Audio Interface for PC

[Ciaccona]

Hi, another question for the more experienced than me:

Looking for a new Audio Interface for PC, possibly not the crappiest one.

got about 500-1000 Euros to spend, though I don't wanna spend more than necessary, should be ok/good quality.

I need at least 2 XLR ins. I'm doing mostly ITB Film/TV Spot stuff at the moment, so no complex recording etc.

Probably RME would be the way to go but are there good alternatives?

M-Audio or the new Lexicons?

I'd like to get some specific recommendations as I'm a bit lost going through all the products on my dealers site.

Any help much appreciated!

[R3altruth]

RME is a great choice... Just off of brand name and not looking at specific models I'd pick RME hands down over Lexicon and M-Audio

Choosing an interface though is more than just price and inputs...

Here are the questions you need to answer before buying an interface....

1. Mac or PC?
2. Desktop or Notebook?
3. What OS are you using?
4. What DAW or DAWs will you be using
then you can ask 5. How many inputs do you need?
6. What sample and bit rates you wanna record at?
7. How do you wanna connect (USB, Firewire, PCI, PCIe)
8. Will you be using any external gear at all? Mic pres, comps... A/D???
9. What sources are you recording?? just vocals? Keyboards? drum machines? Acoustic guitars? mic'ing a cab?
And lastly 10. How much do you wanna spend

[Arkitekt]

Try to grab a used Fireface 800. RME has probably the best drivers for Windows. Even if you don't need all the IO now, they might come in handy later.

[Ciaccona]

thanks a lot for your time!

@R3altruth:

1. Mac or PC?

PC

2. Desktop or Notebook?

Desktop

3. What OS are you using?

Trying to go with Windows 7Rc for now, not too sure if it will cause driver lots of problems, I haven't got too much outboard yet, though.

4. What DAW or DAWs will you be using

Cubase 5

5. How many inputs do you need?

at least 2 XLR now, 4+ would be a better choice for the future.

6. What sample and bit rates you wanna record at?

24 bit, 44,100 and 96,000 depending on the project

7. How do you wanna connect (USB, Firewire, PCI, PCIe)

not too sure yet, I've heard USB is more stable than Firewire.

8. Will you be using any external gear at all? Mic pres, comps... A/D???

yes, as of now probably 2 pres and maybe a mixer.

9. What sources are you recording?? just vocals? Keyboards? drum machines? Acoustic guitars? mic'ing a cab?

mostly mic'ed cabs/accoustic guitar/vocals every now and then

10. How much do you wanna spend?

I've planned about 1000 Euros.


@Arkitekt: what would be a good price for a used Fireface 800 atm?
it goes new for 1200 Euros over here.

If I'd spend that much money and working with Cubase 5 I thought about the Yamaha N12 mixer which seems to be a kind of mixer/firewire interface thing and I could connect multiple monitors... or would I need an additional interface then? Sorry, if this a stupid question...

[R3altruth]

Originally Posted by Ciaccona

3. What OS are you using?

Trying to go with Windows 7Rc for now, not too sure if it will cause driver lots of problems, I haven't got too much outboard yet, though.

I wouldn't recommend a release candidate or Beta version as your primary OS on your studio PC... I'd maybe make a dual booting system or use a second PC

Originally Posted by Ciaccona

5. How many inputs do you need?

at least 2 XLR now, 4+ would be a better choice for the future.

6. What sample and bit rates you wanna record at?

24 bit, 44,100 and 96,000 depending on the project

7. How do you wanna connect (USB, Firewire, PCI, PCIe)

not too sure yet, I've heard USB is more stable than Firewire.

No... the truth is that USB relies on the host CPU for things like prioritizing data transfer... Although the bandwidth on USB 2.0 can be decently high, the speeds you get in practice will most probably be a lot lower... Firewire processes data transfer right on the FW chipset... the main problem with stability is that people use firewire chipsets that don't work or work intermittently with audio gear.... Use the Texas Instruments (TI) firewire chipset and you will run into very few (if any) of those problems... I have a buddy who just bought a used DIGI 002... and it would take him multiple reboots before PPT LE would recognize his 002... Windows XP wouldn't recognize it at all as an audio interface so he couldn't use Winamp or WMP with it... I had him install a PCI to IEEE 1394 card from SIIG and the problems instantly went away... Also SYBA, GIGABYTE and E-MU (On their PCI interfaces that give you a firewire port) use TI chipsets, to name a few

Originally Posted by Ciaccona

8. Will you be using any external gear at all? Mic pres, comps... A/D???

yes, as of now probably 2 pres and maybe a mixer.

Using Pre's is a great idea... Many interfaces have preamps built in to the interface although they normally aren't as good as a separate preamp.... When using an external pre, you should make sure you connect the pre into a channel on the interface that doesn't have a preamp... or better yet connect it to an A/D converter and then possibly go in digital on your interface....
Either way using external pre's are good

Originally Posted by Ciaccona

If I'd spend that much money and working with Cubase 5 I thought about the Yamaha N12 mixer which seems to be a kind of mixer/firewire interface thing and I could connect multiple monitors... or would I need an additional interface then? Sorry, if this a stupid question...

A Mixer can be cool... It's just the interfaces I like most happen to be the ones that don't come with mixers...
My recommendation for you would be a PCIE option....
The RME HDSPe Connecting to the Multiface.... It will run you about $1350.00 which By my calculations would be right in your price range....
You'll get a PCI express card which means you'll have super stability with no latency issues... the box it connects to gives you 8 analog, ADAT and S/PDIF I/O.... and the converters are actually pretty good if you use the analog inputs... and there are no mic pre's to worry about since you have your own..... You'll love it....

The fireface 800 is more expensive.... about 1700 US dollars... but you'll get an extra ADAT input and 4 mic pres... And it's firewire... my thing is if you're not gonna be using the extra adat or the mic pres then go with the cheaper HDSPe plus multiface.... Plus the HDSPe setup provides more bandwidth

That is if you are comfortable installing a PCIe card into your desktop... which I am sure you can do... it's actually pretty flippin easy

[Arkitekt]

If you buy Fireface 800 you won't need anything else, not a mixer, and monitors is connected directly to the Fireface. It has pres and everything you'd need.

The lowest I've seen the 800 go for around here (Norway) is 800 euros. Usually it goes for 900-1000.

[Ciaccona]

Thanks a lot for the replies! so much to learn there for me!

I got beaten on an ebay Fireface 800 deal yesterday...

so, today a friend of mine offered me his Focusrite Saffire in exchange against one of my stomps that I don't use anyways.

I do realize it's not in comparison to the Fireface but it actually has got all inputs I need at the moment. I wouldn't even need to really use the pres if they're bad as I usually stick to my two outboard pres.

would the Saffire be a big compromise to the audio quality?
I'd save a bunch of bucks and look for a new professional interface more relaxed in the next time.

[R3altruth]

The saffire will do what you want... I'm nnot in love with the converters... but it does have S/PDIF I/O so down the line my suggestion would be getting a 2 channel A/D and running your pres into the A/D and then into the Saffire S/PDIF

[Ciaccona]

Nice!

In addition I could pick up an ADA8000 for almost nothing, would that do the job? From what I've read here it's the only Behringer beside the Verb that gets a lot of love...?

[R3altruth]

Im not a a big fan of the ADA8000... Focusrites converters are generally not the worst... so unless I was going for something like the Lynx Aurora or better I would probably stick with the Saffires...
Besides, the ADA8000 is 8 channels and S/PDIF is only a 2 channel medium....
ADAT is 8 channels, so if you have the Saffire PRO 26 you get ADAT inputs but not on the regular Saffire, with that you only get the 2 channel S/PDIF