Small Professional Vocal Studio Interface

rob aylestone said:
I never find the headphone outputs on the interfaces very loud - OK for vocals but less good on say, saxophones or when using a loud guitar amp.
Click to expand...
On the Audient 14 the headphone amp isnt very loud for vocals (narration). It is almost at maximum for me to hear properly, but I like it loud in my ears so I can hear stuff going on. A stomach rumbling or clothes rustling, lips smacking, or tongue noises can ruin a recording because the story listener can hear same.

Singing and music would be different.
 
Totally agree - even worse for me as my preferred headphones for overdubbing and recording are Beyer DT150s, and these like plenty of level - hence why the Behringer 8000 does good service for me.
 
rob aylestone said:
Is there an interface that actually sounds bad, ignoring those usb cables with an XLR? Some have better performance when you need a bit more gain, and others have more gizmos, but has anyone bought one and returned it and bought something ‘better’ that would be interesting to hear.
Click to expand...
I went through a few over the years to answer if the "sound" was better or worse and I never heard any of much difference.
...of course having a 2 ch vs 8ch etc...etc...or having firewire or usb kind of differences...but the sound of interfaces was something I skipped quickly in the "comparison rabbit hole".

if I can recall for fun...line6 2...w/podfarm, Tascam 122, Tascam 8ch, Focusrite 8ch, EMU w/ joemeek preamps!, MOTU, ...ended up with Line6 UX8 after reading Todd Rundgren made a whole album on it...and it had the free PodFarm etc...and I even tried another MOTU years later and no sound difference...maybe a couple Ive forgot....none of them "sounded" different to me.
then it was the preamp rabbit hole, the some compressors, then the microphone rabbit hole...mainly for my vocal and acoustic guitar.
all the bass and guitar stuff was ok, not much rabbit hole.

Ive read the interface AD/DA stuff and fall into the didnt hear a big difference. I grabbed a Grace Design headphone amp~ hiend, and Beyer 880 250ohm and played with the 24/44 vs 24 96k vs etc..the Headphone amp detects the file bit/sample..so its cool to see it flop an flop to 44 or 96 or 88.... and I couldnt hear much difference either. I know my old ears wouldnt hear the 192 stuff either and the huge files isnt worth it to me.

Im open to some people might possess the Golden Ears and say WOW!! 44 vs 192 is HUGE!!....maybe they do hear it?

add: the headphone amp on the UX8 is the best of any Ive heard and is spec'd for high ohm headphones. compared to the Grace Design Headphone Amp it is very close. I grabbed the Grace 901 designed for Bob Ludwig...cool story in the grace design headphone amp beginings. but some USB interfaces headphone amps suck and really need the 32~ohm headphones, bought a behringer multi headphone amp for $25 used and its really ok too.
 
Last edited:
Orson said:
I usually stick to what I know. I have an Audient ID14 and was thinking of getting an Audient ID44 which would then allow me to get rid of other equipment to offset costs and improve things. So was just asking as I looked at other makes around the same price range. My set up is only for vocals and no instruments.
Click to expand...
I would go with the Audient since you are already familiar with there systems.
 
Orson said:
Knowing a little more now.

I would want totally silent pre-amps because our set up is for vocals. Ease of use. 2 headphone sockets. Total flexibility.
Click to expand...

You seem to like the 44 over the 14?

Your other comment you mention the ID14 headphone amps werent great. ..but the 44 will be the same amp, just more of them.

The preamps will be the same , just more of them.

The big selling point is expanding the unit, to two ADATs on the 44 and outs for 7.1 surround.... and only one ADAT on the 14(8channel exapand).
But you just want a small interface with good headphone amps and most IC preamps should be pretty decent. .. which doesnt sound like you were wanting a large system.

AUDIENT calls their headphone amps powerful and quote "AUDIENT 14 is capable of handling UP TO 600 OHMS"....so? hmm? That covers about anything. Lower ohm headphones you can really boost your volume, maybe try some 32~80 ohms for a fix.

Silent preamps you already have in the ID14, so curious what mics are being used...if dynamic maybe add some Mic Booster(cloudlifter, catherdral pipes, etc..)

Doesnt sound like the ID44 will do much for you over the ID14?
 
CoolCat said:
You seem to like the 44 over the 14?

Your other comment you mention the ID14 headphone amps werent great. ..but the 44 will be the same amp, just more of them.

The preamps will be the same , just more of them.

The big selling point is expanding the unit, to two ADATs on the 44 and outs for 7.1 surround.... and only one ADAT on the 14(8channel exapand).
But you just want a small interface with good headphone amps and most IC preamps should be pretty decent. .. which doesnt sound like you were wanting a large system.

AUDIENT calls their headphone amps powerful and quote "AUDIENT 14 is capable of handling UP TO 600 OHMS"....so? hmm? That covers about anything. Lower ohm headphones you can really boost your volume, maybe try some 32~80 ohms for a fix.

Silent preamps you already have in the ID14, so curious what mics are being used...if dynamic maybe add some Mic Booster(cloudlifter, catherdral pipes, etc..)

Doesnt sound like the ID44 will do much for you over the ID14?
Click to expand...
Thank you CoolCat.

To make my 'engineers' station I have an Audient 14 - Beringer mixer - Monacor PA Desk mic - Audio-Teknica M50 32ohm headphones and Beyerdynamics 770 pro 80ohms headphones.

I use the mixer with the desk mic to talk to the sound booth AT M50's.

I didnt know because I was green. If I did know I would have purchased the ID44 because it would have done away with the mixer and lots of wires and it all be in one system. Both headphones into one unit etc.

My ID 14 sound booth mic gain is on level 6 plus 10db's and I still need the headphones turned up to maximum in my 770's. The mic is a Neumann 103 and headphone volume is no different with a Rode NT1A. Voice over work so as loud as possible. Stomach noises and heartbeat stuff. (so they can't sneak one out):LOL:

Perhaps I am deaf.:oops::ROFLMAO:
 
Last edited:
lol... yeh the ID44 does have a dual headphone output and if it can get rid of a mixer and cables, that does sound useful.
to consolidate! that makes sense.

Interesting... considerable price difference $300 14, $500 22, $700 44.
Reading more Audient theres possible different DAC chips used in them, over the years? I dont know.
Mfg supplys change, as does version 1 , 2 or 3 or 6 can make super old posts vs new ones conflicting.
I was reading one mfg brand was switching converters due to covid supply issues....but I doubt the end user will notice.
 
I have had the 14 for over 2 years now so a mk1.

I used to have a dbx de-esser and a headphone amp in the system as well which meant a desk like spaghetti. But now just the 14, desk mic and mixer. I would still prefer just one unit though.
 
I agree, I like the simplistic approach too.
But $300 more to add a headphone amp and remove the mixer? hmm?
I suppose if you sold the Mixer, it would cut some of the $300 down.(which money isnt growing on my tree in the backyard)

You seem to like the Audient and dont hear you having any issues with the software/drivers. Thats good.
Do you use Mac or Windows?

yeah I like my spaghetti on a plate,....not in the recording room if possible.

heres a really nice AUDEINT comparison link.
they list 600 OHM to 30OHM for gear head numbers.
 
Well I paid in your money Approx $60 for the amp and $70 for the mixer. I paid $70 for the desk mic when I could have used a cheaper one with the 44. Also I had the dbx in use for a time so that was $200. So you can see I think my money was better spent elsewhere, $400 worth!!!!

Windows. I did originally have a Scarlett but read that the Audients are better. No issues with the Audient, but I did with the dbx which drove me crazy. So that is in a dark corner somewhere and I don't care where either. It can stop there.
 
I mis-spoke/posted from my other earlier reads it seemed it was all the same, but the Audient chart Joshua created, shows a fairly large difference in Headphone Amps too.! So its not like Audient just added more of the same , but they actually "beefed up" the inside gear and parts.

with 32ohm headphones the 14 is 80mw and the 44 is 250 mw!
with 60ohm the 14 is 80mw and the 44 is 210mw!

so not only a dual headphone amp, but also the > 2x's Headphone amp mw.
ID44 looks pretty decent, as you already mentioned. yeah if a person adds in all the other gear removed, $300 isnt a big deal and there is some extra horsepower in the headphone amps.(y)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top