KVR Audio

cpnet · Post by **cpnet** » Mon Apr 23, 2018 11:13 pm

Have you looked at the Presonus Series III Rack mixers? There's a 16, 24, and 32 input version (all inputs are TRS/XLR combos). For the price, they seem pretty good but I haven't found a ton of reviews. I haven't found anything with near that many inputs for the price.

From the specs, you can record all 16/24/32 channels at once over USB so (in theory at least) they'd make a pretty cost-effective interface.

K-Bee · Post by **K-Bee** » Tue Apr 24, 2018 9:27 am

Thanks guys. Lots of great advice here, much appreciated.

cpnet wrote:Have you looked at the Presonus Series III Rack mixers? There's a 16, 24, and 32 input version (all inputs are TRS/XLR combos). For the price, they seem pretty good but I haven't found a ton of reviews. I haven't found anything with near that many inputs for the price.
From the specs, you can record all 16/24/32 channels at once over USB so (in theory at least) they'd make a pretty cost-effective interface.

I'm not sure what I'd gain from this idea. I already have a rack mixer and still need to have an interface o get things going. The presonus series looks rather cool though, but fairly pricey as well considering the fact that it lack audio interface capabilities.

deastman wrote:Consider going the opposite direction. I gave up on multiple mixers and patchbays years ago. Now I just have two long audio cables and a long midi cable hooked up to my interface, and I patch them directly into whichever synth I want to record. I keep one patchbay with a few extra ins and outs and a mic preamp ready, but otherwise I keep the whole thing as simple as possible.

That sound like an ideal solution in many ways but there's a lot of changing going on and sometimes I like to play multiple synths at once (like chords on my Kronos and a lead on the Blofeld etc)

tehlord wrote:
K-Bee wrote: Good to know, as I wasn't aware. Actually I've never heard of ESI either but that's my fault. It looks like their 16 input version is available already, similarly priced to the Focusrite 18i20
https://www.gear4music.com/Recording-an ... rface/1NRO
Yeah the 18i20 only has 8 inputs, and I haven't been that impressed with their drivers lately. I bought a 6i6 as an interim between my main interface(s) and the latency was pretty crappy, as well as clicking and popping galore. This is on PC at least.

I'm on PC as well, and I've been living with crappy drivers for the E-Mu Tracker Pre for close to 10 years with multiple latency issues, clicking and re-installs. I really want something that works now. The 18i20 2nd generation is very praised and I can see myself owning this with an additional ADAT box connected. But latency issues are deal breakers for me.

olepro · Post by **olepro** » Tue Apr 24, 2018 9:38 am

There is allso the Behringer UMC1820 with adat interface.
It's cheap, but really good (have it)
But it's only "raw" input, there is no internal dsp mixer inside.

K-Bee · Post by **K-Bee** » Wed Apr 25, 2018 7:54 am

Thanks olepro, I'll look into that. Unlike some purist, I have no problems with Behringer. In fact, my current rack mixer is a Behringer RX1602

- basically, it has no features but it works nicely for me. Still, I'd like to replace it with an audio interface.

cpnet · Post by **cpnet** » Thu Apr 26, 2018 12:07 am

K-Bee wrote:Thanks guys. Lots of great advice here, much appreciated.
cpnet wrote:Have you looked at the Presonus Series III Rack mixers? There's a 16, 24, and 32 input version (all inputs are TRS/XLR combos). For the price, they seem pretty good but I haven't found a ton of reviews. I haven't found anything with near that many inputs for the price.
From the specs, you can record all 16/24/32 channels at once over USB so (in theory at least) they'd make a pretty cost-effective interface.
I'm not sure what I'd gain from this idea. I already have a rack mixer and still need to have an interface o get things going. The presonus series looks rather cool though, but fairly pricey as well considering the fact that it lack audio interface capabilities.

As I understand it, the Series III mixers (rack and console) can function as interfaces ... with 16/24/32 channels over USB. That's why I've been looking at them.

K-Bee · Post by **K-Bee** » Thu Apr 26, 2018 9:27 am

Looks like you're right

https://www.presonus.com/products/Studi ... R/features - it says "recording interface" - I reckon that's the same as "audio interface"?
It has impressive features too, but honestly, it can do a lot more than what I need and includes a software bundle that I hardly have use for either.
If they did a stripped down no nonsense version of this, I would definitely consider it.

db3 · Post by **db3** » Thu Apr 26, 2018 3:23 pm

I use a Scarlett 18i8 (2nd gen). Works great for me on mac, has 8 analogue ins, and is also expandable over ADAT.

T-CM11 · Post by **T-CM11** » Sun Apr 29, 2018 12:36 pm

K-Bee wrote:it says "recording interface" - I reckon that's the same as "audio interface"?

They probably call it that because it can also be used standalone, for recording.
-> From the specifications:

Onboard stereo SD recorder

edit: well sort of "standalone", because it needs software to control it.

K-Bee · Post by **K-Bee** » Mon Apr 30, 2018 8:58 am

T-CM11 wrote:
K-Bee wrote:it says "recording interface" - I reckon that's the same as "audio interface"?
They probably call it that because it can also be used standalone, for recording.
-> From the specifications:
Onboard stereo SD recorder
edit: well sort of "standalone", because it needs software to control it.

Software is fine by me. I have no intentions of using it live anyway

The Scarlet could very well be the solution

K-Bee · Post by **K-Bee** » Thu May 03, 2018 9:20 am

There seem be multiple reports about problems with Windows 10 and Focusrite drivers. Is that the case for the 2nd generation interfaces too? The last thing I wanna waste time on is driver issues

Reefius · Post by **Reefius** » Thu May 03, 2018 5:23 pm

Have you checked the Zoom LiveTrak L-12 yet? It's a mixer and 14-in/4-out audio interface.

https://www.zoom.co.jp/products/product ... etrak-l-12

K-Bee · Post by **K-Bee** » Mon May 07, 2018 9:37 am

Reefius wrote:Have you checked the Zoom LiveTrak L-12 yet? It's a mixer and 14-in/4-out audio interface.

https://www.zoom.co.jp/products/product ... etrak-l-12

Looks quite nice but I'm all out of desktop room

Anyway, I ended up buying a smaller Interface than was initially planned. The Focusrite Scarlett 6i6 2nd generation. It doesn't have ADAT input but I believe there is a workaround if necessary. For now, I'm keeping my mixer.
Let me just say, the 6i6 is great and the low output and hiss/noise problems I had with my old EMU Tracker Pre did vanish in an instant.

I feared it had to do with the mixer and wonky connections but as it turns out, it didn't!
And now I'm a happy camper

T-CM11 · Post by **T-CM11** » Mon May 07, 2018 9:48 am

K-Bee wrote:It doesn't have ADAT input but I believe there is a workaround if necessary.

Yes, get a second audio interface & combine drivers in ASIO4ALL. It might work fine... or it might not.

(I would've picked an audio interface with ADAT)

K-Bee · Post by **K-Bee** » Mon May 07, 2018 11:43 am

T-CM11 wrote:
K-Bee wrote:It doesn't have ADAT input but I believe there is a workaround if necessary.
Yes, get a second audio interface & combine drivers in ASIO4ALL. It might work fine... or it might not. (I would've picked an audio interface with ADAT)

Thanks. I'll look into it if needed

wycliffewy · Post by **wycliffewy** » Tue Dec 17, 2019 4:41 am

AUTO-ADMIN: Non-MP3, WAV, OGG, SoundCloud, YouTube, Vimeo, Twitter and Facebook links in this post have been protected automatically. Once the member reaches 5 posts the links will function as normal.

Reefius wrote: ↑Thu May 03, 2018 5:23 pm Have you checked the Zoom LiveTrak L-12 yet? It's a mixer and 14-in/4-out audio interface.

https://www.zoom.co.jp/products/product ... etrak-l-12 (https://www.zoom.co.jp/products/production-recording/live-sound-recording/livetrak-l-12)

I'm ready to buy a Zoom L-12 except I can't find any information from VSTi synth performers on how well it works as an audio interface, in terms of latency, and also round trip latency for use as an input/output device for VST effects on a DAW.

I need to know if this thing achieves 2-5 ms, like a Zoom UAC or a Focusrite (my 2i4 can do 2ms with a simple enough synth on a single channel, I realize a lot of this is down to the PC, load, the particulars of the USB interface, and a hundred other factors, but my point is I enjoy sub 10ms synth performance latency now and I don't want to spend $600 to downgrade this.)

So how does the Zoom Livetrak L-12 work as a "real time" output device for a VSTi synth performer?

I've searched for any review that addresses.l this question before coming to KVR.

USB Audio interface for multiple synths at once