Soundcard recommendations

JohnPerry

I've been using a Focusrite Saffire 6 USB for about four years. It got rave reviews when it came out and is still great quality for the price. Does anyone have any experience in this area? I am wondering whether i can significantly improve the audio quality of my home studio recordings with a better external soundcard, without going crazy budgetwise. Any ideas? I rang my local PMT store and they were quite helpful but naturally wanted to sell me something for a grand.

digitalscream

The next step up from that level of interface is probably something along the lines of the TC Impact Twin, but you might need to get a firewire card.

I've got a Twin, and I honestly can't recommend it highly enough. Only problem is that it only has 4 inputs (plus another 8 over ADAT). If that doesn't bother you, then get one

JohnPerry

Just done some reading up on that...looks like a great steer, that. Thanks. If you were to replace that, what would you then go up to?

digitalscream

Honestly? Not a clue. It does everything I want, the preamps are awesome, it has a great (albeit limited) compressor, great parametric EQ and the ever-handy monitoring reverb.

Given the fact that I really like the TC hardware and the software that comes with it, I guess the only real upgrade option is the same thing (roughly) with more I/O - the Studio Konnekt 48. I did wonder about the MOTU 828, but anecdotal evidence suggests that the preamps aren't so hot.

Beyond that...I've no idea; I've never really looked into it, mostly because my budget just doesn't allow for that kind of extravagance

ecc83

I too have read good things about the TC interface but buying anything Firewire these days is a bit fraught, the protocol looks to be dying out.

Fortunately usb audio has come of age. There are many fine usb interfaces around now but one stands out in the £200 bracket, the Native Instruments Komplete Audio 6. Much the same connectivity as the Focusrite 6, 2 mic/line/inst input, two more line ins, S/PDIF and MIDI and 4 line out. Latency is better than a review of the Focusrite, 64 samples (32 if you want to live dangerously!) as against 77 (?) suggested in an Mrad review (mind you, that also said it had 105 dB of gain!).

But! I do not think you would notice one iota of difference between the F'rite and the KA6. But then the same would obtain if you had the Twin, the MOTU or probably, a Prism! Good interfaces are SO good that the rest of the chain, mic, source, skill of recordist and MOST of all, monitor quality and room are all bigger factors.

Dave.

JohnPerry

Thanks Dave. Interesting. I have no idea what firewire is tbh. Only ever just used this focusrite and an old edirol years ago. I don't need loads of inputs, just the best quality i can get.

Ramirez

I agree with Dave, I don't think you'll notice much difference between your Focusrite and another interface. As long as they're not broken, they usually sound perfectly fine. The extra money may get you more features, but any audio quality improvements probably won't be very noticeable until you've spent a few grand on your recording/listening environment and microphones etc!*

In my opinion, no interface will "significantly improve the audio quality" in as much as it being a 'night and day' difference. When you get to preamps and converters (which is what the difference will be between interfaces) being used within their intended range of operation, it's VERY subtle differences.

*As far as I know you may already have!

Danny1969

I agree with @Ramirez and Dave, cos to be honest even the cheapest of AD convertors used now are pretty good. In the recording game you sometimes have to spend a huge amount to get a tiny step forward, but in almost all cases that money is better spent on the room and the mic's, monitoring chain etc rather than the interface. Anyone remember the old Protools 888 interfaces, they sounded a bit crap but plenty of hit records were made with em 

What are you recording ? nice pre amps and very expensive convertors can make a big difference to recording drums and vocals and stuff like brass instruments but won't make a much of a difference to keyboards close mic'ed guitars

Jalapeno

Big fan of Focusrite.  I have a small Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 for generic stuff on my workaday PC, and a Scarlett 18i6 + MOTU 828 for live recording.

So good that I don't even notice it. 

I've had no end of grief with PCI cards after moving to W7 - that would be my only advice, avoid PCI cards !

JohnPerry

Danny1969 said:

What are you recording ? nice pre amps and very expensive convertors can make a big difference to recording drums and vocals and stuff like brass instruments but won't make a much of a difference to keyboards close mic'ed guitars

Thanks all for the help. Am recording rock/pop stuff at home using guitars/keys/vox and Superior Drummer and have a couple of SE Electronics mics - the 2200a and the 3300 - monitoring via a pair of Rokit 6. Not a lot i can do about the room, which is the only one I have available and doubles as my office. It's pretty dead acoustically, which probably helps i would imagine.

My dissatisfaction with the Focusrite is that there is a known bug when using on some Dells (my mate has the same trouble with the same combo) where the thing suddenly goes silent and you have to reboot the PC to reset it. Happens often actually. That and the nagging suspicion that throwing money at the audio might improve it, but the consensus seems to be I might be better off sticking with it. 

Ramirez

Well, if you're having problems with the interface that's a different story! Though if you do end up changing it, I wouldn't go for something much more expensive. All drivers are up to date are they?

I've got the Focusrite 18i20 as my laptop/location interface and I really like it (Emu 1212m on my 'main' studio desktop - the Focusrite works as an ADAT expander for this as well, which is neat.) Haven't had any problems, but if it's a known problem with Dell computers, then you may well have to change.

Jalapeno

One caution - if it's a Dell specific issue then who is to say that any other sound interface won't have similar issues ?

Might want to try cheaper options first - if a desktop, get a new USB 2.0 / 3.0 card

A laptop - try a docking station

And don't use USB audio through a USB hub or port doubler.

ecc83

"I've had no end of grief with PCI cards after moving to W7 - that would be my only advice, avoid PCI cards " ( Q: Jalapeno)

That is not actually the fault of Win 7 . I understand that new MOBOs sort of "cobble" PCI thru the PCIe system? (I am NO PC guru!) I in fact have a quite early W7/64 HP desktop and use an M-Audio 2496 with it and have had not so much as a blink in over 3 years. 

Agreed, don't use an AI on a usb hub. A lot of the problem is lack or DC power but in any case a PCIe usb card is not that expensive and the AI should be quite happy sharing a dongle and a memory stick with one.

Dave.