Need Help Choosing Interface

  • Thread starter Thread starter MooreDogger
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MooreDogger

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I'm looking at putting together a humble home studio and I need some suggestions on interfaces. Assuming you could spend upto $1000 what would you buy to get the sound from the mics into my computer? I'm looking for suggestions on total solutions (ie if you suggest an interface that has no mic pres, which pres would you get). What solution would have the best compromise between converters, pres, etc? Any help would be much appreciated! :)
 
1000 dollars can get you a lot. if you're using a lot of mics, how about something that offers ADAT? If you get just an ADAT card, you can do something like an EWS Terratec 88D or Steinberg 2020 and get an ADAT preamp...like the M-audio Octane, which is a pretty darn good preamp. You could also go cheaper on an ADAT preamp (something like the Behringer ADA8000...which is what I have) and get effectively the same functionality...not quite the same sound, though (that's for you to decide!)... for cheaper.

I personally use an E-mu 1820 and an ADA8000. That gives me 8 preamps on the ADAT and 2 very good preamps on the E-mu, for 600 bucks. if you want another preamp, you could pop something like a dbx 386 on the extra spdif input or whatever pres you want on the unused analog ins.

If you don't need inputs besides mic preamps...you could get a cheaper adat only card (the 2020 or 88D (which can be multi-card) and throw all sorts of different ADAT preamps at it. Behringer on the low-end, M-audio in the middle, Presonus going on up, Mackie Onyx going on up a bit more...but the Onyx and Focusrite stuff further on up will put you over 1000...)
 
Thanks for the response! I'm looking into your suggestions right now. I think the most i'll need to record at once would be 8 mics. I hope that helps for future suggestions :).
 
Another thing you could try is an Aardvark Direct Pro Q10.
I don't know much about them, but have read good reviews.
It has 8 mic inputs/pres. And you can stack them from what I've seen.
So if you needed more, you could add on. You can get them for $650-700.
 
just wondering if you have factored in the cost of studio monitors? regular computer speakers won't cut it if you want to be sure you are hearing everything.
 
a good budget solution that will last you a long time is a yamaha mg mixer into a delta 8 channel sound card. the change you have left over you can
buy a pair of yorkville monitors with. there are thousands of possibilities. whats your pc confign ? might help to post it and get some comments.
or just search under my name ..ive posted lots of pc tuning tips over the last few months.
peace.
 
Ya I've factored in the monitors. The 1000 was just for anything inbetween the mics and the computer. I have an AthlonXP 2500+, 80gig, 1gig ram (333), radeon 9500pro.
 
if that radeon is a pci slot video card watch that it doesnt interfere with audio. if you get clicks or pops in the future.
are you a gamer ?
get a second hard drive if you can.
search under my name for lots of tips ive posted in last year on pc daw optimisation.
 
dogger, please identify what you have in your pci slots please.
this will help me tell you if there are anythings that can muck
audio performance.
i'm not worried as much about the agp card just whats in your pci slots.
network cards ? tv tuner cards ? etc.
thnx.
 
I only have a soundblaster live value and i'm pretty sure i'd part with that when I buy the interface.
 
You might look into the M-audio series IE: 1010 or 1010LT, etc..You can pickup some used on the auctions at a fair price and very compatible with just about anything. I personally have a 1010 with a breakout box and it gives me no problems.
 
dogger. you should be fine.
if you have two drives. put windows on a small one,
and your tracks on a second. 8mb cache hard drive i would suggest you look at.
 
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