Recommend me an audio interface

I

inkeyes

Inspired
Basically, I discovered why i have been having a few problems with my new ultra.
It wasnt my ultra, it's my audio interface. The inputs keep cutting out and occasionally getting some weird buzzing that goes away once i waggle the cable (its not the cables, iv tried several different ones)

So, i figure i need to replace it.
I was using a Lexicon omega, been pretty pleased with it whilst it worked, did a good job.
Now, im not after some pro real high end piece of kit, just something for home recording, usb or firewire that has xlr inputs and 1/4 inch jack inputs. Pretty much same as the omega, except maybe some xlr inputs that dont have mic preamps.

Something similar to the omega would be good, i might just buy another and be done with it. However, i thought i would ask you guys for some recommendations to see what you had to say.

Thanks in advance
 
RME Fireface 400. I have one and it's a fantastic product. It sounds great ! But the results will depend heavily upon your computer's hardware, as with any Firewire audio card.

To be 100% sure of the results, use PCIe (desktop), ExpressCard or Cardbus (laptop) interfaces (RME Multiface2 for example, EDIT : it doesn't have XLR and mic preamps, though)
 
I had pretty good success with presonus Firepod ... I think they call it FP10 now ... Worked great for me from the day one and it could be had for very reasonable $300-400 ...

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Mik.
 
The presonus is good but it might be overkill for your situation, if you don't need that many inputs the m-audio firewire 410 is great.
 
mik said:
I had pretty good success with presonus Firepod ... I think they call it FP10 now ... Worked great for me from the day one and it could be had for very reasonable $300-400 ...

Mik.
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The Firepod is great for the money, provided you can get it working. Some people have no problems, others not so. It took a lot of fiddling around to get it working on my system, and I've ended up running older drivers. One XP boot runs it fine now (thankfully my DAW boot), the other one has random problems stil. Exact same computer, just two HDDs in caddies that I switch out. :?
 
I had a bad experience with the PreSonus Firebox. On my recording desktop I am running Windows XP 64-Bit. The latest version of the Presonus drivers mostly work with 64-bit Windows, except that I couldn't play from the digital out and record from the digital in at the same time. This meant I couldn't do reamping with the Axe-FX. I wasted weeks going back and forth with PreSonus technical support, their Technical Support department didn't have a 64-Bit Windows box to try it out themselves. I could get reamping to work on my 32-bit WinXP laptop, but all of my recording equipment is setup with my desktop.

Eventually I gave up on PreSonus tech support, sold the Firebox and bought an Echo Audiofire4. It's in the same price range as the Firebox and Echo seems to be better about providing driver updates more frequently.
 
You spent good money for the Ultra to get the ultimate tone- don't skimp on the interface.

Personally, anything Presonus or TC Electronic are absolute garbage because of driver problems. (TCs being especially awful)

I would recommend the RME fireface 400 or 800 or just about any Motu interface. The 8pre is affordable and good. The fireface 800 is superb.
 
Not to contradict things posted previously, however I have been very happy with my TC Electronics Konnekt 24D. Great little unit, fantastic mic pres, solid clock, good DA/AD, and can be had for ~$375.

For what it's worth, I just went through this a few months ago. Drove myself crazy going back and forth on the different audio interfaces. I read hundreds of reviews, bought and returned 5 different units, and finally came to the conclusion that under about $800 they are all pretty much the same. I would suggest two things: Pick one that has the features you need - no need to pay for stuff you won't use. The second thing is to buy it from a local shop if you can. There are so many variables with computers that it is hard to tell how yours will behave with a given product. A unit can be perfect for 100 people and then one person will have lots of trouble. Being able to try it out and bring it back if it misbehaves is a good insurance policy.

For an interface to sound good with the Axe you need two things: a stereo pair of balanced line inputs and good AD conversion. You shouldn't have any trouble finding that well under $1k, or even under $500.

Just my $0.02
 
+1 on the RME Fireface 400/800 or Multiface. I've had a lot of interfaces over the years and I've found RME to be completely rock solid, troublefree and great sounding. Their TotalMix software is also incredibly flexible, particularly if you're trying to run multiple cue mixes or any kind of fancy routing. I currently have a Multiface which I'm going to sell (cause I have the Fireface 800), but it's not because I've had any problems. It just isn't quite as featured as the Fireface.

RME products have been the most hassle-free products in terms of installation and functioning that I've ever bought in the digital audio world.

That said, I've heard the TC stuff is great IF IF IF IF IF you don't have driver issues. On the other hand, driver issues are the downfall of probably 1/2 or more computer audio interfaces and having spent more to have no hassles will seem like $ well spent if you ever encounter products that have unreliable drivers.
 
I'm wondering if I should get a new interface too. I've been using my x-fi platinum to record with and I've used the midi connections on it to transer firmware and patches to my ultra without any issues thus far. My question is, am I missing something using it to record?
 
MikeyB59 said:
+1 on the RME Fireface 400/800 or Multiface. I've had a lot of interfaces over the years and I've found RME to be completely rock solid, troublefree and great sounding. Their TotalMix software is also incredibly flexible, particularly if you're trying to run multiple cue mixes or any kind of fancy routing. I currently have a Multiface which I'm going to sell (cause I have the Fireface 800), but it's not because I've had any problems. It just isn't quite as featured as the Fireface.

RME products have been the most hassle-free products in terms of installation and functioning that I've ever bought in the digital audio world.

That said, I've heard the TC stuff is great IF IF IF IF IF you don't have driver issues. On the other hand, driver issues are the downfall of probably 1/2 or more computer audio interfaces and having spent more to have no hassles will seem like $ well spent if you ever encounter products that have unreliable drivers.
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+1 - oh yes, RME makes really good stuff - quality, totalmix and digicheck is very professional - rocksolid as you speak - they have great support too :D
 
another Fireface 800 user here

largest benefit to me aside from low latency is that it can also be used without a computer.

and if you have something that sends Mackie Control protocol (like my BCF2000), that can even control the mixes on it without needing a computer. i'm re-doing my home studio rig right now and it's kinda neat to be able to (in conjunction with a Switchblade GL) be able to route pretty much anything to anywhere and then out into whatever mixes I want on three different stereo speaker outputs (QSCs, studio monitors, and headphones).

I believe some of the MOTUs can also do the same thing, and also often have helpful level indicators on the front.

And if I had lots of extra cash, I would probably look at other ultra-high-end A/D converter units just to see what the extra money gets.
 
MikeyB59 said:
+1 on the RME Fireface 400/800 or Multiface. I've had a lot of interfaces over the years and I've found RME to be completely rock solid, troublefree and great sounding. Their TotalMix software is also incredibly flexible, particularly if you're trying to run multiple cue mixes or any kind of fancy routing. I currently have a Multiface which I'm going to sell (cause I have the Fireface 800), but it's not because I've had any problems. It just isn't quite as featured as the Fireface.

RME products have been the most hassle-free products in terms of installation and functioning that I've ever bought in the digital audio world.

That said, I've heard the TC stuff is great IF IF IF IF IF you don't have driver issues. On the other hand, driver issues are the downfall of probably 1/2 or more computer audio interfaces and having spent more to have no hassles will seem like $ well spent if you ever encounter products that have unreliable drivers.
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TC makes decent hardware but their software development is absolute crap. Crashing, resource hogging and ineffective drivers. They still have no 64-bit drivers. I had a Konnekt48 that died within a month or so of purchasing it. They also have an issue with bad volume pots that apparently still exists because people who have had theirs replace also lose the new ones.

My RME works out of the box and sounds great. My motu also did the same but I would say the RME is better sound quality.
 
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