Please suggest an 8 Preamp Audio Interface for Drums - Good Quality - 2024

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mattkw801

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Hello

I'm looking to buy an 8 Channel interface - specifically for recording drums - that sound really good.
I have a Zoom Live Trak L-20 but I don't love the way it sounds. As if it's is too clean, or sterile, or digital.
I already own a Focusrite 18i20 3rd gen, but it's loaned out to someone.

I record on Mac with Reaper. Thunderbolt and USB options both on the table.

I typically mic kick, snare top, snare bottom, OH L, OH R and room Left, room Right ... so 7 mics.

My short list is:
Audient Evo
Presonus's 8 channel (can't remember model #)
Another Focusrite 18i20 3rd gen
Maybe a Focusrite 18i20 4th gen
Maybe something MOTU ?

Ok with spending $500 to $2500 .

Can anyone suggest something that's really going to sound great?

Thanks!
 
I've experience with two of those and casual acquaintance with a few more - they all sound transparent. If there are differences, I have not heard them. In fairness, the differences are in functions and the way the do similar things differently. I think they all sound clean - as in adding nothing tonally. If you want something coloured - I doubt you will be happy with any on your list as their raison d'etre is transparency and accuracy. Personally, I hate distortion, even 'nice' distortion, and in fairness multi channel boutique interfaces are in a very different price range for those who want that kind of thing.
 
You are probably right. I just want to know I've bought the best 8 channels I can afford. Maybe a higher end MOTU or Scarlett or Clarett, etc. would be a placebo?
 
Since you're running Mac, I would stick with Thunderbolt. Its inherently better for latency.

Something like the MOTU 8pre-es 24x28 Thunderbolt Audio Interface or the MOTU 8M 24x24 Thunderbolt / USB 2.0 Audio Interface with AVB would give you 8 mic preamps, and ability to add via ADAT for more inputs.

Or you could go UA Apollo and add an extra 8 channels via a 8x preamp.

Either way you're going to be on the hi end of your budget.

Or you can just get another 18i20 since you're apparently familiar with that one.

I'm like Rob, I don't want my preamps making everything warm and fuzzy like an old tape machine. That means added distortion (now it's called saturation), compression, rounded transients and rolled off hi frequencies as the signal gets higher. What comes in from the mic should be exactly what goes into the DAW. People call that sterile or digital like that's a bad thing. I can add distortion and roll off the top end later.
 
mattkw801 said:
Hello

I'm looking to buy an 8 Channel interface - specifically for recording drums - that sound really good.

Can anyone suggest something that's really going to sound great?
Click to expand...
First Suggestion: Apogee Symphony Studio 8 x 8 Audio Interface - It’s $2799 - there are plenty of them used though.- come in around $1800.

Second Suggestion Focusrite Clarett+ 8Pre USB Audio Interface - It’s $1000 new -

I have compared both the Apogee Symphony and the Clarett+ 8Pre - the Apogee is a bit more stable and the preamps are slightly more robust -
but with drums there wasn’t a noticeable difference to my ears.

There is also the Universal Audio Apollo x8p 16x22 - but i don’t like the Micro unverse you are forced into - it is good sounding and has a lot of features -
if you can deal with the universe that I would look into it. Like the Apogee in order to get into your budget you would have to buy used.
 
DM60 said:
I've had luck on Tascam US-16x08. But I am on a Windows OS.
Click to expand...

Have my eye on this as well. I'm worried they will be 'plain' but that's only based on a few comments I've read. The Zoom Livetrak L-20 I have now just has no sparkle or magic, and I'm wondering if the Tascam would be the same.
 
Yea, it will be plain. I ask nothing from my interface but to get the sound to my DAW. I will work the sparkle from there. But yea, it won't give you anything but flexibility and ease of use.
 
Appreciate everyone's suggestions and I'm going to hunt down and price each one. I'm also kind of holding out for Black Friday.

I'm thinking of approaching this differently.... can I post a sample of the drums I recorded that I find boring as well as a sample of the drum sound I wish I had - and you guys see if maybe the 'plain' sound I am getting --- could be mixed into something better?
 
mattkw801 said:
Appreciate everyone's suggestions and I'm going to hunt down and price each one. I'm also kind of holding out for Black Friday.

I'm thinking of approaching this differently.... can I post a sample of the drums I recorded that I find boring as well as a sample of the drum sound I wish I had - and you guys see if maybe the 'plain' sound I am getting --- could be mixed into something better?
Click to expand...
Yea, it might be more technique and mic placement more than interface. But gives us a sample.
 
I also have the Tascam 16x08 for my audio interface. I don't know what kind of "sparkle" you're looking for, but this was done with the Tascam. Alas, I don't play drums, so it's just guitars and vocals.

 
As for 'sparkle' - my drums end up sounding as they are in the room for the most part - which is mission one accomplished I guess. They do not sound like a professional recording. I'll whip up a sample asap.
 
There are many factors that can affect the quality of your recorded sound, and some of those factors will have a greater impact than others. Things that will have the greatest impact are, for example, the nature of the room in which you are recording, and the quality of the microphones and their placement. Any contemporary interface will have little impact and willl be the least of your worries.
 
So the difference between a M-Audio and a RME or Apogee is not going to help?
 
mattkw801 said:
As for 'sparkle' - my drums end up sounding as they are in the room for the most part - which is mission one accomplished I guess. They do not sound like a professional recording. I'll whip up a sample asap.
Click to expand...
Commercial recordings will be EQ'd and compressed. If your recording sounds like they are in the room, then you're getting an accurate recording. Yeah, Mission one accomplished. Then you need to balance them.

If you have time, you might want to watch Dave Grohl's documentary called Sound City. One of the important factors in the success of the studio was the way the drums sounded in that room. That's something that I read a lot about recording drums... "this room sounds GREAT". Having a good mic technique is important to get it all to work together.
 
To Taliman's point, Led Zeppelin used the stairwell of some old mansion when they recorded one of their albums. Room matters to drums since it is an acoustic instrument. As much as an acoustic guitar.
 
Deep Purple's Machine Head was recorded in the hallways of the Grand Hotel in Switzerland. They had planned to record at the casino, but as the song says, "some stupid with a flare gun burned the place to the ground".
 
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