I would like to get an M Powered interface or an mBox interface, but most that I am interested in run on USB 1.1. This is my first departure from PCI soundcards, and do not have any experience with USB, USB 2 or firewire when it comes to interfaces. Would an interface with USB 1.1 cause any problems if the most complicated thing I would be doing is recording with two condensers at the same time, or using my midi controller?
One last random question. If pro tools only works with digi/m powered interfaces, and the interface I buy doesnt have midi, does that mean I'm screwed? Does that mean if I buy a MIDI/USB interface, pro tools will not recognize it?
USB 1.1 is severely limited for bandwidth. ESPECIALLY compared to PCI. The most stable, lowest latency PT rigs I ever had were
the Audiomedia III card and the Digi 001, which were both PCI. I let them go and bought a variety of USB and Firewire interfaces that run PTLE. Currently I am using an M-Audio Fast Track USB that came bundled with Pro Tools Essential, which although USB 2.0 "compatible", I am not sure if it is actually a USB 1.1 or 2.0 interface. In my experience, even Firewire is a letdown once you have worked with a PCI interface and Pro Tools.
Here is what I found about USB 1.1 with my Mbox I, which would work for you with PT LE, up to PT LE 8.0.1, but that is the end of the line for PT software it will work with - I was able to record with a pair of condenser mics and the Mbox with PT LE 7.4 for up to 1.5 or 2 hours during live gigs and that was recording to the internal drive, which is a no no. So, recording a pair of condenser mics at a time is not a problem for USB.
The problem comes after you have stacked additional tracks and are ready to mix and start adding effects. Adding Melodyne to one or two tracks always brought the system to its knees with the Mbox, but not with a Firewire Digi002 Rack. Adding more than one aux track of reverb would also start throwing errors with my ibook and the Mbox, not with the Digi 002R.
As far as MIDI,my workaround for that was using a USB keyboard and running it into the computer USB port. I was able to use that combination with the Mbox I, but any time I used the MIDI controller to trigger VIs, I ran into problems with PT throwing errors and I think it was due to the bandwidth of USB 1.1.
If you want to go with M-Powered PT, you could go with the Firewire based ProFire 610, which has MIDI in and out or you could go with the USB based Fast Track Pro, which also has MIDI in and MIDI out. They both provide phantom power for your condensers. In my opinion, based on the preamp in the humble Fast Track USB Mk II, the preamps you get in either of these M-Audio interfaces will be better than the preamps used in the current Mbox. I am basing that on having bought a used Mbox Mini and then giving it away. The preamp had more gain than my old Mbox, but did not sound as good and I had recurring problems with static with that unit.
Unless you really have a need to upgrade to a more current system of PT (if that is what you are using), I highly recommend hanging on to your PCI card based system. You will not be able to beat it for stability and low latency from my experience.
bilco
