most STABLE audio interface
most STABLE audio interface
Appreciate your opinion (after some bad experience) on:
the most STABLE audio interface < 1000Euro for Live (6)
minimum requirements:
- Mac OSX
- Mac Intel (Pro)
- 1 Instrument in, 1 Mic in
- Midi in/out
- Usual line outs etc
I see complaints about a lot of interfaces, what about presonus, saphire, ....
the most STABLE audio interface < 1000Euro for Live (6)
minimum requirements:
- Mac OSX
- Mac Intel (Pro)
- 1 Instrument in, 1 Mic in
- Midi in/out
- Usual line outs etc
I see complaints about a lot of interfaces, what about presonus, saphire, ....
Life is made of stories not atoms
-
- Posts: 5788
- Joined: Wed Nov 24, 2004 11:05 pm
- Location: Melbourne Australia
- Contact:
-
- Posts: 5788
- Joined: Wed Nov 24, 2004 11:05 pm
- Location: Melbourne Australia
- Contact:
-
- Posts: 3603
- Joined: Tue Aug 09, 2005 8:26 pm
From what I've read the thoroughput for USB 2.0 just isn't consistent like Firewire is. Which is why you'll see Firewire 400 drives outperform USB 2.0 drives even though USB 2.0 is rated at a higher 480 Mb/s. That inconsistency would effect audio streams.DeadlyKungFu wrote:why?timothyallan wrote:To summarize:
USB2 bad.
Firewire better.
I've got an RME HDSP Multiface and Emu 1820M Digital Audio System. Allthough the Emu is highly flexible, has better conveters, inboard dsp effects, and more inputs/outputs and features, the RME seems to be more stable. In fact, the RME is very stable and I've never had problems with it performing live for nearly three years.
Allthough I don't know for shure if the Emu is to blame for my system being unstable - it could be my desktop computer too - I've heard more complaints about the Emu and never about the RME HDSP Multiface. Another bandmember uses the RME too for both desktop and laptop and also has never complaints.
Regardz,
Jos from Ravenglass
www.ravenglass.nl
Allthough I don't know for shure if the Emu is to blame for my system being unstable - it could be my desktop computer too - I've heard more complaints about the Emu and never about the RME HDSP Multiface. Another bandmember uses the RME too for both desktop and laptop and also has never complaints.
Regardz,
Jos from Ravenglass
www.ravenglass.nl
Kind regardz,
Jos
http://www.portonova.nl
Ableton Live 8, Cubase 7, Melodyne Editor 2, Halion 4, Presonus Audiobox 44VSL soundcard, Windows 8, 64 bit, i5, 6 Gig RAM
Jos
http://www.portonova.nl
Ableton Live 8, Cubase 7, Melodyne Editor 2, Halion 4, Presonus Audiobox 44VSL soundcard, Windows 8, 64 bit, i5, 6 Gig RAM
I'd advice an RME too, I use it privately and it just rocks.
I'm sure RME will do something for express card compatibility since like someone other said cardbus is going to be discontinued.
I use a MOTU 828 mkII firewire at work (well, we have loads of MOTUs here) and I wouldn't go for it, the sound quality is not that good TO MY EARS (we are testing in anechoic chamber with state of the art B&K monitors and every superduper thing) and so far I don't like it, and the drivers are not as stable as the RME ones.
DISCLAIMER: I SAID I DON'T LIKE IT I DIDN'T SAID IT'S WORSE.
What puts RME a couple of step above MOTU is the totalmix software, with a super spectral analyzer and a couple of others things which are really nice.
I'm sure RME will do something for express card compatibility since like someone other said cardbus is going to be discontinued.
I use a MOTU 828 mkII firewire at work (well, we have loads of MOTUs here) and I wouldn't go for it, the sound quality is not that good TO MY EARS (we are testing in anechoic chamber with state of the art B&K monitors and every superduper thing) and so far I don't like it, and the drivers are not as stable as the RME ones.
DISCLAIMER: I SAID I DON'T LIKE IT I DIDN'T SAID IT'S WORSE.
What puts RME a couple of step above MOTU is the totalmix software, with a super spectral analyzer and a couple of others things which are really nice.
-
- Posts: 372
- Joined: Sat Sep 02, 2006 8:45 pm
-
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2005 1:38 am
I'm using a Presonus Firepod with an Thinkpad T-40 (P-M 2.0gHz, 1.5 gb memory, 80gb 7200 hitachi drive, XP-Pro/SP2) through a cardbus firewire adapter (via chipset). The only issues I've run into are crashes in Live 5.2.2 and 6.0.1 when trying to reconfigure the ASIO buffer size. I doubt the issue is with the presonus driver, as this procedure works just fine in Live 5.2 and Live 5.2.1, and I get the same results (i.e., crashes) trying to configure my L6 Toneport as well.
The Firepod works nicely. I'm pretty happy with it.
The Firepod works nicely. I'm pretty happy with it.
He decoder,
I bought an M-audio ProjectMix as well. It did not work with XP stable, same with the new macs. It is a bloody shame that nobody wants to admit it. the smallest things can cause it to loose connection between PC and interface. Its is sad that I bought mine with Live 5 in a bundle , because I liked Live and thought that the ableton company would not allow joint marketing unless they are sure that this is save. Guess I am not streetwide enough here.
It took me three months but now I am planning to return the unit to the shop which is not easy since I moved from Europe to the middle East. I am going to loose money either way.
I bought an M-audio ProjectMix as well. It did not work with XP stable, same with the new macs. It is a bloody shame that nobody wants to admit it. the smallest things can cause it to loose connection between PC and interface. Its is sad that I bought mine with Live 5 in a bundle , because I liked Live and thought that the ableton company would not allow joint marketing unless they are sure that this is save. Guess I am not streetwide enough here.
It took me three months but now I am planning to return the unit to the shop which is not easy since I moved from Europe to the middle East. I am going to loose money either way.
Life is made of stories not atoms
In addition to higher sustained data transfer rates, it's also my understanding that the Firewire interface relies less on your CPU than USB to process incoming and outgoing audio streams. Therefore, using a USB audio device at low latency will likely use more of your CPU power than a Firewire device.DeadlyKungFu wrote:why?timothyallan wrote:To summarize:
USB2 bad.
Firewire better.
If you want as much of your CPU as possible dedicated to running Live, go with Firewire.
-
- Posts: 21
- Joined: Mon Mar 14, 2005 5:02 pm
interface
Check out the MOTU ultralite.
It's small, it's firewire, good support, cheap, multichannel output, UB drivers.. and it's MOTU. Or 828 mk2 ofcourse.
I still love my RME Multiface cardbus with Powerbook G4 by the way
And yes Firewire is more sustainable then USB.. Certainly with video editing.
If you're streaming audio from an external harddisk it's a different story.. Keep audio and dataflow on seperated (Firewire)busses. I do like usb for my keyboard or midicontrollers... little latency:P
And yes, The project I/O is the worst product ever... Damn Avid wankers.
All they do is blame Apple if something ain't working
See ya
It's small, it's firewire, good support, cheap, multichannel output, UB drivers.. and it's MOTU. Or 828 mk2 ofcourse.
I still love my RME Multiface cardbus with Powerbook G4 by the way
And yes Firewire is more sustainable then USB.. Certainly with video editing.
If you're streaming audio from an external harddisk it's a different story.. Keep audio and dataflow on seperated (Firewire)busses. I do like usb for my keyboard or midicontrollers... little latency:P
And yes, The project I/O is the worst product ever... Damn Avid wankers.
All they do is blame Apple if something ain't working
See ya