Advice on some M-audio interfaces please.

[6stringbassist]

I'm looking to buy a firewire audio interface, probably one of the above.

I'm going to be recording on to garageband at the moment, but I'm thinking of getting protools in the near future, hence the M-audio stuff.

It's mainly for recording bass, plus possibly guitar and sax, possibly at the same time.

What's the difference between these two, the price is much the same, or am I best to get something else ?.

[clauster]

The solo's proper instrument and mic inputs as well as line level.

If you wanna record more than two tracks at a time then you'll need more ins than either of these - the firewire 410 perhps or if you can stretch to it their firewire mixers are excellent (we use one for recording rehearsals).

One caveat - the maudio drivers are hefty! Even on a new mac book pro with the solo I get a noticeable latency when monitoring through software (monitoring from the inputs is fine though of course)

[TimmyC]

Assuming your using a PC and not a Mac...

The thing about Pro Tools is that it's not compatable with many external sound cards. M-Audio firewire interfaces do not work with normal protools but you have to use something called Pro Tools M-Powered which is considered not as good.

If I were you I'd be looking at the Presonus and Focusrite (Saffire) firewire soundcards and use them with cubase - very good stuff. But these aren't compatable with pro tools either.

[clauster]

He's using garageband, so I wouldn't assume he's using a PC

I'd also consider logic express as an alternative to protools m-pwered

Edited December 29, 2007 by clauster

[6stringbassist]

Thanks for your replies.

You're right I'm using a Mac, Logic express is a good price at the moment, and I've used that before, so that is an alternative.

Protools seems to be something of an industry standard, that's why I was veering towards it, I've used cubase, and I really didn't get on with it, I find garageband, and logic a lot easier.

I'll check out the Presonus and focusrite ones, like I say, the most I'd be recording at one time is probably 4 instruments, most of the time it'd just be me.

The Presonus inspire was actually my 1st choice, it appears to do pretty much what I'm after.

Edited December 29, 2007 by 6stringbassist

[clauster]

Protools s a bit of an industry standard in high end studios (where they've got an engineer to drive the thing anyway).

And although the software front end looks the same there as on the home versions the audio engines behind them are very different. Logic will give you similar results to protools m-powered, but you can use it with most brands of interface (I realy wish I'd gone for presonus or even edirol because of the latency you get with maudio drivers) and the express version is a fraction of he price.

[lowdown]

If you go down the Logic route...
Consider the extra outlay and go for RME Interfaces...
Fantastic drivers , Near zero latency the actually does what it says...
And Fantastic Converters....for great sound quality...
Plus with Logic , every thing is there in the Box..
And now the Price has come down... great..


Garry

Edited December 30, 2007 by lowdown

[6stringbassist]

Thanks again, very helpful.

I've used Logic and I do like it, so I'm probably going to stick with it, it's just the interface that I need to sort out.

What's something like this used for ?.

[url="http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/Delta44-main.html"]http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/Delta44-main.html[/url]

I've seen this listed on Steve Lawsons albums, as something he's used.

[lowdown]

[quote name='6stringbassist' post='110903' date='Dec 30 2007, 12:14 PM']Thanks again, very helpful.

I've used Logic and I do like it, so I'm probably going to stick with it, it's just the interface that I need to sort out.

What's something like this used for ?.

[url="http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/Delta44-main.html"]http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/Delta44-main.html[/url]

I've seen this listed on Steve Lawsons albums, as something he's used.[/quote]

I cant remember...but i think its just Audio...no midi..

Garry

[6stringbassist]

I quite like the look of this, and it gets some excellent reviews.

[url="http://www.apogeedigital.com/products/duet.php"]http://www.apogeedigital.com/products/duet.php[/url]

It only has 2 inputs, but I can live with that, it's the sound quality that's more important.

[TimmyC]

I'd get one of these personally [url="http://www.focusrite.com/product/saffire/"]http://www.focusrite.com/product/saffire/[/url]

[slaphappygarry]

Here is my 2p

As a pro tools user, M-Audio stuff seemed like a great idea BUT in the last year i have had two units fail on me:

The 410 which went back and got fixed then sold on and now the 1814 (about to forgo the same process)

I have just ordered a 003 from Digidesign.

IMHO - just get an M-Box if you want pro tools or something else altogether if not.

G

[clauster]

+1 on avoiding maudio - I've not had reliability issues, but I've found the latency to be a problem - maudio seem to like big drivers.

+1 to garry's recommendation of RME - our vocalists got one of their rack units and its amazingly good.