Which Interface / software

stratman3142

thomasross20 said:

You see the actual Helix itself (the hardware)... can you chuck that into your computer for near-zero latency recording? 

Yes if you monitor using the built in sounds. I have a Helix LT and the sounds are in a different league to my Toneport.

thomasross20

stratman3142 said:

thomasross20 said:

You see the actual Helix itself (the hardware)... can you chuck that into your computer for near-zero latency recording? 

Yes if you monitor using the built in sounds. I have a Helix LT and the sounds are in a different league to my Toneport.

What's the difference between Helix and Helix LT? (I see it's just IO - no mic input.. and looks like it's just USB out to computer like Toneport)
Good to know that you get the same near-zero latency using this... so you can use that for live or for home recording...

thomasross20

@stratman3142 what is it do you think that makes the sounds better...? Are they that noticeable?

Even with the lowest latency setting in my old toneport, the latency.... I couldn't work with that. So I'm looking at either dosh for a vst plugin plus a new interface that may or may not have low enough latency (gamble!!) or I stick to a new UX2 and get free pod farm 2 for £140 or so. 

stratman3142

thomasross20 said:

@stratman3142 what is it do you think that makes the sounds better...? Are they that noticeable?

Even with the lowest latency setting in my old toneport, the latency.... I couldn't work with that. So I'm looking at either dosh for a vst plugin plus a new interface that may or may not have low enough latency (gamble!!) or I stick to a new UX2 and get free pod farm 2 for £140 or so. 

To me, the sounds from the Helix are noticeably better. It sounds and 'feels' more like playing through a real amp. But that's just my view. I'm sure there are lots of threads online giving people's opinions on this, plus clips on Youtube etc if you do a bit of Googling.

This is very much a personal view (subject to possible future change) but if I had to choose right now I'd still go with S-Gear 2 (or Amplitube Fender 2 for classic Fender amps) for my home recordings. This is for two reasons:
1) I prefer the flexibility of an ampsim VST to tweak things after recording. I know there's a Helix VST but it's too expensive for me, and right now I don't think it offers me more than I've already got. But I might get it in future.
2) S-Gear 2 and Amplitube Fender 2 sound and feel better suited to my style of playing/music, but it's possible I still haven't got the best out of my Helix which I'm relatively new to, so that view might change in future.

Getting low enough latency for 'through DAW' monitoring using VST ampsims is a bit of a minefield, because it's not just down to the interface, but also the power of your computer. For example, I notice in the table in the link (in the link below) that the  Focusrite Scarlett 2i4 2nd Generation has a reported latency that looks good at 64spls and it's relatively inexpensive.
https://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=174445

However, at low spls settings you might get pops and clicks, if your computer doesn't have enough 'grunt'.

Perhaps the most inexpensive low risk approach for you might be to use something you already know is likely to work, such as a Line UX2. Use that for monitoring, with an approximation of the sound you want while you're recording, but record the dry signal. You can record both the wet and the dry signal using the Line 6 interfaces. This applies to the Toneport (or Pod Studio) or the Helix. I know because I've used them in this way. Then you can put an ampsim such as S-Gear 2 on the track just for playback. The big advantage of the Line 6 interfaces is that they carry the load if you monitor using the built in sounds, meaning your computer doesn't have to work as hard as it would have to on a low spls setting for 'through DAW' ampsim VST monitoring.

thomasross20

Totally agree with everything you wrote there... 

Using the UX2 is a no-brainer low risk an inexpensive approach giving next to no latency and I can use a VST to alter a dry signal later. FYI my computer is up to the job but I don't like having to rely on a good computer as well as interface for low latency. If I can bypass all these low latency requirements at source, by using something like a UX2, then that's an absolutely brilliant decision. 

guitarfishbay

For lowest latency look at thunderbolt interfaces.

Focusrite claretts are nice and fast, I’m getting around 4ms round trip I think (48khz 64 samples buffer).

USB is typically a few ms higher

thomasross20

I was looking at thunderbolt when I had that apple laptop for all of two weeks.

Fretwired

thomasross20 said:

Totally agree with everything you wrote there... 

Using the UX2 is a no-brainer low risk an inexpensive approach giving next to no latency and I can use a VST to alter a dry signal later. FYI my computer is up to the job but I don't like having to rely on a good computer as well as interface for low latency. If I can bypass all these low latency requirements at source, by using something like a UX2, then that's an absolutely brilliant decision. 

Keep your interface and download the free version of Amplitube 4. It works with Line 6 interfaces . I have an ancient Line 6 GuitarPort that I still use. IK Multimedia have a special deal on at the moment for Amplitube 4.

Amplitube sounds great and you can just buy the amps, cabs, mics and effects that you want. You can download and demo them first as well.

stratman3142

guitarfishbay said:

For lowest latency look at thunderbolt interfaces.

Focusrite claretts are nice and fast, I’m getting around 4ms round trip I think (48khz 64 samples buffer).

USB is typically a few ms higher

Although there's a threshold below which it starts to become unnoticeable. I expect that varies from person to person.

If I'm wearing headphones it's fine if I set my Zoom UAC-2 3.0 interface to 96spls (at 44.1kHz) which Reaper reports as an input/output latency of 2.1/4.7 (i.e. a total of 6.8ms round trip, ignoring any latency in the ampsim VST which I assume to be small). If I then listen through my monitors, I can feel the lack in instantaneous response (i.e. latency), and need to pull things down to 64 spls, which Reaper reports as an input/output latency of 1.4/4.0 ms (i.e. a total of 5.4ms). 

My monitors are about 3 feet away so that's adding another ~3ms to the 6.8ms round trip at 96spls. So I guess I start to sense the latency as it approaches 10ms. I'm an old git so my brain is probably running slow, but I think that's a typical figure where many people start to notice things.

btw. I've checked and there's good correlation between the Reaper reported figures and those measured by doing loopback tests and also by using the RTL utility http://www.oblique-audio.com/free/rtlutility

guitarfishbay

I always record on headphones for this reason.  The kind of music I record has to be very tight and the higher the latency the harder this is to do

thomasross20

Amplitube is still one I've yet to try so will check it! There's nothing actually wrong with my interface... 

thomasross20

I also record on headphones... PITA though with the cable...

stratman3142

guitarfishbay said:

I always record on headphones for this reason.  The kind of music I record has to be very tight and the higher the latency the harder this is to do

I'm old and retired. I'm only tight with money these days.

Heartfeltdawn

It depends on what you want to spend. RME Babyface Pro isn't cheap but you get the low latency that RME is famed for. By all accounts the Zoom UAC-2 is the current king of the cheap interfaces offering low latency but can be a bit grumpy with certain USB controllers. 

One aspect to consider is the quality of the DI input on whichever interface you choose. I run an SPL Crimson, a good sounding interface. Picked up a Little Labs Redeye DI for peanuts on Ebay and it's definitely better than the decent DI inputs on the Crimson. 

Mick

I use my UX2 with Amplitube 4 without any problem, works very nicely.  Also if you have any multifx pedals check to see if they have a USB interface built in, a lot of them do.  Boss/ Zoom etc. 

There's a user review of Amplitube 4 on my site which might be useful, https://guitaristguild.com/index.php?page=amplitube-4
Also a review of the new Ampeg SVX 2 Bass Amplifier Collection for it,  https://guitaristguild.com/index.php?page=Ampeg-SVX-2

duotone

Am currently trying out some different software ATM, via their free trials, before I decide what to buy.  Give these a try if you haven't already;

https://www.overloud.com/products/th3-full ($250) - 15 days full access, no annoying beeps.  Really nice looking layout & can be used standalone without opening your DAW.

https://revalver.peavey.com/ ($99) - full access to all sounds, although there is a REALLY annoying beep every couple of minutes on the trial version.  Can be used standalone without opening your DAW.

https://www.positivegrid.com/bias-amp/ ($60 for Amp ONLY or $160 for Amp & FX) - I haven't got around to trying this one yet.