New Interface that works well with Sonar.

Tascam UH-7000.  fantastic sound quality both as a converter and preamp, stable, usb.  High latency, tho  I just heard that USB 3 works better.  No inserts, but separate line and preamp inputs.  It was higher end for cost, but it has dropped to $400.  Best bang for buck you'll find if you can afford it.
 
@

im only a virgin at recording but i just purchased  the Focusrite Forte talk about seamless it took less than 5 minutes...been using solidly for 2 days no dropouts & the clarity is fantastic....with my other interface Roland Quadcapture i was rebooting every half hour...surprised iv got any hair left

RME (UFX) - Solid as a rock, amazing quality and always works.   I've had Focusrite and Tascam and RME is by far the best.   Remember this:  You do get what you pay for.

Focusrite makes extremely good interfaces and their driver support/customer service is top notch. I'm very happy with my Focusrite 2i4.
 
http://us.focusrite.com/usb-audio-interfaces/scarlett-2i4

RME Babyface here, Solid performance with Sonar.
 
Rocky

Hard to beat the Lynx Audio stuff, great support and the quality of A/D is best bang for buck, pro level.

stxx
RME (UFX) - Solid as a rock, amazing quality and always works.   I've had Focusrite and Tascam and RME is by far the best.   Remember this:  You do get what you pay for.

Just sold my 2 x FF800s and bought an RME UFX with the ARC. Best money I've spent in years. Yes RME have some of the best gear going.

200bpm
I second the UFX or any RME product for that matter.
 
Regarding the UH7000, I am intrigued by that for $400.  Would adding one of those to my UFX be an upgrade in sound quality?  I would use it for D/A conversion to main monitors and maybe headphones (although the UFX headphones are great.)  Does it have a facility to use an external clock, or should the UFX clock to the Tascam?
 
My UFX pres are all tied up with dedicated mics and I could use a couple more mic pres.
 
 
 
 

I've worked w/ RME but not here at home.  The UH7000 is a step up from TC Konnekt, which I've always thought as = to RME for conversion and both a half-step below Lynx.  But any of 'em will get the job done.  Where the UH7000 does shine is the preamps - top notch. I like transformers but have no problem using them.  Top notch clean preamps.  At a pro studio here the owner thought they were worth the original list - $600, just for the pres.  He uses an SSL console and has 8 api channels.  And of course the preamps go through conversion before output, which gives you an idea of how good the conversion sounds.  The preamps should kick the RMEs.
 
The DA is nice - I use my unit the same way you envision it, tho I use it for AD too over my TCK (the 7000 has separate line inputs).  The 7000 can be switched via software for AES or Spdif - which carries the word clock.  I bought a lynx adaptor cable for sub $10 for AES to Spdif w/ my TCK.
 
If you are integrating it into a system digitally, you get all the benefits and none of the problems w/ high latency drivers (tho some claim usb 3 helps).  As far as sound quality, it is on a planet on its own for the price.  I wouldn't call it the equivalent of the lynx Hilo which some claim, but you can't do much better even at a much higher cost.  The Forté and Crimson and Baby face all cost more.  I'm not sure why Tascam is selling them so cheap, since they seem to be still producing them.  I can only think that the drivers cost them sells.  The hardware is superb.
 
@

I just looked if I am reading correctly the UFX is 30 in Interface.  I just need 2 inputs 4 at most.
Probably a little overkill for my needs.
John

There's a thread in the Hardware forum and the OP was having offset issues with a Tascam us1800. So I ran a test with my us1641 which is the same unit more or less and found the drivers are not reporting latency properly to Sonar. The OP was getting a 2,000 sample offset. 
I froze a drum track (Track 7)  and that was perfectly in sync with the midi,( track 6)  but the loopback audio was ahead by about 400 samples in both normal ( Track 8)  and High ( track 9) buffer settings. WDM ( track 10)  was late by 800 ms. 

 
I then ran the same test with my Scarlett 6i6 and it was Bang on every time. So which interface do you want to use for recording? 
I think people are mostly unaware that this is going on with some interface drivers and running the loop back test is a must. 
So any UH 7000 owners willing to try the test? I'm curious as that unit is of great interest to me too. But if the drivers are the same old Tascam drivers forget it. 

jpenchosky
One thing to keep in mind with the UH7000 is you cannot bypass the mic pre's. I was looking hard at this unit but that was a show stopper. I'm looking at a replacement for my Scarlett 2i4 and the Audient id22 gets really good reviews. The RME babyface also gets high praise and I've read that RME has the best driver support of any of the companies. SPL Crimson is another to look at.
 
 

200bpm
I second the UFX or any RME product for that matter.
 
Regarding the UH7000, I am intrigued by that for $400.  Would adding one of those to my UFX be an upgrade in sound quality?  I would use it for D/A conversion to main monitors and maybe headphones (although the UFX headphones are great.)  Does it have a facility to use an external clock, or should the UFX clock to the Tascam?
 
My UFX pres are all tied up with dedicated mics and I could use a couple more mic pres.
 
 
 
 

I would only use it with mic pres on the inputs.  I dont have any analog gear that would need to connect directly.
 
Still, for $400 for just its D/A, phone amp and monitoring section, and two high quality clean pres it is still a bargain even if you don't use the USB.

I use v studio  100 with windows 8.1 just fine very stable. what exactly is it not doing. maybe I can help

+100 RME Babyface, some of the best money I've spent on audio gear. The drivers are rock solid, the mix software is top notch and the unit sounds amazing.

200bpm

thornton
I use v studio  100 with windows 8.1 just fine very stable. what exactly is it not doing. maybe I can help

This is probably the best answer.  Why spend money if what you have will work?

haha...good question!

The DSP on the Tascam is pretty basic.  I guess it would be fine for adding some performance 'verb, But I tend to stay away from it.  I have top-notch digital fx from the TC Konnekt unit.  The 7000 sports a single knob for headphones and master vol.  If you switch it to control just headphones, your master vol. goes to unity.  Not ideal, but hardly a major problem if you are careful.  So I don't keep headphones plugged in unless I'm actually using them - both vols. stay under the knob.  Finally, line going through the preamps is hardly a major deal breaker.  I doubt if anyone can tell the difference without turning the vol. up to ridiculous amounts on a great system.  Ideally, again, you'd want separate ins, but there is no practical difference.  I plug my preamps (Warm, RND, and other transformer units) and synths through the line ins and it sounds excellent.
 
As to answer my own question as to why the price drop, I imagine Tascam is making some money even priced as is.  It is about right when you consider other "Premium" interfaces start about $600 for the extra features - ADAT, monitoring control, inserts.  The RME is $700.  I doubt if the 7000 is getting new drivers.  Craig says the new multi-input Tascams are getting in-house drivers while the 7000 had outside ones.  But if you just need the sound quality, you are covered.  I'm very happy w/ it.
 
@