#1039194 - 06/17/05 05:31 AM
Please help me choose an audio interface for my iBook
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Morten
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Registered: 04/23/05
Posts: 20
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I'll need it to record on my 1.2GHz iBook, so far I've used Logic Express but would like to try out different hosts. I'll never use more than one input at a time, either guitar, mic, or MIDI, so a high number of simultaneous inputs and outputs isn't relevant. I guess it also means that I can make do with USB 1.0. What I'm looking for in particular is a good headphone output, since I have to do mixes with phones. Can't spend much more than $400, maybe $500 if it's a great deal.
I've considered the following:
Edirol FA-66 (don't know anything about this, except the features seem to fit the bill) $400
M-Audio FW 410 (looks nice, but haven't they had lots of driver problems?) $300
Presonus Firebox (generally good reviews) $400
Lexicon Omega (ugly, but lots of features for the price) $300
Mackie Spike (ugly, but on sale where I live, and I'd really like Tracktion) $300
Steinberg System 4 (I'd like Cubase SL just to get my hands on Cubase, don't know anything about the hardware) $400
Any input from user of these would be much appreciated. Specifically about the quality of preamps, converters and headphone output.
Thanks!
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#1039195 - 06/17/05 05:41 AM
Re: Please help me choose an audio interface for my iBook
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Alndln
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Registered: 08/15/00
Posts: 6451
Loc: ,NY,UNITED STATES
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Originally posted by Morten:
Edirol FA-66 (don't know anything about this, except the features seem to fit the bill) $400
M-Audio FW 410 (looks nice, but haven't they had lots of driver problems?) $300
Presonus Firebox (generally good reviews) $400
_________________________
"A Robot Playing Trumpet Blows"
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#1039196 - 06/17/05 07:20 AM
Re: Please help me choose an audio interface for my iBook
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Morten
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Registered: 04/23/05
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Originally posted by Alndln:
I'd narrow it down to those three and M-Audio makes solid drivers.The Edirol and M-Audio are identical performance-wise so go by features,Pre-Sonus has gotten it's act together driver-wise and has better preamps and converters than the other 2.M-Audio has the advantage of Pro Tools M-Powered if you veer toward that host.If you want something with less i/o and less $$ the M-Audio FW Audiphile should be considered as well,it has the same quality converters as the FW410.I'd steer clear of USB audio interfaces,although Edirol USB devices perform decent enough,but FW has the clear advantage there. [/qb]
What is the advantage of FW over USB, except bandwidth (which isn't too important here)? Is it also faster, ie. lower latency?
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#1039197 - 06/17/05 03:21 PM
Re: Please help me choose an audio interface for my iBook
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fatchance
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Registered: 12/20/04
Posts: 30
Loc: Philly
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I'm happy with my Metric Halo firewire box The converters sound excellent and the mic pre's have enough gain to even drive my Royers.It'sa little more money then what you want to spend ,but you get what you pay for.
http://mhlabs.com/metric_halo/products/mio/uln2/
Rob
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#1039198 - 06/18/05 02:57 AM
Re: Please help me choose an audio interface for my iBook
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Morten
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Registered: 04/23/05
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Originally posted by fatchance: I'm happy with my Metric Halo firewire box The converters sound excellent and the mic pre's have enough gain to even drive my Royers.It'sa little more money then what you want to spend ,but you get what you pay for.
http://mhlabs.com/metric_halo/products/mio/uln2/
Rob
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#1039199 - 06/22/05 06:03 PM
Re: Please help me choose an audio interface for my iBook
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WaterMan
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Registered: 05/01/03
Posts: 434
Loc: Sacramento
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What about Echo Layla 3G?
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#1039200 - 06/26/05 12:43 AM
Re: Please help me choose an audio interface for my iBook
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Ed A.
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Registered: 10/07/01
Posts: 649
Loc: Connecticut,USA
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I have a mint condition Edirol UA-25 24/96 USB audio interface I'm selling that I use with my iBook 1.2 Ghz. I just ordered a Novation X-Station 61, so some stuff has to go to pay for it.
PM if you're interested.
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#1039201 - 06/26/05 11:47 AM
Re: Please help me choose an audio interface for my iBook
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Henchman
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Registered: 12/31/00
Posts: 3433
Loc: Vancouver,,CANADA
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I just picked up the Firebox, and it's excellent. Very low latensy as well.
_________________________
IMDB Credit list President George Washington: "The government of the United States is in no sense founded on the Christian Religion." President Abraham Lincoln: "The Bible is not my book, nor Christianity my religion."
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#1039202 - 06/26/05 11:48 AM
Re: Please help me choose an audio interface for my iBook
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Henchman
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Registered: 12/31/00
Posts: 3433
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I just picked up the Firebox, and it's excellent. Very low latency as well.
Very sturdy and lots of gain on the headphone output.
Way more than my Tascam US-122.
_________________________
IMDB Credit list President George Washington: "The government of the United States is in no sense founded on the Christian Religion." President Abraham Lincoln: "The Bible is not my book, nor Christianity my religion."
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#1039203 - 06/27/05 01:02 AM
Re: Please help me choose an audio interface for my iBook
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Infinity X1
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Registered: 05/21/05
Posts: 3
Loc: Olympia, Washington
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You definantly want firewire. The bandwidth on firewire is much higher and the drivers are more trouble free. M-Audio or Edirol would be a good choice.
Jack W Rice / Infinity Music Systems Inc.
_________________________
I believe software based synthesizers are the future of keyboards.
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#1039204 - 06/27/05 04:33 PM
Re: Please help me choose an audio interface for my iBook
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Kaptain Karl
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Registered: 12/05/02
Posts: 257
Loc: Los Angeles, CA
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I'm running a ibook 1.33 and MAudio 410. Works great.
_________________________
"When I look at the smiles on all the children's faces,,...I just know they're about to jab me with something." -Homer J. Simpson
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#1039205 - 07/14/05 10:49 PM
Re: Please help me choose an audio interface for my iBook
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Russo
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Registered: 07/05/01
Posts: 53
Loc: Los Angeles,CA,UNITED STATES
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From my own experience:
Edirol FA units - both are great, instant connection, great feature set and native Firewire with no drivers needed operation. Their drivers for OSX are updated very timely. AD sound really good. Design is attractive abd build like tanks.
M-Audio build cheaply (that's how they took market over), drivers sometime work and sometime not (my friend just returned his OZONIC keyboard to the store). M-Audio's AD sound below average. Knobs ar wobbling, connections feel plastic.... I still don't get what people see in their products beside great price...
I read only good things about Firebox but never used it. Sound On Sound just had a good reveiw on FireBox.
Still, for this price - I would've go with EDIROL. Next up - Metric Halo or 2-channel ROSETTA by APOGEE.
:: Russo ::
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