Audio interfaces with Sonar X3

Hi all - I may be in the market for a new audio interface (my current one is pretty old - although it is very good quality).
My goal is to capture high-quality mic'ed audio into Sonar X3.
Recommendations?

TASCAM's UH-7000 has fabulous audio specs and mic pres. Downside: Only two mic inputs, no guitar DI, costs about $600. Interestingly there's a five-star review on the Sweetwater product page that specifically mentions using it with Sonar X3 Producer.

I can... Focusrite Forte... Exquisite, less money...mic pres are heavenly...

Wow! Lotsa choices - thanks for the suggestions.

 Are there any brand name audio interfaces currently sold with bad drivers and poor quality mic pres?
  I can recommend the Focusrite Pro 40 because I have one and it works good. 
  I bet if I had a Personus or Tascam, I could do the same. 
  I moved to Focusrite from an E-Mu 1820m do to a lack of current driver support.
  The biggest thing that I miss from the E-Mu is the on-board effects. It was easy to set up a comfort reverb for a singers headphones at low latency. 
   That may be something that you want to consider.
 

The UFX can also use DSP FX busses for zero latency monitoring with FX like reverb and delay. You can also use DSP compression and EQ for monitoring on any channel or inject it directly into the recording chain.
 

Yes, it depends.  More inputs and/or outputs mean more money; less inputs and outs for the same price (usually) means higher quality.  I got the Tascam and it has really great converters, I could hear some difference w/ my TC Konnekt 48.  But the preamps really shine. Much better than the TC built-ins or any built-ins I've heard.  I usually use RND Portico or Warm Audios here at home - the Tascams were as good, just different, which is saying something.  They don't crap out and have enough gain and are very clean.  The 7000 has all the limitations Craig talks about and no inserts or midi.  But if you just want a stereo in/out and record acoustics, you are set to go.
 
But if you need more ins/outs, you aren't really missing out on too much quality.  It is there, not so much in conversion (you really have to be finicky to spend $600 on converters - there ain't that much difference), but in the preamps.  A good preamp is worth having, esp. one w/ transformers if all your others are IC.  But again, not necessary if you don't stress the built-ins.  I've heard/made plenty of nice sounding songs w/ a very basic interface.  If you need 8 channels you can get one of many models for about the same price as the Tascam (or Forté or RME or Audient) and do drums until the cows come home.  The room and the playing and the mics and arrangement will have a bigger impact on sound quality than conversion, or even preamps. 
 
What is nice about the Audient and RME is you can add 8 channels via ADAT.  So if you need more I/O you can add that in the future and still get the "premium" package today.
 
It just doesn't depend upon the money you want to spend anymore, it depends upon what you want to record.  I went for the Tascam 'cause I don't use more than stereo, and if I do, I can use the TCK 48.

Sonar X3e and Yamaha 01V96i.You can do a 16 track 48khz 24bit Band recording even with a I3 Laptop SSD HD.
Peace

I own the Focusrite Scarlett 6i6 and it's fine for the price point, I bought it for the good drivers. But I find the pre amps are way to touchy. Almost respond in a sluggish kinda way. Very hard to get levels perfect so you have to compromise and turn it down more than I'm used to with other pre's.  I think my Tascam us1641 has more robust pres.  So there you go, to each there own. 
I also use a Yamaha 01V ( the original) , via the SPDIF  which works much better than straight into the Scarlett. Not sure if Focusrite uses the same pre amps on all it's interfaces. 
That Tascam UH 7000 does look very appealing for what I do.  

Hi. I have an rme ucx. I got a price of 6 or 7 hundred less than list, so shop around. Advertised price doesn't fluctuate much.

I have several videos showing me working with my rme linked in my signature.

Love it. It is portable and you can use 3 Rme interfaces at the same time together.

Really, if I lost it, I'd have to replace it with another rme. I could never go back.

garrigus
Focusrite definitely makes some nice mic pres.
 
Scott

--
Scott R. Garrigus - http://garrigus.com - SONAR X3 Power! - http://garrigus.com/?SonarX3Power
* Author of the Cakewalk Sonar and Sony Sound Forge Power book series: http://garrigus.com/?PowerBooks
* Author of the Cakewalk Sonar ProAudioTutor video tutorial series: http://garrigus.com/?ProAudioTutor
* Publisher of the DigiFreq free music technology newsletter: http://www.digifreq.com/
* Publisher of the NewTechReview free consumer technology newsletter: http://www.newtechreview.com/

Ditto on Focusrite...after nearly five years, my Saffire Pro 40 does not seem outdated at all. It's completely transparent and I don't think about it much

I am currently using an EMU 1820m, with 1616 beta drivers, windows 8.1, all updates.
Works fine.
 
If I had to get something new now, as recently I thought I would be compelled, though obviated by replacing some unhappy capacitors, I would get a Focusrite Scarlett 18i20, cuz I need the ADAT bits.  ($500)
 
If I did not need to buy a new roof next week, I would get an Antelope Audio Zen Studio. 
(Its got ADAT.)  ($2500)
 
 
----------------
My equipment:
 
A small room containing:
 
chair (semi-comfortable)
 
steel and fiberboard table:  generic putty colored keyboard, mouse, mixer, controllers
 
Home-made wooden shelving:  monitors, turntable, tape baker, mics, cassette deck, DVD deck, notes, pencils and pens
 
Rack:  patch panels, computer, audio interface, midi interface, noise gates, AC power conditioner, Ethernet hub, shelf for notes and stuff
 
Drawers:  manuals, disks, adaptors, meters, pedals, effects, mics, headphones, and other stuff
 
Wall shelves:  tapes, manuals, parts, boxes, cables, general storage
 
Other:  keyboards, guitars, percussion things, amps, tape decks, outboard boxes, and other stuff
 

Dropped MIDI notes may be too small a "Prepare Using nnn Millisecond Buffers" setting in Preferences > MIDI > Playback and Recording. Try increasing from 250 to 500 or 750.

+1 on the Focusrite Saffire Pro 40.

two cents worth - I was disappointed with the audio quality of the one Sapphire that I tried. Wasn't my studio, so that could have been a factor. Several folks that I respect say that the new Tascam is awesome. If I had not already pulled the trigger on the Presonus 1818VSL I'd probably be torn.
 
As it is, I am quite happy with the 1818VSL. My reasons for selecting it are not terribly scientific, but if you are curious - first, I know one of the engineers that worked on the 1818VSL, I worked with him at M-Audio and I trust him to do a great job. Second, I was looking for almost the exact feature set - 8x8 analog audio, 1 or more lightpipe, 1 or more S/P-DIF, and at least 1x1 MIDI. At the time I did not expect to need the front panel controls and headphone jack, but I may end up mounting this nearby.
 
My first choice was the UAD Apollo Quad, but that was out of reach this time around. When I get it I will keep the 1818VSL as my mobile interface... unless something better comes along<G>!
 
So set your budget first, set your requirements second, if they don't match start again. Audio quality is so good on all but the bottom of the barrel that it comes down to degrees of difference, or maybe even just personal taste. So if you can, listen to the candidates. And of course ask here and elsewhere about drivers and support.
 
Hard to get the best, almost as hard to go wrong... so my goal was to avoid going wrong, and stop worrying about the best... at least until the meds wear off!