Looking for a good usb interface with solid vista drivers

[__tom]

I have a Presonus Inspire 1394 right now but I get intermittent crackles and distortion to the point of not being able to make out what song is playing (it does it when recording and also when listening to music through winamp etc). I dont know if its the vista drivers, my firewire chipset or something else but its pissing me off and I just want something new that will work straight away. I think I'll go usb because it may be the firewire chipset but I cant be bothered to buy a new pci card only to find it doesnt work or something. I want:

Stable vista 32 drivers
2 (switchable) phantom powered xlr inputs
at least 1 hi-z guitar input
usb 2.0 and bus powered if possible
good sounding preamps

I want to spend up to £200 but £100 ish is better Any suggestions? Have been looking at the Edirol UA-25EX and the TC Electronics Konnekt 8.

 

[greyskull]

m box?

 

[Metaltastic]

Ugghh, forget the MBOX unless you wanna use PT - dunno about Vista drivers, but that Edirol seems like the best USB interface in its price range

 

[AudioGeekZine]

E-Mu

 

[Metaltastic]

Nah, the problem with any EMU USB stuff is you can't have simultaneous WDM and ASIO streams, so if you have your DAW open, you can't even play back a fucking mp3 in itunes/WMP/whatever to use as a reference mix And I have this confirmed from E-MU customer support, who I emailed asking for confirmation, and they admitted it.

 

[AudioGeekZine]

my digi 002 is like that, only there aren't WDM drivers! $1600 and it only works with either ASIO or in PT.

 

[whitedamp]

Line6 Toneport UX2 and KB37 have these things.

 

[-Gavin-]

I've got a toneport UX2 in the mail on the way... what do you mean "have these things" ? The original criteria or the shit driver situation?

 

[whitedamp]

what do you mean "have these things" ?

These things:
Stable vista 32 drivers
2 (switchable) phantom powered xlr inputs
1 hi-z guitar input
usb 2.0 and bus powered
good sounding preamps

Sorry, the last one is probably a lie. I never used a really good preamp, so I can´t tell exactly how good or bad the two Toneport preamps sounds, but I guess they suck. Anyway, it works for me but might not be good enough for you.

 

[schismatic]

My UX2 has done the job for me for ages, if you want to hear a mix where I used it to mic vocals and acoustic guitar and as a DI for bass:

Wish You Were Here done with Toneport UX2

Not metal but it's something that it's been used for.

 

[Metaltastic]

How's the latency on the UX2 when you're not using Gearbox? Specifically running a guitar DI into an ampsim plugin such as Revalver or Wagnersharp.

 

[jhrv]

How's the latency on the UX2 when you're not using Gearbox? Specifically running a guitar DI into an ampsim plugin such as Revalver or Wagnersharp.

There is some latency when you run the UX2 into another ampsim plugin.

 

[Metaltastic]

Yeah, that's what I was afraid of - pass.

 

[-Gavin-]

Doeesn't that depend on the settings on the comp?

 

[Metaltastic]

It does normally, but my experience with Line 6 drivers (both on my Podxt and my roommate's UX1 last semester) is that when you turn the latency low enough to be imperceptible (or at least tolerable, which for me is around 3 ms, 4 at MOST), there are all sorts of pops/clicks that make it unusable. Basically, unless you plan on using Gearbox with it (a poor choice IMO with TSS, Wagner, and Boogex all available for free these days), the UX2 doesn't seem to be a very good option (sorry Gav! Should've probably mentioned that in the thread you started about it ). Of course, I could've been doing something wrong, or maybe the UX2 is better than the UX1/Podxt in that department...

 

[-Gavin-]

It does normally, but my experience with Line 6 drivers (both on my Podxt and my roommate's UX1 last semester) is that when you turn the latency low enough to be imperceptible (or at least tolerable, which for me is around 3 ms, 4 at MOST), there are all sorts of pops/clicks that make it unusable. Basically, unless you plan on using Gearbox with it (a poor choice IMO with TSS, Wagner, and Boogex all available for free these days), the UX2 doesn't seem to be a very good option (sorry Gav! Should've probably mentioned that in the thread you started about it ). Of course, I could've been doing something wrong, or maybe the UX2 is better than the UX1/Podxt in that department...

Well, to be honest, i'm happy using gearbox to jam, i'm not fussy, i jammed with my XT for 2 years and never had a problem!

for recording, i'll be using amp sims so am happy to bypass gearbox in the recording stage and just take DI + Gearbox processed signal for monitoring...

 

[Metaltastic]

Oh right, I forgot you could do that - I'll have to tell my friend with the UX1, he's been getting mighty sick of recording with GB himself! Anyone know how to do that when using the Gearbox standalone? (not the plugin)

 

[-Gavin-]

Oh right, I forgot you could do that - I'll have to tell my friend with the UX1, he's been getting mighty sick of recording with GB himself! Anyone know how to do that when using the Gearbox standalone? (not the plugin)

Someone in the thread i made said you can track both clean and processed through gearbox... Dunno how, i'll have it by fri/mon... company is slow to dispatch (Bought from the UK).

 

[-Gavin-]

Just found this:

The TonePort, in ASIO mode, will expose (2) stereo L/R pairs, of inputs, to your DAW app. You record from your Tonebox inputs (Mic, Instrument or Line) through the GearBox software and into the selected TonePort audio input, of your DAW software. By bypassing the VST/DX plugin paradigm, input monitoring and using the "TonePort Direct Monitoring" you can record virtually latency free, irregardless, of what your DAW latency is set at. I have my Toneport set @ 23.2msec (1024), in SONAR, but I can still play & record (like playing through my external POD 2), in realtime, through the GearBox software, into SONAR. You can also record dry & monitor wet by sending the pre-FX signal to send 1/2 & the post-FX to send 3/4. You can record either one or both signals.
You can analog reamp with the TonePort and GearBox’s line inputs. The TP has two discrete signal processing paths and pretty decent 24bit A/D D/A converters. It uses the exact same converters as the Echo MIA (AKM4528).




Sorry if i hijacked

 

[whitedamp]

Anyone know how to do that when using the Gearbox standalone? (not the plugin)

Gearbox sends, by default, "outs 1 & 2" as a stereo processed signal (what you hear) and "outs 3 & 4" as a stereo unprocessed (or semi-processed, if you set the switch to "post"). What I do is set Gearbox´s out number 3 (left channel of the unprocessed out) on Nuendo´s input.

About the latency while using with VST plugins in real time, it really lags, even with Gearbox plugin. Actually, I think I´ve never seen a soundcard do this with zero latency. Anyway, if you have a decent computer, the DI track processed on real time with your favourite amp sim plugin will playback on realtime. No problem.

The best option is to make a tone on the Gearbox standalone that you feel confortable while tracking but record the unprocessed track on the DAW. As I always doubletrack guitars I usually make a stereo group with the two unprocessed tracks and insert a stereo Gearbox plugin instance on the group. I think it´s easier to tweak the tone while monitoring how it sounds doubletracked.