Which audio interface

lincolnblue

I have the Focusrite Scarlett 18i6 which is great - if you can get one used I'd really recommend

Fretwired

Lestratcaster said:

Steinberg is another brand I've heard about but never used any of their products.

Any help appreciated.

I currently use a couple of Steinberg interfaces - they are really Yamaha products (Yamaha owns Steinberg) so they are well built, have excellent mic pres and a host of features. The driver is rock solid. I've never one crash on me. They've recently released a new range which supports USB 3 .. had some decent reviews or you can opt for the award-winning UR-RT interfaces with Rupert Neve transformers.

It depends what you want to do .. you can connect the Kemper via TRS. I use a Line 6 unit with my UR44.

Lestratcaster

Fretwired said:

Lestratcaster said:

Steinberg is another brand I've heard about but never used any of their products.

Any help appreciated.

I currently use a couple of Steinberg interfaces - they are really Yamaha products (Yamaha owns Steinberg) so they are well built, have excellent mic pres and a host of features. The driver is rock solid. I've never one crash on me. They've recently released a new range which supports USB 3 .. had some decent reviews or you can opt for the award-winning UR-RT interfaces with Rupert Neve transformers.

It depends what you want to do .. you can connect the Kemper via TRS. I use a Line 6 unit with my UR44.

I only found out about them via Thomann, I asked what I'd need to run a Kemper for Zoom calls and the guy suggested a Steinberg. At the time (about 3 months ago) I didn't really understand what the interface was for and how to connect it but slowly I've started to understand how its meant to work.

Main use for the interface is teaching, running Kemper into monitors t play audio with Spotify/Youtube etc, for the in-person lessons. Then Zoom hookup for online. Recording side will probably come later on. With a TRS connection I won't get much gain control on the interface though? It'll have to be via the Kemper?

menamestom

Audient stuff is good.  I have the Evo 4.

PolarityMan

I picked up an 18i10 3rd gen, haveto say the control softwareis def a step up from 2nd edition....also managed to set the por40 into standalone preamp mode to add channels via adat into the saffire so it means its not junk!

demonoid_gnome

I use a 2nd gen.Focusrite Scarlet 6i6 for all the things you`re suggesting you would need. Never had any trouble with it, and they`ll be a little cheaper now the 3rd gen.ones are out. I didn`t quite understand what digital clock was about to start off with, but once it`s all setup correctly, SPDIF out from the Kemper and into Reaper works great.

Lestratcaster

demonoid_gnome said:

I use a 2nd gen.Focusrite Scarlet 6i6 for all the things you`re suggesting you would need. Never had any trouble with it, and they`ll be a little cheaper now the 3rd gen.ones are out. I didn`t quite understand what digital clock was about to start off with, but once it`s all setup correctly, SPDIF out from the Kemper and into Reaper works great.

One of my friends has a 6i6 which he plugs his Kemper into to run recording and out to his Yamaha speakers. He goes SPDIF too. It’s just one coaxial cable out from Kemper isn’t it? Is it a stereo connection? If I can use that way then have 1 Xlr port for a mic during Zoom lessons that’s all I’d need.

But I've noticed a lot of the main retailers aren’t selling the 6i6 anymore presumably cos they’re bringing out a new one? What if I did get a used old gen one and they change the software for it in the future? 

Siejen

Focusrite have a refurb store If you don’t need the mic pres of the 18i8, the 8i6 is £212 spdiff in
(Notes about clock master as above). 

https://store.focusrite.com/en-gb/categories/focusrite/scarlett/product/scarlett-8i6-3rd-gen/MOSC0027DM~MOSC0027DM

Spdiff is stereo with clock. You could simultaneously take di out of your Kemper for safety on analog if you ever move to software amps. 

demonoid_gnome

The 3rd gen 8i6 linked above looks to be the newer iteration of the 2nd gen.6i6. Yes, single digital co-ax cable for stereo out of the Kemper and into the interface leaves you the analogue inputs for other things. I don`t think I`ve updated the driver since I got it over a year ago though, so I`m not sure how often that changes. Once you register a product, you do get additional software and plugins every so often, most of which have been fairly good. If I was looking for one now, that refurbished 8i6 above would be hard to turn down I think.

Lestratcaster

I think GAK are selling the 8i6 for £218 brand new so I think I'll get one from there, plus all the cables and shit I'll need along with it, TRS, SPDIF coaxial and maybe some 1/4 to XLR if I wanna go direct to monitors?

If I'm using the Kemper direct and using Spotify to jam tracks where do I mix the levels from? The interface monitor level or some software I'd need on the laptop?

Siejen

Where is Spotify running? 

If it’s on a separate device you can use the Focusrite in offline mode Without a laptop and balance the input levels of your phone (Spotify) into inputs 1&2 which have front panel level controls against spdiff from the Kemper. If Spotify is on your laptop, you’ll be running Focusrite mixer software anyway, so balance the different sources There. 

Lestratcaster

On my laptop. Sometimes I might have to use my iPad but I presume I'd USB into that instead of the laptop.

Also I seem to get confused which sort of cable I am supposed to run from lineouts from the interface into my monitors. There's 2 TRS unbalanced ports in the back of them (Mackie CR4's) and there's several different types.

Is it two of these?

https://www.gak.co.uk/en/roland-rcc-10-trtr-10ft-3m-black-series-interconnect-cable-1-4-inch-trs-to-1-4-inch-trs-balanced/908411?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI1c6-iYmM6wIVA-3tCh2wSQhLEAQYAyABEgJMMPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Or one of these?

https://www.gak.co.uk/en/roland-rcc-5-2814-5ft-1-5m-black-series-interconnect-cable-dual-1-4-inch-jack-to-dual-1-4-inch-jack/908395?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI7urblImM6wIV5IBQBh0njgReEAQYASABEgIRo_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

exocet

Lestratcaster said:

ThorpyFX said:

I have a focusrite 6i6 i am going to be listing here for sale. Its ace. 

Does that have an SPDIF input? Ive seen more retailers taking them off their sites, is it cos they’re bringing a new generation out?

I have a gen2 6i6, it has the SPDIF but I haven’t looked at the Gen3 version which is now widely sold. The Focusrite is definitely one of the lower latency units. I figured that SPDIF also helped with that because you remove an AD conversion in the signal chain.

Siejen

Hi, not sure Focusrite will work with USB on the  iPad, but you can always use the iPad analog out to Focusrite analog in.
As for outs, you could connect the line out of the Focusrite directly to your monitors, but your only volume control here is in software. This is where something like the Mackie big knob comes in as a line level master volume (effectively a Hi fi pre-amp) to stop everything starting at max volume before you catch the mouse. 

Re-Reading your original post, the MOTU first mentioned looks to be excellent for you. It can run with iOS and has a master volume (big knob function) built in. Only downside is you take analog out of the Kemper, so another D/a and a/d. As converters in question here are so good, this May be less of an issue than it was some time ago. Depends on the Kemper. MOTU will be great! 

And the balanced trs cables please (anyone know why Roland call them trtr??)  Look like stereo guitar cables, but are better at keeping hum at bay. Others would work as unbalanced cables, but not quite as good. 

Lestratcaster

I will probably switch to using the laptop for everything once I get the interface. Esp if I'm at home anyway.
And I thought there was a monitor level control on the front of the Focusrite? Or are you referring to once run with Spotify AND the Kemper? 

I think I will end up getting the 8i6 for the SPDIF and use the front XLR for Zoom lessons. If I'm not doing Zoom lessons I'll just do SPDIF or use the two XLR pre amp ports on the front.

So I should ought to get a couple of the cables in the first link? I think they are stereo cables yes.

brucegill

Lestratcaster said:

On my laptop. Sometimes I might have to use my iPad but I presume I'd USB into that instead of the laptop.

Also I seem to get confused which sort of cable I am supposed to run from lineouts from the interface into my monitors. There's 2 TRS unbalanced ports in the back of them (Mackie CR4's) and there's several different types.

Is it two of these?

https://www.gak.co.uk/en/roland-rcc-10-trtr-10ft-3m-black-series-interconnect-cable-1-4-inch-trs-to-1-4-inch-trs-balanced/908411?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI1c6-iYmM6wIVA-3tCh2wSQhLEAQYAyABEgJMMPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Or one of these?

https://www.gak.co.uk/en/roland-rcc-5-2814-5ft-1-5m-black-series-interconnect-cable-dual-1-4-inch-jack-to-dual-1-4-inch-jack/908395?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI7urblImM6wIV5IBQBh0njgReEAQYASABEgIRo_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Are you sure the monitors are TRS and Unbalanced? I’d have thought the would be Balanced TRS or they’ll be unbalanced TS. Or is there just one connection? 

brucegill

Just checked them out online. They’re TRS connectors that can be used with balanced or Unbalanced cables. So either of the ones you linked to would be fine. Get the TRS if you want to go balanced (assuming whatever interface you pick has balanced 1/4” outs)

Lestratcaster

This is the back of the CR4 monitors:

https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7pv01t8fzqU/WvMbKQy5OHI/AAAAAAAABXY/uy7GckYhLjwkqSsO8HvmYTt2rAfWOrS_QCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_3103_2.jpg

And yes it says either bal or unbal I think (though that link isn't my particular one but it should be the same). 

Lestratcaster

By the way should I want to run my Kemper directly into the monitors without the interface I would need a different cable would I?

brucegill

Don’t they have an XLR out for balanced?