USB Interface - Best Latency

[TheStixter]

I've pretty much made my mind on getting a Shure SM7b microphone and a Safe Sound P1 for my pre. I do however need a USB Interface that will convert audio to my laptop. I don't want to deal with latency...I've delt with it for years with an old Tascam unit I had. I've been really lookin at the M-Audio Fast Track Ultra because of its technology and its USB 2.0 interface, but don't really know if I need all that. I'm mainly just doing vocals, but I'm thinkin I need room to grow so I really wanna look at something with at least 2 pres, but if there's a unit with 1 pre that anybody thinks will work better, let me know. I want good clean quality and hardly any latency, if any. Something with 60db gain or more if possible. The Em-U 0404 has been brought up a few times as well as the USBPre, but I noticed it used older USB 1.1 technology. Any suggestions of USB interface units you think would work with my other equipment and deliver a good clean sound with little latency?

[smccarthy945]

I use the M-Audio Firewire 410. Before you buy the mic pre, you might be amazed how good the pre's sound on the Firewire 410! You will be suprised. I have a Focusrite pre and I don't use it anymore. I have the mic right in the m-audio because it sounds better w/ the mic.

[Jidis]

Stixter,

I'm not 100% on this, but the USB 1.1 thing may not be so much of an issue as drivers and hardware. It may be more trouble though if you were trying to stream too many tracks,etc. I was surprised how many of the ones I looked at were not actually 2.0.

The drivers also seem to be a really big part of that latency thing. So much so that there's a third party driver specifically aimed at latency (USB2Audio - the low latency experience). I've got a Lexicon Omega and an Edirol UA-25 here, but the times I've needed them, I've done hardware monitoring. Lexicon has made some massive jumps toward better latency on occasion, just by releasing a new driver build, so I know it's important.

Take Care

[smccarthy945]

I would stay firewire and stay away from USB.

[Beyersound]

Originally Posted by TheStixter

I've pretty much made my mind on getting a Shure SM7b microphone and a Safe Sound P1 for my pre. I do however need a USB Interface that will convert audio to my laptop. I don't want to deal with latency...I've delt with it for years with an old Tascam unit I had. I've been really lookin at the M-Audio Fast Track Ultra because of its technology and its USB 2.0 interface, but don't really know if I need all that. I'm mainly just doing vocals, but I'm thinkin I need room to grow so I really wanna look at something with at least 2 pres, but if there's a unit with 1 pre that anybody thinks will work better, let me know. I want good clean quality and hardly any latency, if any. Something with 60db gain or more if possible. The Em-U 0404 has been brought up a few times as well as the USBPre, but I noticed it used older USB 1.1 technology. Any suggestions of USB interface units you think would work with my other equipment and deliver a good clean sound with little latency?

Forget the M-Audio stuff, in that price range the best overall USB interface is the Emu 0404usb. Much better converters and mic pres than the others . Much better PC driver than the M-Audio(from personal experience!), don't know about the Mac. It has incredibly low latency with the PC driver, and very low with the Mac driver.

[Prime Loops]

MOTU 828MKII - Firewire - no latency top notch!

[phillysoulman]

Originally Posted by TheStixter

I've pretty much made my mind on getting a Shure SM7b microphone and a Safe Sound P1 for my pre. I do however need a USB Interface that will convert audio to my laptop. I don't want to deal with latency...I've delt with it for years with an old Tascam unit I had. I've been really lookin at the M-Audio Fast Track Ultra because of its technology and its USB 2.0 interface, but don't really know if I need all that. I'm mainly just doing vocals, but I'm thinkin I need room to grow so I really wanna look at something with at least 2 pres, but if there's a unit with 1 pre that anybody thinks will work better, let me know. I want good clean quality and hardly any latency, if any. Something with 60db gain or more if possible. The Em-U 0404 has been brought up a few times as well as the USBPre, but I noticed it used older USB 1.1 technology. Any suggestions of USB interface units you think would work with my other equipment and deliver a good clean sound with little latency?

The best latency is NO latency

[PettyCash]

AFAIK, there is no such thing as no latency when talking about USB or Firewire interfaces. There is zero latency monitoring, but besides that you will have to deal with latency when doing stuff like midi or when using software monitoring. The weaker your desktop or laptop is, the more latency you can expect to deal with.

[Beyersound]

Originally Posted by TheStixter

I've pretty much made my mind on getting a Shure SM7b microphone and a Safe Sound P1 for my pre. I do however need a USB Interface that will convert audio to my laptop. I don't want to deal with latency...I've delt with it for years with an old Tascam unit I had. I've been really lookin at the M-Audio Fast Track Ultra because of its technology and its USB 2.0 interface, but don't really know if I need all that. I'm mainly just doing vocals, but I'm thinkin I need room to grow so I really wanna look at something with at least 2 pres, but if there's a unit with 1 pre that anybody thinks will work better, let me know. I want good clean quality and hardly any latency, if any. Something with 60db gain or more if possible. The Em-U 0404 has been brought up a few times as well as the USBPre, but I noticed it used older USB 1.1 technology. Any suggestions of USB interface units you think would work with my other equipment and deliver a good clean sound with little latency?

By the way as in the full model number Emu 0404usb 2.0, it is a usb 2.0/high speed device! You must be reading the old spec for the 0404 pci!

[smccarthy945]

I agree that the M-Audio drivers are hard to stabilize, however, they are getting better and they come with a great mixer app. The sound I get out of the firewire 410 is perfect.

The EMU stuff is good as well. M-Audio is more widely supported than the EMU stuff. I cannot believe M Audio doesn't have 64 bit drivers out yet for their stuff. It's amazing to me that it's still in beta when 64 bit has been out for years. Their driver support does suck.

[kincept]

if you have mac apogee duet!

if you dont motu ultralight III

[Beyersound]

Originally Posted by smccarthy945

The EMU stuff is good as well. M-Audio is more widely supported than the EMU stuff. .

What does that Mean???