Audio interfaces 2016

[Plankis]

My Focusrite Scarlett 18i6 has kicked the bucket after 2.5 years and I am now looking for a new one. It had a lot of inputs however the software had annoying issues and quirks so I'm not in the mood to try Focusrite again.

Need:
DI
Mic input

Wishlist:
1/4" R/L inputs
in/out MIDI
S/pdif or similar

I've been looking at Audient I14, it is easily within my price range but the few inputs is an issue.
I've also been looking at Audient I22, but this is just outside my price range and still has the issue with inputs.
I've noticed that the inputs can be extended with something like Behringer ADA8000. But I don't know, I liked having all inputs in one.

So what audio interfaces are you guys using and what do you think of it?

 

[Vihaleipä]

I'm an Audient iD14 user myself, I've had it for a few months and got absolutely nothing bad to say about it. The pres sound really good, the DI-input is so good that I sold both of my Palmer DI-boxes and everything just works well. I'd recommend you to get the iD14 or iD22 and maybe something like the ADA8200 later if you really need all those inputs (I personally haven't, but it's nice to know that if I someday will, I can just get the ADA8200 or something similar instead of getting a completely new interface).

It's a much better option to get a small, high quality interface with just few inputs rather than one in the same price range that has dosens of them, it's almost certain that compromises have been made during of making the latter one.

 

[Spectivum]

I am interested as well. I was loooking at the Audients but I need coaxial SPDIF in/out and MIDI in/out so passed on them...

 

[Plankis]

I'm an Audient iD14 user myself, I've had it for a few months and got absolutely nothing bad to say about it. The pres sound really good, the DI-input is so good that I sold both of my Palmer DI-boxes and everything just works well. I'd recommend you to get the iD14 or iD22 and maybe something like the ADA8200 later if you really need all those inputs (I personally haven't, but it's nice to know that if I someday will, I can just get the ADA8200 or something similar instead of getting a completely new interface).

It's a much better option to get a small, high quality interface with just few inputs rather than one in the same price range that has dosens of them, it's almost certain that compromises have been made during of making the latter one.

Thanks, would you mind talking about your setup? So you're using the DI to record guitar tracks, are you always monitoring through the DAW with an amp sim then?
I have an Axe-fx that I'd like to use for monitoring and recording. I've always connected my guitar to the Axe-FX and connected its spdif out and L/R 1/4" outputs into the audio interface. (It's not necessary to have both spdif and 1/4" outputs connected at the same time) With my usual setup I don't think I can make use of ID14's D.I.

I am interested as well. I was loooking at the Audients but I need coaxial SPDIF in/out and MIDI in/out so passed on them...

Yeah, I have the same issue. Coaxial spdifs can be converted to optical however, something like this:
http://www.amazon.com/Digital-Coaxial-Toslink-Optical-Converter/dp/B001622FL8
Not sure how good these things are though, never tried them.

 

[Vihaleipä]

Thanks, would you mind talking about your setup? So you're using the DI to record guitar tracks, are you always monitoring through the DAW with an amp sim then?
I have an Axe-fx that I'd like to use for monitoring and recording. I've always connected my guitar to the Axe-FX and connected its spdif out and L/R 1/4" outputs into the audio interface. (It's not necessary to have both spdif and 1/4" outputs connected at the same time) With my usual setup I don't think I can make use of ID14's D.I.

Sure, I track guitars and bass most of the time through the Audient DI-input with an amp sim plugin. I pretty sure you're right about that, I haven't yet even used the ADAT input for anything myself. It potentially could maybe work with the converter that you linked, maybe try to contact Audient if you want to be sure about that.