Interface w/ preamps OR Mixer > converter

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Ridickolas

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So now my crappy old M-audio Firewire solo has died, i'm left with a decision. I was looking at a Presonus Firebox, which looks amazing 6 outs on such a small thing and also I've heard great things 'bout their pre's. OR a kind of cheap mixer like a Tapco mix 100 into something like a USB a/d converter like the Edirol UA-1EX. Now some of the pros of the mixer idea is I could use EQ externally, as opposed to on logic, and could also be used live if needed, but some cons could be the pres arent great, eq isnt great and also if its goin in through something like the ua-1ex the sound quality could get shit, but its about £110 cheaper than a firebox! please people who have preferebally used both gimme some feedback! also if you know of any other good budget mixer or a better converter share!

[edit] something else im liking the look of is a Behri xenyx 2222fx which looks like a bargain..
 
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Ridickolas said:
So now my crappy old M-audio Firewire solo has died, i'm left with a decision. I was looking at a Presonus Firebox, which looks amazing 6 outs on such a small thing and also I've heard great things 'bout their pre's. OR a kind of cheap mixer like a Tapco mix 100 into something like a USB a/d converter like the Edirol UA-1EX. Now some of the pros of the mixer idea is I could use EQ externally, as opposed to on logic, and could also be used live if needed, but some cons could be the pres arent great, eq isnt great and also if its goin in through something like the ua-1ex the sound quality could get shit, but its about £110 cheaper than a firebox! please people who have preferebally used both gimme some feedback! also if you know of any other good budget mixer or a better converter share!

[edit] something else im liking the look of is a Behri xenyx 2222fx which looks like a bargain..
Click to expand...
What's your budget, and what are you wanting from it(how many channels, etc). For the price of the firebox, you could get a Tascam fw-1804, what i've got. This offers 4 mic preamps, and upto 18 ins, 12outs(with the ADATs and SPDIF, 8in 2out without).
 
my budget around £200 ($410), just one/two channels, obviously phantom power, EQ, but that is if its the way to go above something like a firebox...
 
Ridickolas said:
my budget around £200 ($410), just one/two channels, obviously phantom power, EQ, but that is if its the way to go above something like a firebox...
Click to expand...
Check out the Tascam fw-1804. I've not had a lot of time to play around with it, but it does seem really nice. I'll be expanding it with a behringer ada8000, and 2 good quality 2channel pres, to 16in 10out.
 
Also, i don't see the big deal about EQ. I believe that EQ is EQ, ok some are set to "nicer" sounding frequencies. But if you use a parametric EQ, then you can choose any frequencies you wish. Cubase LE, which comes with the Tascam, has its own 4 band paraEQ anyway.
 
Ridickolas said:
So now my crappy old M-audio Firewire solo has died, i'm left with a decision. I was looking at a Presonus Firebox, which looks amazing 6 outs on such a small thing and also I've heard great things 'bout their pre's. OR a kind of cheap mixer like a Tapco mix 100 into something like a USB a/d converter like the Edirol UA-1EX. Now some of the pros of the mixer idea is I could use EQ externally, as opposed to on logic, and could also be used live if needed, but some cons could be the pres arent great, eq isnt great and also if its goin in through something like the ua-1ex the sound quality could get shit, but its about £110 cheaper than a firebox! please people who have preferebally used both gimme some feedback! also if you know of any other good budget mixer or a better converter share!

[edit] something else im liking the look of is a Behri xenyx 2222fx which looks like a bargain..
Click to expand...
The Behri 2222fx only comes with the uca202(similar to the Edirol UA-1EX) for connectivity with pc, giving only stereo recording.
 
I used to use a Mixer when recording but now my Preamp collection has grown to about 8 seperate channels and I don"t use the Mixer at all accept as a Headphone amp and I like it much better this way as I can choose a preamp that suits a particular guitar,Bass or drum style and it also helps useing different preamps if you want a certain track to stand out in the mix cuz sometimes when you use the same preamps for everything it is hard to make some tracks to stand out in the mix......


:)
 
Minion said:
I used to use a Mixer when recording but now my Preamp collection has grown to about 8 seperate channels and I don"t use the Mixer at all accept as a Headphone amp and I like it much better this way as I can choose a preamp that suits a particular guitar,Bass or drum style and it also helps useing different preamps if you want a certain track to stand out in the mix cuz sometimes when you use the same preamps for everything it is hard to make some tracks to stand out in the mix......


:)
Click to expand...
Yeah that's what i want. 8 channels of prosumer pres(behri ada8000), 4 good pres(on the tascam fw-1804), and 2 high class 2channel pres(spl goldmike, CPEQ-box)
 
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