Portable Audio Interfaces

[Jim of Seattle]

This can be a general topic for questions related to use of mics. I do have a specific question, though, to start off:

In attempting to set up my portable workstation, I have to have a mic of some sort. My regular mic has done me well over the years, (though you can all be the judge of that), and is portable enough, but I'm just assuming that plugging it into that 1/8th inch mic input on the laptop is going to sound simply terrible. The guy at Guitar Center showed me this $200 box I'd have to lug around to convert the signal or whatever, but I'm not spending that, nor am I willing to travel with something that big. How bad is it going to be? Are there tricks I can play with the input to, perhaps not improve it, but at least mask its terribleness?

[c hack]

First, you can't plug the mic straight in b/c the computer wants a line level signal. You need some kind of pre-amp. Like my Presonus Blue Tube mic pre that you can have if you promise to be nice to everyone in the world forever.

But if you got the Ozone keyboard, you could just plug the mic into the keyboard. It's no Neve control strip, but I think it sounds alright. I recorded WTF? that way. I think that's probably the best way for you to go, especially since that way you can do everything on one USB port.

[Jim of Seattle]

Is the Ozone tiny, like the Oxygen 8? I need to stick it in a suitcase. If not, are there other tiny controllers that take a mic input?

[ken]

I thought most soundcards had a mic input as well as a line input. Couldn't you use that for your mic?

Ken

[jb]

I thought most soundcards had a mic input as well as a line input. Couldn't you use that for your mic?

Ken

He wants to use a laptop, to record in hotels while on business trips.

You definitely don't want to try recording a song into a laptop 1/8" mic input. They're made for conferencing and other really really low-end purposes. NOT audio production. Sonar will probably wind up hearing all the hiss and noise from that little 1/8" mic input even if the mic doesn't. (I have tried this in the past and that was the result-- an unendurable amount of hiss and crackle) Not to mention you'll have to step down your XLR mic plug to a 1/8" plug using a RadioShack adapter thing.

Ugh.

Spend the extra money on an Ozone, Jim, since it's a combination MIDI Controller/Audio Interface in one package. I dunno anything about their quality (check Harmony Central maybe), but it will fulfill all your wants and needs for a portable audio recording device in one package. Then you can just plug an SM57 into the Ozone's XLR jack and pipe it right to your laptop over USB.

[Jim of Seattle]

Yes, it does have a mic input. But I was told that plugging my XLR mic into the 1/8" socket on a laptop won't sound good.

[jb]

Yes, it does have a mic input. But I was told that plugging my XLR mic into the 1/8" socket on a laptop won't sound good.

See post immediately previous to yours. Guess we were typing at the same time.

Oh, and the Ozone looks almost exactly like the Oxygen8. The only difference being that it has two XLR jacks. There may be other differences, but it's almost or exactly the same size as the Oxygen8. But I think it's another $150 in price for the extra features. After all, with audio it now needs an A/D converter inside.

Here is a good pic of the Ozone: http://209.132.209.147/images/en/callouts/big/ozone.jpg

I think ZZounds has them for $249 right now.

Otherwise you'll need to get an Oxygen8 for your MIDI controller, plus a USB audio interface that is separate. Like this Tascam solution: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=h ... id/240868/

It's not a huge box, it's about the size of a thick trade paperback book. But it is a separate thing to carry, and it is a separate expense. But I have a Tascam USB interface (the big brother of the one I linked), and it records fairly well. My parts on the JBB+ADD "Please the Pig" were recorded on it. I'm sure the smaller version uses the same preamps and stuff.

[c hack]

The Ozone's the same size as the Oxygen8, except it has more knobs and an xlr mic in, a 1/4" instrument in, and a stereo line in. Make no mistake, it's made of plastic and feels a little cheapish. I wouldn't go tossing it around. But I'm not exactly gentle with all my stuff, and nothing's broken on it yet.

[Jim of Seattle]

Thanks, jb! The Ozone looks like it's EXACTLY what I want, for EXACTLY a lot more than I was hoping to have to spend. Here comes the credit card....

[starfinger]

hopefully the ozone is better built than the oxygen-8

one other difference is that the O-8 can be powered entirely by the USB (i.e., no wall wart), but the ozone needs to be plugged in (right, ozone owner[s]?)

-craig

[roymond]

hopefully the ozone is better built than the oxygen-8

one other difference is that the O-8 can be powered entirely by the USB (i.e., no wall wart), but the ozone needs to be plugged in (right, ozone owner[s]?)

-craig

You are correct. I sat in the middle of central park recording and mixing one fine day last summer with the Oxygen 8. That was one time. Liberating, yes, but if Jim's traveling for work I doubt it's a big deal to plug in. Swipe that card, dude!

[Rabid Garfunkel]

So much fun here, gonna have to make a consolidation thread for this topic soon, heh. The one caveat on the Ozone is that your computer has to have built in USB. Which, I'm assuming JoS has, being, like, a professional and stuff. Running it through a USB PMCIA (sp?) card will only confuse M-Audio's tech support to the point that you almost use up your return window at Musician's Friend trying to figure it out.

But then, my system is older than god, and even the band-aids have band-aids on them.

CHack, let JoS still be able to take his angrys out on some bands at least. I know I don't feel right getting a high review from him

[Jim of Seattle]

CHack, let JoS still be able to take his angrys out on some bands at least. I know I don't feel right getting a high review from him

That last sentence completely confused me.

But yeah, plugging in isn't a big deal, since I'm going to have to plug my laptop in anyway, as the battery's crap, and making songs takes me a LONG time. And I do have built-in USB. Good to know about the PCMCIA though, since my other laptop uses PCMCIA for USB.

God, the very idea of getting to work on a songfight song from my hotel room is so exciting. I can't wait. Grab a couple beers, work uninterrupted for like 6 straight hours. Heaven.

The next step is convincing my wife that it's a good way to spend our money.

[thehipcola]

therein lies the rub JoS.... If you figure out how to make that fly, please share your methods with all of us, so we can ALL get fancy new gear past our wives/girlfriends...

[Jim of Seattle]

Here's my plan:

"Man, I just really hate all this travel. Spending evenings alone in the hotel room is really hard. I hate it. I wish there was something constructive I could do with that time."

(sympathetic conversation ensues, with no mention of outlay for music equipment)

Several days later...

"You know, what I'd love to be able to do would be work on music stuff when traveling. That would be so great. Then I would be less inclined to want to do it when I'm home with you."

"Yeah, that would be good for you, Jim."

"I'll look into it. It would be so great, but it sounds expensive."

Several more days later....

(I adopt disappointed face) "Oh, I looked into that portable music option, and it would cost several hundred dollars. I just can't justify that, even though it would be so fantastic, and make my trips so much better for me. I wish I could figure out a way. I do have a Guitar Center credit card, but I don't know....."

(the hoped-for response) "Well, maybe it would be worth it, given how much you want to do it. We could afford it if it were a monthly payment thing."

"You think? Well, maybe, if you say so, I should do it. I'm concerned about that much money."

"Hey, it's your music thing. It's worth it. Just go buy it."

"Well, I'll think about it."

(I walk calmly into other room, at which point I shove a fist high in the air for my clever victory.)

That's the plan, anyway.

[Rabid Garfunkel]

That last sentence completely confused me.

Whatever it is about your reviews, they hit harder than the others. It's weird. Or I'm weird. I want (in any and all incarnations that I submit under) to earn the happy reviews from you, man. Until then, RG, the Primitive Screwheads, and Boomstick request exception from CHack's "equipment in exchange for happy JoS action" from his earlier post in the thread.

[king_arthur]

That's the plan, anyway.

Keep us, like, posted, man.

If this works, this could be huge!

Charles

[Jim of Seattle]

That last sentence completely confused me.

Whatever it is about your reviews, they hit harder than the others. It's weird. Or I'm weird. I want (in any and all incarnations that I submit under) to earn the happy reviews from you, man. Until then, RG, the Primitive Screwheads, and Boomstick request exception from CHack's "equipment in exchange for happy JoS action" from his earlier post in the thread.

Well, I've heard that from other people too. I'm trying to somehow soften my reviews without being "nicer" about them. Anyway, I think maybe C Hack deleted that post you're talking about.

[fluffy]

For portable audio interfaces, try the Tascam US-224, which also gives you MIDI and a small control surface. It's the baby brother of the US-428 which I have and enjoy. Not as good as the various high-end preamps that people have been posting, but Good Enough.

FWIW it's the US-428 I used to record the Songfight H&B sets.

[Jim of Seattle]

So I bought the Ozone over the weekend. (Wife approval plan worked perfectly Mwaahahahahahaaaa.)

I'm getting huge latency between when I hit a key and hear it. I switched over to WDM drivers which helped a lot, but it's still too sluggish. Should I just expect this? Do you other Ozone/Oxygen 8 users have this problem?

Also, half the time, XP doesn't recognize that the Ozone is plugged in, so Sonar won't accept it as a Midi in or out. Then I finally get XP to see it again, and choose the Ozone Midi in and out in Sonar again, but sometimes it STILL won't play. I have to restart. Grrr.

Also bought BFD. What fun.

[jb]

Reduce the buffer size.

[jack]

jim, as far as clearing it with the better half, just tell her that if you can do your recording on the road while travelling for work, there will be more time for her and the kid when your home....