Decent budget USB soundcard
Decent budget USB soundcard Posted on: 03.03.2013 by Olene Minyard I use both my desktop and laptop for production. I am using Reason 6.5 ReWired into Cubase 7. However, my laptop's onboard audio is pap and my desktop PCI sound card is aged. However, having just upgraded DAWs I wasn;t really budgeting for a sound card upgrade too!Now I'm looking for something that's USB powered that's transferrable between the two machines and portable. The features I ideally would like are 1 XLR or 1/4" jack input, 2 outputs (either phono or 1/4" but could survive with just one output) and a headphone socket. Pretty basic, but all I'd like to be able to do is hook up a mic (and possible instrument) for production tracks, have a main output for my monitor speakers on my desktop, secondary output to use if DJing for Deck A/B separate outputs and a headphone output for production on the move using the laptop. Any suggestions? So far I'm eyeing up the TASCAM US-122MKII for an idea on budget are, which is about | |
| Olene Minyard 03.03.2013 | I use both my desktop and laptop for production. I am using Reason 6.5 ReWired into Cubase 7. However, my laptop's onboard audio is pap and my desktop PCI sound card is aged. However, having just upgraded DAWs I wasn;t really budgeting for a sound card upgrade too! Now I'm looking for something that's USB powered that's transferrable between the two machines and portable. The features I ideally would like are 1 XLR or 1/4" jack input, 2 outputs (either phono or 1/4" but could survive with just one output) and a headphone socket. Pretty basic, but all I'd like to be able to do is hook up a mic (and possible instrument) for production tracks, have a main output for my monitor speakers on my desktop, secondary output to use if DJing for Deck A/B separate outputs and a headphone output for production on the move using the laptop. Any suggestions? So far I'm eyeing up the TASCAM US-122MKII for an idea on budget are, which is about |
| Olene Minyard 03.03.2013 | I use both my desktop and laptop for production. I am using Reason 6.5 ReWired into Cubase 7. However, my laptop's onboard audio is pap and my desktop PCI sound card is aged. However, having just upgraded DAWs I wasn;t really budgeting for a sound card upgrade too! Now I'm looking for something that's USB powered that's transferrable between the two machines and portable. The features I ideally would like are 1 XLR or 1/4" jack input, 2 outputs (either phono or 1/4" but could survive with just one output) and a headphone socket. Pretty basic, but all I'd like to be able to do is hook up a mic (and possible instrument) for production tracks, have a main output for my monitor speakers on my desktop, secondary output to use if DJing for Deck A/B separate outputs and a headphone output for production on the move using the laptop. Any suggestions? So far I'm eyeing up the TASCAM US-122MKII for an idea on budget are, which is about |
| Olene Minyard 03.03.2013 | I use both my desktop and laptop for production. I am using Reason 6.5 ReWired into Cubase 7. However, my laptop's onboard audio is pap and my desktop PCI sound card is aged. However, having just upgraded DAWs I wasn;t really budgeting for a sound card upgrade too! Now I'm looking for something that's USB powered that's transferrable between the two machines and portable. The features I ideally would like are 1 XLR or 1/4" jack input, 2 outputs (either phono or 1/4" but could survive with just one output) and a headphone socket. Pretty basic, but all I'd like to be able to do is hook up a mic (and possible instrument) for production tracks, have a main output for my monitor speakers on my desktop, secondary output to use if DJing for Deck A/B separate outputs and a headphone output for production on the move using the laptop. Any suggestions? So far I'm eyeing up the TASCAM US-122MKII for an idea on budget are, which is about |
| Olene Minyard 03.03.2013 | I use both my desktop and laptop for production. I am using Reason 6.5 ReWired into Cubase 7. However, my laptop's onboard audio is pap and my desktop PCI sound card is aged. However, having just upgraded DAWs I wasn;t really budgeting for a sound card upgrade too! Now I'm looking for something that's USB powered that's transferrable between the two machines and portable. The features I ideally would like are 1 XLR or 1/4" jack input, 2 outputs (either phono or 1/4" but could survive with just one output) and a headphone socket. Pretty basic, but all I'd like to be able to do is hook up a mic (and possible instrument) for production tracks, have a main output for my monitor speakers on my desktop, secondary output to use if DJing for Deck A/B separate outputs and a headphone output for production on the move using the laptop. Any suggestions? So far I'm eyeing up the TASCAM US-122MKII for an idea on budget are, which is about |
| Olene Minyard 03.03.2013 | I use both my desktop and laptop for production. I am using Reason 6.5 ReWired into Cubase 7. However, my laptop's onboard audio is pap and my desktop PCI sound card is aged. However, having just upgraded DAWs I wasn;t really budgeting for a sound card upgrade too! Now I'm looking for something that's USB powered that's transferrable between the two machines and portable. The features I ideally would like are 1 XLR or 1/4" jack input, 2 outputs (either phono or 1/4" but could survive with just one output) and a headphone socket. Pretty basic, but all I'd like to be able to do is hook up a mic (and possible instrument) for production tracks, have a main output for my monitor speakers on my desktop, secondary output to use if DJing for Deck A/B separate outputs and a headphone output for production on the move using the laptop. Any suggestions? So far I'm eyeing up the TASCAM US-122MKII for an idea on budget are, which is about |
| Olene Minyard 03.03.2013 | I use both my desktop and laptop for production. I am using Reason 6.5 ReWired into Cubase 7. However, my laptop's onboard audio is pap and my desktop PCI sound card is aged. However, having just upgraded DAWs I wasn;t really budgeting for a sound card upgrade too! Now I'm looking for something that's USB powered that's transferrable between the two machines and portable. The features I ideally would like are 1 XLR or 1/4" jack input, 2 outputs (either phono or 1/4" but could survive with just one output) and a headphone socket. Pretty basic, but all I'd like to be able to do is hook up a mic (and possible instrument) for production tracks, have a main output for my monitor speakers on my desktop, secondary output to use if DJing for Deck A/B separate outputs and a headphone output for production on the move using the laptop. Any suggestions? So far I'm eyeing up the TASCAM US-122MKII for an idea on budget are, which is about |
| Olene Minyard 03.03.2013 | I use both my desktop and laptop for production. I am using Reason 6.5 ReWired into Cubase 7. However, my laptop's onboard audio is pap and my desktop PCI sound card is aged. However, having just upgraded DAWs I wasn;t really budgeting for a sound card upgrade too! Now I'm looking for something that's USB powered that's transferrable between the two machines and portable. The features I ideally would like are 1 XLR or 1/4" jack input, 2 outputs (either phono or 1/4" but could survive with just one output) and a headphone socket. Pretty basic, but all I'd like to be able to do is hook up a mic (and possible instrument) for production tracks, have a main output for my monitor speakers on my desktop, secondary output to use if DJing for Deck A/B separate outputs and a headphone output for production on the move using the laptop. Any suggestions? So far I'm eyeing up the TASCAM US-122MKII for an idea on budget are, which is about |
| Olene Minyard 03.03.2013 | I use both my desktop and laptop for production. I am using Reason 6.5 ReWired into Cubase 7. However, my laptop's onboard audio is pap and my desktop PCI sound card is aged. However, having just upgraded DAWs I wasn;t really budgeting for a sound card upgrade too! Now I'm looking for something that's USB powered that's transferrable between the two machines and portable. The features I ideally would like are 1 XLR or 1/4" jack input, 2 outputs (either phono or 1/4" but could survive with just one output) and a headphone socket. Pretty basic, but all I'd like to be able to do is hook up a mic (and possible instrument) for production tracks, have a main output for my monitor speakers on my desktop, secondary output to use if DJing for Deck A/B separate outputs and a headphone output for production on the move using the laptop. Any suggestions? So far I'm eyeing up the TASCAM US-122MKII for an idea on budget are, which is about |
| Olene Minyard 03.03.2013 | I use both my desktop and laptop for production. I am using Reason 6.5 ReWired into Cubase 7. However, my laptop's onboard audio is pap and my desktop PCI sound card is aged. However, having just upgraded DAWs I wasn;t really budgeting for a sound card upgrade too! Now I'm looking for something that's USB powered that's transferrable between the two machines and portable. The features I ideally would like are 1 XLR or 1/4" jack input, 2 outputs (either phono or 1/4" but could survive with just one output) and a headphone socket. Pretty basic, but all I'd like to be able to do is hook up a mic (and possible instrument) for production tracks, have a main output for my monitor speakers on my desktop, secondary output to use if DJing for Deck A/B separate outputs and a headphone output for production on the move using the laptop. Any suggestions? So far I'm eyeing up the TASCAM US-122MKII for an idea on budget are, which is about |
| Olene Minyard 03.03.2013 | I use both my desktop and laptop for production. I am using Reason 6.5 ReWired into Cubase 7. However, my laptop's onboard audio is pap and my desktop PCI sound card is aged. However, having just upgraded DAWs I wasn;t really budgeting for a sound card upgrade too! Now I'm looking for something that's USB powered that's transferrable between the two machines and portable. The features I ideally would like are 1 XLR or 1/4" jack input, 2 outputs (either phono or 1/4" but could survive with just one output) and a headphone socket. Pretty basic, but all I'd like to be able to do is hook up a mic (and possible instrument) for production tracks, have a main output for my monitor speakers on my desktop, secondary output to use if DJing for Deck A/B separate outputs and a headphone output for production on the move using the laptop. Any suggestions? So far I'm eyeing up the TASCAM US-122MKII for an idea on budget are, which is about |
| Olene Minyard 03.03.2013 | I use both my desktop and laptop for production. I am using Reason 6.5 ReWired into Cubase 7. However, my laptop's onboard audio is pap and my desktop PCI sound card is aged. However, having just upgraded DAWs I wasn;t really budgeting for a sound card upgrade too! Now I'm looking for something that's USB powered that's transferrable between the two machines and portable. The features I ideally would like are 1 XLR or 1/4" jack input, 2 outputs (either phono or 1/4" but could survive with just one output) and a headphone socket. Pretty basic, but all I'd like to be able to do is hook up a mic (and possible instrument) for production tracks, have a main output for my monitor speakers on my desktop, secondary output to use if DJing for Deck A/B separate outputs and a headphone output for production on the move using the laptop. Any suggestions? So far I'm eyeing up the TASCAM US-122MKII for an idea on budget are, which is about |
| Olene Minyard 03.03.2013 | I use both my desktop and laptop for production. I am using Reason 6.5 ReWired into Cubase 7. However, my laptop's onboard audio is pap and my desktop PCI sound card is aged. However, having just upgraded DAWs I wasn;t really budgeting for a sound card upgrade too! Now I'm looking for something that's USB powered that's transferrable between the two machines and portable. The features I ideally would like are 1 XLR or 1/4" jack input, 2 outputs (either phono or 1/4" but could survive with just one output) and a headphone socket. Pretty basic, but all I'd like to be able to do is hook up a mic (and possible instrument) for production tracks, have a main output for my monitor speakers on my desktop, secondary output to use if DJing for Deck A/B separate outputs and a headphone output for production on the move using the laptop. Any suggestions? So far I'm eyeing up the TASCAM US-122MKII for an idea on budget are, which is about |
| Olene Minyard 03.03.2013 | I use both my desktop and laptop for production. I am using Reason 6.5 ReWired into Cubase 7. However, my laptop's onboard audio is pap and my desktop PCI sound card is aged. However, having just upgraded DAWs I wasn;t really budgeting for a sound card upgrade too! Now I'm looking for something that's USB powered that's transferrable between the two machines and portable. The features I ideally would like are 1 XLR or 1/4" jack input, 2 outputs (either phono or 1/4" but could survive with just one output) and a headphone socket. Pretty basic, but all I'd like to be able to do is hook up a mic (and possible instrument) for production tracks, have a main output for my monitor speakers on my desktop, secondary output to use if DJing for Deck A/B separate outputs and a headphone output for production on the move using the laptop. Any suggestions? So far I'm eyeing up the TASCAM US-122MKII for an idea on budget are, which is about |
| Olene Minyard 03.03.2013 | I use both my desktop and laptop for production. I am using Reason 6.5 ReWired into Cubase 7. However, my laptop's onboard audio is pap and my desktop PCI sound card is aged. However, having just upgraded DAWs I wasn;t really budgeting for a sound card upgrade too! Now I'm looking for something that's USB powered that's transferrable between the two machines and portable. The features I ideally would like are 1 XLR or 1/4" jack input, 2 outputs (either phono or 1/4" but could survive with just one output) and a headphone socket. Pretty basic, but all I'd like to be able to do is hook up a mic (and possible instrument) for production tracks, have a main output for my monitor speakers on my desktop, secondary output to use if DJing for Deck A/B separate outputs and a headphone output for production on the move using the laptop. Any suggestions? So far I'm eyeing up the TASCAM US-122MKII for an idea on budget are, which is about |
| Olene Minyard 03.03.2013 | I use both my desktop and laptop for production. I am using Reason 6.5 ReWired into Cubase 7. However, my laptop's onboard audio is pap and my desktop PCI sound card is aged. However, having just upgraded DAWs I wasn;t really budgeting for a sound card upgrade too! Now I'm looking for something that's USB powered that's transferrable between the two machines and portable. The features I ideally would like are 1 XLR or 1/4" jack input, 2 outputs (either phono or 1/4" but could survive with just one output) and a headphone socket. Pretty basic, but all I'd like to be able to do is hook up a mic (and possible instrument) for production tracks, have a main output for my monitor speakers on my desktop, secondary output to use if DJing for Deck A/B separate outputs and a headphone output for production on the move using the laptop. Any suggestions? So far I'm eyeing up the TASCAM US-122MKII for an idea on budget are, which is about |
| Iris Gum 07.03.2013 | I've been using an NI Audio Kontrol1 for a couple years now with nice results, or at least what I believe are "nice". I know there are other brands out there and also higher price tiers, this is just what I was able to afford when that purchase was made. Honestly not sure how it stacks up against other interfaces in that range (only other interface I have owned was an M-Audio FastTrack Pro which didn't work well with my computer). But still worth a look. |
| Starla Lansdon 06.03.2013 | The 2i2 is great, I own one myself since a couple of weeks ago. But as far as I know, it's not suitable for DJing, as it hasnt got an extra output-channel. Focusrite designed the 2i4 for this. |
| Trey Brune 06.03.2013 | Most important thing on a Interface are the converters, and if they have them, pre-amps. But I'll be honest, in my opinion in pro-audio when it comes to interfaces: converters > pre-amps. You can always buy some good pre-amps later and use those if you really want. Botstein is right with that Duet 2, it's a very good interface, but not what I'd call budget. Apogee is know to make some of (if not) the best AD/DA converters. Honestly if you want a top of the line 2x2 interface, the Duet is for you. The ONE is a little limited, just 'cause it's 1x1 and you wouldn't be able to drive 2 balanced lines to speakers. My suggestion (on a budget) would be the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2. It's a 2x2 interface, so you'd have enough inputs/outputs. For driving speakers, this should do the job just fine. I used to run out of a Profire 610 in the past, and that's was more than enough to get a clear signal to my speakers. This one has switchable inputs, so it takes Mic/Inst/Line. This is great just because if you're tired of the budget pre-amps you can always use external ones and run them in on Line level. It's also small, and fits the bill in terms of portability (small ones like these have standard headphone outputs so you're good there). I've known people to use Focusrite converters, for small mixing/editing/producing situations, and the converters performed just fine. Don't be fooled by the pre-amps, they are likely to be very budget quality, in most cases average, clean and neutral. But on the other hand, they should do the job for small recordings. http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Scarlett2i2/ Hope this helps! |
| Ervin Calvery 04.03.2013 | That thing doesn't sound good - bad preamps, tonnes of distortion. You also don't need another copy of Cubase, Take a look at the Apogee ONE - I have a Duet which I use to play out with Ableton 9. |
| Olene Minyard 04.03.2013 | Anyone? |
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