The Song Fight Bulletin Board

Ken has an 8-channel preamp with SPDIF. I think there a fair number of such things. Here's one:

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

Lunkhead wrote:Ken has an 8-channel preamp with SPDIF. I think there a fair number of such things. Here's one:

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

The 8 channel preamp goes into the interface via ADAT (not spdif). This is nice because Sam will use his own interface and just unplug the one adat cable and connect it to his interface for instant 8 channels of input.

It is an older model of this one: http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/DigiMaxD8/

Ken

Oh right, ADAT, oops. My bad!

Yeah, and I'm thinking more of a tiny, guitar pedal-sized box with two 1/4" ins and a spdif out. Something like this, but spdif out instead of xlr out:



My US-600 has spdif in/out, but that sort of defeats the purpose of what I'm trying to do. It claims 6 simultaneous inputs, which can only be achieved if you count spdif L&R.

Yeah, that happened to me with the M-Audio Fast Track Ultra. I started by picking up a used ART Di/O which is basically what you are looking for. I could then throw any two channel preamp in front of it. I was also looking at J-Station, which a lot of people have here as a two channel guitar box. Another unit to check out is the Samson C-Valve.

Ken

jb wrote:Couple more points against Firewire:

1. Latest macbooks don't have it. (I currently use a Firewire->Thunderbolt adapter going into the Pro40, and that requires both a Firewire 800 adapater and the thudnerbolt adapter. )
2. If I plug my interface into my computer in the wrong order, my macbook crashes.
3. With the USB 2.0 interface in the Scarlett, I got basically the same latency as the firewire interface. And as fluffy mentioned it's got way more bandwidth than a home recorder will use. I actually wish I had gotten the Scarlett instead of the Pro40. Hindsight.

JB

I'm having latency problems with the Scarlett, but I haven't focused on fixing it yet. It has a nice direct-through monitor feature, but my guitar effects (and all effects for that matter) are in Logic, so I need to use software monitoring. I was so looking forward to plug and play but alas, it was not to be.

On the other hand my new MBP fucking rocks, and having 25 audio tracks, heavily flex-edited and with tons of plugins like Space Designer and lots of track automation, all running in real time with no choking...I'm happy!

I got one of these recently, and I am absolutely loving it: http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MiC/

I made this version of my "Tracks for Future Practice" in about an hour, just sitting on my bed strumming my uke and singing. Mixed in iphone earbuds no less.

jb wrote:just sitting on my bed strumming my uke

Is that what they call it in HotLanta?

ps, that thing is shweet! I've always said I do my best singing while driving in my car. The acoustics are good and I feel less inhibited. What I write on paper and the way it has to be delivered are two different things. So I'm happy to see a great mic for portable devices.

No excuses, SDOTD is a $50 USB 2.0 interface from Tascam. If you are recording yourself in any other way than by using an actual audio interface, buy this now!

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/stupid/

TASCAM US-144MKII USB 2.0 4-channel Audio/MIDI Interface


Features

Provides four audio inputs and four audio outputs (two analog, two digital) for a Windows or Macintosh computer
Two XLR mic inputs
Switchable phantom power (48 volt)
High-quality, low-noise mic preamps
Two analog line inputs (one switchable to high impedance for use with guitars, basses, etc.)
Stereo digital audio input and output (input: SPDIF, output: selectable SPDIF or AES/EBU)
MIDI input, MIDI output
Up to 96-kHz/24-bit for high quality recordings
Zero-latency hardware monitoring with level control and mono switch
Separate controls for output level and headphones volume
USB 2.0 equipped (also supports USB 1.1)
USB-powered, no AC adapter required
Solid aluminum side panels
Cubase LE4 included

yeah, after the other thread about audio interfaces i ended up buying this and have been pleased with it.
it more or less works invisibly without me worrying about it, and that's with plugging into the laptop docking station and all.
-bill

Record with an Ipad and another device? Today you can get the Focusrite iTrack Solo Audio Interface for iPad, Mac and PC Restock for $80. Do not pass this up if you do not have an actual audio interface. This is only 1 in at time, but that is probably good enough for most of us.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/stupid/

I was going to post that too. In the description it says you can actually record both inputs at the same time, with the following caveat:

With a guitar input alongside the microphone input, you are free to record both vocals and your instrument simultaneously to separate tracks in your software*.

*Please note that at current, GarageBand for iOS will record two simultaneous inputs to a single stereo track, which cannot be separated using iPad. The two separate signals can be separated by transferring your session to a Mac. Other apps are available which allow recording to two separate tracks simultaneously.

I just saw this new M-Audio interface for <$100 that seems impressive. My original M-Audio from years ago cost several hundred just to get phantom power and MIDI into the same box:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/pro-audi ... ith-ignite

I wonder about the quality, but the features are impressive. It's rare to see an insert on a computer audio interface! Wish mine had one. Plus at least a bit of a meter. I use a UA-25 and I do like it a lot, but I just don't understand how someone can build a preamp without a meter and an insert on it... Seems wrong to me.

I am a fan of M-audio interfaces and have owned quite a few of them. I find that software metering is just fine for me. I also rarely use inserts because I don't really have external boxes other than preamps. What do you use your inserts for?

I have some external gear I'd like to incorporate. In the past I haven't used any, so it hasn't mattered. But I picked up an RNC that'd be fun to throw in. I can use it, but it means having to first run through a mixer :-/ The problem I have with no meters on the interface is that you can't tell how close you are to clipping. I guess it's not as big a deal with digital, but I still try to get the signal as hot as I can.