Best buy Usb audio interface for Sonar X1 64 bit

 I need your advise, guys.... 

Focusrite Scarlett 8i6 
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Scarlett8i6

Roland Quad Capture
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/QuadCapture

with Sonar X1, Win7 64....  

Thanks!!

  The Scarlet has 2 additional TRS intputs in the back and 4 line outputs though...and the preamps are by Focusrite.... 

...more i/o options than the quad....

I like my Quad Capture. Very stable drivers. Latency is good. 
Pres sound good, although there is a couple oddities that the following thread explains:
http://forum.cakewalk.com/tm.aspx?m=2402520

Jonbouy, would you mind testing something out for me?

If you turn on Hi-Z on your quad capture, then go into your quad capture software panel and turn up the sens knob for pre #1.. When the knob hits 42 do you get a pop/click? You should see a small signal spike on the meter in the panel. 


 

audiyo

Jonbouy, would you mind testing something out for me?

If you turn on Hi-Z on your quad capture, then go into your quad capture software panel and turn up the sens knob for pre #1.. When the knob hits 42 do you get a pop/click? You should see a small signal spike on the meter in the panel. 

Yes, confirmed.

It doesn't happen everytime, around once every 3 times, it's not a loud click but it's there breifly.

I can't see it causing me an issue in use but it is there and always at 42 when it happens so I'd say you were onto something.

Guys, what about the buzzing sound as reported when you switch to Hi-Z mode....doesn't that get recorded too?

I just bought the octa capture  (please come soon mr fed ex man!!)....nothing but great reviews with sonar.

Can hardly wait to throw my presonus in the river...(I wont...it is still a stand alone mixer, but can hardly wait to get off fire wire.)

JR

I am a very happy Octa-Capture user. I have two of them strapped together through the S/PDIF ports on the back to give me 16 ASIO channels. The Quad-Capture is the little brother so results will be similar. I love the per port compression and limiter. Keeps some of my crazier synths from liquidating my brain and my speakers. I don't have any issues with the high Z settings because I don't use them. I run strictly keyboards and other synths through mine. I don't really use the mic pre-amps because I have Grace 101 pre-amps that I use instead. I have tried them out just for grins and they are pretty decent but not of the same caliber as a Grace 101 (no surprise there). I will say that the pre-amps are at least as good as the ones on my firewire MOTU 828 MKII.

I also like the fact that each port has a noise gate. I use some vintage synths and they can be very noisy so the noise gate helps. I also like that I can use the pre-amps to boost up signals for my Waldorf Blofeld (which has notoriously low output) but also have the limiter in place.

The documentation on the product is very good also. Sometimes this kind of thing is overlooked but you don't want to get the thing and spend all day just figuring out some basic stuff. It is a solidly engineered piece with very stable and fast drivers. I run mine at 96Khz/24 bit.

I put a forum topic on here about my experience with getting these to work properly so check that out. Biggest issue is do NOT put it on a USB 3.0 port. It will not work. You have to use USB 2.0.

Jonbouy

vicsant


Guys, what about the buzzing sound as reported when you switch to Hi-Z mode....doesn't that get recorded too?

No, the levels of control you'd be working within with Hi-Z enabled still yeild a good signal to noise ratio. 

As I've replied on the linked thread you'd never have the levels up to the point where noise was an issue when needing to use a Hi-Z input.  It's just that the sensitivity in Hi-Z goes way further than you'd ever use.  For example if I have it cranked up full I can even hear my mousewheel polling the motherboard it's that sensitive. 

What he said. In tracking, I've never had the levels up high enough to notice any noise. As far as the buzz is concerned, It's mainly just that when you're in Hi-Z mode and you start cranking up the gain really high, the inherent noise of the pre sounds a bit more like hum than the hiss you'll hear when you have Hi-Z turned off. 

Also, In the other thread we were testing using headphones with the direct mix at high gain so it makes things like this more noticeable. Make no mistake though, the quad capture is an excellent sounding interface. Awesome drivers too. I've been running it at the lowest latency from the get go and it hasn't skipped a beat.

Recently I had to make a similar choice.
 
I tried the M-Audio FastTrack Ultra. I have a mic and a keyboard. The mic pre was not good enough for me. I then tried Scarlette 8i. It had an excellent mic Pre, but the major problem was I could not use it stand-alone without the pc on (Fasttrack could do it). I then tried Focusrite Saffire Pro 24 (Firewire). It has the same excellent mic Pre and is able to run standalone without the PC on. I finally settled for the Focusrite Saffire Pro24.
 
I could not use the Roland Quad Capture as it has only 2 analog ins. The octa capture is an option but over my budget.
 
Now I am more than happy with my selection of Focusrite Saffire Pro 24. The only catch is I had to make sure I had a TI chipset Firewire port, and use the 2.2 version of the Saffire software.

Yeah Id go for a 18i Focusrite if I new the low sample rate could be trusted? Also think the bundled plugs look good.As far as trustworthy/budget maybe Quadcapture but,I dont want yet another version of SONAR LE! I have 3 already! cant give em away! The Octacapture but theyre 800 bucks here and our dollar just sank below yours[US] I really[really] crave an RME FireFace UC its TOTALY usb[despite the fire part]only 2 pres but easily the best USB drivers.I have a UA-25EX which was forced on me after buying a TASCAM US600 THAT NEVER WORKED! no matter what! the only thing the store had they would swap was the UA. AWFUL interface,28ms rtl,lowest without crackles or shutdown,and no this PC has good DPC etc etc.RME Babyface a close second to the FF UC.Im sooo put off from the sub $400 price range after the horrid experience with TASCAM/cake-old,Im sure[?] cake NEW is fine-yes?

That UA1000 looks good,someone was selling a UA100 for $600! on ebay in AU the other day,I cant believe the UA25 is so crap [and Im definitely NOT alone on this] and its in the same cat. from EDIROL for that year[which Id never seen before]and never new a "1000" model even existed.At least the 100/1000 are USB 2.0 the 25 is USB 1.1 which may be why.....

How good are these compared to my Edirol UA-101?

I am a Scarlett user and I would highly recommend it. Roland stuff is usually decent though so you would probably fine with either one of the options.

CjbAn


Recently I had to make a similar choice.
 
I tried the M-Audio FastTrack Ultra. I have a mic and a keyboard. The mic pre was not good enough for me. I then tried Scarlette 8i. It had an excellent mic Pre, but the major problem was I could not use it stand-alone without the pc on (Fasttrack could do it). I then tried Focusrite Saffire Pro 24 (Firewire). It has the same excellent mic Pre and is able to run standalone without the PC on. I finally settled for the Focusrite Saffire Pro24.
 
I could not use the Roland Quad Capture as it has only 2 analog ins. The octa capture is an option but over my budget.
 
Now I am more than happy with my selection of Focusrite Saffire Pro 24. The only catch is I had to make sure I had a TI chipset Firewire port, and use the 2.2 version of the Saffire software. 

I am pretty sure the Quad-Capture has more than two analog ins. The Octa-Capture is basically the same thing and each port can definitely be used as analog ins except for the S/PDIF ports. I am not saying that there are other options that you may find more suitable but it should be judged on its actual merits or detriments.

vicsant


Guys, what about the buzzing sound as reported when you switch to Hi-Z mode....doesn't that get recorded too?

Yes.
 
I am doing a blues album and using a Fender Jazz Bass.
 
In slow songs with gaps you hear the buzzing.
 
And when I master the final product (compression) it is obtrusive.