What audio interface should I purchase for macbook

  • Thread starter Thread starter Texasbbqrock
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Texasbbqrock

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Howdy. I have been doing my research for awhile and was hoping someone with a macbook could ease my mind on my next purchase.

I have a macbook 13.3
2.4ghz
160gb 5400-rpm harddrive
400 firewire port
2 usb 2.0 ports.

I tried the apogee duet did not care for it, using garageband.
I am willing to by logic express or studio if I can find the right audio interface to gel this package together.
I have looked at the Focusrite saffire 40 online and the reviews seem back and forth.
Also have looked at the motu traveler.
I just want something with a slight learning curve and no hassle connectivity and driver problems.
Any help or advice would be appreciated from you mac guys and girls out
there.

Thank you for your time and have fun makin music no tension people. That is the key.
Texaspoet.
 
how many inputs do you want to record at once? Explaining your situation will make it a lot easier for people to suggest stuff for you.

anything by motu will work well with a mac.

I have an edirol fa-101. it works, and i only got it because it was a great deal and I could record multiple tracks with it.
 
tojo said:
how many inputs do you want to record at once? Explaining your situation will make it a lot easier for people to suggest stuff for you.

anything by motu will work well with a mac.

I have an edirol fa-101. it works, and i only got it because it was a great deal and I could record multiple tracks with it.
Click to expand...

Hey appreciate your reply. I'd like to record at least 6-8 tracks at once. I havin been searching over the web for reviews and such. I also need great clarity. I will be making a demo for getting live gigs. And also practicing being in a recording situation. When we hit the studio again, God Willing.
I already have studio monitors,tube pre amp, computer monitor and keyboard, mighty mouse, to run the macbook with it out of the way I am not new to recording, use to use a br1600cd, just new to computer based recording with a mac. I will be recording acoustic guitar's, vocal's, bass, drums, harp, for starters, I also have condensor mic's already.
Also what kind of software would you recommend that communicates well with the Interface and the macbook?
All input is welcomed.
 
The MOTU 8pre will work out great for you. It'll also play nice with that MAC.
 
buckkillr8 said:
The MOTU 8pre will work out great for you. It'll also play nice with that MAC.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice buck. What about software, should I stick with garageband, or go logic studio or express, Or something else.
All input is welcomed.
Thanks again. THe link to your setup did not work by the way UncleBuck.
 
Software is a personal preference and is pointless to say one's better then the other. I ran Sonar for years and just recently decided to check out Reaper. I was pretty much instantly converted and run only Reaper now. :)
 
i have logic express and it works well for me. Sometimes its a littlbe bit confusing but there are tons of tutorials and instructions around the internet. You can do so much more with it. Lots of instruments, effects, easier and more advanced editing capabilities and so on.
 
Appreciate the responses so far! Thanks fellas.

I was hoping for more of a response from some mac user's out there? Come on fell'as.
I am leaning toward a motu or focusrite. with logic studio...
???
 
I had the Focusrite Saffire Pro 10 i/o, which is kinda like a simpler version of the new 40. I think it worked pretty well, but I just got the older version of the Traveler and I think it is a much better unit. You can get lower latency with the MOTU than the Focusrite in my experience. It's hard to really quantify the differences, but I think I would definitely go for MOTU gear over Focusrite gear now that I have tried both. The Traveler is a pretty sweet unit, but it only has 4 preamps, so if you are looking to record more tracks at once, you would have to get some more preamps and run those into the Traveler. If you get the older version of the Traveler used, you can probably get that and a couple of the little ART pres for about the same price as any of the other interfaces. I snagged a Traveler for $350. The main differences between the older and newer ones are that the new one has onboard fx and a second ADAT port so you can run more inputs into it. Using just ADAT, 1/4" and XLR inputs, though, the old one still gives you 16 inputs. It's still pretty sweet, so check it out.
 
Hey thanks man. I think you might be a brother from another mother.
I checked out your website. Goodstuff as I call it man.
See you down the road and keep it up!
RT
 
If you buy anything from MOTU, it comes with AudioDesk, which is the little brother (no MIDI) to Digital Performer. If you decide you want to move up to DP, they have upgrade pricing.

As for me, I use a pair of 8Pre interfaces with DP.
 
I went with the Motu Ultralite. I know it only has 2 pre's. But I have a tube preamp with 2 pre's also. I am going to try the AudioDesk software that comes with the Motu. I will post my reviews on this product, and the devices I am using once I mess around with it for a week or 2.
Thank you for all of your input.
 
recording AI

Ok I went the Ultralite. I am getting decent recordings with garageband. I have only recorded 2 tracks simult. I could not get 4 tracks simult. Any folks out there who use the cue mix software, Know what I am doing wrong?
I am gonna read up some more today. I also am getting a slight airy sound before and after the recordings. Man thanks for all your help guys, much appreciated.
 
Usually, you just set the inputs in your DAW software (in this case, AudioDesk) to whatever input you want to use to record. I haven't used AudioDesk, so I can't really comment on how to do that.

What kind of airy sound are you talking about? If you're leaving your house's vents on, that could be it.
 
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