another Audio Interface suggestion thread... specs inside!

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ansiaaa
Posts: 107
Joined: Tue Feb 08, 2011 9:57 pm
Location: Italy

another Audio Interface suggestion thread... specs inside!

Post by ansiaaa » Thu Apr 07, 2011 7:10 am

I know there are already other 2 or 3 threads like this floating in the forum, but I need a suggestion based on some specific features that I need...
(note I'm on a PC, with Win7 64bit)

- LOW LATENCY and high quality sound!

- USB 2 (or 3 if there's already something out)
- 1/4" jacks as outputs (I need 2 outputs to go into to the mixer/amps and 1 output for my headphones, the outputs must be indipendent. I don't need a headphone out if it only let me hear the same thing I hear from the main outs...)
- silent, no hissing (you know how some audio devices start making an high pitch sound because off the electricity and not being isolated or whatever? I want to avoid that at all costs. there must be an audio device out there that doesn't have this problem regardless of the rest of the hardware to which it's connected)
- 4 inputs in total (I need to plug in my turntable, a guitar and a mic)
- 1 input with a GOOD pre-amp for guitar
- it should be compact (this isn't the most important thing, but since I'll mainly use it during gigs, I'd prefer not the have a beast to carry around)

I guess that's all... the biggest fear to me is the "hissing" sound... one of the audio devices I have right now works perfectly if I use XLR cables on the main outs, but the damn noise shows up if I use the 1/4" jacks on the monitor outputs (even if I use balanced cables). this happens only if my laptop is using electrical current from the wall plug, but doesn't happen if I'm using the battery.

and the other thing I guess it's the guitar preamp. I'd love to have a built-in one that is good or do I really have to buy one apart from the audio device to have some quality? I hope not, I already have enough stuff to carry around during live performances...

and the lowest latency possible, yeah :D I don't want latency when I play live... :P

price? mmh I guess I could spend up to around 400/500€

thanks in advance everybody!
Last edited by ansiaaa on Thu Apr 07, 2011 7:28 am, edited 1 time in total.


merges
Posts: 284
Joined: Sun Aug 12, 2007 11:06 pm
Location: san francisco

Re: another Audio Interface suggestion thread... specs inside!

Post by merges » Thu Apr 07, 2011 7:31 am

+1 on the ultralite. It's not the best sound out there (obviously apogee and others win with better dac), the software can be confusing, but it's solid as a rock reliable, quiet (not noisy), flexible, and extremely portable.

ansiaaa
Posts: 107
Joined: Tue Feb 08, 2011 9:57 pm
Location: Italy

Re: another Audio Interface suggestion thread... specs inside!

Post by ansiaaa » Thu Apr 07, 2011 8:03 am

tnx!

will I be able to route the cue from Live to the headphone output with the ultralite or the express?

since I don't need the FX's and all the I/O's of the ultralite, how does the express compare to it in terms of quality? apart from those features they seem alike to me

ansiaaa
Posts: 107
Joined: Tue Feb 08, 2011 9:57 pm
Location: Italy

Re: another Audio Interface suggestion thread... specs inside!

Post by ansiaaa » Thu Apr 07, 2011 8:48 am

I've read some reviews and the MOTU's seem to be prone to breaking easily... since I'll have to carry it around that scares me a bit.

is the UA-1010 any better? it's a bit more than what I need, but I'm looking for quality...
I have an Edirol/Roland M-16DX already but I don't like the pre-amps very much when I use my guitar. I know it's an old interface and they might be better nowadays, but I'd still like to hear some opinions

the M-AUDIO Fast Track Ultra? I've had a M-Audio as well and the knobs felt so cheap...

any other option?

merges
Posts: 284
Joined: Sun Aug 12, 2007 11:06 pm
Location: san francisco

Re: another Audio Interface suggestion thread... specs inside!

Post by merges » Fri Apr 08, 2011 8:37 pm

Yes on routing cue from Live to headphone output on Ultralite. You can do all kinds of routing with it. The software that Motu ships is terrible, but it does the job. :)

Mine has been reliable and not broken yet! But can't comment on heavy use and what that might mean; nor on the 1010 since I have no experience with it.

SWAN808
Posts: 94
Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2008 5:17 pm

Re: another Audio Interface suggestion thread... specs inside!

Post by SWAN808 » Fri Apr 08, 2011 8:40 pm

M Audio Profire, TC Konnekt, Focusrite Scarlett...any of those...IMO MOTU is over rated and dont sound great for the money...

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