Audiointerface

[Flowakunt]

I've used to make the beats on my sp-404, but now I'm interested in recording my music to the PC from the sampler. But I have a little problem — the default audiocard in my computer has terrible sound while recording through it. Now I'm looking for a new audio interface that'll work well for recording via RCA cables. What kind of audiointerface is good for this purpose? Also interested in the audiocards that are used by forum users.

I wanted to buy some of m-audio's audiophile interface, but I really not sure if that's what I need.

[ellaguru]

i use an m-audio fast track pro. it's ok and for it's market range is cool. in the same league are the edirol's models (i forget the models sorry). those are in general cheap and efficient label/models. they (m-audio ftp and edirol's) got midi I/O and other cool features.
for a big expensive audio interface there are many like motu and other. m-audio models too. but the price change sensibly.

[admbmb]

I, too am looking for one. On a budget. I just need RCA input and 24 bit.

[jetson]

I don't use this, but check it out:

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/UFO202/

[Chess]

If you're just using it to track out of your 404, you only need a 2 channel interface. You also do not need (and might want to avoid) one with RCA input/output because you can simply run your 404 into your audio interface of choice with the correct cables, such as this one: http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/DKQR3

I love my 2-channel E-mu 0404 USB 2.0 Audio Interface and it's worked great for me over the years. I've used a handful of budget interfaces and I like the sound of the 0404 a lot; very clean and neutral.

I have also read a lot of great reviews, online and in magazines, on the Roland Quad-Capture but I have no personal experience with it: http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/QuadCapture/

I did a ton of research and a listening trip to guitar center when I wanted to purchase a 2 channel audio interface a few months ago for my brother's christmans present. I went with the Mackie Onyx Blackjack and I've worked with it a ton now at my brother's place and it sounds awesome and I'd buy it again for him in a heartbeat. The preamps are powerful and quiet, the conversion is neutral, it has a simple lay out, and it's built really well. Here's the Blackjack: http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Blackjack

Note: of my three recommendations, the blackjack is the only one without MIDI in/out so you'd need to pick up an additional USB-MIDI cable if you wanted that.

Also, a lot of people think that budget interfaces just automatically sound like shit by default but there is a method that I read about a year ago for getting the best sound out of your converters that really helped me. I looked for a link but couldn't find it but it basically said that, when recording at 24 bit with any modern interface, making it so your recorded peak signals hit around -18 dbs, with it never going higher than -12 dbs (as opposed to most people trying to go as close to 0db as possible without clipping), will leave headroom similar to if you were recording around 0 dbs in the old anolog world. I switched to this method and changed nothing else about my workflow or gear and my mixes became much clearer than they used to be overnight.

Hope that helps. Good luck on your search.

[Auqs]

I, too am looking for one. On a budget. I just need RCA input and 24 bit.

hi Adam, i've a question if possible, if you have not a sound card what support do you use for recording? your tracks sounds really really good without it too

[Flowakunt]

I love my 2-channel E-mu 0404 USB 2.0 Audio Interface and it's worked great for me over the years. I've used a handful of budget interfaces and I like the sound of the 0404 a lot; very clean and neutral.

I thought about buying 0404 on Ebay, but the thing is that it is just a little bit cheaper that such interfaces as Focusrite Saffire 6, for example. So I've been thinking about buying Focusrite's audiointerface. I've never heard about the Sweetwater shop, but now I see that prices there are quite low; so I'll look for an audiocard there.
Thank you for all of your recommendations and advices! I appreciate it.

[admbmb]

I, too am looking for one. On a budget. I just need RCA input and 24 bit.

hi Adam, i've a question if possible, if you have not a sound card what support do you use for recording? your tracks sounds really really good without it too

I use the SP-555 as an audio interface, or if I am going from the 404, I use a memory card usb reader after backing up the track as a wav. Sometimes, I will just resample the whole 404 track into the 555 and then record it live into Reaper.

[V-F!]

http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/F ... kC400.html
Diggin that and the mbox 3 pro is soooooo nice. I have the 2 I'm overdue for an upgrade.

[squ!L]

I use a memory card usb reader after backing up the track as a wav

i did that and compared it to a recording made directly into the e-mu 0404. to my ears the sound from the e-mu wasn't as good as the sound from the wavefile coming from the memory card (out of the 404). there wasn't a huge difference but the exported wavefile sounded slightly fuller. hard to explain but i kept the exported version and deleted the other.
so i recommend getting a 2nd 404 or whatever sp can export wavefiles. or an even more expensive soundcard.