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+---- Thread: USB-audio interface - need your advice (/showthread.php?tid=10579)
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USB-audio interface - need your advice - rsw - 03-05-2014
Hello, dear forum users!
I am planning to buy USB-audio interface.
It should correspond only to two main tasks â the microphone connection that requires phantom power supply. Secondly, it should have the connection for the synthesizer.
My budget is up to 500-600 $
I have studied many variants and Roland quadrapture is a leader in comparison with others (according to the price/quality rate).
On ebay this miracle of technology costs $ 300, as when other interfaces with comparably the same characteristics cost minimum $ 500.
Maybe there is some other sites where I should look for it, and there are better alternatives.
The main requirements are the phantom power supply, the compressor in real time (preferably hardware, but it can be software if it can work with MAC and Windows and there is the possibility to broadcast it even in the case of sound output to Flash in the browser (the webinars broadcasting, which is carried out in the browser via Flash)).
However, I have not fully understood whether Roland quadrapture has the compressor or not. According to the description â it has.
Compressor is an indispensable requirement.
Thank you, in advance, for your help!
USB-audio interface - need your advice - Experimentonomen - 03-05-2014
I kinda prefer firewire over usb for audio interfaces, have been told USB cannot handle full duplex audio, atleast not as good as firewire.
Firewire also feels more professional as its used pretty much only in studio audio interfaces these days, while usb is used mostly for keyboards, mice, low quality webcams and to transfer pictures/videos from cameras.
USB-audio interface - need your advice - Jerome - 03-05-2014
Firewire has little advantage over USB. Most studios use USB and it can handle full duplex audio just as well as FW. (i.e. it can record and playback full stereo over multiple channels at the same time). The only difference between the two is speed when handling a large number of inputs. So unless you are recording an orchestra with individual mics for each instrument, USB will work fine. My audio interface has both, but I find that the USB function is more stable than FW. Some FW drivers are notoriously badly written and prone to glitches and drop-outs. I have tried FW a couple of times on different devices but always gone back to USB at the end of the day.
USB-audio interface - need your advice - Jerome - 04-05-2014
And just another bit of info on the point of recording equipment. Years ago a guy (I forget who) accidentally created the Aphex Aural Exciter - a device that 'livened up' recordings overall. At the time you could not even buy one - they were rented out to studios at a ridiculous cost - something like 2000USD/month. Nowadays you can buy a plug-in for 50 bucks that does EXACTLY the same thing. There are many compressors/limiters etc that go for thousands of dollars, but if you ever lift the lid on these things you will find that there is very little to them in terms of engineering or components. You can probably build one yourself for a 1/20th of the price. There is an awful lot of bullshit in the industry with regard to classic equipment and the extortionate amounts of money being charged for them. Don't be fooled by the price tag and the marketing hype. The reason that many major studios are now standing empty is the fact that most of this can now be done on an average PC with the right tools and more importantly - in the hands of the right person. If you could not achieve the same results 'in the box' the studios would still be in business. You can achieve wonders with a powerful PC and the right suite of plug-ins (also overpriced BTW). It just takes time to learn everything and a big dollop of imagination to go with it. The single most important ingredient in the recording process is 'vision' - and you won't find that on a shelf in a store anywhere. It is earned through trial and error. Think twice before you buy any piece of equipment - you probably already have the means to achieve the desired result in your DAW already.
USB-audio interface - need your advice - Experimentonomen - 04-05-2014
And i have heard ppl say that the best limiter/eq plugins are the ones that come with your DAW, no need to buy third party ones.
USB-audio interface - need your advice - rsw - 05-05-2014
What is the fundamental difference between Firewire from USB for usually tasks? Already bought a microphone blue spark and accordingly it is need necessary to audio interface for him, it is very desirable with the compressor. Why with compressor?
Compressor in audio interface is needed for two reasons:
1. Sound is processed in real time for broadcast online (webinars). And this is one reason why it is very desirable Hardware compressor, because software sometimes without shamanism is very difficult to set up for online-translation
2. Portability, which, again, is attainable by the "universality" of the device, rather than a single compressor and separate audio interface
Of course, if there an audio interface with a software compressor, which can be easily configured to realtime broadcast online (via a browser, webinar, working on Flash), then there is absolutely no difference between software and hardware compressors for me personally
I also forgot to mention audio interface will only be used with laptop (macbook) and if I understood correctly, laptops have no fireware connector ...
USB-audio interface - need your advice - Jerome - 05-05-2014
A final point on this - many, but not all audio interfaces, claim that theirs is the best. If you deconstruct these devices (yes the paperwork that comes with it tells you that it is illegal to do so - no surprise there) you will find many are using exactly the same IC's (integrated circuits) as these are bulk manufactured in China. It costs too much for one supplier to develop their own chip and manufacture it, so they all use 'common' IC's but just package them in different boxes to make you think it is unique. Oldest trick in the book. Another one is this nonsense of using only hand wound transformers. Sorry but no human is going to achieve consistency in the design by doing that. That's why these processes are automated. It always amazes me that people are quite happy to use technology every day but then question that same technology when it is used to manufacture the end product.
I used to use an EMU 1820, but had to change when they would no longer (or could not) write a driver for Win7. Nowadays I use a Behringer Firepower interface. I really only use the USB function although it does have both USB and FW. It's affordable and it does exactly the same thing as units at twice the price.
USB-audio interface - need your advice - Experimentonomen - 07-05-2014
I got a Presonus FireBox audio interface, night and day difference compard to the onboard audio pc motherboards come with.
USB-audio interface - need your advice - Jerome - 07-05-2014
Oh I agree, on-board audio chips are crap. And in any case the outboard audio interface handles the processing. Trying to get your on-board audio card/processor to work properly and handle the operating system (not to mention the application) is a waste of time. It screws up the latency big time.
USB-audio interface - need your advice - Experimentonomen - 07-05-2014
I've also been told that its best to have the audio interface on usb/firewire as the power is cleaner than even a pci card