Recommend me a recording interface

Matt42

New member
I'm going to be buying an interface sometime here pretty shortly (like the next week), but I have no idea what I'm looking for. I'm not really planning on doing any big time recording, just something that I can use to record some sound clips, maybe use it for some video demos as well.

I really don't know much about recording gear, so any input on what to look for would be appreciated.
 
Re: Recommend me a recording interface

Focusrite Saffire Pro Series. I have a Pro 40.. they have a Saffire Pro 14 and a Pro 24 as well. The Scarlett series from Focusrite is also really good. About the same as the Saffire except the Scarlett series is USB 2.0. The Saffire Pro series is Firewire.

Rock on!!
 
Re: Recommend me a recording interface

I'm using the Focusrite Scarlett 18i6 at the moment, which might be bigger than you need for what you're describing. However, check out some of the smaller options if you want to go down the USB route for connectivity.

Out of interest, what are you planning to hook it up to?
 
Re: Recommend me a recording interface

Mark Of The Unicorn Ultralite MkIII. Current versions have both USB and FireWire sockets.
 
Re: Recommend me a recording interface

Wow, I wasn't expecting near unanimous support for a single brand. Guess I will go with the 2i2.
 
Re: Recommend me a recording interface

I saw some of the packages. We already have several mics, 3x 58's and a couple of decent condensers, nothing amazing, but enough to do some simple recording with. It's not like I'm going to be tracking a whole album with this thing!

I think that we'll just go with the 2i2 for now, and maybe pickup some headphones and new mics in a few months.
 
Re: Recommend me a recording interface

I'm in a similar situation and was wondering what the advantage of something like the 2i2 would be over a mixer with USB out like the this Peavey jobber?
Thanks!
 
Re: Recommend me a recording interface

Expect the A/D converters in the 2i2 to be of higher quality.

In the majority of DAW software environments, most of the mixing is done in the host computer. The issue becomes, how many input sockets on the interface device? For ensemble recordings, it helps to have more input busses.
 
Re: Recommend me a recording interface

Ordered a Scarlett 2i4 from Sweetwater yesterday. Decided the RCAs and MIDI was worth the extra $50. Looking forward to getting it hooked up next week!
 
Re: Recommend me a recording interface

bros/compadres, I m thinking of getting a Focusrite Scarlet 2i2 meself. But i ve read few reviews claiming that the instrument input goes into clipping even with input gain turned low. Have any of you who acquired this interface run into same problem. Remember this supposed to be mostly happening on Scarlet 2i2. What I ve read has complaints of ppl running guitars with moderate output passive pickups clipping the audio interface's instrument input.
 
Re: Recommend me a recording interface

I have not noticed this but will check it out over the weekend and get back to you.
 
Re: Recommend me a recording interface

bros/compadres, I m thinking of getting a Focusrite Scarlet 2i2 meself. But i ve read few reviews claiming that the instrument input goes into clipping even with input gain turned low. Have any of you who acquired this interface run into same problem. Remember this supposed to be mostly happening on Scarlet 2i2. What I ve read has complaints of ppl running guitars with moderate output passive pickups clipping the audio interface's instrument input.

True. Bugged me enough that I sold mine. I was able to do reamping with it, which worked ok, but I had to use another interface initially to capture the clean guitar without clipping.
 
Re: Recommend me a recording interface

True. Bugged me enough that I sold mine. I was able to do reamping with it, which worked ok, but I had to use another interface initially to capture the clean guitar without clipping.
Did you try turning down the input via Mix Control?
 
Re: Recommend me a recording interface

Did you try turning down the input via Mix Control?

not sure what you mean - there's only a line/instrument switch ("the Focusrite preamplifier stage is automatically configured for a microphone when you plug an XLR into the input, and for a line or instrument when you connect a jack plug") and a gain knob to control the signal - as I recall it clipped on either line or instrument with the gain all the way down. there's a monitor knob, but it doesn't affect the input gain.

I used a cheap DI with a pad button to try and tame things, but as I recall it took the signal down too low and ended up being too noisy. Might work with a better DI with a less extreme pad.

oh I see, looks like you meant this. that'd be cool if that worked, yes:
http://us.focusrite.com/answerbase/can-i-use-scarlett-mixcontrol-with-the-scarlett-2i2
 
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