Need help to decide on an audio interface

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Need help to decide on an audio interface
Posted on: 25.05.2012 by Georgianna Eurick
Looking for a budget audio interface only using for production

Right now i'm stuck deciding between Presonus AudioBox and Focusrite Scarlet 2i2. I've heard Focusrite is the best choice for Ableton. My budget is around 150
Caleb Demillo
21.07.2012
Originally Posted by mostapha
As for popping
Caleb Demillo
21.07.2012
Originally Posted by mostapha
As for popping
Caleb Demillo
21.07.2012
Originally Posted by mostapha
As for popping
Caleb Demillo
21.07.2012
Originally Posted by mostapha
As for popping
Caleb Demillo
21.07.2012
Originally Posted by mostapha
As for popping
Caleb Demillo
21.07.2012
Originally Posted by mostapha
As for popping
Caleb Demillo
21.07.2012
Originally Posted by mostapha
As for popping
Caleb Demillo
21.07.2012
Originally Posted by mostapha
As for popping
Caleb Demillo
21.07.2012
Originally Posted by mostapha
As for popping
Caleb Demillo
21.07.2012
Originally Posted by mostapha
As for popping
Stanley Topoleski
21.07.2012
Originally Posted by Ryan Ruel
I never turn my monitors off. It's a pain to reach around and do that every time you go to use audio, if you are also using monitors for your system output. It might not be the most "studio" way of doing things, but I don't have space for two speaker systems.

My other sound cards have not popped on reboot:

- Apogee Duet 2
- M-Audio Audiophile
- Every internal soundcard or card I've ever owned (which is more than I care to list)

Seems like if these other vendors can duck the output until the card is ready, NI should be able to as well. It's just bad mojo.

get a power conditioner... i had a furman rackmount power conditoner hooked up to my bx8a monitors a single switch from the front of the furman powered them.
Dorie Scelzo
21.07.2012
Originally Posted by Ryan Ruel
Seems like if these other vendors can duck the output until the card is ready, NI should be able to as well. It's just bad mojo.
That's a cool feature for the cards that do it, but you could also just follow audio 101-type instructions that everybody's supposed to have known since amplifiers existed.

IDK…it's jut never been an issue for me…I have my monitors on a power strip and just kick that on/off with my foot when I want them on or off.
Caleb Demillo
21.07.2012
Originally Posted by mostapha
As for popping
Celine Surico
16.07.2012
Originally Posted by ThinkAboutIt
Yeah I wanted to buy that at first but my pc don't have a firewire.
There are USB 2.0 FocusRite ones, too. I was skeptical about USB 2.0 and audio but it works just fine with any new PCs and Macs, computers are fast and you only need a fast audio interface for recording if you are looking at tracking 8+ tracks at the same time. And then you maybe need FW800 and a fast disk, too.

PS: My plan was and still is to get an 8+ input track audio interface if I need it for a recording project. So far there has been no need. No live recordings either that I need it for. But if you are into recording a whole band live that's another story.
Georgianna Eurick
16.07.2012
Originally Posted by ksandvik
Low end FocusRites are really good and very affordable. I have a Saffire Pro 14 that I use in my project studio as I don't need many inputs for EDM production work. Rock-solid.
Yeah I wanted to buy that at first but my pc don't have a firewire.
Caleb Demillo
16.07.2012
Originally Posted by ThinkAboutIt
I guess I'll go with the KA6, but I read that it lacks routing like loopback, what does that mean? I'm just gonna plug in my Maschine and studio monitors
I have a Komplete Audio 6, I now use it as a secondary sound card, it's fine for that. I'm not sure what they mean by loopback routing. There are a few issues I have with the KA 6:

1. If you use it (at least with a Mac), and set it up as your default audio-interface, to turn up or down system volume you must use the knob on top of the KA6. It's a little inconvenient, not even mute works. I don't know if this happens in Windows, but on the Mac it's like this on all the NI sound cards. Rather dumb, IMO.

2. When you reboot, the soundcard makes a very loud POP in the monitors (if you leave them on). It's really ridiculous. Same thing happens if you plug/unplug the USB. POP! Come on NI, didn't you test? Other's complained about this as well, so it's not just me.

I now use an Apogee Duet 2 as my main sound card. It's fantastic! They are expensive, and have limited IO options, but great gear. I still use the KA6 with my hardware (a Moog and iPad), and it's perfect for that. Just not great as a main soundcard.
Stanley Topoleski
21.07.2012
Originally Posted by Ryan Ruel
I never turn my monitors off. It's a pain to reach around and do that every time you go to use audio, if you are also using monitors for your system output. It might not be the most "studio" way of doing things, but I don't have space for two speaker systems.

My other sound cards have not popped on reboot:

- Apogee Duet 2
- M-Audio Audiophile
- Every internal soundcard or card I've ever owned (which is more than I care to list)

Seems like if these other vendors can duck the output until the card is ready, NI should be able to as well. It's just bad mojo.

get a power conditioner... i had a furman rackmount power conditoner hooked up to my bx8a monitors a single switch from the front of the furman powered them.
Carlee Pickard
21.07.2012		I love my Komplete Audio 6.
Dorie Scelzo
21.07.2012
Originally Posted by Ryan Ruel
Seems like if these other vendors can duck the output until the card is ready, NI should be able to as well. It's just bad mojo.
That's a cool feature for the cards that do it, but you could also just follow audio 101-type instructions that everybody's supposed to have known since amplifiers existed.

IDK…it's jut never been an issue for me…I have my monitors on a power strip and just kick that on/off with my foot when I want them on or off.
Germaine Bernadin
21.07.2012		I have Native Instruments Kontrol 1 for my gigs.

Since 2005, done hundreds of performances using this........ international as well and still looks like new. Sounds fantastic and never had one single problem with it at all.

It was designed for Producers to be out on the road........ so it is more has more high end cirrus logic DAC (24bit@192kh) than NI later DJ series. It is discontinued now and its a shame cus their other cards sound a little thin...compaired to this.

I have demo'd it against more modern cards costing up to 1,000 quid and it still holds its own.

So do not buy into all the music press marketing bolloxs.

I'm a professional mastering engineer by trade ....... it really is that good for out and about uses..........
Caleb Demillo
21.07.2012
Originally Posted by mostapha
As for popping
Stanley Topoleski
21.07.2012		the presonus firebox and firewire series have some of the best preamps for a budget interface.. fantastic performers i used to have one... the audio box is ok the preamps are so-so... now the focusrite sapphire series are amazing, i currently own a saffire 6 i use for DJing and on the go production. preamps are excellent.

i can't say much about the scarlett series but i would guess the scarlett series are like the lower end sapphires just like the audio box is a lower end firebox both are good choices and both are built like tanks... if you want inputs on a budget you can always hook up an external mixer or preamp to your interface
Celine Surico
16.07.2012
Originally Posted by ThinkAboutIt
Yeah I wanted to buy that at first but my pc don't have a firewire.
There are USB 2.0 FocusRite ones, too. I was skeptical about USB 2.0 and audio but it works just fine with any new PCs and Macs, computers are fast and you only need a fast audio interface for recording if you are looking at tracking 8+ tracks at the same time. And then you maybe need FW800 and a fast disk, too.

PS: My plan was and still is to get an 8+ input track audio interface if I need it for a recording project. So far there has been no need. No live recordings either that I need it for. But if you are into recording a whole band live that's another story.
Georgianna Eurick
16.07.2012
Originally Posted by ksandvik
Low end FocusRites are really good and very affordable. I have a Saffire Pro 14 that I use in my project studio as I don't need many inputs for EDM production work. Rock-solid.
Yeah I wanted to buy that at first but my pc don't have a firewire.
Celine Surico
16.07.2012		Low end FocusRites are really good and very affordable. I have a Saffire Pro 14 that I use in my project studio as I don't need many inputs for EDM production work. Rock-solid.
Dorie Scelzo
16.07.2012		The reason the system volume doesn't work is because the volume control is analog. At least, that's why it's that way on a lot of sound cards. Turning down your system volume is effectively bit-crushing the output……which isn't great for monitoring at low volumes.

As for popping…I've never used a sound card that didn't do that. That's why you turn the speakers on last and off first.
Caleb Demillo
16.07.2012
Originally Posted by ThinkAboutIt
I guess I'll go with the KA6, but I read that it lacks routing like loopback, what does that mean? I'm just gonna plug in my Maschine and studio monitors
I have a Komplete Audio 6, I now use it as a secondary sound card, it's fine for that. I'm not sure what they mean by loopback routing. There are a few issues I have with the KA 6:

1. If you use it (at least with a Mac), and set it up as your default audio-interface, to turn up or down system volume you must use the knob on top of the KA6. It's a little inconvenient, not even mute works. I don't know if this happens in Windows, but on the Mac it's like this on all the NI sound cards. Rather dumb, IMO.

2. When you reboot, the soundcard makes a very loud POP in the monitors (if you leave them on). It's really ridiculous. Same thing happens if you plug/unplug the USB. POP! Come on NI, didn't you test? Other's complained about this as well, so it's not just me.

I now use an Apogee Duet 2 as my main sound card. It's fantastic! They are expensive, and have limited IO options, but great gear. I still use the KA6 with my hardware (a Moog and iPad), and it's perfect for that. Just not great as a main soundcard.
Georgianna Eurick
15.07.2012		I guess I'll go with the KA6, but I read that it lacks routing like loopback, what does that mean? I'm just gonna plug in my Maschine and studio monitors
Dorie Scelzo
05.06.2012		Which is fine. Especially if you're working all in the box, you won't notice a difference if you're looking at this price point because none of the rest of your stuff (monitors; room; treatments; etc.) will be good enough to play what little difference there is.
Georgianna Eurick
05.06.2012		230€ is exceeding my budget much though.
Dorie Scelzo
06.06.2012		The next step up from the KA6 has a lot of really good cards in it.
Romelia Stankard
04.06.2012		I gotta say though NI definitely did something right on the KA6. I hear a lot of people prefer it to interfaces several times more expensive and the drivers are really good and rock solid.

I'm going to be disappointed when I eventually have to sell it for more inputs since I'm a little more weary of some of the other cards I would be looking at. Also the big volume knob on the top is perfect. I'm going to hold onto it as long as possible.
Georgianna Eurick
04.06.2012
Originally Posted by photojojo
NI started in the production business and didn't do DJ software for three years after that. .
Thanks for the info didn't know that
Leeanna Ayla
04.06.2012		NI started in the production business and didn't do DJ software for three years after that. That said I would probably go with the Focusrite.
Dorie Scelzo
04.06.2012		I like my 2i2 just fine. I wouldn't expect a huge difference between them.
Georgianna Eurick
04.06.2012		Hmm Komplete Audio 6? A bit pricey I gotta look into it more if it's deserve its price. But honestly I can't seem to look at NI as a producer brand
I would probably go with Focusrite, but don't know I guess more google time for me

Any more feedbacks?
Sylvia Greener
03.06.2012		I believe Focusrite would be the better choice since this is a company having been well-know for high-quality preamps and gear for years.
Lisa Lochotzki
03.06.2012		Motion seconded for Komplete Audio 6. Great card, sounds great, great features
Saran Sprinkel
03.06.2012		Any sound card with a few ins and outs can accomplish what you need. What you pay for is your DACs (digital to Analog converters), pre-amps and number of ins and outs.
Up your budget and get the NI Komplete Audio 6 or Motu Ultralite.
Georgianna Eurick
28.05.2012		No love

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