Audio interface suggestions - portability is important

[Korhan]

Hi there,

I am looking for a roadworthy, high quality audio interface for touring, to replace my MOTU Traveler, which is light but bulky. The interface must have:

- Two mic/combo inputs with phantom power
- 2 or 4 outputs
- Firewire/USB hybrid
- Zero latency monitoring
- Small size (half rack or smaller)

Nice-to-haves:

- MIDI
- DSP
- 4 inputs

My budget is around 300-400 USD (I am able to purchase this interface in the US).

Thanks

Korhan

[supamonsta]

get the motu ultralite

[Korhan]

The Ultralite is a great interface but is a bit beyond what I am looking for, both in features and in price. Yet, it is on my list of options. I wonder if anyone has any experience with the microbook.

I have also just found out that Focusrite is about to release the Scarlett 2i2. 2 in / 2 out.

[maze23a]

I don't know exactly the size of both compared,
but maybe you should check out TC Electronics Impact Twin.
I use it in stdio and for deejaying a bit and i really like it a lot.
Sound is superb,preamps quiet good and built in compressor,reverb and deesser very useful.
Lot of people also mentioned it's flexibilty in routing a lot what i haven't used that much!

[23kon]

I've been looking at the MicroBook too.
With it being from Motu it can surely be nothing but goodness! Tiny too.
I'd see me using it as an on-the-road interface.

I'd read a lot of good reviews about it but one suggested that the latency might be quite high when trying to do a lot of processing.
That was just one comment out of loads and all the rest i could find were very positive about it.

If you get one, write up what you think of it

[danryanfl]

Would the Presonus Firebox work for you? It is little and really high quality

[Korhan]

Thank you for the answers.

Prosonus Firebox is an older model, right? Does it work ok with Macbook Pros?

If the microbook has latency issues with too much processing (I guess we are talking about processing in the computer and not on the interface's DSP) then I can't use it. The Live set I use for performance is huge and runs around 40-50% CPU (on an 2008-model MBP). As I use wiimotes and other controllers to freely improvise along with traditional instruments, everything should happen instantly (I can live with 5-6 ms latency)

The TC Electronics interface looks good. I'd never thought about looking at their stuff. Thanks for the reminder.

Korhan

[Korhan]

Anyone with a Focusrite Scarlett interface? Any feedback? The Scarlett 2i2 looks like a good option:

http://www.focusrite.com/products/audio ... rlett_2i2/

Thanks

Korhan

[23kon]

i'm sure the Microbook review where the guy got latency was around 5ms
i'd think this was pretty high for a Motu product especially seeing as its not a product thats a cheap piece of crap.
i think it's work a shot and might end up getting one.

[DPMachine]

As you said, Scarlett 2i2 hasn't come out yet, right?

[Korhan]

It is now available in the US (at B&H in New York). My girlfriend is buying me one as we speak. I will try it here in Istanbul and if it works properly (latency, CPU load, etc) I'll keep it. I'll let you know about my experience with it.

[locojohn]

The TC Electronics interface looks good. I'd never thought about looking at their stuff. Thanks for the reminder.
Korhan

Word of warning: their drivers are horrid (TC driver development is ridiculously slow), the support is disgusting. Just check the TC forums to see how many people are having problems with their Konnekt and now Impact Twin interface line.

If you can find one on eBay, ESI Quatafire (now discontinued) is rugged, very reliable, small and cheap.

Andrejs

[Korhan]

Thanks locojohn. I've just decided to get the Scarlett 2i2 by Focusrite. It's small, has a metal housing, simple and hopefully will do the work. If I need more inputs/outputs I'll simply take the Traveler as I normally do.

[icedsushi]

Word of warning: their drivers are horrid (TC driver development is ridiculously slow), the support is disgusting. Just check the TC forums to see how many people are having problems with their Konnekt and now Impact Twin interface line.

I can vouch for that. I used to have a Konnekt Live and the most frustrating issue is that it wouldn't be recognized unless the computer was restarted. It was supposed to be bus powered but needed the power adapter plugged in for reliability & would lose connection occasionally without the power adapted plugged in. And nothing that was firewire bus powered could be successfully daisy chained to the Konnekt Live, it drained a lot of power from the firewire bus. I was always able to daisy chain after Motu interfaces without those two issues.

I contacted support about it, which was a really lengthy process to get an answer. Basically I was told that some people can have those issues and not everyone is having the issue, and that they would work on it but they couldn't guarantee anything because the effects section uses more power than normal so issues like these should be expected. Nothing changed within a year or two so I sold it.

[login]

Are you on a mac? Duet 2.

If not, check out RME babyface.

Or maybe the Native instruments offers: Audio dj 6, or 10, or a used 8. And the new audio kontrol .