Best Low latency inteface under 1000quid?

[Beastie]

hey guys

i wanna run outboard through my logic system?

is this just an impossiblity without spending an arm and a leg...?

or with a RME
or a digi 003

are they good enuff?

or are there any other suitable options before we get to apogee symphony and tdm systems (way over my budget!)

suggestions please?

thanks in advancethumbsup

[Whitecat]

metric halo 2882 maybe? it's 18 channels.

their uln-2 is known to have slightly better overall sound, but it's only 2 channels...

[Beastie]

and ill be able to run input and outputs through without latency issues to my outboard hardware?

if so

great and thanks

peace

[Beastie]

Originally Posted by terminal3

metric halo 2882 maybe? it's 18 channels.

their uln-2 is known to have slightly better overall sound, but it's only 2 channels...

is that with/without dsp and how does that affect latency?

peace

adam

[Whitecat]

there will always be a bit of latency no matter what the interface. lower buffer sizes will help, though. you need a fast computer and a firewire interface at minimum, if not pci of some sort to achieve low latency.

anyway, the +DSP version is out of your budget, but the standard version isn't.

the metric halo stuff is known for it's superb conversion though, which will help the quality of your outboard processing if nothing else.

[minus-sounds.com]

Hey Adam, go with a RME. They are very solid and that's not debatable. As for the sound, that's subjective, but I love mine.

[Beastie]

metric halo/digi003rack or rme fireface...

arrrghhh

decisions....

for the record the rest of my system is

MBP 2.4 w 4gig ram
PMC monitors
Nord Lead 2
Spring reverb
SDE delay...

and was using mbox 2

logic and kontakt are my main software tools although i like protools le for editing...

thanks

peace

adam

[wildpark]

you need buffer wise the fastest mac

then go in a audioshop a try all the goodies its free !

[Beastie]

Originally Posted by terminal3

metric halo 2882 maybe? it's 18 channels.

their uln-2 is known to have slightly better overall sound, but it's only 2 channels...

hey man what do you use?

peace

[Whitecat]

Originally Posted by Beastie

hey man what do you use?

peace

at the moment, mbox 2 pro.

[manning1]

beastie.
reaper has some neat features for interfaceing outboard gear.
(check em out sometime cockos.com, some interesting posts on the subject plus
latency figs with various sound cards.)
but then this runs on pc, .......oh the SHAME..........
heresy, the dark side etc lol.
lol. but a new mac version is coming......

[Beastie]

Originally Posted by terminal3

at the moment, mbox 2 pro.

oh and what would u ideally get?

how is the mbox2 pro?

would that do me?

[Beastie]

Originally Posted by manning1

beastie.
reaper has some neat features for interfaceing outboard gear.
(check em out sometime cockos.com, some interesting posts on the subject plus
latency figs with various sound cards.)
but then this runs on pc, .......oh the SHAME..........
heresy, the dark side etc lol.
lol. but a new mac version is coming......

sounds fine

except i use logic on a mac

[Whitecat]

Originally Posted by Beastie

oh and what would u ideally get?

how is the mbox2 pro?

would that do me?

i'm struggling with 'ideals' at the moment.

i'm a pro tools guy, I need pro tools. I refuse to go pro tools HD, it's not worth the expense to me.

i am fully aware they are not great interfaces compared to other options.

that said, i can get good results with them.

I use a few digital bits n' pieces and I need wordclock to make them all happy.

I wish the mbox 2 pro had more ins n' outs, or at least an adat port. I never work higher than 48khz anymore. I can run only one or two pieces of outboard during the mix at most so I have to sometimes make choices, print my tracks and then fill out recall sheets. the reason I got it is because at the time I needed a portable pro tools le interface that was preferably firewire and as I do lots of work for post-production it had to be le, not m-powered as I use the dv toolkit. I've been a lot less mobile lately, so the portability factor isn't as much of an issue.

I'm mainly an ITB guy anyway, but ever now and again it's nice to use some high-quality hardware. I do use outboard preamps with the mbox 95% of the time.

so - with those being the usage notes - I probably should look at a 003R, it ticks the boxes. but sonically it's not what anyone would call best-in-class.

so ideally pro tools will open up to anything (ha!) and I could use it with a metric halo uln-2 as opposed to the mbox 2 pro. I'm interested in hearing the prism orpheus as well. perhaps an ensemble?

anyway, it's a tricky question because I've automatically limited myself by my software platform.

and whether the mbox 2 pro would be adequate for your needs is another issue entirely - if you use a lot of outboard, maybe not.

[Beastie]

Originally Posted by terminal3

i'm struggling with 'ideals' at the moment.

i'm a pro tools guy, I need pro tools. I refuse to go pro tools HD, it's not worth the expense to me.

i am fully aware they are not great interfaces compared to other options.

that said, i can get good results with them.

I use a few digital bits n' pieces and I need wordclock to make them all happy.

I wish the mbox 2 pro had more ins n' outs, or at least an adat port. I never work higher than 48khz anymore. I can run only one or two pieces of outboard during the mix at most so I have to sometimes make choices, print my tracks and then fill out recall sheets. the reason I got it is because at the time I needed a portable pro tools le interface that was preferably firewire and as I do lots of work for post-production it had to be le, not m-powered as I use the dv toolkit. I've been a lot less mobile lately, so the portability factor isn't as much of an issue.

I'm mainly an ITB guy anyway, but ever now and again it's nice to use some high-quality hardware. I do use outboard preamps with the mbox 95% of the time.

so - with those being the usage notes - I probably should look at a 003R, it ticks the boxes. but sonically it's not what anyone would call best-in-class.

so ideally pro tools will open up to anything (ha!) and I could use it with a metric halo uln-2 as opposed to the mbox 2 pro. I'm interested in hearing the prism orpheus as well. perhaps an ensemble?

anyway, it's a tricky question because I've automatically limited myself by my software platform.

and whether the mbox 2 pro would be adequate for your needs is another issue entirely - if you use a lot of outboard, maybe not.

kool i got your vibe!

im similar in as much as i sometimes need protools le for editing and trackin and compiling etc - but most of work is programming - and my system is kinda best portable... i truth is i only have 2 bits of outboard! lol

logic is my main tool - but tools is also releverant and would be useful with the toolkit option - plus i could upgrade the mbox2 to it fro good deal at the mo!

i would love a apogee mobile symphony system or the prisim but its way over my price range!

im struggling between 8228 and digi003r at present still with the fireface800 option....

bigups!

peace