Looking for a cheap, but good, audio interface.

[Fox_GAMING_NTF]

Hi, I'm looking for a cheap (probably up to ~$150) audio interface, with a midi in/out, and probably a pair of TRS stereo ins.

I'm probably going to be getting a synthesizer, the Behringer Deepmind 12 (Stereo) and an effects unit, the June-60 Chorus (Stereo). I would prefer stereo to mono.

I'm also looking for decent quality, relatively cheap music speakers, and headphones.

I'm probably going to get a stand for the Behringer Deepmind 12, too.
So the Behringer is about $699,
The June 60 is about $49
So that's already $748, plus the audio interface, so let's say it's about $130,
$878, which is definitely really expensive, so I need some good speakers and headphones, but they can't be insanely expensive, but they also can't be really cheap quality : /

[NTO]

Think two pairs of midi will be rare on an audio interface.
Those devices not do midi via usb?

[kvotchin]

I’m curious . . . why do you need two lots of Midi in and out, to and from your computer?

[chk071]

The Schwein... i mean... Steinberg: https://www.steinberg.net/de/products/a ... 2mkii.html

Although, as about any audio interface in that price range, it doesn't have 2 MIDI In's and out's. And, just like the other people, i'm also wondering why you'd need those.

[Lotuz2019]

Check out the videos of Julian Krause on YouTube.

[JCJR]

Yeah there have been a few audio interfaces with more than a single midi in and a single midi out but relatively rare. Even rather expensive fancy audio interfaces if they have midi will typically only have a single in and single out. But there have been rare exceptions.

If you need multi midi in and out (maybe many do not but I certainly do) then get a two port or bigger dedicated midi interface. In addition a dedicated midi interface MAY be more responsive because it won't have to share USB bandwidth with audio streaming. Assuming the audio and midi interfaces are connected to their own USB chips in the computer, not sharing a USB channel.

But with simple low samplerate stereo or quad audio, that usually doesn't slow midi down too much if it is sharing usb bandwidth built in to the audio interface.

A high samplerate many channel audio interface might use enough USB bandwidth to impact the midi timing.

Midi are sparse messages but if they are not sent and received at the right time then the timing suffers. If a midi message is a little car that wants to "go over the bridge" but it has to wait until a long audio train finishes going over the bridge, then the little car will just have to wait on the train and then arrive a little late!

[Fox_GAMING_NTF]

I'm only wanting multiple MIDI I / O's because I thought I might need them if I get more instruments in the future. I looked back and it does have MIDI USB, I guess I'll be ok with one MIDI I / O, just in case. But I would probably want more than just One TRS/ Stereo In / Out, as well.

[kvotchin]

You might want to consider simply 4 standard audio ins, as stereo outs from, say, a synth, typically involve two leads anyway.

Mind you, this is if you are going, for example, to be playing both of your synths simultaneously . . . unless there’s something else involved here that I’m not currently aware of.

Anyway, the Steinberg 242 is one of the only interfaces I know of for that money, with legitimately 4 line ins,

[Fox_GAMING_NTF]

You might want to consider simply 4 standard audio ins, as stereo outs from, say, a synth, typically involve two leads anyway.

Mind you, this is if you are going, for example, to be playing both of your synths simultaneously . . . unless there’s something else involved here that I’m not currently aware of.

Anyway, the Steinberg 242 is one of the only interfaces I know of for that money, with legitimately 4 line ins,

Ok, thanks. As of right now, I don't have any synths, but I am probably going to be getting one, the Behringer Deepmind 12, and I don't know if I'm getting any other synths, certainly not anytime soon, though. I guess I'm just thinking for the future, as I might get more than just one synthesizer at some point.

[vurt]

look in to "daisy chaining midi" or a separate 4in4out midi interface at some point in the future if needs be.

[mgw38]

For inexpensive but solid audio interfaces with a minimum of 4 inputs you might also want to look at the Behringer U-Phoria UMC404HD and U-Phoria UMC1820 interfaces. I have an UMC1820 in a lab full of students and they could not break it.

[Passing Bye]

+1 for U-Phoria

[thecontrolcentre]

https://www.native-instruments.com/en/p ... e-audio-6/

[ProfessionalTom]

I'm using Tascam US-2x2. It works just fine so I can reccomend it.

Has midi out, midi in and 2 combo inputs (2x xlr + 2x jack) + 2 balaned line outputs.

Just look how beautiful:


for around 120-130$ you should be able to get one. It's cheaper than a Focusrite Scarlett 2x2 by about 30-40$ and focusrite does not have midi out/in.

I remember that in some tests its output latency was about 10-11ms and in Focusrite scarlett 2x2 it was around 6-7ms so it's a delicate difference. What's interesting, when summing input + output latency in different units different units' results kind of hovered around similar values.

While Tascams output latency was around 10/11ms and other interfaces 6-7, its input latency was much faster than others, around 4ms from what I remember, and other units had similar both input and output latencies so if you sum it up, then it was like:
Tascam: 4+10 = 14
Other interfaces in this price range: 7+7 = 14

Overally it's a good unit (Tascam US-2x2)



PS or you can screw all these fancy manufacturers and their 120 bucks for 2 inputs and get for this money 4 combo inputs like a pro with behringer.
https://www.behringer.com/Categories/Be ... HD/p/P0BK1

How can you not love behringer ))))

[Elektronisch]

You might want to consider simply 4 standard audio ins, as stereo outs from, say, a synth, typically involve two leads anyway.

Mind you, this is if you are going, for example, to be playing both of your synths simultaneously . . . unless there’s something else involved here that I’m not currently aware of.

Anyway, the Steinberg 242 is one of the only interfaces I know of for that money, with legitimately 4 line ins,

Ok, thanks. As of right now, I don't have any synths, but I am probably going to be getting one, the Behringer Deepmind 12, and I don't know if I'm getting any other synths, certainly not anytime soon, though. I guess I'm just thinking for the future, as I might get more than just one synthesizer at some point.

I guess you havent started making any music but thinking of doing that in the futute? Also just for curiosity how old are you?