Ableton Forum

Hey guys! I'm looking to purchase an interface, and after reading plenty of posts/reviews, I decided to ask for some advice.

I currently have a Macbook Pro from Summer 2009 (Core2Duo, 4gb Ram), Ableton Live 8, Axiom 49 Keyboard, and KRK Monitors.

The main reason I'm looking for an interface is so I can make multi-track dj recordings with Serato (music out of my dj mixer into the interface). Also, I only use my monitors when I DJ, and I'd like to be able to connect them to the interface so I can use them while I'm trying to learn Ableton:)

Originally, I was looking for a firewire interface (ie Saffire Pro 14, Presonus Firebox, etc.), but I noticed a lot of people would recommend the Babyface. I considered the Apogee Duet, but I noticed replies suggested it wasn't a good because of the limited number of outputs (not even sure if that's a problem for me).

Any help/advice/suggestions are greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance,
Del

Overkill? Haven't got in touch with Babyface can't really say much about, except that it seems very clever and ultramobile solution. RME is quality, and I take Babyface makes no exception. It's an USB interface and since it seems firewire port gets a rarity that favors it. RME does make quality drivers for USB, so no worries there either. I'd say go for it. I doubt you'll regret it.

I've just purchased the Echo AudioFire 4 and couldn't be happier with it. Rock-solid drivers, awesome sound (the AudioFire series actually has the same chips as RME), good latency and sturdy build quality.
I'm no fan of breakout cables, so the Babyface would't be for me. But go whatever you are lusting for

LeifonMars wrote:Overkill? Haven't got in touch with Babyface can't really say much about, except that it seems very clever and ultramobile solution. RME is quality, and I take Babyface makes no exception. It's an USB interface and since it seems firewire port gets a rarity that favors it. RME does make quality drivers for USB, so no worries there either. I'd say go for it. I doubt you'll regret it.

Thanks for the quick reply. When I say overkill, I guess I'm referring to price. Some of the interfaces I was originally looking at were in the $300 price range, while the babyface is $750 and Duet $500.

I'm sure you get what you pay for... I just wanted some advice from other users.

Thanks again.

dELfONiK wrote:

LeifonMars wrote:Overkill? Haven't got in touch with Babyface can't really say much about, except that it seems very clever and ultramobile solution. RME is quality, and I take Babyface makes no exception. It's an USB interface and since it seems firewire port gets a rarity that favors it. RME does make quality drivers for USB, so no worries there either. I'd say go for it. I doubt you'll regret it.

Thanks for the quick reply. When I say overkill, I guess I'm referring to price. Some of the interfaces I was originally looking at were in the $300 price range, while the babyface is $750 and Duet $500.

I'm sure you get what you pay for... I just wanted some advice from other users.

Thanks again.

Well, you surely get along just as fine with the ones you listed above. My first laptop interface was Firebox and I had no problems with it what so ever, and I really liked its preamps (they color sound slightly crispier). In the firm I used to work for, we had for portable interface Focusrite Saffire Pro 40, and it was a pleasure to work with as well, and I take it that Saffire Pro 14 is just as reliable. Echo, mentioned above, makes quality interfaces as well. So, in case you think you'll get along without Babyfaces adat port (which can be handy) and perhaps slightly better sound quality, go for more affordable ones. All you had listed sounded quite good to me.

For production the duet is amazing because the quality of the dac and pres are top notch and can be compared to soundcards in their thousands . For DJing it is useless because it doesn't have multiple outs.

Some of the interfaces you mention are USB1.1 limiting the transfer rate. So you can't both listen and record at high bit rates. BabyFace supports USB2, which is betterer.

I'm relatively noobie at this, so I could be wrong but I know that USB1 prevents me from recording at more than 44khz on my current interface. This might not be a problem for you, but I have had an issue using SampleModelling VST which supposedly sounds much better at 98khz because the modelling s/w has more information to go on.

S

baby face also supports USB 3

Simbosan wrote:Some of the interfaces you mention are USB1.1

Oh yeah? Like which ones exactly?

I just bought a babyface. Just as a home solution and I thought it might be overkill...but I have the ff800 and it's been so stable and worked for years and years and taken much abuse!.. Check out how long the 800 has been out and remained their flagship unit!

YILA wrote:I just bought a babyface. Just as a home solution and I thought it might be overkill...but I have the ff800 and it's been so stable and worked for years and years and taken much abuse!.. Check out how long the 800 has been out and remained their flagship unit!

does it have an internal class A phono preamp?

What do you think of the latency when doing drum tracks?

YILA wrote:baby face also supports USB 3

Wrong.


"The Babyface connects to the USB 2.0 bus, but is also compatible to USB 3 chipsets."

Compatible to USB chipset but not supports it.