Good firewire/usb audio interface: RECOMMENDATIONS 4 Live!

[ajmedway]

Hi to all,

I am using Live 7 with a laptop with a 1.83 GHz Intel Dual-Core/2 GB RAM, running Vista.

Last week I bought a Numark DJ IO soundcard strictly as an interface for DJ'ing purposes (i.e. 2 outpus to enable cueing), but this card has serious glitches/audio dropouts even on the highest latency setting (1024 sample buffer).

It is not a faulty unit because it works perfectly with Traktor 3 and Nuendo 2 on the same laptop. I do not get these audio problems with the crap built-in sound card when using live, so basically the card is not compatible with Live.

I have spoken to Numark UK about the issues described, but they seem to know absolutely NOTHING about Ableton, let alone what settings to use, so they have blatently never tested their product with Live!

=========================

Either way, I'm getting a refund. Can people please make recommendations at to what USB/Firewire audio interface I should go for for DJ'ing. I'm on a low budget (£120 tops) unfortunately.

I'm not bothered about it having a MIDI IN/OUT as I'm going to get an M-Audio X-Session Pro to send MIDI, which connects via USB.

Of course, I just want a solid performance card, good drivers, 2 outputs (one for headphones), clean signal output, under £120...
please HELP!

[ollyb303]

I picked up a Novation nio 2|4 for £99.

It's got 2 in, 4 out, (2x phono in, or 1 jack and 1 phantom powered mic inputs and 4 phono out) 2 headphone jacks, and is spot on for DJing, works great with live. It does have midi in/out as well.

Sounds good, I get low latency out of it, and it runs off USB.

If you go for it, shop around, cos a lot of places are asking up to £140 for it, but you can get it cheaper.

On a quick google search, the cheapest I can see (first page) is £122.99 from dig. village...
http://www.dv247.com/invt/40638/product ... _a_7c40638
But like I say, shop around.


edit - if your quick, THIS one's going in 3 hours, £60 highest bid ATM!

[Mr Mowgli]

As I always say....pay a bit more and get motu 828 mkii....seamless..

[ajmedway]

It's got 2 in, 4 out, (2x phono in, or 1 jack and 1 phantom powered mic inputs and 4 phono out) 2 headphone jacks, and is spot on for DJing, works great with live. It does have midi in/out as well.

Sounds good, I get low latency out of it, and it runs off USB.

====================

This is one I have looked at - it looks rather promising feature-wise for the price...

Are you a Vista User? What is your spec? What is the overall latency/buffer you are able to use for good seamless audio performance?

The good thing about the MIDI IN is that it opens me up to the world of faderfoxes!!! They just look SO good

I see that you use a faderfox - which one? Is it good/worth the high price tag (i.e. where the M-Audio X-Session Pro is out there for £62)

Thanks for the advice

[ajmedway]

As I always say....pay a bit more and get motu 828 mkii....seamless..

I've just had a look - way too big to take around for DJ'ing...

thanks for the pointer though

[Patch]

Try one of the ESI U46 soundcards. I use the old U46DJ, and have no problems with it. I'm sure the new ones come with Vista drivers...

[Patch]

What is this? Looks like it might be a sweet DJ solution for <£100...

[ajmedway]

Hi to all again - I've spoken to the vendor of my Numark DJ IO and said that it doesn't work with Ableton 7 (latest) and latest vista drivers for the product (intolerable latency/audio dropouts issue), but they have refused to refund me!

But he did recommend that I download ASIO4ALL drivers, which he claims are known to make the product work with Ableton.

Is this a wise move to use ASIO4ALL? What's the crack with it?

[terragong]

great stuff...
http://www.echoaudio.com/

[Mr Mowgli]

there a smaller version of the MOTU too..