What audio interface / soundcard for home recording?

[hans]

I like to expand on the other topic about what software is preferred for recording, to what hardware is preferred in addition to a computer.
Do you prefer a certain kind of USB audio interface, a certain card (for PC), or what?

[eskin]

I've used an M-Audio Audiophile 24/96 for many years and like it very much.

[highland-piper]

About 10 years ago I bought a Turtle Beach Santa Cruz sound card. It has good specs for a sound card. It's not as good as a "real" audio interface, but it's probably good enough that it's not the weakest link in my system (which is probably my mixer).

I'd like to have a real audio interface. M-Audio seems like it has a lot going for it. But I really don't record enough to make it worth spending money on. If I was going to buy one, it would definitely need to have 4 balanced inputs. I think begin able to record 4 tracks at once, instead of two, would be a big plus.

[Feadoggie]

Hans. I've used the hardware products from Echo Audio for the last 15 years or so, like the Gina and Layla. I use the light-pipe interface mostly but the analog inputs work fine as well, very quiet and reliable. I'm using two Gina3G's for my primary recording configuration these days but the older Darla, Layla and Gina24 are still working just as they did when I got them years ago. Echo has been terrific about updating their drivers as new operating systems come along too. I am a long time user of Cakewalk's recording software - Sonar Producer Edition 8.5 at the moment. I have most other available packages installed too. The Echo interfaces have never caused a glitch with any software product.

I've also used a few USB interfaces as well. Some interfaces with built-in preamps that I have used have performed not so well, IMO. That included some early M-Audio USB products (Omni, Duo and Quattro). I have little experience with their current line of products but I will say that they generally have offered good products, IME. I have since settled on using my traditional mixers (Mackie, Alesis and Behringer) for line/mic inputs and adding a seperate USB audio interface to get to the PC. Roland/Edirol (UA-1EX) and Behringer's(UCA-200/202/222) have worked transparently and without driver issues in that set-up. Companies like Behringer now provide a built-in USB output on many of their desktop mixers.

I have also used a few USB mics going directly into the computer. These can suffer if you do not have a way of controlling the gain on the mic's input. Better manufacturers will provide a piece of software to do this.

I do a fair amount of recording. I have a dedicated studio in my home and I do some field recording as well. I've been through a few laptops recently looking for one that is not inherently noisy for location recording. It seems like there are no bargains out there. Proper shielding only seems to come with higher priced laptops, IME. If I only need two tracks I have a Zoom H2 and a dedicated Fostex hard-disk recorder that work well but I'd like the flexibility of using a PC.

Feadoggie

[technowhistle]

Hans,

I have used a Tascam US-144mkII in the past for various recording work.

It has 2 mic inputs one of which can be used as a guitar input instead. It has phantom power switch. Headphone output, digital in and out, midi in and out and phono line out.

Under Windows 7 64bit it works well, and should work well on any platform as long as your DPC Latency is ok.

Google it for more info....


I have recently upgraded to a bigger version tascam us-1641.

So its yours in exchange for one of your nice whistles or paypal. PM me if interested...

[DjElfo]

Hans,

I have used a Tascam US-144mkII in the past for various recording work.

It has 2 mic inputs one of which can be used as a guitar input instead. It has phantom power switch. Headphone output, digital in and out, midi in and out and phono line out.

Under Windows 7 64bit it works well, and should work well on any platform as long as your DPC Latency is ok.

Google it for more info....


I have recently upgraded to a bigger version tascam us-1641.

So its yours in exchange for one of your nice whistles or paypal. PM me if interested...

Tascam is a good solid brand with great reviews and good prices. I was looking to get one but decided to stick with my current M Audio Fastrack Pro. Works good and fine. I don't really like it but for no founded reason.
It depends how much you have to spend and what your looking to do with it.

ps just saw that this thread is a few months old so... either way



Aelfo

[hans]

Well I got a second hand M-Audio Audiophile 2496 PCI card, which works well on the whole. Occasionally a recording is overlaid with a high-pitched crackle noise, and I have not found out what the cause for that is. I may need to add some RAM memory on this oldish motherboard.

[technowhistle]

hans,

First, well done on getting your m-audio product! They have a good reputation.

Second the crackle can (possibly) be fixed by increasing the size of the buffer on the card's ASIO drivers.

If you are using Windows Vista, considor downgrading or upgrading to XP or 7 as vista can be cause of some problems for Audio Interfaces.