Newbie audio interface?

[triplets]

Tascam has flaky drivers just like M-Audio. Stay away from those interfaces.

[Macavity224]

dont mean to beat a dead horse! Searching for a friend and lookin at an Alesis:http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/iO2exp/ and a Tascam: http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/US144mk2/

Thoughts? David is against tascam, and I'm a fan of cheaper. If he has the cash I'll recommend the presonus fire..thing but if 100$ is about it I'm just curious if anybody has used 'em.

apologies if I hijack the thread but I thought if anyone had used 'em it'd be a good add to the talks.

Here's the first interface I bought:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/pro-audi ... -interface

It does what it's supposed to...but not much more. And again, many people here are against Tascam just like they are against M-Audio.

[bobsbarricades]

thanks for the tip! but I've gotta have midi in for him to enter drum parts...quicker and more efficiently via keyboard =)

I did just find out I've still got my midi-usb adaptor, but only one usb works... =/ I'm gonna call up sweetwater and see what his customer complaints are like for the two I posted. Will report back!

[Gravity Jim]

The Tascam drivers for the IFFW/DMmkII have been just as stable as MOTU's, and I know several friends who love their smaller, cheaper Tascam interfaces, so.... in my experience, you have nothing to fear from buying a Tascam.

[bobsbarricades]

yea I got an e-mail back from Tascam and they said they have pretty good results in 10.5 so it's on the table.

also on the table is the Akai EIE I just learned about. anybody use these? Seems the non-pro 16 bit is pretty affordable... but appears there are tons of problems with it...which bites.

also the Mackie Onyx Blackjack. Seems simple, cheap, and has those Onyx pre's I hear good things about.

[David]

I would scrap Tascam, AKAI and Mackie from your potential choices. All sorts of issues (some I've seen first hand like Tascam and Mackie, as for the AKAI... getting a 16 bit interface today is the equivalent of getting a computer with a floppy disk drive today).

Focus less on the features, more on the reliability is what I'd recommend. Tried and true reliable interfaces include Presonus, MOTU, RME and Metric Halo. You want to spend time making music, not troubleshooting your system.

That was my 4 cents (since I see I already made the same kind of recommendations earlier in this thread).

[bobsbarricades]

that's what I'm trying to do. My bud needs something cheap but

-the presonus I looked into (the firebox USB one) has this +20db for line-in which apparently makes direct recording of guitars almost impossible to work with (especially if doing lots of palm muting/metal)
-I can't in good conscience recommend focusrite because my SaffireLE, as great as it was, the 2nd pre-amp died and the repair is more expensive than a new unit!
- RME is expensive as crap and I can't afford for myself let alone the friend I'm shopping for
- MOTU is great too, but too expensive
- Metric Halo = $$

So what to do? Presonus I thought would be my own upgrade but after reading about that USB they have I feel they're headed down the same road as focusrite.

On this topic, I've been thinking about recommending to my friend the Blue Microhpnes Icicle. It would give him an XLR with a good pre-amp for about 50$ My only question is if he were to get an xlr-to-1/4" adapter if that would then work for him to plug in his guitar. I realize this is using different impedences (which if anybody wants to take the time to explain to me I would GREATLY appreciate it) but I think so long as it doesn't damage the Icicle... it's cheap and works ^_^ People said you can't plug your guitar into your mic-in on a mac but I've seen youtube videos with people doing.

Also - on power. My friend's usiing my old G4 iBook. It only has one USB port that works. I'm giving him my m-audio MIDI-to-USB adaptor which will take up his USB slot. I was thinking if I gave him my old USB mac keyboard that has two USB slots he could then plug in a mouse + Midi adaptor to keyboard and keyboard to computer. Then he could just switch out the Icicle/MIDI as needed.

Please tell me this will work. please. PLEASE!!!

[David]

-the presonus I looked into (the firebox USB one) has this +20db for line-in which apparently makes direct recording of guitars almost impossible to work with (especially if doing lots of palm muting/metal)

Huh? I suppose that's a switchable +20 dB, no?

-I can't in good conscience recommend focusrite because my SaffireLE, as great as it was, the 2nd pre-amp died and the repair is more expensive than a new unit!

Great - I don't recommend Focusrite either.

- RME is expensive as crap and I can't afford for myself let alone the friend I'm shopping for
- Metric Halo = $$

Ok scrap those two as out of your budget.

- MOTU is great too, but too expensive

Have you considered the MOTU microbook?

[rainstick]

just got a focusrite... balls

[David]

just got a focusrite... balls

Hey, maybe it will work just great for you. I don't recommend them, not because I've had bad experiences with them, but rather because there are a few brands I've trusted for years, who have been doing that stuff for years, way before Focusrite decided to get into the audio interface market.

[bobsbarricades]

from what I read it's a programmed +20db for line in on the presonus; I can't find out on their forums but lots of user reviews around the web talk about it.

I have, but it's at that 250$ mark. If he was able to do that he would be able to move into much wider options =/

On focusrite - I lOVE...ed my Saffire LE. It does sound great and only has S/N issues when the dials is around 3-4 o'clock. My problem is that of the 2 pre-amps...one died. I contacted support as it was only about 2-3 years after purchase but they weren't any help. THEY told me it's more expensive to fix which is nuts because I didn't misuse it...it just...died.

also I edited my previous post - am reeditting =/

"On this topic, I've been thinking about recommending to my friend the Blue Microhpnes Icicle. It would give him an XLR with a good pre-amp for about 50$ My only question is if he were to get an xlr-to-1/4" adapter if that would then work for him to plug in his guitar. I realize this is using different impedences (which if anybody wants to take the time to explain to me I would GREATLY appreciate it) but I think so long as it doesn't damage the Icicle... it's cheap and works ^_^ People said you can't plug your guitar into your mic-in on a mac but I've seen youtube videos with people doing.

Also - on power. My friend's usiing my old G4 iBook. It only has one USB port that works. I'm giving him my m-audio MIDI-to-USB adaptor which will take up his USB slot. I was thinking if I gave him my old USB mac keyboard that has two USB slots he could then plug in a mouse + Midi adaptor to keyboard and keyboard to computer. Then he could just switch out the Icicle/MIDI as needed."

[David]

from what I read it's a programmed +20db for line in on the presonus; I can't find out on their forums but lots of user reviews around the web talk about it.

The MAXIMUM input level on the Firebox is +20dBu. There's no programmed +20dB gain (that wouldn't make any sense). Anyway you're not using a line in when recording a guitar, so that should be irrelevant for your situation.

PS: I see the Firebox was discontinued, so you should consider the Presonus AudioBox.

Instrument Inputs Gain Control Range -30 dB to +50 dB
Microphone Inputs Gain Control Range -15 dB to +65 dB

[EricBradley]

@bobsbarricades

Which interface are you looking at?
I can not find a Firebox USB. Du you mean AudioBox™USB?
The AudioBox does not have Line In.

[David]

I can not find a Firebox USB.

Good point. The "Fire" in Firebox stands for Firewire - so no USB there.

[bobsbarricades]

I'm looking at a bunch for my friend. Mainly Blue Icicle (if it can take guitar using an xlr->1/4" adapter) and the Presonus Audiobox USB. I'm confused that you say it doesn't have line in because it has neutric connectors that are XLR+1/4". Instrument=line yea? Maybe it's just my thinking because of my Saffire which has it's 1/4" connection as "Line" and the XLR as "Instr" - I always hated that labeling, but the audiobox does allow me to plug my guitar into it...right?

Why do I read all these people online talking about the presonus AudioBox USB not being good for plugging a guitar directly in?

[David]

Instrument=line yea?

No, completely different inputs. Different levels, different impedances. A connector is just that, a piece of metal to connect cables. It doesn't mean anything about the type of signal that input is capable of handling.

Why do I read all these people online talking about the presonus AudioBox USB not being good for plugging a guitar directly in?

What people? Where have you read that? Links?

[bobsbarricades]

This guy - http://www.amazon.com/review/RNYO8TV2YS ... O8TV2YS1SO

who copy and pasted this review on a ton of sites, but then this guy talks about it too

http://www.amazon.com/PreSonus-AudioBox ... ewpoints=0

though I can't find anything about it on the forums =/

Can you explain what the difference is in line vs instrument? Again, my focusrite has "Instr" for the XLR and "Line" for the 1/4" - It is my understanding that in the audio domain "line level" is referred to as the signal coming straight from a guitar or a microphone that has to go to a pre-amp to get boosted for leveling. An mp3 player/cell phone/tape deck has a small amplifier built in before it goes to the headphones or "out." For guitar amp's that have line out isn't the signal then taken back down to "line level" so that the pre-amps of the interface it's jacked into don't explode?

Anyway now I'm totally confused about line and instrument on these interfaces and curious what the heck I have to look for in the future when buying one so I can just plug my guitar into it and not have to deal with what those guys on amazon talk about.

[redlogic]

The AudioBox USB has 2 combo XLR/¼” mic/instrument inputs.
This will work fine for mics or direct guitar.
It has no line level inputs.

If your friend is serious, he should save up for something better.
For $150, the AudioBox can only be so good.

Your homework: Google "line level vs instrument level"

[bobsbarricades]

ok, so I read this: http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showth ... p?t=632772

then this: http://www.ovnilab.com/articles/linelevel.shtml

end result: education.

And an embarrassment I haven't felt in a long time. And this is the internet. jeez. =,( So turns out I knew the button on my SaffireLE that turned it from "Line" to "Instr" had to do with the gain settings - but I thought it was for mic's XLR(that I already knew were much quieter than anything coming from and instrument like gtr or bass) versus the 1/4" inputs. I've always switched them from "Line" to "Instr" since "Instr" was a higher gain setting.

Man...my guitar sounds a lot better now.... [edit] - gucamole these pickups are loud as anything 0.o I hear EVERYTHING. And I'm terrible =,(

I'm all for learning something new but I bought this guy in '08? ... What am I doing with my life.

Anyway - thanks. back to what my friend needs. He WOULD like to be more serious like us all, but he doesn't even have money for a laptop, he's using my old G4 iBook. So cheap is key. I'd give him mine if I had the money for a new unit but a new unit comes behind studio monitors+roomEQ material...and I'm broker than him =3

[Macavity224]

just got a focusrite... balls

Hey, maybe it will work just great for you. I don't recommend them, not because I've had bad experiences with them, but rather because there are a few brands I've trusted for years, who have been doing that stuff for years, way before Focusrite decided to get into the audio interface market.

Hmm...I was actually leaning towards a Focusrite to be honest with you, but I'm beginning to change my mind based on what you're saying.