X-3 best interface

It should work. Most people on here really dig the Focusrite Scarlett series of interfaces. They come in lots of different sizes, eg the 2i2, 2i4 and 2i6 to name a few of the smaller ones.

I have a Mobile Pre which worked mostly OK with X2. Occasional audio dropouts was something I never seemed to iron out. So I bought a Mackie Onyx, which was great, until I switched to X3/WIN8 (I was on WIN7), and I had major problems. It just refused to work sometimes and X3 wouldn't even see it. So I followed suit, mostly based upon info from this forum, and got a Scarlet 2i2, which has been almost faultless. I have just purchased a Scarlet 8i6 for some extra inputs. Couldn't be happier.
 
Try your Mobile Pre first if you don't plan on changing from win7. If not, I too highly recommend the Scarlett range.
 
regards Dave.

Quick question for you Scarlett users: is the only significant difference between the 2i4 and the 6i6 the number of inputs, or are the preamps of better quality? 

rcrees

sharke
Quick question for you Scarlett users: is the only significant difference between the 2i4 and the 6i6 the number of inputs, or are the preamps of better quality? 

I think the preamps are the same… and very good.  This seems like a commercial for Focusrite, but I also LOVE my Scarlett 2i2.  

Hmm if they're the same then I might just go for the 2i2. I never record more than 2 things at once....

If you can go the long dollar, get the Focusrite Forte....
It has the RedNet preamps in it...which are a big step
up from the Scarlett Series...

Uh - your Mobile Pre interface may continue to work just fine.
 
Just make sure your drivers are up to date for it, AND make sure your settings for the interface and for Sonar are appropriate.
 
Here is the link to the drivers currently available for the Mobile Pre:
 
http://avid.force.com/pkb/articles/en_US/download/MobilePre-Drivers?popup=true&NewLang=en&DocType=1450&q=MOBILE+PRE&spell=1&site=avid_en-us_default%7Cavid_en-us_pressreleases%7Cavid_en-us_default%7Cavid_en-us_pressreleases%7Cmaudio_en-us_default%7Cpinnacle_us_default%7Csibelius_us_default%7Ckbase_en-us_default
 
If you scroll down a bit, you will see the current Windows release, which includes up to Windows 8.1, so that should be just fine.
 
As far as settings, I would suggest as a starting point, for recording in Sonar:
 
Audio interface: Sample Rate of 48 k, ASIO Buffer Size of 128
Sonar: Driver Mode of ASIO, Sample Rate of 48 k, Record Bit-Depth of 24 bits.
 
Please give those a try and note that I suggest those for recording in Sonar.  Once you move on to mixing, you will likely need to bump your ASIO Buffer Size up to as high as 1024, to give your mixing plugins enough room to do what they do, for effects such as: Perfect Space and Boost 11 (and others).
 
Tracking/Recording: use low latency, small ASIO Buffer Size
Mixing/MasteringL use high latency, large ASIO Buffer Size
 
Good luck, 
 
Bob Bone
 

Well, Alex, at least we are on the same page today (don't know if that's good or bad yet, but it's a start)
 
:)
 
Did you see my PM from the other day?
 
Bob Bone
 

I have the scarlett 6i6 and I wrote a review explaining why I chose it over the 2i2 or the 2i4. 
There is some important differences in features for, in my case only $40 more in price than the 2i4. 
 
Inputs- front panel 2 are combi for Mike/Line or instrument. ( 2i2,2i4 yes) 
Inputs -rear panel 2 line bal line  ( 2i2 no,2i4 yes) 
4 analog balanced outputs   ( 2i2 no, 2i4 yes  ) 
SPDIF in/out = your 5/ 6    ( 2i2 ,2i4 no) 
Real MIDI in/out   (2i2 no, 2i4 yes ) 
2 Headphone channels   ( 2i2 ,2i4 no) 
Mix control software, ( 2i2 , 2i4 no ) 
Mix control shines for cue mixes. The 6i6 can have 4 separate headphone mixes, 2 stereo, 2 mono. You can send any track from Sonar to these cue mixes without disrupting your Sonar mix as they will be there own buss you can add to any track. The power of the Mix Control software alone is worth $40 if you need cue mixes. 
 
I believe the pre amps will be the same on all models. They are OK for the price. Read my review for comments. 
I will say most important of all is there was a big performance jump with using the Focusrite drivers over the Tascam's ( ya, no surprise eh! ) I never get the drop outs I would get with the tascam when using certain heavy CPU plug ins now. It was the reason I got fed up one day with the tascam and got in my car and bought the 6i6 , it was pre meditated not impulse but I'm pretty stoked. And talk about solid and portable. It's made out of metal, not plastic.  
 
http://www.gearslutz.com/board/reviews/906141-focusrite-scarlett-6i6.html
 
 

Did somebody say Roland....?  I'm trying to remember .....Roland? Something surpressed is going on... :)

V 100

It's in my signature ( small print ) and was the same as yours, I still use it on my office/movie/entertainment desktop and if I take my laptop to record a whole band. I think for the money they were a good unit for channel count. It's just the driver performance when mixing and using soft synths and effect is half of what I'm getting now with  the same computer,,,, there is a big difference in drivers. It's something people need to be aware of as you won't know until you try something with good drivers what was wrong in the first place. 
I see Roland mentioned above, That's like the Tascam as far as drivers go,, a low performer. Focusrite seems to put a good effort into customer support and working on improving the drivers so therefore the popularity is growing. They will soon be on par with Lynx and RME. 

Thanks John. Not enough coffee yet, or I would have seen that! LOL     
    It's funny that you have both, as I started thinking I could upgrade the 1641 to a Scarlett and get the SPL for it's benefits, and swap them around depending what I am doing at the moment. Buying both though, does get a lot closer to an RME I/O......$ wise.
 
Michael

Here's a link to SOS' review of the SPL Crimson.
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/may14/articles/spl-crimson.htm
and Craig Anderton's OctaCapture review
http://thehub.musiciansfriend.com/computer-audio-reviews/hands-on-review-roland-octa-capture-audio-interface
 
When I think about I/O much, I miss my Aardvark Q10. That thing sounded great!
Michael

Wouldn't it be nice if Tascam, now that it is connected to Cakewalk...(HINT HINT) updated their drivers for their interfaces, like the us1641 and later models.
Seems like a waste, and it also seems like their habit.
Michael
 

@ CakeAlexS
Exactly, but since they "move on", I am more likely to consider another brand that updates their drivers while I am using it.
    I've had lots of Tascam (Teac, too) gear over the past 38 years, that I have really appreciated. I would like to continue to use it, too, though that would updating drivers. For me this "disappointment" started with when I had my DA38s(4) and pci822 card. It didn't stop me from buying the us1641, but now I am going to avoid more of it.
Michael