KVR Audio

aciddose · Post by **aciddose** » Sat Mar 03, 2012 9:27 am

you always need more than one input!

you probably should think about getting at least two. one for direct feeds and one as part of a send loop.

at least then you actually could in most cases work around any issues. if you want to mix external sources and internal sources with both external and internal processing, you can't manage with only one.

Nicksaf · Post by **Nicksaf** » Sat Mar 03, 2012 9:37 am

aciddose wrote:you always need more than one input!

you probably should think about getting at least two. one for direct feeds and one as part of a send loop.

at least then you actually could in most cases work around any issues. if you want to mix external sources and internal sources with both external and internal processing, you can't manage with only one.

I don't think i understand, can you explain more please?
Most interfaces has two anyway,so...

Nicksaf · Post by **Nicksaf** » Sat Mar 03, 2012 9:40 am

What do you think about Phonic FIREFLY 202?

aciddose · Post by **aciddose** » Sat Mar 03, 2012 10:56 am

Nicksaf wrote:I don't think i understand, can you explain more please?

if you want to input hardware at the same time as you process it including routing in software that feeds back to a analog send-loop, you'll need at least two inputs.

i find i'm always wanting two or three and most of the time i have only one.

outputs are less important, but you still need at least as many channels as you want to work with for monitors, plus all the sends you want. usually that would be two or three analog send channels, and a single digital 5.1 (or otherwise) channel that goes to your monitors.

don't get less than what's standard - as you said, yes most interfaces have 2 out and 2 in, (2 x stereo), anyway.

Uncle E · Post by **Uncle E** » Sat Mar 03, 2012 8:19 pm

Sampleconstruct wrote:For me nothing beats the RME FF 800, great Preamps, very stable, pristine sound...

IMO, the Focusrite Liquid Saffire 56's Liquid Preamps are considerably better. There are rumors that the Universal Audio Apollo will eventually have similar style preamp modeling but, until then, I feel fairly secure in saying the Liquid Saffire 56 has the best preamps of any interface in existence.

Nicksaf · Post by **Nicksaf** » Sun Mar 04, 2012 10:36 am

I think i almost settled on either the Steinberg CI1, Roland Duo Capture or Tascam US-200. The TONEWEAL interfaces are interesting but not much opinions on them.

CI1 - Technical Specifications

AD/DA 24bit
Sample rate 48 kHz (max)
Gain +60 dB (- 60 dB ~ -16 dB)
Hi-Z switch Input impedance 500 Ohm
Frequency response 20 Hz - 20 kHz (-3 dB @ 1 kHz)
THD+N 0.05% (@ 1 kHz, output level: +4 dBu)
Dynamic range 96 dB (A-weighted)
Power consumption USB (bus-powered) 5 V 500 mA 2.5 W

The Roland Duo mentions only these specs, strange?

Signal Processing
24 bits
Sampling Frequency
48 kHz, 44.1 kHz
Nominal Input Level
Line input: -10 dBu
Guitar input: -25 dBu
Microphone input: -45 dBu

Tascam US-200

AD/DA audio converter
Sampling frequency
44.1/48/88.2/96 kHz
Quantization bit rate
24-bit
Analog audio inputs
Microphone inputs (MIC IN 1-2)
Balanced
Connectors: XLR-3-31 (1: GND, 2: HOT, 3:
COLD)
Input impedance: 2.2 kΩ
Nominal input level: -14 dBu (0.15 Vrms)
Minimum input level: -57 dBu (0.001 Vrms)
Maximum input level: +2 dBu (0.98 Vrms)
Line inputs (LINE IN 1-2)
Balanced
Connectors:
6.3-mm (1/4") TRS phone jacks (Tip: HOT,
Ring: COLD, Sleeve: GND)
Input impedance: 15 kΩ
Nominal input level: +4 dBu (1.23 Vrms)
Minimum input level: -39 dBu (0.008 Vrms)
Maximum input level: +20 dBu (7.75 Vrms)
Instrument input (INST IN 1)
Unbalanced
Connectors: 6.3-mm (1/4") TS phone jacks
(Tip: HOT, Sleeve: GND)
Input impedance: 1 MΩ
Nominal input level: -13 dBV (0.22 Vrms)
Minimum input level: -56 dBV (0.001 Vrms)
Maximum input level: +3 dBV (1.41 Vrms)
Analog audio outputs
Line outputs (LINE OUT 1-4)
Unbalanced
Connectors: RCA pin jacks
Output impedance: 200Ω
Nominal output level: -10 dBV (0.316 Vrms)
Maximum output level: +6 dBV (2 Vrms)
Headphones outputs (PHONES)
Connectors:
6.3-mm (1/4") stereo phone jack
Maximum output: 18 mW + 18 mW (1 kHz,
0.1%, 32Ω)

Frequency response
20 Hz-20 kHz +0.5/-1.0 dB (44.1/48 kHz,
JEITA)
20 Hz-40 kHz +0.5/-1.5 dB (88.2/96 kHz,
JEITA)
Signal-to-noise ratio
98 dB or higher (LINE IN to LINE OUT with
Gain knobs at minimum, 44.1 kHz,
JEITA)
Total harmonic distortion
0.0045% or less (LINE IN to LINE OUT with
Gain knobs at minimum, JEITA)

What you guys think?

IIRs · Post by **IIRs** » Sun Mar 04, 2012 12:04 pm

Mackie Onyx pre-amps are by far the best budget option I have tried. In terms of noise levels they outperform some of my posh expensive studio pres. You have to spend a lot more money to get anything better.

I haven't tried the latest batch of Blackbird / Blackjack interfaces, but I have an Onyx 1620 with firewire card that forms the basis of my location recording rig, and I also have a Satellite interface, the "pod" part of which has lived permanently in my gig bag for about 4 years, travelled half-way around the world with me on tour, and is still going strong. Never had any driver problems with either of them.

Nicksaf · Post by **Nicksaf** » Sun Mar 04, 2012 1:59 pm

Well yeah, i heard about the preamps on it but the forums are full of drivers problems especially in WIN 7 x64...
http://www.mackie.com/ubbthreads/ubbthr ... 660&page=2

So... Hope they'll fix it.

sata_fortuna · Post by **sata_fortuna** » Sun Mar 04, 2012 2:48 pm

again, check the focusrite scarlett 2i2.
very cheap, good preamps, solid driver.

course it cant be compared with an apogee or an rme fireface, but it'll do the job just fine for you for very little money.

Nicksaf · Post by **Nicksaf** » Sun Mar 04, 2012 3:19 pm

Thanks i appreciate your suggestion. Actually its a bit more expensive than what i mentioned. Just like the Mackie Blackjack, but Blackjack is famous for it's pres, and i haven't read about the Scarlett in this way. So i think ill have to choose between the three i mentioned above.

Above all no support for Win 7 x64...

Dean Aka Nekro · Post by **Dean Aka Nekro** » Sun Mar 04, 2012 3:41 pm

Focusrite LiquidSaffire *even though it is overkill input wise for your needs*
Mackie Onyx pre-amps i like alot and for the price/quality ratio

RME if you do not mind spending about 3/4 times your budget are great and you won't ever have to "upgrade" but just add standalone pre-amps as your tastes grow more.
Still i am satisfied with the results i get with M-Audio's mic pre-amps on the profire 2626. I am debating a LiquidSaffire, have been for awhile and also the Mackie Onyx console/firewire interface IIRs mentioned.
Have not used one but heard material tracked and played back through TC Electronic's Konnect (I forget the model, It was a rack unit job) interface and it sounded good

FWIW and all the best to all as always

Dean

Uncle E · Post by **Uncle E** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 3:11 am

sata_fortuna wrote:course it cant be compared with an apogee or an rme fireface, but it'll do the job just fine for you for very little money.

We tested the Saffire Pro 24 DSP and found its headphone output to sound the same as the industry standard Benchmark DAC1, which is better than most RME's and Apogee's.

Uncle E · Post by **Uncle E** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 3:23 am

Dean Aka Nekro wrote:Have not used one but heard material tracked and played back through TC Electronic's Konnect (I forget the model, It was a rack unit job) interface and it sounded good

Good call! Those TC units all sound excellent.

Nicksaf · Post by **Nicksaf** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 2:48 pm

Umm guys, im really thankful for making this thread so interesting. However i think we are going a bit off topic here. Anyway please, could you give your opinions on the three cards i mentioned?

sata_fortuna · Post by **sata_fortuna** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 3:05 pm

as a gut feeling i'll keep the steinberg.
don't know really about the preamps, but as they invented asio i assume the driver should be very stable. and wavelab can be handly.

i've never own a tascam interface, but i do own a dr-100 field recording and had an HDP2 in the past. the a/d converters are really good, but the preamps are very noisy so i had to use them with a mixer.

Good audio interfaces from the PREAMP perspective?