Why use a stand alone interface?

jetdriver1775

jetdriver1775

Experienced
I know the FM3 will function as a usb recording interface. What are the advantages of having a stand alone interface?

Also, what’s a good recommendation for say... $200 or less?
 
Advantages for me are, my Fractal stuff has one function-my guitars. That may not be an actual advantage, but for me it is what I have been doing for decades (iow, even before the fractal stuff, always had an interface)
Focusrite AI's gets good reviews on here and they are inexpensive. Others will chime in I am sure
 
Stratman68 said:
Advantages for me are, my Fractal stuff has one function-my guitars. That may not be an actual advantage, but for me it is what I have been doing for decades (iow, even before the fractal stuff, always had an interface)
Focusrite AI's gets good reviews on here and they are inexpensive. Others will chime in I am sure
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Makes sense. As it is now, I have to unplug my speakers down the FM3 and plug them back into my laptop and sometimes adjust asio settings to get audio back. It’s a pain. With an interface, I stays plugged in full time, correct? The monitors get plugged into the interface or stay plugged into my pc? Sorry, still learning new methods.
 
jetdriver1775 said:
Makes sense. As it is now, I have to unplug my speakers down the FM3 and plug them back into my laptop and sometimes adjust asio settings to get audio back. It’s a pain. With an interface, I stays plugged in full time, correct? The monitors get plugged into the interface or stay plugged into my pc? Sorry, still learning new methods.
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Speakers connect to the interface. (that’s what “interface” means.) all audio is plugged into it and it’s always there ready to go. I prefer this for working with multiple sources.
 
jetdriver1775 said:
Makes sense. As it is now, I have to unplug my speakers down the FM3 and plug them back into my laptop and sometimes adjust asio settings to get audio back. It’s a pain. With an interface, I stays plugged in full time, correct? The monitors get plugged into the interface or stay plugged into my pc? Sorry, still learning new methods.
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I’d get a small mixer so you can have multiple devices plugged into your monitors at once. Adds a lot of flexibility and you can just lower the main output for power up and down, plugging extra stuff in etc without needing to worry about “pops” etc. makes life a lot simpler
 
lqdsnddist said:
I’d get a small mixer so you can have multiple devices plugged into your monitors at once. Adds a lot of flexibility and you can just lower the main output for power up and down, plugging extra stuff in etc without needing to worry about “pops” etc. makes life a lot simpler
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That's what I do. My speakers are downwind of my mixer. At any moment, I can choose to use my Axe-Fx III as my interface, or my FM3, or my AxeiFx II, or...
 
jetdriver1775 said:
Makes sense. As it is now, I have to unplug my speakers down the FM3 and plug them back into my laptop and sometimes adjust asio settings to get audio back. It’s a pain. With an interface, I stays plugged in full time, correct? The monitors get plugged into the interface or stay plugged into my pc? Sorry, still learning new methods.
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As Chris said, plugged into the interface.........................
 
jetdriver1775 said:
I know the FM3 will function as a usb recording interface. What are the advantages of having a stand alone interface?

Also, what’s a good recommendation for say... $200 or less?
Click to expand...

First off I don’t want to keep the FM3 on all the time with speakers connected. I often just listen to music while I’m working from home.

Also, I happen to have an Axe-FX III that I use for recording and I sometimes record acoustic guitars with microphones. Having an audio interface gives me the flexibility to keep everything always connected and switch from a device to the other without touching a cable.

[edit]: I can have multiple speakers connected and switch from one pair to the other with a mouse click.
 
If you do get a standalone interface, I'd suggest getting one with a S/PDIF input...that way regardless of the quality of the preamps or A/D converter in the interface (especially if you get an inexpensive one), you're getting unmolested straight digital sound out of the Fractal. Otherwise you're at the mercy of the Fractal's D/A, whatever XLR cables you use, whatever the preamp in the interface does, whatever the A/D in the interface does...just several variables and steps you can eliminate for a cleaner signal path, no worries about USB compatibility, while still having the flexibility of hooking a mic up without re-configuring your whole setup.
 
Has anybody ever noticed differences in "quality" between a recording made with the internal audio interface of the FM3 or Axe-Fx III via USB and the external audio interface via S/PDIF and\or USB?
 
Akeron said:
Has anybody ever noticed differences in "quality" between a recording made with the internal audio interface of the FM3 or Axe-Fx III via USB and the external audio interface via S/PDIF and\or USB?
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I had an absolutely ancient setup until a few months ago. A 2009 iMac, 2004 Presonus Firebox and some cheap AKG headphones. It was time ...

I got a 2020 iMac in May, an Audient ID14 and BD DT770 & DT880 headphones in June, and the FM3 in September. I’m not yet on autopilot as I’m still learning and getting accustomed to the new gear but all of these pieces are improvements over my previous setup.

I haven’t struggled like some other users have with FM3 issues but I think the dedicated Audient interface works better. I don’t think I have the ears to notice if the sound quality is better, but the Audient works flawlessly. Every once in awhile I get that crackle and delay (latency) with the FM3 interface. Still - using the FM3 by itself works great for quickly getting a riff or idea to tape with a nice uncluttered desktop.

EDIT: my connection is via USB
 
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Akeron said:
Has anybody ever noticed differences in "quality" between a recording made with the internal audio interface of the FM3 or Axe-Fx III via USB and the external audio interface via S/PDIF and\or USB?
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Nothing a human can hear, IMHO.
 
Fractal unit as interface = easy and convenient reamping, level matching, less cables, less space

I only use a external interface (Motu Mk3) when I need to record from a microphone
 
Akeron said:
Has anybody ever noticed differences in "quality" between a recording made with the internal audio interface of the FM3 or Axe-Fx III via USB and the external audio interface via S/PDIF and\or USB?
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Sometimes I use $1 1/4” cables to a $299 digital mixer with another $2 y cable from the mixer headphone out to a $20 USB RCA interface for my livestreams and it sounds great. I think people expect anything less than $100 per cable to sound like 80% static or something.
 
Akeron said:
So it seems the only reason to use an external interface is if you need extra inputs or outputs. Ok
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I 'think' another case where an external interface is beneficial may be if you are playing on a project that has been recorded at 44.1k. Maybe others more knowledgeable could comment, might be an interesting and informative discussion :)
 
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