Looking for a recording interface and just heard about the VS 100

I am very new to this. My recording experience is with a 4 track and the last time I used that was 15+ years ago lol

I am going to get some recording equipment/DAW but not sure which yet. The VS100 looks appealing but I still am not sure how it all works.

I had previously been looking at a complete package that includes the Profire 610 (I have both firewire and USB on my computer). How does the VS 100 compare? I know these two devices are not identical in capabilities but they are about the same price, is the 610 that much better (I/O, quality, etc...)?

I mostly want a home recorder. I play guitar, keyboard, bass, drums and want to record them all. I also want to record my son and his band (at home).

I am not sure if the VS 100 is what I am looking for or not. Can you help me out a bit?

Thanks

I would look at the Octa-Capture instead of the VS-100 if you want to record yourself at home and your sons band... of course you are going to need other stuff you may not have thought of... mics (the band wil be using theirs) cables long enough to get to your interface, mic stands, monitors and headphones, some rom treatment for when you mix the tracks, cables for the monitors... and of course it is GAS just like with guitar playing.. there will always be something new you want... but first, if you want record a band you need more than two inputs. The Octa has 8 inputs and you can add another for 16 inputs and stil only use one device for ASIO drivers (you can only use on ASIO driver at a time on your machine) or you can put an Octa-Capture together with a VS-100 or VS-700.... or get an Alpha Track for when you want to mix with a control surface...

or... you could look ata standalone recorder like the ZOOMR-16 399.00 or R-24 499.00, both would be god for recording a band with multiple inputs then you could move the tracks into Sonar for mixing, fixing, or adding another track if needed... or the ZOOM H4-N or any of the handheld field recorders that record WAV or Mp3 24/96 to HDSC cards. They have decent built in mics and also have XLR inputs and phantom power for better mics (two mics). Then you take the HDSC card out and move the tracks into Sonar fr editing and mixing...the H4 is actually a 4-track recorder too.... I'd still use the Octa-Capture for your recording but consider getting an H4 or H4-N (or R16/R24 for field use... you can get a used one that should work just fine).
The Octa and the VS both have excellent low latency and good preamps and wil do yo a great job.
The RME Babyface has a little lower latency, slightly better preamps, and slightly better converters (from what people say... a little better than either the Octa or the VS). However you only get two inputs with either the VS-100 or the Babyface, you get 8 XLR/TRS each with independent phantom power on the Octa-Capture and you get two digital S/PDIF (because once you record into the digital world using the A/D converters you don't want to move back to analog (using D/A converters until you master) So you can use the RCA S/PDIF I/O connections if you have to do anything to move the recording... and do it staying digital. Not good to go back and forth through the converters, in once, out once.

Bottom line,,, if I were you.. I would go with the Octa-Capture and a used H4 or other handheld field recorder for the band, transfer the files to Sonar for mixing and use the Ocat for your own recording. If you find you need a control surface with a fader, try the Alphatrack (the ZOOM R16/R24 also work as a control surface, using their faders but (and I have not spent much time trying it) but I am not sure how well it works as a control surface).

Octa-Capture more inputs than you need, same drivers, preamps and converters as the VS-100. Sells for 599.00 (talk to the salesman and get them to sellit to you for 549.00, that should be easy) buy it from somewherelike Sweetwater uness you are in TN so you get free shipping and no sales tax.

You will be pleased with either.

Julien