Best and cheapest Audio interface for use with Live on OSX

vikingjay · Post by **vikingjay** » Sun Jun 24, 2007 3:01 am

Ok I am uber pissed ...

I went out and got an Alesis io2 USB audio interface that DOESNT WORK FOR EFFIN SHITE. All I'm getting when using a microphone through it is horrendous noise, and if not just clicks pops, and extreme lag and latency in my entire track.

I can only return this piece of crap to the store for store credit, and they can order me something else ... what should I get ?

I use Ableton Live EXCLUSIVELY to produce and master my music, and I do so on an iMac G5.

What would be the best, most cost-efficient interface that ACTUALLY WORKS ?

Any ideas ? I'm really at wits end here, I'd love some help

bathyscaaf · Post by **bathyscaaf** » Sun Jun 24, 2007 4:00 am

I've been an Echo fan for a while --I do run XP, however.
I think a number of people here have had experience with their products on OSX (the Indigo IO PCMIA card was pretty popular). I currently have an Echo Audiofire4 and am very pleased. There's an Audiofire2 out now, and I think it's less than $200 US.

http://www.echoaudio.com

vikingjay · Post by **vikingjay** » Sun Jun 24, 2007 4:08 am

my god bathyscaff you're an angel sent to rescue me lol .

the ECHO audiofire 2 looks amazingly small and the reviews are flippin excellent !!!!! i payed 150 for this io2 but i would gladly pay the extra 50 for the audiofire 2 at 200 US !!! hopefully the store i got this garbage form can order it though

hambone1 · Post by **hambone1** » Sun Jun 24, 2007 6:36 am

"Best" and "cheapest" tend to be mutually exclusive. They normally don't come together in the same sentence.

IMO, ya gets what ya pays for!

Homebelly · Post by **Homebelly** » Sun Jun 24, 2007 10:15 am

check out the PreSonus Inspire,,
I have a Firebox that sounds great and i've just ordered the inspire
to throw in my bag when i'm on the move,, could do the same with my
FB,, but i like it so much i didn't bother getting anything "Better" for my desk top
and so it's kinda hard to plumb and unplumb it every time i want to go mobile with my lap top,,

robin · Post by **robin** » Sun Jun 24, 2007 11:38 am

vikingjay wrote:my god bathyscaff you're an angel sent to rescue me lol .

the ECHO audiofire 2 looks amazingly small and the reviews are flippin excellent !!!!! i payed 150 for this io2 but i would gladly pay the extra 50 for the audiofire 2 at 200 US !!! hopefully the store i got this garbage form can order it though

I have an Audiofire2 (had it for 8 months). I love it. It does everything I need it to do and it sounds good to my ears. (I use it with a macbook c2d).

Rogue Scrunt · Post by **Rogue Scrunt** » Sun Jun 24, 2007 3:38 pm

I have a tascam fw 1804

got it from musicians friend for 279, excellent deal

MF is out of them but sweetwater still has them

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/FW1804/

DJ Spiral · Post by **DJ Spiral** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 3:51 am

for a hundred more you can get the presonus firepod....well soon to not be called the firepod anymore do to apple, which is also why it's 400. and trust me , for your statement of cheapest and best, that is the one

shaneblyth · Post by **shaneblyth** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 6:58 am

i'd go a firewire interface before the usb and would run an external hard drive off the usb port .. i use a presonus firebox myelf but have heard good stuff about the echo units.. keep away from behringer alesis and m-audio have some nasty units though they are imporving
you dont mention how many in's and outs yu need if u need audio and midi .. well i assume midi. In face if yu have some real basic input for audio needs the built in audio is surprisingly good I have used it quite a few times n my macbookpro and it has done a very god jb so that has to be the best value for money. Have you ever tried playing back a midi file through quicktime on a mac... again the internal sund interface is very good and definitly better than any laptop pc sound card I have heard

Ruud · Post by **Ruud** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 1:06 pm

in the SOS magazine they review the io 26 and there were no cons!

Rogue Scrunt · Post by **Rogue Scrunt** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 2:19 pm

Ruud wrote:in the SOS magazine they review the io 26 and there were no cons!

so what? have you used it?

speak on what you know, not what you have read.

Ruud · Post by **Ruud** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 2:42 pm

No.
I haven't used it.
Isn't it a shame?
I am thinking of buying one
I am so sorry for writing this !

RhythmSickness · Post by **RhythmSickness** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 6:53 pm

uh surely the best and cheapest sound interface to use would be the one that is built into your g5? (as in you already own it)

glsimonsen · Post by **glsimonsen** » Fri Jun 29, 2007 4:58 pm

echo gina pci card. works perfect. inexpensive.

goodewill · Post by **goodewill** » Fri Jul 06, 2007 5:22 am

checkout the very versatile EDIROL fa-66 (roland),firewire,6in and 6out, 2 xlr/trs ins, bus power option, phantom power, portable, metal casing, sweetwater.com has the details usually goes for 280 new...i'm selling mine for about 200 cause i need to get something with more xlr inputs like the presonus firepod ...you don't even need the drivers w/ mac osX.....

Best and cheapest Audio interface for use with Live on OSX

Best and cheapest Audio interface for use with Live on OSX

Echo, maybe?

a/d interface