Best Audio interface with Win7

I'm looking to buy an audio interface for my laptop.  I have an m-audio firewire 410 for my desktop but it wont load onto my laptop.  I want something that can run out of the box.  I am about to upgrade to the latest sonar today and record voice and an occasional guitar.  Everything else is virtual instrument.  I keep hearing bad things about m-audio and can attest to their weak support service.  Can someone advise on what is actually working with Win7?



Asus i5 m430 2.27 GHz, 4GB ram  win7

Hello naz062,
 
I don't know if you have already made another purchase, but I also have the M-Audio Firewire 410. I ran into the same problem with the interface when I was running 8.5 Producer Edition and needed the upgrade to Windows 7. The support was a let down from what was a good working relationship. The drivers from the M-Audio site when installed did nothing for Sonar 8.5 Producer Edition. I was able to load the Firewire software onto my Windows 7 HP 64 bit system, but could not get it to work with 8.5. It pretty much became a paperweight for about one year. So when I upgraded to Sonar X1, I didn't even think to setup the M-Audio Firewire 410. I recently was looking at the Focusrite Pro 24, and really didn't want to shell out another $400.00 bucks. So I just took a chance and connected the the 410 to my HP dv7-3085dx, and what do you know it clicked. There was nothing new added from M-Audio, so it has to be something that went on with Cakewalk to get it functional. I know that it shows up in Sonar X1 and records clean and the playback is stable. I have done a few recordings and no real issues. I don't know what changed, but it must be something in Sonars programming that probably helped. I don't think that I downloaded the Sonar X1a patch, but I am using the ASIO drivers and they work. Hope this helps, before you have to attempt a purchase.
 
Fearnott Inc

grey36..im with you..bought the focusrite usb 6..i love it..no probs at all..heres two to stay away from..mackie black jack..drivers arent supported..dont care what they say...read their forums..#2..the presonus audiobox..it will work but its downfall is it clips and no matter what you do with the volume controls they wont go down.and sonar doesnt support input volume(you set your input volume by your interface)so dont go their...the alesis io2..it will work but its a plug and play and youll need to use asio4all.not what id be wanting..these 4 ive tried..i settled on the saffire usb 6..its only 1.1usb..but i havent herd a difference..the preamps rock

Alright, Focusrite Saffire 6 USB, it is.  Im gonna go bite the bullet today and will report how it works when I get it running.  Thanks for the feedback.

Audio interface device allows users to send audio signals to a computer for processing, recording, or in order to further implement the command. Audio interface devices such as microphones allow users to interact with your computer in order to record a voice message, or to move software.

naz062


Alright, Focusrite Saffire 6 USB, it is.  Im gonna go bite the bullet today and will report how it works when I get it running.  Thanks for the feedback.

naz been over a month..i wonder how you made out?

My Roland Octa-Capture arrived on Monday.  I worked late so I wasn't able to connect it until Tuesday night and I must say it is AMAZING!!  This is much better than my Presonus Firepod.  No noise, no pops, no clicks, the drivers worked perfrectly with Win 7, 64 bit!!!  The built in patchbay, Mixer section and auto sensing is just incredible..  I highly recommed this unit if you really need a multiple I/O interface.  When I connect it to my preamp and the sound was still true and crisp.

No more firewire junk for me. 

Peace !! 

Artdude


thx for the info Charlie.  you stated in the above post that:  "mackie black jack..drivers aren't supported..dont care what they say"  I'm glad i didn't get it then, but i DID get the Onyx Blackbird rack-mount and it works flawlessly in my Win7 64-bit system using Sonar 8.5 (don't know about X1).  I was using a Delta 1010 before the Blackbird.  I noticed the low end freq weren't very 'full' when playing a project through the blackbird OR maybe the 1010 just had too much low end. God how does one figure out these things .

I am having massive drop out issues with a Mackie Onyx Blackbird. Would you mind sharing with me precisely what settings you are using please? Many thanks.

I was recently considering picking up a Quad Capture, I currently use a Line6 UX-1 and it's been good for several years but I need more inputs and headphone volume control would be good. With the UX-1 I have Pod Farm witch I love for all my amp sims. I dont think it will work with a Quad Capture. Is this true? Is it a dongle thing? 
Does the Quad come with any additional software?