jason r
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Need help chosing a Audio interface/Usb mixer
I am giving myself a headache trying to choose a new audio interface. I am currently running a Mackie 1202VLZ into my NI Traktor Kontroller S4 (which acts as my soundcard), but this causes me too many problems I need to have 4 synths connected with a spare or more inputs. My shortlist so far in probable order is - Edirol/Roland M-16DX
- Behringer Xenyx X1622USB
- Allen & Heath Zed 14
Pros for the M-16DX are 48Khz and 24 bit, Room compensation(very nice touch),Finaliser function,Intergration with Sonar X1 Cons are few.... No XLR outs for my monitors(its the way I prefer to connect them) and Rotary faders The pros and cons for the Behringer and the Zed 14 are really the opposite to the above (although I understand the Zed 14 works as a controller for Sonar?). Any help please appreciated, particularly if you own any of these devices(cost between the 3 is not a factor). Will be working in conjunction with my Roland A-800Pro midi keyboard. Thanks
post edited by jason r - 2012/07/29 18:40:04
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Mystic38
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Re:Need help chosing a Audio interface/Usb mixer
2012/07/29 22:38:20
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some members here have the zed mixers and can comment... I have (too many) hw synths and have the behringer 1622usb.. its a fine 2 bus mixer with balanced inputs, low noise and works well for synths (one monitor bus and one record bus).. decent mic preamps etc ahd its usb audio performance is decent enough but can certainly be bettered...
ultimately i added a NI Komplete audio 6 as an audio interface...and a tascam lm8-st for 8 stereo balanced input pairs.
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bobguitkillerleft
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Re:Need help chosing a Audio interface/Usb mixer
2012/07/29 22:59:15
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Hi Mystic 38,I'am interested in the N.I. Audio 6,as a USB interface upgrade,from my cakewalk UA25-EX,which works well enough,but it is only USB 1.1,and the Audio 6 apparently gets gets good marks for decent low latency performance.
What's the lowest you can run it with your listed setup,and still get decent performance?
Thank You
Bob
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OlSkoolGuy
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Re:Need help chosing a Audio interface/Usb mixer
2012/07/30 04:39:42
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Jason R.,
I can only offer advice regarding the Allen & Heath ZED 14. I have been very pleased with mine... as an analog mixer.
Thankfully, I purchased it with the main purpose of using it as a mixer, with the thought that it would be a pleasant coincidence if the USB interface met my standards. I'm sorry to say it did not.
As a mixer, it would be very difficult to find something comparable for the same price. Its USB interface left a lot to be desired.
Once I discovered there was no ASIO driver written for the ZED, and I would have to either rely on the Windows generic USB audio driver or try using ASIO4ALL drivers, I was bummed. But I gave it a chance, and tried every possible configuration (seriously). The interface WORKED, but the noise floor - of the USB interface, not the mixer circuitry - was too high for my use. I got a lower floor from a ("low-end") Alesis io2 Express box than I was ever able to get from the ZED.
I eventually bought a Focusrite Scarlett 8i6 as my interface (wonderful piece of kit), and run the output of the ZED14 into the line inputs of the 8i6. It works great for my purposes, but it sounds as though a similar scenario might not work as well for you.
SO... while I would highly recommend the ZED 14 as a pro-quality compact mixer (6 excellent mic preamps, smooth long-throw faders, 3-band swept-mid EQ, etc.), if it is crucial that it double as a primary interface, I would disqualify it.
Cheers!
Joel
OlSkoolGuy ********* X2a Prod - Win7 64 (i7 w/8GB) - A&H ZED 14 - Focusrite Scarlett 8i6 - Cakewalk UM-2G - Yamaha HS 80M monitors - Shure SM7B (and many other condenser AND dynamic mics) - tons of other hardware/software. *********
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jason r
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Re:Need help chosing a Audio interface/Usb mixer
2012/07/30 05:19:10
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Thanks for the replies. That kind of rules out the Zed 14. I can see now its only USB 1.1 compliant and found this blurb "At present, Windows 7 treats the USB audio device as a microphone source instead if a line input, so set the device volume level much lower, we found setting to 3 is ideal"
which is far from ideal, I really want to be able to record straight into Sonar via usb and without going through audio cables as well.
Mystic 38, can the Behringer be used as a control surface in any way, ie Faders on mixer control the X1 faders, and is the latency low enough not to cause any recording or playback problems (I am happy enough to sit at 16 bits as most of my stuff is bounced to mp3 anyway).
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Lightball
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Re:Need help chosing a Audio interface/Usb mixer
2012/07/30 06:00:18
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Pros for the M-16DX are 48Khz and 24 bit, Room compensation(very nice touch),Finaliser function,Intergration with Sonar X1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hello.
Fyi: The Roland M-16DX is capabel of doing 96 khz.... i do have one...
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jason r
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Re:Need help chosing a Audio interface/Usb mixer
2012/07/30 07:13:59
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Are you happy with the unit, does it do everything you require.
I am trying to understand about the finaliser option, can you play a bounced down track from Sonar into the M-16DX with the a Finaliser setting and record this back into Sonar with it Finalised? Is this routing possible.
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Klaus
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Re:Need help chosing a Audio interface/Usb mixer
2012/07/30 07:39:12
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Yes, this is possible.
You only have to choose the input channels 17/18 (normally Main/Mix OUT) in Sonar preferences to record the finalised ouput.
Regarding the XLR Monitor-Outputs, the Main-Outs of the M-16DX are XLR, so you can also choose these outs to connect your monitors.
The Room/Monitor-Outputs of the Mixing/Console are indeed TRS-Connectors, but they are symmetrical, too.
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Lightball
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Re:Need help chosing a Audio interface/Usb mixer
2012/07/30 08:33:51
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Im not using the M-16DX in my active recordings.
When i was recording with regular microphones ( on the M-16DX ) the sound was "colored".
It was most unsatisfying... that´s the main reason why i decided to get me another recording gear.
But it still not a bad "entry level" mixer...
When your skills increase, so does the hardware requirements...
As i said... its not a bad mixer, it just doesnt live up to my demands....
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jason r
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Re:Need help chosing a Audio interface/Usb mixer
2012/08/02 11:08:16
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Given the choice what would be the best option that anyone would choose. - Roland M-16DX
- Roland Octa-Capture
- Behringer Xenyx X1622USB
I only record one input at a time so multi recording is not really needed for me, but I do like to have my 4 synths/devices connected for quick playing during a project. Anyone help me in making a decision please. One thing I must add is that a number of searches reveal that room acoustic eq (a function I quite like the idea of and is a big plus in the M-16DX) is not ideal for putting across your master buss and interfering with the monitors, I do have treatment in the studio such as foam and bass traps so would I need this function at all.
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bassman69
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Re:Need help chosing a Audio interface/Usb mixer
2012/08/02 11:25:41
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the options you are considering are/were typically 2in-2out devices, yet will support many channels plugged in. are you sure you want only 2 recording channels? if not, consider stepping up to a VS-100, or a motu, or as meantioned the scarlett. the advantage of the VS-100 other than better integration with sonar, a control surface, a motorised fader, SD card recording, etc is that you can use it without the computer as a standard digital mixer, and with the computer as an 8 in 6 out device.
i wouldnt go near anything behringer if i was serious about audio quality, their preamps are rather poor.
also, remember usb 1.1 vs 2.0 is just a question of speed and bandwidth. it doesnt matter which it is, because the manufacturer's choice of 1.1 vs 2 will be governed by how much throughput they need, ie in teh case of the zed 14, there are only 2 channels in/out, so usb 1.1 is more than enough. for more, usb2.0 is required.
also consider motu,and rme. the interfaces you are listing vary GREATLY in quality and cost. the behringer isnt in the same ballpark. is cost an issue? if not, then just get a VS-700 and call it a day, or a high end motu / rme
and yes, affects are nice in live situations, but genearlly not that great when you're trying to hear exactly what is comming out of your speakers.
good luck with your choice, and keep us posted
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dahjah
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Re:Need help chosing a Audio interface/Usb mixer
2012/08/02 11:48:49
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musec03
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Re:Need help chosing a Audio interface/Usb mixer
2012/08/02 11:56:18
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AT
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Re:Need help chosing a Audio interface/Usb mixer
2012/08/02 12:01:04
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Unless you have a specific need for an external mixer, any usb interface will probably be a better deal all around, unless you can spring for something like the old A&H R-16 or whatever it was callled.
The Roland, the RME or focusrite series ought to do all you want w/ great sound quality and no patching - if you get enough inputs. The soft mixers should work fine unless you are doing a lot of analog inserting.
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AT
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Re:Need help chosing a Audio interface/Usb mixer
2012/08/02 12:03:10
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The Focusrite mixer is a killer unit, as above, but doesn't include an ADDA. However, you can use the motorized faders to mix analog w/o changing the volume hitting your digital or analog comps/eqs etc.
@
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Mystic38
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Re:Need help chosing a Audio interface/Usb mixer
2012/08/03 08:55:13
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bobguitkillerleft
Hi Mystic 38,I'am interested in the N.I. Audio 6,as a USB interface upgrade,from my cakewalk UA25-EX,which works well enough,but it is only USB 1.1,and the Audio 6 apparently gets gets good marks for decent low latency performance.
What's the lowest you can run it with your listed setup,and still get decent performance?
Thank You
Bob
hi Bob, Was out at the boat so somewhat out of touch.. The Komplete Audio 6 runs pretty good at almost any setting... I have as my default set it to 192 samples and a 1mS USB buffer.. why?... simply because when you change the driver setttings in the ASIO panel, 192 samples is the lowest setting that the X1 makes a "chirp" rather than an electronic noise "i have changed the driver" "click".. If there is anything else you need let me know..
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Mystic38
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Re:Need help chosing a Audio interface/Usb mixer
2012/08/03 10:01:22
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jason r
Given the choice what would be the best option that anyone would choose.
- Roland M-16DX
- Roland Octa-Capture
- Behringer Xenyx X1622USB
I only record one input at a time so multi recording is not really needed for me, but I do like to have my 4 synths/devices connected for quick playing during a project.
Anyone help me in making a decision please.
One thing I must add is that a number of searches reveal that room acoustic eq (a function I quite like the idea of and is a big plus in the M-16DX) is not ideal for putting across your master buss and interfering with the monitors, I do have treatment in the studio such as foam and bass traps so would I need this function at all.
Jason, 2c, Given your setup is similar to mine, i would suggest to isolate choice of mixer from your audio interface.. as a mixer, in its price range, the x1622 is a good mixer for you.. it has low noise, good isolation, the long range faders, mute/solo buttons and 2 busses allows for you to play/monitor your multiple synths/PC on one bus while recording only selected parts on t'other.. its pre-amps are not top flight, no, but they work, its fully balanced i/o is a necessity for so many synths. however as an audio interface, i would view it as a backup only... With a number of hardware synths i would strongly suggest an audio interface with 4 outs and 4 ins as a minimum... you may wish to route audio thru a synth for fx, or use multiple outputs from a synth... so imo Roland Quad capture is short on connectivity for a synth guy... focusrite 8i6 or NI KA6 are both quality interfaces at the $250 range..
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musicroom
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Re:Need help chosing a Audio interface/Usb mixer
2012/08/03 10:32:20
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I would suggest using one of the many audio interfaces offerings out there (Presonus, Focusrite) and use the internal mixers. If you want more control over the monitors then also add a small mixer.
I have a fairly inexpensive setup these days that would suit you well. I use a soundcraft notepad 124 (paid ~$80 last year on MF) and a delta 1010 (used on ebay ~$100). Great sounding interface with plenty of inputs to keep everything plugged in and a clean sounding monitor path. Going this way would also allow for some of the interface/mixer cash to be applied to an outboard preamp if you don't already have one.
Just a thought...
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cclarry
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Re:Need help chosing a Audio interface/Usb mixer
2012/08/03 10:55:39
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jason r
Given the choice what would be the best option that anyone would choose.
- Roland M-16DX
- Roland Octa-Capture
- Behringer Xenyx X1622USB
I only record one input at a time so multi recording is not really needed for me, but I do like to have my 4 synths/devices connected for quick playing during a project.
Anyone help me in making a decision please.
One thing I must add is that a number of searches reveal that room acoustic eq (a function I quite like the idea of and is a big plus in the M-16DX) is not ideal for putting across your master buss and interfering with the monitors, I do have treatment in the studio such as foam and bass traps so would I need this function at all.
I'd opt for the OctaCapture... Several "bonuses" 1. 8 inputs with nice preamps 2. Hardware compression (not a great bonus, but still a bonus) 3. Interconnectivity...if, for some reason you want more inputs...just buy another one and 16 inputs 4. Extremely low latency 5. 192 Khz recording capability. I currently use a Quad-Capture, and the VS preamps are quite nice for a device in it's price range... I will either buy a StudioLive 16.0.2 for my next interface (provided I upgrade my pc with firewire) or an Octacapture... I would also consider, seeing as that you'd like to connect 4 synths and still have channels available... The Presonus 1818 VSL...you get 8 inputs, decent preamps, and the Virtual Studio Live software with the Phat Channel effects.. But, that's just my opinion, and they're like A**holes...everybody has one...
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cclarry
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Re:Need help chosing a Audio interface/Usb mixer
2012/08/03 11:04:20
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musicroom
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Re:Need help chosing a Audio interface/Usb mixer
2012/08/03 14:48:40
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jason r
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Re:Need help chosing a Audio interface/Usb mixer
2012/08/03 19:43:29
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Thanks guys, some good info to take in and consider my choices. To throw it into a harder choice I have been offered, a as new M-16DX mixer/interface for £250 which is a very very good price, so now its even harder to make my mind up LOL. Wish I could make things easy for myself  But I really want to make a choice not to regret. Thanks.
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