KVR Audio

braj · Post by **braj** » Fri Oct 26, 2012 8:14 am

$250 is my budget, quality and a long useful life are important.

Vintage73 · Post by **Vintage73** » Fri Oct 26, 2012 2:42 pm

I'm kinda wondering the same thing.

Right now I'm looking at the Komplete Audio 6, but I'm open to other ideas.

braj · Post by **braj** » Fri Oct 26, 2012 2:50 pm

I have my eye on the M-Audio Fast Track C600 right now, but the Akai EIE Pro looks interesting. But then the Tascam US1800 looks like a good value, though I'm not sure I will ever use all the inputs.

Shabdahbriah · Post by **Shabdahbriah** » Fri Oct 26, 2012 3:02 pm

I am looking also, but do NOT want "bus powered". That Tascam looks nice (thanks). I have had Tascam studio products for decades, still use a DM-1000.

May end up just going with an M-Audio 10/10 PCI card @ $199.00, however.

Vintage73 · Post by **Vintage73** » Fri Oct 26, 2012 4:28 pm

I see that most interfaces in this price range are 96KHz, but some are 192KHz. Does it really matter at this point? Especially using VSTis?

Crackbaby · Post by **Crackbaby** » Fri Oct 26, 2012 4:40 pm

just so you know, at current currency rate, 199 us is 1337 swedish kronor

regarding 96 vs 192KHz ... if that is ever going to make a difference, the quality of the soundcard must be super-mega-high. Im just guessing here.. but maybe it's easy to make a 192kHz converter if quality is not an issue.
And if you're only playing back and not recording i don't think it matters if it's 48kHz either

braj · Post by **braj** » Fri Oct 26, 2012 4:49 pm

My main issue right now is inputs, I have a Line6 Toneport GX, only one guitar input, no XLR, no mic preamps, ultimately I'd like a Presonus 16.0.4

but my necessities are 4 inputs, decent preamps, 0 latency monitoring, quality build, stable drivers. I would be happy to get a Cubase version with an interface, that would be a big +. I don't really care about onboard effects as that will be handled in software. interesting ergonomics or features are the strong second consideration, for example the Akai's switches flick on 'sale!' to me. If you are going to live with something for years make it rock solid and look like it belongs in a mad scientist's laboratory!

My hosts are Reaper and Studio One Pro, if that makes any difference.

I'm setting the arbitrary budget at $250 because that is what I can get zzounds.com 4-month payment at, I don't think I should need to spend more so that is their minimum and my maximum.

Crackbaby · Post by **Crackbaby** » Fri Oct 26, 2012 4:57 pm

The akai looks good, doesn't it..

Shabdahbriah · Post by **Shabdahbriah** » Fri Oct 26, 2012 5:00 pm

4lb Kitty wrote:I see that most interfaces in this price range are 96KHz, but some are 192KHz. Does it really matter at this point? Especially using VSTis?

No.

(IMHO)

Vintage73 · Post by **Vintage73** » Fri Oct 26, 2012 5:04 pm

Shabdahbriah wrote:
4lb Kitty wrote:I see that most interfaces in this price range are 96KHz, but some are 192KHz. Does it really matter at this point? Especially using VSTis?
No.

(IMHO)

That's what I thought.

braj · Post by **braj** » Fri Oct 26, 2012 5:12 pm

The Tascam US1800 definitely seems like the best value though, $250 for 16 inputs! I think I might be dumb if I don't get that one, though I don't prefer a rack mount, I have no other rack mount gear at this point.

Shabdahbriah · Post by **Shabdahbriah** » Fri Oct 26, 2012 5:45 pm

braj wrote:The Tascam US1800 definitely seems like the best value though, $250 for 16 inputs! I think I might be dumb if I don't get that one, though I don't prefer a rack mount, I have no other rack mount gear at this point.

Curiously, I was going to post a similar thread, asking impressions about the Focusrite "Saffire" (I think) vs. the little presonus 'pre' amp USB interfaces, but I'm glad you pointed the 1800 out.

Again, I've used literally countless TASCAM products (mixers/reel-2-reels, DAT, HD recorders, etc., etc..) in and out of studio situations for decades and have honestly never had ANY problems with a single device.

fwiw, I record EVERYTHING I do (daily) when I'm fiddling/noodling (making presets/sample editing, etc.) in my DAWs directly into a TASCAM DR-1 which I picked-up on the day of release 'bout 5-6- yrs ago (IIRC), in addition to using it at least once a week for field recordings, and it has performed flawlessly with the exception of 'contact/handling' noise, which I've resolved with a pistol-grip 'mounting' remedy. (plus it looks cool with a shoot-gun mic.

The Presonus 16.0.4 is a really sweet rig, aesthetically, ergonomically, and functionally IMO. I've played with a couple of them and they are very intuitive and "comfortable" to work with, from my angle/preferences, anyway.

I have a MOTU 2408, and just updating the PCI card for a higher sample rate, would set me back nearly $500.00, sooo - no.

glokraw · Post by **glokraw** » Fri Oct 26, 2012 10:16 pm

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/pro-audi ... ing-system

$149 Includes a Cubase version

lofty · Post by **lofty** » Fri Oct 26, 2012 10:26 pm

braj · Post by **braj** » Fri Oct 26, 2012 10:28 pm

lofty wrote:after a little bit of internet reading, my pick would be a mackie onyx blackbird. soundonsound said, "There are many similarly sized interfaces available...but nothing I've used yet has matched this combination of a good-quality interface with practical monitoring in such a robust package."

in my dreams i'd like a sound devices mixpre d and a pair of dpa4060 mics

But that's twice $250.

What is the best USB interface for $250? (went with Zoom R8 @ $299)