Stepping up my home rig

MikeM

Hey guys

I want to upgrade my home rig. Lookin for a decent cheapish usb xlr interface and something like a SM57. Currently looking at the M Audio, but apprehensive of usb 1.1. There's also the presonus cheapie mobile unit. Basically I want something compact and under $200 that sounds goood. Mic wise, I am clueless, just thinking I want something other than the generic.

Thankss guys
Mike

MIKA-the-better-one

SM57... I am clueless after that, I just know I like its sound.......

TomCat

You want to go minimum USB 2.0 for good audio bandwidth into the PC.

TomCat

Also have a look at one of these

http://tascam.com/product/us-100/

Very nice little unit.

inflames

Mike,

Chat to Fritz, he has a awesome audio interface for sale!

guitarboy2828

Interesting that M-audio doesn't have USB 2.. I actually just got a fast track pro.. Well, I got it in January, haven't used it a whole lot.. Pity about the USB thing.. Is that going to cause me problems?

MikeM

Thanks Tom, will check it out and keep hunting ?

UncleGoatLips

Mike, a friend of mine is selling his presonus firepod FP10, it's an 8 in firewire interface with pre amps for every input, he's letting it go for R1500, it's a steal man!

Mic wise, it depends on what you want to do? do you just want to record guitar? bands? other instruments?

guitarboy2828

If Mike doesn't take that FP-10, please let me know, I don't need another interface, but that is a DEAL, one that i could not pass up!

MikeM

Herman lemme just check with my advisor, seems a tad overkill but its not too much more than I was planning on spending

Mo-Facta

UncleGoatLips wrote: Mike, a friend of mine is selling his presonus firepod FP10, it's an 8 in firewire interface with pre amps for every input, he's letting it go for R1500, it's a steal man!

I am a firm believer in STAYING FAR, FAR AWAY from anything Presonus. The drivers are SO finicky and I had nothing but problems when I was using one to interface with my Apogee converters via ADAT. It wouldn't clock correctly, it kept glitching out in the weirdest of ways and sound quality was poor (luckily I never had to use the onboard pres and converters much, though). All of their firewire interfaces use the same driver and it stinks across the board. Also, the calibration of the interface varied from input to input. It was supposed to be set to -18dBfs but varied either direction up to 1.5dBs. NOT very good at all.

I don't know how their new stuff is but I gained enough headaches from that experience to keep clear.

As far as the Prosumer stuff goes, the following, IMO, are the companies capable of making good, solid drivers that you can rely on, from best to worst:

RME - The BEST drivers around. Rock solid.
MOTU - used their interfaces for years and had VERY few problems.
Focusrite - Also very good, solid drivers.
M-Audio - Good but known to have issues, especially with their Lightbridge ADAT interface drivers.

Of course, there's still Avid, Steinberg, and Cakewalk but I would only buy those if you've got the software to match because they're designed for one another.

Cheers ?

MikeM

I had been considering the MOTU Microbook, but it's a bit expensive @ $250 excl shipping.. Otherwise the Focusrite Saffire 6 looks even better for $200 but it's usb1.1again.

NEED MORE OPINIONS GUYS ?

The drivers thing is a big issue for me. I use w7 and that's that.

Mr-M

@MikeM, if you're only looking for a two analog input interface, USB1.1 won't actually make a difference. Most of the smaller USB interfaces like the Focusrite Sapphire 6, Presonus Audiobox, Steinberg CI series or the M-Audio FastTrack series use USB1.1 and are limited to 24-Bit/ 48KHz because of this. At this sampling rate, which is more than enough for most, they'll all work perfectly with no ill effects. If you're looking at more inputs, then it could cause issues, but not with two analog ins.

greetings

Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 or 8i6. Best in the class, IMO.

ShakeNBake

Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 is what I'm looking at.
Waiting on Marshall Music in Steenberg to get stock in.
Been reading up and mulling about a purchase for 2 months now.
Hopeful to get it at the end of the month.

DrGonzo

Focusrite has the new Scarlett 2i2 interface which is very basic 2 in (xlr) and 2 out which is what you kind of looking for...

Its new so would be USB2 - they use them all over the college i work at and have had no problems so far...

Other than that i would recommend the Steinberg CI range - they not just for cubase , they work just as well with any software... They are made entirely by Yamaha, they sound great, are quite cheap and also have rock solid drivers...

My Presonus Audiobox USB has proven quite reliable over the last few years, but the larger FireStudio at work has recently given my issues so...

ctw Check ur PM ?

ShakeNBake

Found a 2 month old Focusrite Saffire 6 for R1850.

Deal?

http://www.focusrite.com/products/audio_interfaces/saffire_6_usb/

AlanRatcliffe

Decent interface, but I think you can pick them up new for about R1,900. Designed a bit more towards DJs I think (the four RCA outs).

greetings

Go for the 2i2. R1500 new, USB2.0. Best preamps in the price range, no doubt.

AlanRatcliffe

That does look good. Quite funky looking (in the good sense of the word), USB bus powered and bundled with what looks like a decent effects plugin suite.
http://www.focusrite.com/products/audio_interfaces/scarlett_2i2/

I was looking at the bigger Saffires the other day and was quite surprised by how well priced they all were. Considering getting a Liquid Saffire 56...