This is my new Asus Laptop-i7 new gen, tons of everything. I want to use it to play back mostly audio backing tracks made by me on my desktop daw. Maybe some midi later, maybe not. NO recording but I want to run the backing tracks individually just bass, drums and keys into my mixer then out to my QSC K10's. Small venue one man rtype stuff. Guitars and vocals straight into mixer of course. Really don't want to go too overboard, maybe $300-$400???
Thanks

Wow-I never thought the internal soundcard would be this unusable. Really terrible distortion. I knew it would be pretty bad, but wow. I am going to play for the first time in years at a company party. I just figured i could use the laptop and the projects I made in X2 on my daw and playback on the laptop.
Maybe the usb interface is the missig link. I'm screwed otherwise.

How many ins and outs?  Mic/line?  Phantom power?  You say just drums, etc, but drums alone can be a couple to as many as 10 or more, so please be more specific so we know how to help you better.

Please provide some additional info so folks can weigh in on this for you.

Please also be aware that some interfaces do and do not like USB 3.0

Some do or do not even have Windows 7 drivers.

I use a Presonus Audiobox 1818 VSL as my interface.  It runs fine on either Win 7 or 8 in x32 or x64 mode.  It has been quite stable.  Check specs and cost on the standard sites Guitar Center, Sweetwater, Musician's Friend, etc.

As long as you make sure you check for driver compatibility, it really comes down to the balance of cost and features.  I really like my Presonus.  there are lots of others to look at that will work.

Bob Bone

You have plenty of horsepower in your computer - YES an audio interface will fix that nonsense from the internal sound card.  You were likely also using the WDM drivers, which will not cut it.

The external interface will take the load off of the CPU, while providing good ASIO drivers and whatever in/out configuration you settle on.

So again, please be more specific on the ins and outs and such.

Bob Bone

Stratman : il address this on a few levels !! 1- outa the box that laptop will need updates and tweeking 2- if you want quality you will need 8 outs or more, you didnt say what your auctualy going todo whit this setup 3- if your doing this live to play tracks see you use a small quality Upsupply you dont want lock-up !! feel free to PM for laptop support !!

Hey Robert,
This is not a paid gig-I am an old rocker-only been in my home studio for the last 15 years but I play everyday. I bought the QSC K10's just for this. The laptop I had already.
 
I was just going to seperate the drums and bass and keys to their own mono track so 3 outs. I mean if I was totally back in the pro game I would do it a bit different. but I may get back into a gig a month or so. I have played as a one man , probably thousands of times in my life. I have strong vocals and a strong guitar-using my Strats and even some accoustic stuff, which is fine with just the mixer and the 10's.
So I guess 4 outs. I don't play large venues and i get a very clean crisp sound (used to I mean) That was in the Q-80 sequencer days-yup, that far back. Been in many bands and duos, trios, etc.
 
I just take my time mixing the drums so they always sound ok. Later I might sepereate the kick and snare, but this gig in front of all my fellow workers who have never heard me play is -well, ego important :-)
 
I was thinking about one of the rolands. I also need something that I can master pretty quick.
 
well, those are most of the facts
Thanks again
Frank

StarTekh


Stratman : il address this on a few levels !! 1- outa the box that laptop will need updates and tweeking 2- if you want quality you will need 8 outs or more, you didnt say what your auctualy going todo whit this setup 3- if your doing this live to play tracks see you use a small quality Upsupply you dont want lock-up !! feel free to PM for laptop support !!

Hey ST
 
Didn't see this. I posted below what I am going to do in the immediate future-Like next week. I have uninstalled all the bloat and would have no problem just reinstalling W7x64 and the needed Asus and nvidea drivers only.
 
I guess I cut my lead time a bit short :-). I am a retired M$ Tech, but mmany moons have passed. The laptop is pretty spiffy, everything not needed is off. But still some Asus stuff I need to lookup to see what it is or just reformat. I have a Win7x64 DVD that I haven't installed o anything. Also have a win8 Dvd.
 
I read that the usb backard comp issues were mostly with bus powered interfaces?
Thanks

stratman : thanks !! if you do video drivers and asus chipset drivers and turn off speedstep in bios things will runn better. address power management too.. as for the interface ...doing drums requires a out for each drum... if you want it pro..

StarTekh


stratman : thanks !! if you do video drivers and asus chipset drivers and turn off speedstep in bios things will runn better. address power management too.. as for the interface ...doing drums requires a out for each drum... if you want it pro..

No need for pro drums. Small venue stuff at the most. My heart is in my studio. But I don't want garbage either.
I'm doing some originals but lots of covers. More for fun and some mad $$$:-)
 
Nor to sound like a jerk, but as I stated I have a very strong vocal and a stong guitar. That's where I want the focus anyway. but, your right, I know- so maybe just like I said, give the kick and snare their own tracks would get a bit closer.

Also should add-my avatar. With the axeFXII and the qsc K10's and have avery tight controled sound, which dos help a lot.