firewire port on my computer tho - is there any problem with that?

Some device manuals seem to suggest having 6 pin, even though they are not buspowered.. e.g. Tascam 1804 (otherwise a definite contender). :confused:
 
A used MOTU Traveler (not mk3) might be in your range. I wouldn't recommend one without the Black Lion Audio mods (which then takes it out of range :() - but that's what I've got, and I'm very happy with it.

For bus powered units, you definitely need 6 pin (or Firewire 800 and an adapter cable). Not sure about the non bus powered ones. I have an Echo Audiofire 12 (zero preamps, btw), and it has a 6 pin firewire jack, so at a minimum, you'd need an adapter cable to use with 4 pin. I've never tried it, though.
 
Mackie Onyx 400F

Better pres than the stock MOTU stuff, IMO. A solid unit all around (at least mine was, when I owned it)
 
You could grab the original Motu Traveler on eBay or something. It doesn't have the effects, but it has most of the other features of the mk3. The only one I can think of that it doesn't have is two ADAT ports. I just picked one up for about $400. Personally, though, if I could afford the mk3, I would have gotten that. The effects are more for the musicians than they are for you. If your vocalist complains that he wants reverb while he's singing, then you don't have to worry about latency from the computer.
 
update your computer you can get better systems for less the 125 dollars then get the m audio one you wanted. when you start mixing say 16 tracks with plug ins or vstis or anything really you will really wish you had a faster system. with my current system a 2.8 gig processor 1 gig of ram I can only get like 4 good quality plugins going in a mix before it's overloaded i.e reverbs delays the good stuff "not waves murcury bundle" :D, but decent plug ins like the older waves real verb, true verb or cakewalk's 3d room simulator plug ins etc.
 
Well, I think I've definitely decided on firewire at least.

This may sound like a silly question.. but if I have a 6 to 4 pin firewire cable, there is no advantage of an adapter over this, right? I mean, the adapter doesn't "add" any more bandwidth or anything does it?

I'm assuming since I'm not looking at anything buspowered, I'm good with my 4-pin port?

Cheers for the wonderful advice and recommendations. At the moment it's the Tascam FW-1804 followed closely by that Mackie Onyx.
 
alexalex said:
This may sound like a silly question.. but if I have a 6 to 4 pin firewire cable, there is no advantage of an adapter over this, right? I mean, the adapter doesn't "add" any more bandwidth or anything does it?
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Nope. Adapter cable will work just fine.

BTW, the Tascam 1804 is a stellar unit. Both that and the Mackie are good choices.
 
Nevermind this was said already (oops, ha).

mackie onyx 400f.

or it's mixer form, although you don't want that: mackie onyx 1220 + firewire card.
 
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