Edit: M-audio vs Presonus vs Steinberg.

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tekbowtekbow Frets: 1686
edited February 2019 in Studio & Recording
Edit:

Instead of starting a new thread, I figured I'd modify this one. Been researching since I first posted, and found a couple more interfaces with the features I mentioned below, in the sane price range. Is there much of a difference? Would any do the job? Does USB 3 or C vs USB 2.0 matter?

Units in question are the Presonus 68C, the Steinberg UR44 and the M-audio 8X4M.

...............................

Anybody have any experience of these? Or anything in the same range? Focusrite seem to be the standard at this kinda price point, so how might they compare to them. Not many reviews of them though.

I'm looking to upgrade my recording capabilities which up to this point was audacity and a Blue Snowball. Just bought a 2 Notes Torpedo Reload and the Tech support said in response to a query that 4 balanced outputs would make life easier.

The M-audio seems to fit the bill, plus I'd like the 4 XLR/jack combi inputs.
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Comments

  • What are you planning to record simultaneously?
    ဈǝᴉʇsɐoʇǝsǝǝɥɔဪቌ
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  • tekbowtekbow Frets: 1686
    Dry track, wet track(s) with IR's on the end, and maybe a physical Mic at some stage.

    Ambitious? Probably. There's a bit of requirement future proofing going on too.
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  • ecc83ecc83 Frets: 1589

    Ten or more years ago I had several M-A 2496 cards and a Fast track pro  USB interface. The products were solid performers and M-A were well respected for their drivers  and generally good support. They seem to have "gone off the radar" a bit in recent years, cannot recall a recent review in SoS (only one I trust!)  This is perhaps mainly the fault of M-Audio, or really the company that bought them, Avid?

    Post the purchase Avid decimated and dispersed the product ranges, it became a bloody silly game to find information. WHY do incoming  CEO's have to be SEEN to be "new brooms" and fuck everything about?!

    Five mins ago I went to the M-A site and found the user manual for the M8 quite easily so maybe sanity has returned?  The specification is impressive for an "eight way" interface well under £300. If I were in the need of such an interface I think I would give it a go. But then I AM UK  (and EU pro tem!) and we do have the "Distance Trading Regulations" .

    Do the usual quick checks: Install drivers(first) . Does the interface perk up quickly and run? Turn off, re boot. All still solidly recognized? Check for latency with a guitar and a plug in. These days you should not get a delay sufficient to bugger your playing which means a delay around 10mS or less but peeps are variable in their sensitivity to such things.

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  • tekbowtekbow Frets: 1686
    edited February 2019
    @ecc83, I went and checked SOS just now, no reviews of the 8X4M, but they seem to like its little brother.


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  • tekbowtekbow Frets: 1686
    Bump, see edit in first post.
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  • FretwiredFretwired Frets: 24601
    I have a UR44 - it's rock solid as basically it uses Yamaha pro audio tech and built to Yamaha's demanding standards. Comes with the great bundled software from Yamaha's pro plugins range.

    Remember, it's easier to criticise than create!
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  • tekbowtekbow Frets: 1686
    Fretwired said:
    I have a UR44 - it's rock solid as basically it uses Yamaha pro audio tech and built to Yamaha's demanding standards. Comes with the great bundled software from Yamaha's pro plugins range.
    Any comment on what difference USB 2 vs USB C might make? Less lag or something?
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  • FretwiredFretwired Frets: 24601
    tekbow said:
    Fretwired said:
    I have a UR44 - it's rock solid as basically it uses Yamaha pro audio tech and built to Yamaha's demanding standards. Comes with the great bundled software from Yamaha's pro plugins range.
    Any comment on what difference USB 2 vs USB C might make? Less lag or something?
    USB C is closer to USB 3.1 than USB 2. For basic applications USB 2 is fine. Read this ...



    Remember, it's easier to criticise than create!
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  • tekbowtekbow Frets: 1686
    Thanks @Fretwired ;
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  • StuckfastStuckfast Frets: 2393
    As far as the performance of audio interfaces goes, the only circumstance where USB 3/C might be different from USB 2 is if you need the bandwidth to record hundreds of tracks simultaneously. Even then there are only a handful of interfaces that actually support this bandwidth. There is no difference at all in terms of latency / lag and every USB 3 interface I can think of is actually backwards compatible with USB 2 anyway. In theory USB 3 offers more bus power for interfaces that need it, but again, I can't actually think of one that takes advantage of this.

    Are you on Mac or Windows? On Mac most USB interfaces use Apple's class compliant driver so there's often little difference in performance. On Windows you are beholden to whoever wrote the ASIO driver. Many companies including PreSonus use the Thesycon driver which has historically been crap, but is apparently better these days. I believe Steinberg / Yamaha have their own driver though I've not tried one of their interfaces for years. They have a bit of a bad rep for abandoning products and leaving users without support. I don't know what M-Audio use. The current Focusrite Scarlett interfaces use a custom driver which is pretty good.


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  • StuckfastStuckfast Frets: 2393
    You might also want to look at the ESI Audioteknik range.
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  • tekbowtekbow Frets: 1686
    edited February 2019
    @Stuckfast , thanks for that. Audient has also just appeared on my radar. Two Notes ssupport said they worked with them last year and liked the interfaces. I'll check ESI out right now.

    FYI, I'm on Windows, appreciate the summary of USB-C vs USB2 as well.
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  • StuckfastStuckfast Frets: 2393
    Cool, while I think of it, check out the Zoom UAC range also. They are said to have excellent custom USB drivers.
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  • tekbowtekbow Frets: 1686
    @Stuckfast , thanks again. Question, does 24bit/192khz matter?
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  • StuckfastStuckfast Frets: 2393
    I've never recorded at 192kHz in my life. 24-bit is important but every interface will do that now.
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  • tekbowtekbow Frets: 1686
    Stuckfast said:
    I've never recorded at 192kHz in my life. 24-bit is important but every interface will do that now.
    Sweet, thanks for all the help!
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  • FretwiredFretwired Frets: 24601
    tekbow said:
    @Stuckfast , thanks again. Question, does 24bit/192khz matter?
    I sometimes record at 24/192 but as @Stuckfast says they all do it these days.

    Once you've selected a shortlist check Google for issues. Some interfaces have been around a while and have glitchy drivers. I been though loads of interfaces since I started in the 1990s and 95% of my pain and issues have been down to drivers.

    Remember, it's easier to criticise than create!
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  • tekbowtekbow Frets: 1686
    Fretwired said:
    tekbow said:
    @Stuckfast , thanks again. Question, does 24bit/192khz matter?
    I sometimes record at 24/192 but as @Stuckfast says they all do it these days.

    Once you've selected a shortlist check Google for issues. Some interfaces have been around a while and have glitchy drivers. I been though loads of interfaces since I started in the 1990s and 95% of my pain and issues have been down to drivers.
    That's the reason I've bumped presonus out of the list, focusrite don't have the spec i'd like, the likes of RME etc are more than I want to pay, the M-audio unit just has so little media coverage other than a guy who says the USB cables don't work and thinks M-audio placed a prototype in a place he would see and buy it so he'd test it for them for free (he seems to be serious).

    I think I've whittled down my shortlist now between the Steinberg UR44 and the Audient ID22. Both seem to have excellent drivers, well regarded pre amps and good connectivity.

    I'm leaving toward the ID22 because, while it only has 2 pres, it's expandable.

    Both are USB2.

    Surprisingly it doesn't support 24/192 like basically every other interface does
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  • StuckfastStuckfast Frets: 2393
    I wouldn't worry about 192kHz, especially if you are mainly recording electric guitar.

    The effective frequency response of a guitar speaker tops out at maybe 6 to 8 kHz. So the benefit of being able to capture audio up to 96kHz is... limited.
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  • tekbowtekbow Frets: 1686
    Ah, is that what it refers to? Literally the frequency range capture? Makes sense.
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