I'm looking to replace my sound card (M-Audio 24/96), with an Audio Interface for recording, but I don't have a clue where to start really. The populist view seems to be to go for Focusrite but as a run of the mill 'recordist', is there anything I should consider bearing in mind I will probably not get above guitar, bass, drums(midi) & vox and I would have thought a couple of inputs/outputs should be sufficient as I'm likely to be a one man band in every sense of the word
A quick look at Amazon came up with this which I think should meet my needs but before I pull the trigger, I'm open to advice
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Behringer-U-PHORIA-UMC204HD-Audio-Interface/dp/B00SAV96JM/ref=sr_1_17?dchild=1&keywords=audio+interface&qid=1609170435&sr=8-17 Cheers in advance.
dilbert
Comments
1. Quality of the drivers.
2. What else do you get with the interface.
Not many of the cheap ones make a big thing of their driver quality. From emory, Behringer use the stock Thesycon driver as do Audient and others. Steinberg, Native Instruments, Tascam, Zoom... all write their own drivers AFAIK. Can't remember if Focusrite do, pretty sure they do. MOTU do. Personally I'd go with an interface from a company that does write its own drivers.
Do you need a DAW? What software do you need and require?
Of all the cheap stuff, I'm liking the Komplete Audio 2 from Native Instruments the best. Ableton Live Lite 10 is a decent little introduction to recording, the interface is capable, and there are some good software options that come with it. Steinberg UR22 is another option I'd endorse particularly when it comes to latency and driver quality.
Remember, it's easier to criticise than create!
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(Apart from the time I missed something really basic in the manual and had to ring their tech support. They were amazing helpful, and didn't even laugh at me when I realised how basic it was)
https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/194575/your-experience-of-recording-guitar-to-daw-options/p1
@Heartfeltdawn I've used Reaper before and am okay'ish with that as a DAW. I think they had me in mind when it was coded as it's pretty much all 'right click' type operations.
@lukedlb thanks for the link, it's really informative and more food for thought and in terms re: dropping the Iridium solution, frankly, I never picked it up! More research is called for I guess.
BTW, can anyone confirm if I need a DI box as well as the Interface?
Thanks again, all. Your' thoughts are genuinely welcome.
dilbert
I've got friends who rate the Audient stuff. But might be a bit above your budget.
The Behringer will probably be oookkkaaayyyyy... but it's Behringer..... blergh.... bit of a shit company.
What are the M-Audio soundcards like these days? I've honestly not used a cheap end one for a while. But maybe they'd be a better direction to go in?
The Audiophile 24/96 is a really good card IMHO, the performance is still pretty good and I believe that M-Audio now produce a 192Khz model. I never struggled with latency but then again I was only playing along to backing tracks so no it didn't have to be that good. I think I paid £100 around 15 years ago and around 5 years ago, I saw them on sale at £50, which was a bargain IMO.
Audient have just revamped their ID range up to USB C and a few other tweaks.