MAYBE NOT SO CHEAP usb multi input audio interface options?

[rfurtkamp]

Adding extra USBs can get messy. Mac allegedly handles it better than PC, but...still horror stories there from what I've heard.

The mic pres aren't a discouragement. Just keep phantom off, use a XLR to 1/4" cable (cheap). I have eight of them plugged into mine!

[Teijo K.]

I'm using a Tascam US-1800 (now the US 16x08), 14 analog and one stereo SPDIF in. The new model has 16 analog ins. $300ish street new.

It lets me run a tap off of all my rack units, have room mics flying, etc. - so that I can focus on playing the thing instead of mixing it perfectly in real time too. As long as basic levels are set, I can tweak panning and the rest later since it's recording discretely.

Adding multiple interfaces and stacking them is a black art sometimes - I can go to 24 tracks but I've found that it requires USB reboot/swearing at times if I do that and I rarely use all 16 as it stands.

I am also using Tascam US 16X8 now, and it really feels solid. No problems so far, mic preamps it has sound usable. Thats why I sold the Zoom R16.

[rfurtkamp]

Yea, the pres in any of them are usable. If I wanted color, I'd run outboard gear into them.

The 1800s had occasional issues with reliability, I went through two but this one has been dead solid for several years now.

[DADGBD]

Isn't there a Focusrite Scarlett somewhere around what you're looking for, price-wise?

I have one of those, the 18i20. It has been an epic pain in the ass, actually. requires a seperate (incredibly dense, totally counter intuitive) routing program to get the sound in and out, and occasionally it DISABLES ALL VIDEO FUNCTIONS ON MY COMPUTER.

Also, quite often the monitoring or recording functions don't work the first time around. Like, I have to click the monitor button in Logic over and over.

From my limited experience, I can not recommend the Scarlett line.

FACK! Exactly what I was about to reach in to my pocket and buy!! Damn it.
I've been using the lesser 2i2 for years now and have never had problems with it. I assumed that would be true of the larger units as well. Well damn!

[Teijo K.]

Outboard gear helps. I think the build in preamps are clean enough so you can always use plugins to polish them too.

[Dr. Sherman Sticks M.D.]

Adding extra USBs can get messy. Mac allegedly handles it better than PC, but...still horror stories there from what I've heard.

yea i wouldn't mess w/ multiple sound cards/interfaces at once. i tried it on my mac mini several years ago. they call it "aggregating" or something like that.
it was easy to setup and once u set it up its supposed to be plug and play.
YMMV obv but itttt…did not work out so well for me. lots of glitchiness.

[behndy]

gotcha. then the Behringer cheapie is going to be useless for me. lol. don't want to replace a 2 input janger with a 4 input dupplets. that's..... that's just SILLY.

the Tascam is something i was looking at. that's a LOT of inputs. good stuff. just the amount of mic pres vs 1/4 inputs soured me. but i didna even think about adapter'ing them into usefulness.

INTERESTING. WHAT YOU SAY IS [BOLD]VERY[/BOLD] INTERESTING.

in fact..... YOU'RE very interesting.

...... i actually can't listen to that band any more. someone very near and dear to me dated the guitarist back in the day so i get all cringey blegh whenever i hear them play. WOOT ADULT FEELINGS.

[actual]

Converters are almost more important than preamps imo, cause as mentioned above, you can always buy a nice preamp on the side. Shitty converters is where joy goes to die.

[actual]

Also, having thousands of dollars of gear, but skimping on the i/o, makes no sense to me. Unless you're mainly a d00d with gigs or you go to record at an actual studio.

[rfurtkamp]

Yea, the adapters are cheap and easy. I got 8 10 footers for $50 or so., wired them into the patchbay, went to town.

[Dr. Sherman Sticks M.D.]

u said u have a komplete 6? is it an older one? don't they have 4 inputs?

[behndy]

Also, having thousands of dollars of gear, but skimping on the i/o, makes no sense to me. Unless you're mainly a d00d with gigs or you go to record at an actual studio.

jia. i want a nice interface, but there's a few other things i was trying to grab first. so..... was hoping to go cheapah for now. the Tascam being about $260 new at most places is innnnnteressssting. although, if i have to buy a bunch of adapters than it gets in the range of a new 8 input Behringer.

end goal interface wise was a Zoom UAC 8 i think. want to go to a usb 3.

u said u have a komplete 6? is it an older one? don't they have 4 inputs?

they do but i've never been able to get all 4 to show up in any DAW. just the main 2.

[behndy]

also, not sure if i'm doing the Planny Stage Head Design correctly?

the idea was a USB interface with enough inputs for each hardware device, then ditch the mixer completely? my mixer has 16 ins, but only like 4 or 6 outs. a mains, a sub, i think one more set of outs..... but if i'm trying to record/process each input individually, mixer is sort of useless?

hurm. but then i can't really set up any loops for processing hardware with hardware pedals. i don't really have the room to put a patchbay in right now, i know that would be the best way.

HURM.

[waltdogg]

keeps the mixer as a summing mixer for drums or similar uses.

[rfurtkamp]

If you've got room for a 8 or 16 channel interface, you've got room for a patchbay!