Digital Audio Interfaces - home recording questions

[Grindspine]

I have been wanting to put together a practice/recording rig for home use. I generally have jam session's at a friend's house (with a finished basement that soaks excess sound levels), but my Triaxis/2:Ninety rig through a 4x12 really is not practical for practice and recording in my apartment.

I do have a crappy solid state 2x12 combo, but have been exploring the idea of direct recording at home instead and using that setup for practice.

I have considered getting a cheaper Focusrite digital audio interface package like this:
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ScarlettStu/

I do have a copy of Music Creator 3 for basic recording software too. My main concern is whether direct recording with a speaker emulator will be worth it, or if a condencer mic will be able to get any good sound out of a non-cranked speaker cab.

Suggestions?

 

[jtougas]

Re: Digital Audio Interfaces - home recording questions

The Focusrite is good gear. I would skip Music Creator, and give Reaper a shot.

 

[FretFire]

Re: Digital Audio Interfaces - home recording questions

I'm using the 2i2 into Logic to record my first EP right now. I'm either mic'ing up my amps with a Sennheiser e906, or plugging my guitar straight into the Focusrite and using Amplitube models w/ various cabinet impulses. I'm very happy with the interface so far.

 

[uOpt]

Re: Digital Audio Interfaces - home recording questions

This seems to be one of those products that's really low on specifications.

As a general guideline you should highly prefer USB interfaces that, in addition to doing some random thing with the windows drivers delivered with it, also implement the USB standard audio interface (which doesn't require drivers other than what ships with the OS). From my experience audio companies are really lousy at providing updated drivers for newer OSes, and that's assuming their drivers work right in the first place - which they commonly don't. Just look at Sound Devices "USB Pre" which in version 1 cannot be used in any 64 bit OS whatsoever, neither windows nor mac nor Linux. They simply didn't release new drivers. And the old drivers were bashed for getting in the way of various other tricks people wanted to do (I think most were latency related). The only thing saving them in my opinion is that v2 is a proper USB audio compliant devices and then in addition to that implements more things using their windows drivers (which currently happen to work on current OSes).

Other than that, it's nice that they say they have high quality preamps but again, they are not specific. They should specifically say what preamps (they are often bought or licensed from famous preamp designers) or they should provide data back up that claim. Failing that, saying so isn't worth much.

Myself I went to use separate mic preamps to go from mic to line level and then use soundcards to go line level to digital.

 

[Grindspine]

Re: Digital Audio Interfaces - home recording questions

I'm using the 2i2 into Logic to record my first EP right now. I'm either mic'ing up my amps with a Sennheiser e906, or plugging my guitar straight into the Focusrite and using Amplitube models w/ various cabinet impulses. I'm very happy with the interface so far.

I was going back & forth between the possibilities of either micing my combo, using the direct recording out on my Triaxis, or using modeling. Are the Amplitube models included in any specific software packages?

uOpt, I don't know a lot of the specifics on the Focusrite unit, I am just familiar with the brand name from prior experience with some mic preamps and cannot remember ever having problems with connectivity, durability, or quality. I just recall them being solid equipment. That all being said, I do realize it is a "cost efficient" option rather than a top-of-the-line studio model. My budget is not huge considering that I am a recent college grad still waiting on tuition reimbursement from my employer.

With your mic preamp to soundcard setup, was it a costly investment? I am at a point where effective simplicity (both in cost and setup) would be advantageous.

 

[uOpt]

Re: Digital Audio Interfaces - home recording questions

uOpt, I don't know a lot of the specifics on the Focusrite unit, I am just familiar with the brand name from prior experience with some mic preamps and cannot remember ever having problems with connectivity, durability, or quality. I just recall them being solid equipment. That all being said, I do realize it is a "cost efficient" option rather than a top-of-the-line studio model. My budget is not huge considering that I am a recent college grad still waiting on tuition reimbursement from my employer.

With your mic preamp to soundcard setup, was it a costly investment? I am at a point where effective simplicity (both in cost and setup) would be advantageous.

So the thing is, I have very bad experience when "pure" audio companies suddenly make things that require either firmware (software inside the device) or drivers (as in what runs in the operating system kernel). Most of the time it is outsourced with some contract of what the programmers have to implement (which might or might not be the same company that is manufacturing the goods in Asia for that famous brand, no change they do it themselves), and then they use all loopholes to provide the minimum and the thing barely works but cause issues. In a way, the better their analog stuff was before the higher the chances that the old crew doesn't take any control of the software.

I use one of these ART double channel tube preamps ($100) and then go either into my old Turtle beach PCI soundcard (a $50 card) or the USB soundcard things which name escapes me right now. That isn't too cheap but it's driven up by wanting tubes. Alternatively I can use a small mixer as a mic preamp, my small yamaha mixer is $100. I'm not happy with my setup either so I am not in a good position to point out perfect products (I have one of those USB Pre v1 which I want to fix the drivers for myself, but time is...). For guitar and bass I use my Vox tonelab, via S/PDIF, then the soundcard doesn't matter.

 

[FretFire]

Re: Digital Audio Interfaces - home recording questions

Are the Amplitube models included in any specific software packages?

Amplitube is a standalone program that works with most popular DAWs.

 

[Grindspine]

Re: Digital Audio Interfaces - home recording questions

Does Reaper work with Amplitube as well? The only downside I am seeing is that the Amplitube metal pack does have Mesa Rectifier sounds, but no Mark III/IV sounds. I do occasionally use the Rectifier circuit in my Triaxis, but 90% of the time I go for a Mark IV mid gain to searing Boogie lead style sound.

 

[Reload in 5]

Re: Digital Audio Interfaces - home recording questions

reaper works with amplitube.
I would get the focusrite, or one of the line6 interfaces. You should be able to find one under $100 used
If you get line6, then load up pod farm and try out the sounds there. Load up amplitube free and try that. if you dont get the line6 they also have pod farm free to try out.

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: Digital Audio Interfaces - home recording questions

The Scarlett 2i2 is the best low cost interface out right now, bar none. Nice pres, nice converters, rock solid drivers.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Digital Audio Interfaces - home recording questions

I have the 18i20. It is a fantastic unit. As far as I know, the 2i2 is identical, only with less input/output options.

My only concern about the 2i2 is that there is no upgrade path if it doesn't have an ADAT input (dunno, I haven't looked at the specs).

Edit: Just checked the specs; it doesn't have ADAT, so you are stuck with only 2 in, 2 out.