Your soundcards over the years

John_A

WiresDreamDisasters said:

Thanks John, that's good infos!

Don't take it as gospel, just my opinion .

WiresDreamDisasters

The Focusrite thing was an idle thought anyway, coz I could get a discount, but I think the Presonus or the Antelope is where I'm gonna go still. I'd potentially consider RME too... but not sure what to look at there really...

John_A

WiresDreamDisasters said:

The Focusrite thing was an idle thought anyway, coz I could get a discount, but I think the Presonus or the Antelope is where I'm gonna go still. I'd potentially consider RME too... but not sure what to look at there really...

For mic pres, stability and low latency the Focusrite is great value.  What about Apogee?  The element 88 is highly regarded 

The Zoom is also very good, and cheap!  Need to fully test the mic pres though, got a feeling they may be not quite as good as some

suppose it comes down to requirements and budget

Nerine

My home setup started with a Tascam FW-1884. 

Used that for ages. 

Then I started working in a commercial facility and used a Digidesign HD3 system with a couple of 192’s. 

(And a 32 channel SSL 4K E) Which was alright to say the least. 

My home system now is a PT HD|Native setup. HD I/O 8x8x8 but I added a further 8 analogue outputs as I usually use analogue summing. 

That used to go into a Phoenix Audio Nicerizer 16 Mk 2. And a Dangerous D-Box. Also had an SSL G series bus compressor on the back end. 

Nowadays I split my outputs between the D Box and an SSL SiX. 

All runs off a Mac Mini and it’s solid as a rock. 

I monitor with Genelec 8240A’s and Sennheiser HD600’s with Sonarworks correction software which has helped translate mixes much easier when solely using cans. 

Teetonetal

I've only had a few since 1994!!

Soundblaster AWE32
Cubase MI4
Zoom R24
Helix

dilbert

Audiophile 24/96 

errrrrr, that's it. 

IvanMC

I use an ESI U24 XL nowadays, so it's clear I'm a dilettante. It's a pain. Before this one I had a Delta, which I still miss loads.

mudslide73

Soundblaster Pro 
Soundblaster AWE32
Onboard stuff for a while (Cooledit)
Terratec Aurion 5.1 USB (Cooledit/Audition)
 M-Audio Fast Track (Reaper)
Tascam US-1641 (Reaper)

Cheapy, cheap cheap all the way.

oktorockto

Terratec EWS88 - took it back because it was so noisy. Two power supplies later I realised cheap PC power supplies were the problem. I used a Joe meek preamp as the interface only had RCA connectors, albeit 8 in 8 out. I was clueless back then.

Mind goes blank on next one but quickly learned ropes of music tech and ended up as a peripatetic youth worker. I used an Emagic 2in 2out translucent, blue coloured USB interface, pretty good.

Then I had a Motu an HD896 mkii. Great for a while although the preamps weren't amazing. I then added a mki HD896. Did a lot of live 16 channel recording on that, quite successfully.

Also bought a Motu Ultralite, mkii I think, and a cheap compact analogue to s/pdif converter. This gave me 10 channels. I was doing a fair bit of sound engineering in Europe at the time with some top end jazz artists and got some good recordings by bussing stuff around the mixer. I'd typically get a kick, snare, bussed Overheads and Tom's, guitar, bass, horn, piano and have room for two vocals or something else. If a player had 2 instruments they were bussed to one track. All just as digital desks were coming in. Always depended on decent direct outs and time allowed of course. I had a custom loom and adaptors.

All of the MOTU stuff started to get terrible customer support and driver support on windows.

Saw the death of FireWire coming sold the lot when it was still worth something and bought an RME UFX about 10 years ago or whenever they came out, best decision ever. Also bought an RME Babyface. Both of these are rock solid, RME produce regular driver updates and new features fur total mix. They are expensive but you get amazing value from the longevity and support.

In the future, I'll always make sure I buy something that can be used as standalone do it doesn't become a doorstop.

Among all that I have used the mBox mki, pretty good, done m-audio stuff, ok, but so many different parent companies over the years, some focusrite stuff, some alesis interfaces, pops and crackles galore, and I have also installed and used Pro Tools HD systems. Complicated in some ways but reliable and a standard.

octatonic

octatonic said:

Emagic Audiowerk 8 - native

Emagic EMI 2/6 - native (and crap)

M-Audio Audiophile 24/96 - native

Pro Tools TDM system- Mix/Farm + 888.

RME Multiface - native

Motu 888 - native

Digidesign Pro Tools HD + 2x Accel cards, 96IO + 888 from TDM system.

Apogee Rosetta 800 - native, then Digidesign HD (still own it)

Apogee Symphony - with Avid HDX

Focusrite Red 8Pre (which was swapped out under warranty for:

Focusrite Red 8Pre (which was swapped out under warranty for:

Focusrite Red 16 Line - native and HDX (still own it)

(2) Focusrite A16R  - Dante expanders for the studio (still own them)

(2) Focusrite X2P -  Dante expanders for the studio (still own them)

Universal Audio Apollo X8 - native (still own it)

Avid MTRX - HDX, studio hub (still own it)

The MTRX is an order of magnitude better sounding than anything else I've ever owned.
The converters are incredible and it has a 1500x1500 channel routing matrix.
Expandable in a way that other interfaces just aren't.
I can do Dolby Atmos with it- I can add loads more channels just by adding Dante expanders.
Buying it was a significant expense but I don't regret it for a second.

To the above I have now also added:

Focusrite PCIE-R card- 128 channels of native Dante into the Mac Pro.

Ferrofish Pulse 16DX-CV - 16 channels of analogue IO, 64 channels of MADI and 64 channel of ADAT into the Dante network . It talks modular, it converts between formats. 

Heartfeltdawn

Soundblaster Platinum on what might have been a 486...
M-Audio Delta 66 
Something USB based in Canada that I can't remember what it was but I know I used it for Revalver in the Alien Connections days
Yamaha 01X that never worked properly and is still the single worst piece of music gear I've owned
M-Audio Delta 44 with a TC BMC-1 for DA purposes
Steinberg UR22
SPL Crimson
NI Komplete Audio 2
RME Babyface Pro FS

p90fool

I started with an M-Audio 24/96, which I then paired with a 10/10 Delta, giving me loads of ins and outs I could never use in my tiny house.  I'm now running a pair of iMacs, one with a UR22 and the other with a UR44. 

I'm increasingly finding that connectivity with the outside world is more important than with dozens of mics, but then I mostly do soft synth-based pop/dance.  

Danny1969

In & out was a cool thing about the Digidesign interfaces, if you need another 8 in / out then connect another interface. I ended up with 3 interfaces with PT mix. 
The MBox Pro's are a good cheap (less than £50) Live interface with 6 outs and 2 independent headphone mixes.  I can send our engineer 2 of my soft synths in stereo plus a click for the band ears and still have one left for comms ... People think these interfaces are worthless now but they crazy good value 

Freebird

WiresDreamDisasters said:

The latency thread got me thinking, I've had a fair few cards!

My first one when I was 16 was an M-Audio Audiophile 24/96. What a great little card that was!!! Then I've had (in no particular order):

M-Audio Profire 2626 - recorded so much material on this!

Echo Layla 3G - Nothing special as it turned out. Worked fine, but not enough pre's for me really, which I learned later on.

MOTU 8-Pre

Digidesign 002 - This was a loaner from work that I had for a long time. Used to ADAT it into the Profire 2626 to get 12 mic pres!

Roland Octo-Capture - this went back due to poor performance. Constant drop-outs and nasty glitches. Tried for ages to get it to work properly on multiple machines, and it just didn't play ball.

Focusrite Scarlett 18i20

Antelope Audio Zen Tour - I had one of these for a bit, and it was quite cool. Didn't like the touch-screen too much I confess. It got quite warm and because at the time I was having mad CPU spiking issues, I didn't trust it and sent it back. In retrospect though, that wasn't really necessary.

Apollo x8p - my current card. I love some of the DSP effects, but I don't really use them as much as I used to. Most of my stuff is in the DAW using native plugins, so I'm thinking of moving this on. But gotta be careful, because I don't want to replace it with a lemon!

Stability-wise, the Apollo has been my favourite out of all of them over the years, with the Profire 2626 a close second.

I'd be looking at a RME UFX+ if you want to replace the x8p. I picked up a Babyface Pro FS as I thought it would be a fun portible device, but it turned out to have more low end thump compared to my SPL Crimson, and Addictive Drums actually sounds good without any processing! The ADDA is on the pristine side, which I find helpful when using native plugins and adding a bit of Nebula juice. The Crimson is now my default audio playback system as it has a nice analogue vibe to it.

BahHumbug

I have no idea what any of you are talking about.  I have a Line6 Toneport UX-2 that I've been using for about 10 years now.  Does that count?