Interfaces!

[donlyayrton]

I want to start to record my own band and i after doing a fair amount of research i ended up with a choice between two interfaces: The M-Audio Fast Track Ultra 8r and POD Studio UX2.

Ive heard drum samples on the 8r and a million guitar tracks made on the Ux2, so i was wondering if the 8R has the input capabilities of the ux2 like if you can play guitar directly on it and still get those amazing guitar tones! Since i live in an apartment, i cant really have my amp up loud so that plug-in guitar would really save me a lot of hassle without sacrificing sound!

HELP!

 

[keithersgsx2003]

I want to start to record my own band and i after doing a fair amount of research i ended up with a choice between two interfaces: The M-Audio Fast Track Ultra 8r and POD Studio UX2.

Ive heard drum samples on the 8r and a million guitar tracks made on the Ux2, so i was wondering if the 8R has the input capabilities of the ux2 like if you can play guitar directly on it and still get those amazing guitar tones! Since i live in an apartment, i cant really have my amp up loud so that plug-in guitar would really save me a lot of hassle without sacrificing sound!

HELP!

If you have the money I would get the Fast Track Ultra. I think you will be very pleased with M-audio's Octane preamps that are in it. As far as recording your guitar directly into the Fast Track ultra........I dont see why this would be a problem becuase it has 2 intrument inputs intalled on the front panel of the unit itself. If you want the same guitar sounds as what you are used to with the POD you will have to download that software seperatley.....just make sure it works with your Sequencer program. I would recomend getting a DI box before your guitar signal reaches the Fast track ultra 8r though. You can get a Behringer for under 40 bucks brand new.

should be set up like this.

1 You guitar will be plugged into the DI box's input via a 1/4 inch TS connections......Or just a regular guitar cable......same thing.

2 You will plug the output cable......1/4 inch TS......into an input of the Fast Track ultra 8r.



Check out http://tweakheadz.com/impedance_for_musicians.html

good luck man!

CHEERS!!!!

 

[dastrick]

If you have the money I would get the Fast Track Ultra. I think you will be very pleased with M-audio's Octane preamps that are in it. As far as recording your guitar directly into the Fast Track ultra........I dont see why this would be a problem becuase it has 2 intrument inputs intalled on the front panel of the unit itself. If you want the same guitar sounds as what you are used to with the POD you will have to download that software seperatley.....just make sure it works with your Sequencer program. I would recomend getting a DI box before your guitar signal reaches the Fast track ultra 8r though. You can get a Behringer for under 40 bucks brand new.

should be set up like this.

1 You guitar will be plugged into the DI box's input via a 1/4 inch TS connections......Or just a regular guitar cable......same thing.

2 You will plug the output cable......1/4 inch TS......into an input of the Fast Track ultra 8r.



Check out http://tweakheadz.com/impedance_for_musicians.html

good luck man!

CHEERS!!!!

You wouldn't need a DI box because the 8R has 2 instrument inputs on the front.

And if you're going to be recording a band, you're probably going to want the extra inputs that the 8R will have. You can always buy the POD software to use as a VST or standalone. I think it's pretty cheap.

 

[keithersgsx2003]

You wouldn't need a DI box because the 8R has 2 instrument inputs on the front.

this is correct,,,,,,,,,,,,however............I would rather go the DI box route since it would be a little more professional. The instrument inputs on Audio interfaces and mixers were designed for consumer use. The appropriate or "proffesional" way to get the best sound would be to plug your guitar into the DI box..........then make sure your DI box has XLR outputs which in turn would be amplified cleanly via the preamps installed in your audio interface, then sent out the USB cable into your computer.


"TWEAKZ"



BUT

Will it sound decent plugged into your intrument cables..........yes.......very much so.

 

[dastrick]

this is correct,,,,,,,,,,,,however............I would rather go the DI box route since it would be a little more professional. The instrument inputs on Audio interfaces and mixers were designed for consumer use. The appropriate or "proffesional" way to get the best sound would be to plug your guitar into the DI box..........then make sure your DI box has XLR outputs which in turn would be amplified cleanly via the preamps installed in your audio interface, then sent out the USB cable into your computer.


"TWEAKZ"



BUT

Will it sound decent plugged into your intrument cables..........yes.......very much so.

Taken from the link to Tweakheadz used above:

Common Impedance Issues and their solutions

Perhaps the most common mismatch is when someone plugs a guitar or other instrument level device direct into a mixer. Mixers typically only have LoZ and line level inputs, so plugging in the HiZ guitar output is a bad recipe. In this case the direct box is often used.

Is this what you're referring to? I'm not talking about plugging a guitar into the line inputs or preamps (LoZ)...I'm talking about plugging it into the instrument input on the front of the interface. It is a HiZ (or High Impedance) input designed for electric guitars & bass guitars. Adding a DI box in the chain would be an unneeded step and a waste of money.

 

[keithersgsx2003]

Taken from the link to Tweakheadz used above:




Is this what you're referring to? I'm not talking about plugging a guitar into the line inputs or preamps (LoZ)...I'm talking about plugging it into the instrument input on the front of the interface. It is a HiZ (or High Impedance) input designed for electric guitars & bass guitars. Adding a DI box in the chain would be an unneeded step and a waste of money.

lol.......No were on the same page!!!!!

yes plugging a guitar into a line level input sounds like crap because of the impendance issues.

I always mic my amps, but know people that use the Behringer DI100,

1. plug the guitar cable into the DI input

2 use the XLR output from the DI into the Mic Pre on the audio interface or external mic preamp.

It sounds...................TO ME................. better than just plugging into an instrument input, BUT this could be due to the Mic pre's they are using......."M-Audio Octane"


here is what i was referring to.

"The Direct box or DI box as it is sometimes called changes the unbalanced HiZ signal to a balanced LoZ signal. This allows 3 things to happen. 1) the impedance is matched and gain can be applied cleanly to the signal. 2) longer cable lengths can be used. 3) the circuit resists ground loops (hum). There may even be a "ground lift" on some DI boxes that will kill any ground loop that has formed. The audio result using a DI box is often clearly superior."

CHEERS!!!!!!!

 

[dastrick]

1 You guitar will be plugged into the DI box's input via a 1/4 inch TS connections......Or just a regular guitar cable......same thing.

2 You will plug the output cable......1/4 inch TS......into an input of the Fast Track ultra 8r.


CHEERS!!!!

Gotcha. It looked like you were saying plug the output of the DI box into the instrument input.

I'm glad we got that worked out.

 

[A.D.Ryan]

I`m using the Ultra track R8 and I must say that the guitar plugged into the instrument input at the front, sounds cool.
Cheers

 

[donlyayrton]

Hey guys, thanks for the quick reply! i was just wondering if i could still get the POD tones if i used the 8R! is this possible?

 

[dastrick]

Hey guys, thanks for the quick reply! i was just wondering if i could still get the POD tones if i used the 8R! is this possible?

Yep. It's possible. The tones come from the POD Farm software which can be used with just about any DAW.

 

[donlyayrton]

Yep. It's possible. The tones come from the POD Farm software which can be used with just about any DAW.

Thanks! I really appreciate the help planning to get some shure mics too, hopefully soon!

 

[dastrick]

Here's the POD Farm software for $50. There's also one for $150. I have the $50 version that came with the POD GX.