[LAU] Recommended USB Audio Interface

Post by Mailing JS
Hi,
what would, in your opinion, be a recommended USB Audio Interface for
multitrack studio recording?
In the past, I was happy with M-Audio Delta 10/10. It was using a
PCI-Extention Card. Now, I'm searching for a replacement using USB.
It could have fewer IO-Ports and I need no Effects-Processing on the
card. Important is, if possible, out of the box connecting via jackd and
channel adjusting via alsa mixer.

Why not keep what you are using now? ALSA development has slowed to a
crawl, so the chance to replace something well-supported with something
better is not actually as large as one would think. Some kind of
comparatively inexpensive bridge to what you were using previously is
likely to work well enough.

--
David Kastrup

Len Ovens

2018-09-14 04:35:34 UTC

Post by David Kastrup

Post by Mailing JS
what would, in your opinion, be a recommended USB Audio Interface for
multitrack studio recording?
In the past, I was happy with M-Audio Delta 10/10. It was using a
PCI-Extention Card. Now, I'm searching for a replacement using USB.

Why not keep what you are using now? ALSA development has slowed to a

I would second that. I purposely bought my newest motherboard with as many
PCI slots as I could (3 as happens) so I could try my interface in each of
them. For backwards compatablility the first PCI slot supplied seems to
always use irq 16 which it shares with at least one other device (more
often more). I have a delta66 with the same ice1712 as the 1010.

If you really want to get into a USB device, it seems bigger is better.
The quality of the analog circuitry and digital conversion in 2 and 4 i/o
devices is not as good as those in 8x8 and up even in the same series
of devices. Personally, I prefer separate mic pre to the internal mic pre
cheap devices come with. (and of course the delta66 has already
forced my hand on this anyway having all line inputs)

Now, of course if your d1010 is an LT, that may make a difference as they
do not have the same ADC/DAC as the original delta 1010. (I think my d66
is less good too... though I can't hear it BTH)

--
Len Ovens
www.ovenwerks.net

Mailing JS

2018-09-14 07:49:54 UTC

Hi David,

Post by David Kastrup
Why not keep what you are using now? ALSA development has slowed to a
crawl, so the chance to replace something well-supported with something
better is not actually as large as one would think. Some kind of

Yes, I see this unfortunately development. That's a pity!

But my Device is a very old one. Nobody knows how long it will be alive
;-) Also I would replace my PC with a smaller form factor, without PCI
slots...

Jörg

Peter P.

2018-09-14 07:51:04 UTC

Post by Mailing JS
Hi David,

Yes, I see this unfortunately development. That's a pity!
But my Device is a very old one. Nobody knows how long it will be alive
;-) Also I would replace my PC with a smaller form factor, without PCI
slots...

Edirol/Roland UA25?

They are dirt cheap right now (I think their OS X drivers got
discontinued) and all settings can be made on the box, no a(lsa)mixer
needed. USB Class compliant and bus powered. My desktop favourite.

david

2018-09-14 08:11:07 UTC

Post by Mailing JS
Hi David,

Yes, I see this unfortunately development. That's a pity!
But my Device is a very old one. Nobody knows how long it will be alive
;-) Also I would replace my PC with a smaller form factor, without PCI
slots...

Edirol/Roland UA25?
They are dirt cheap right now (I think their OS X drivers got
discontinued) and all settings can be made on the box, no a(lsa)mixer
needed. USB Class compliant and bus powered. My desktop favourite.

Hmm, $129 on Amazon. Not what I consider dirt cheap, but added to my
wish list. ;)

--
David W. Jones
***@hawaii.rr.com
authenticity, honesty, community
http://dancingtreefrog.com

Peter P.

2018-09-14 08:25:42 UTC

Post by Mailing JS
Hi David,

Yes, I see this unfortunately development. That's a pity!
But my Device is a very old one. Nobody knows how long it will be alive
;-) Also I would replace my PC with a smaller form factor, without PCI
slots...

Edirol/Roland UA25?
They are dirt cheap right now (I think their OS X drivers got
discontinued) and all settings can be made on the box, no a(lsa)mixer
needed. USB Class compliant and bus powered. My desktop favourite.

Hmm, $129 on Amazon. Not what I consider dirt cheap, but added to my wish
list. ;)

Oh, if you have to use that darn monopoly of Amazon of course!
What about 2nd hand? Newspaper ads? Craigslist, etc? I got two of them
for about $35 each in the last years (North America and Europe).

David W. Jones

2018-09-14 08:54:08 UTC

Post by David Kastrup

Post by Mailing JS
Hi David,

Post by David Kastrup
Why not keep what you are using now? ALSA development has

slowed to a

Post by Mailing JS

Post by David Kastrup
crawl, so the chance to replace something well-supported with

something

Post by Mailing JS

Post by David Kastrup
better is not actually as large as one would think. Some kind

Post by Mailing JS
Yes, I see this unfortunately development. That's a pity!
But my Device is a very old one. Nobody knows how long it will

be alive

Post by Mailing JS
;-) Also I would replace my PC with a smaller form factor,

without PCI

Post by Mailing JS
slots...

Edirol/Roland UA25?
They are dirt cheap right now (I think their OS X drivers got
discontinued) and all settings can be made on the box, no

a(lsa)mixer

Post by Peter P.
needed. USB Class compliant and bus powered. My desktop favourite.

Hmm, $129 on Amazon. Not what I consider dirt cheap, but added to my

wish

Post by david
list. ;)

Oh, if you have to use that darn monopoly of Amazon of course!
What about 2nd hand?

I think all of them on Amazon were 2nd hand. Didn't check all the buying options.

Post by David Kastrup
Newspaper ads? Craigslist, etc? I got two of them
for about $35 each in the last years (North America and Europe).

Didn't look for other options cuz I'm not immediately buying. It's just one to add to the list of possibilities. I often use my Amazon wish list to just list product candidates.

I have found Amazon cheaper than Zzounds and Musicians Friend.
--
David W. Jones
***@hawaii.rr.com
authenticity, honesty, community
http://dancingtreefrog.com

Sent from my Android device with F/LOSS K-9 Mail.

David Kastrup

2018-09-14 08:44:18 UTC

Post by Mailing JS
Hi David,

Yes, I see this unfortunately development. That's a pity!
But my Device is a very old one. Nobody knows how long it will be alive
;-) Also I would replace my PC with a smaller form factor, without PCI
slots...

Edirol/Roland UA25?
They are dirt cheap right now (I think their OS X drivers got
discontinued) and all settings can be made on the box, no a(lsa)mixer
needed. USB Class compliant and bus powered. My desktop favourite.

Well, they also have pretty shitty converters if I remember correctly.
Look up their specs.

--
David Kastrup

Neil C Smith

2018-09-14 14:16:21 UTC

Post by Peter P.
Edirol/Roland UA25?
They are dirt cheap right now (I think their OS X drivers got
discontinued) and all settings can be made on the box, no a(lsa)mixer
needed. USB Class compliant and bus powered. My desktop favourite.

Definitely not dirt cheap, but really pleased with my NI KA-6 - a
solid device, in all senses!

https://www.native-instruments.com/en/products/komplete/audio-interfaces/komplete-audio-6/

Best wishes,

Neil

--
Neil C Smith
Artist & Technologist
www.neilcsmith.net

PraxisLIVE - hybrid visual live programming
for creatives, for programmers, for students, for tinkerers
www.praxislive.org

Ralf Mardorf

2018-09-14 06:21:19 UTC

if possible [snip] channel adjusting via alsa mixer

For the Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 2nd Gen alsamixer provides
no channel faders. IMO this isn't a disadvantage. A disadvantage are
missing routing settings. Fortunately the Focusrite has got no
monitoring routing by default, so it works without issues, if latency
doesn't matter or when using a mixing console for monitoring.

--
pacman -Q linux{,-rt{-securityink,-pussytoes,-cornflower,}}|cut -d\ -f2
4.18.6.arch1-1
4.18.7_rt5-1
4.18.5_rt3-1
4.16.18_rt12-1
4.16.18_rt11-1

Mailing JS

2018-09-14 07:55:05 UTC

Hi Ralf,

Post by Ralf Mardorf

if possible [snip] channel adjusting via alsa mixer

While the device has hardware gain knobs, ALSA volume control seems for
me not neccessary. I think, the base routing is possible thru jackd. So
it could be a good choice.

Thanx

Will Godfrey

2018-09-14 09:31:26 UTC

On Fri, 14 Sep 2018 09:55:05 +0200

Post by Mailing JS
Hi Ralf,

Post by Ralf Mardorf

if possible [snip] channel adjusting via alsa mixer

While the device has hardware gain knobs, ALSA volume control seems for
me not neccessary. I think, the base routing is possible thru jackd. So
it could be a good choice.
Thanx

I've been using an M-Audio Mtrack 8 for some months with no issues. USB2 Class
compliant etc. but no MIDI (got a separate box for that).

I've also got an NI KA6 for 'portable' work which has turned out to be *very*
robust and reliable. Again USB2 class compliant, and also has MIDI IO.

--
Will J Godfrey
http://www.musically.me.uk
Say you have a poem and I have a tune.
Exchange them and we can both have a poem, a tune, and a song.

Ralf Mardorf

2018-09-14 22:51:10 UTC

Post by Mailing JS
Hi Ralf,

Post by Ralf Mardorf

if possible [snip] channel adjusting via alsa mixer

While the device has hardware gain knobs, ALSA volume control seems for
me not neccessary. I think, the base routing is possible thru jackd. So
it could be a good choice.
Thanx

Btw. the Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 2nd Gen can be used with
less latency than the PreSonus AudioBox 1818VSL, _but_ the audio
quality of both devices can't compare to RME audio devices. If I were
you, and assuming you should have the money, consider to test a RME
Baybeface. OTOH I never used a Babyface myself and I don't know what
ADAT device to use, to get enough channels. I own a Behringer ADA 8000,
that I fortunately don't really need, since the audio quality isn't
better than what the Focusrite provides, the PSU is a heater and the
Focusrite already provides enough channels. However, for master mixing
I try to avoid using the Focusrite, instead I use a RME PCIe card. IMO
recording could be done using pro-sumer gear, but mixing with pro-sumer
gear could be a PITA.

I'm aware that if we are used to pro-sumer gear we know, we could do a
good mix, but note, if we replace pro-sumer gear by other pro-sumer
gear, it takes longer, more test mixings in the beginning, than we need
to do, if we replace pro-sumer gear by professional gear.

Moshe Werner

2018-09-14 08:04:43 UTC