Hi,
I'm in the process of simplifying my Virtual Instruments based studio setup.
I have 3 USB Midi keyboards, Logic Pro X and a Mac mini, I do not record any audio, I work with plugins only, but play soft-synths live (strictly at home) mainly logic instruments and some occasional soft-synth (SynthMaster, Arturia keylab)
Right now I'm using a Presonus Firestudio Mobile which will work until I will have to upgrade the Mac.
I was thinking to just use the mac mini (2012) audio to feed my amplified stereo speakers for mixing and live playing and go with good Bluetooth headphones for the long "studio" sessions, when creating sounds and arranging.
Anybody has experience can share or see any big disadvantage (sound quality?, possible latency?) with this setup, that will force me to buy eventually a USB audio interface ? I tried small (~8 non simultaneous midi tracks) logic projects and it seems OK, but not sure if things will still be Ok down the road with, say, 20-25 midi tracks with effects , etc.
Thanks!
--stoca
Mac/OSX: Do I really need an Audio Interface if I do not record audio?
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- KVRer
- 3 posts since 1 Apr, 2015
I work with a Macbook Pro (mid 2014) w/ i7 processors and 16 GB of RAM and have multiple interfaces. I have never used the built-in Mac audio interface except for watching YouTube videos and stuff like that. However, my biggest concern would be with latency. I sometimes work with soft synths but I'm really a guitarist and bassist so latency is a great concern. With most pro/semi-pro interfaces these days on a modern system, you can get down to 10-15 ms latency which is perfectly workable. (The 32-channel firewire card in my Tascam mixer operates at 8 ms and my Lynx Aurora 8 works at 3 ms).
I'd spring for a good audio interface. The UAD Apollo Twin looks amazing in the sub-$1,000 market. Using Thunderbolt, you should have no latency issues and you get a set of great plug-ins.
I'd spring for a good audio interface. The UAD Apollo Twin looks amazing in the sub-$1,000 market. Using Thunderbolt, you should have no latency issues and you get a set of great plug-ins.
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- KVRAF
- 1645 posts since 12 Dec, 2012 from Switzerland
Latency is only an issue when recording. Since you don't do that, don't worry about it.
But you might want to want a good interface for a better sound. The inbuilt sound card is ok for being creative and arranging, or editing if you'd record, and probably it's not worth to spend a couple of hundreds for a 'cheap' interface as long as you don't do critical listening stuff or mixing. Good enough though for a rough mix.
The interface has no effect on how many tracks you're using, that would be the CPU, RAM and maybe the hard drive (if working with hundreds of tracks).
But you might want to want a good interface for a better sound. The inbuilt sound card is ok for being creative and arranging, or editing if you'd record, and probably it's not worth to spend a couple of hundreds for a 'cheap' interface as long as you don't do critical listening stuff or mixing. Good enough though for a rough mix.
The interface has no effect on how many tracks you're using, that would be the CPU, RAM and maybe the hard drive (if working with hundreds of tracks).
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