Yeah, forget any of the MBOXes, they're crap, though M-Audio isn't too fantastic either - if you really wanna use PT as your primary DAW though, I guess the Fast Track Ultra would be your best bet, but I'd rather get a decent interface like a Presonus Firebox + Firewire card and use it with Reaper, and then some retardedly cheap M-Audio thing to use with PT M powered
OH my god, I am in aural ecstasy...
- Thread starter Metaltastic
- Start date
lost_within
Member
Are there better USB alternatives.. my PC doesn't have fire, neither do the new macbooks. The Fast Track pro (step down from ultra) version doesn't seem to bad, and this will be my first audio interface anyway. I'll be using either Cubase or Logic, no PT.
Well after doing a fair amount of reasearch for a friend of mine, the Presonus Audiobox USB seems to be the best bet (M Audio stuff is just inferior in terms of build quality/preamps), but since you can get a firewire PCI/PCMCIA (depending on whether you're on a desktop or laptop) with a TI chipset for really not that much, that'd be my vote, cuz FW DESTROYS USB for audio stuff. If you are on a laptop, though, DO NOT get an Expresscard, ugghh - those things will come loose with the slightest tug, it's such a flaw in the overall design
lost_within
Member
No way dude, USB 2.0 still sends its data in packets (albeit much larger) rather than a stream of data like firewire, so it's inherently more prone to bottlenecking (and hence why all the hi-end multi-channel interfaces are FW and not USB)
And I would actually recommend the Mackie Onyx Satellite over any other inexpensive firewire interface because a) it has stable drivers, is built INCREDIBLY well (all metal housing), and has lots of features like two sets of monitor outs that can be switched between, two headphone outs, etc.), and more importantly, has more than 2 outputs (6 to be exact), which makes reamping SO much easier. The only problem with it is that it's a monster! (look at the size of it compared to my laptop on my desk, but whatever, I've got the space!)
lost_within
Member
So if I get an express card and be careful with it it'll do the trick (using firewire through a USB port on a macbook.. see this is where I get the dilema of maybe just going for the Imac instead of the new macbook). Also the firebox is nearly twice as much as the Audio box USB, is it really worth that much cash for a 2x2 interface?
Yeah, the new 'basic' Macbooks don't have Firewire for some so-far-unspecified reason. USB2 should still be able to handle quite a bit (note: these posts are transmitted to you through packets), but I'd just go for a desktop to record on (PM me if you want to build your own, I've helped quite a few put systems together already)... if you *must* have a notebook, just get a netbook for cheap and sacrifice the small possibility that you'll need to record an album on the top of a moving train.
Jeff
Jeff
lost_within
Member
I want a notebook simply to save space, i'm going uni next year and have idea about the sort of desk i'll be getting! Also it'll be easier to carry around and do shit on instead of having to save stuff on a memory stick (that probably doesn't make sense). I'm a light user, so I won't want anything too complicated and audio recording centred.
Well trust me on this dude, get a PCMCIA FW card, not an expresscard - and the Firebox offers more i/o than the audiobox, but more importantly is Firewire based. However, for a good 2x2 FW interface, there's the Presonus Inspire 1394 or the aforementioned Onyx Satellite (which is actually 2x6 and is dirt cheap these days, I think it was discontinued but fuck if I know why, I love mine!)
And now, if I may bring my thread back OT, I'm realizing how superior Jens Bogren's mixing skillz are to, say, the guy that did Sonata Arctica's stuff - I LOVE the band, but christ are these some boring mixes (mostly cuz Jani uses a Pod 2.0 for rhythms, yecchhh 
)
)
lost_within
Member
Fuck it, i'll go with an imac simply because they still have firewire. And I would never have guessed Katatonia's TGCD was a dual rec, I simply love that album! It just makes me want to like that amp that bit more.
SocialNumb
Damn Christians!
I tried dude, I really did. Can't get into it. Limited to youtube examples. like one retard commented: "This song sounds like the scorpions". Guess that makes me a retard. j/k
I would like to hear some more examples of the music you like.
We got Katatonia in common. Just wondering.
ps I'm drinking
Edit: I fucked up the OT. My apologies.
Ermz
¯\(°_o)/¯
Thanks man! And I actually had the plug plugged into my Onyx Satellite module so holding it still wasn't the issue - just that all the connections are so fucking close to one another, oy...
And Ermin, you're probably the most critical guy of monitors I've ever encountered (I mean that as a compliment
I've never heard a pair of Tannoy Reveals. At least I don't think I have.
My experiences with Tannoy have been rather unfriendly in the past though, as I've had to track through concentric speakers of theirs. Concentric speaker designs are some of the harshest, ugliest crap you could ever hope to wish upon your worst enemies. Worse than listening to most guitar cabs head on.
Once again I'm glad these are working for you. I've widely heard great things about that particular model, so I'm sure you've made a great choice.
I'll definitely be sure to document more of my own findings, as I've been on a huge monitor hunt for months now. NOTHING has come close to beating the KH O300s though. Those things are like listening to the source - not a representation of it.
Haha, I assume by concentric speakers you mean the ones with voice coils that look like little springs on their higher-end ones? Fortunately, these don't have 'em, so I love 'em like crazy, but they're also the nicest speakers I've ever listened to (along with the HS80s), so fortunately I've never heard anything like K&H to spoil me!
Loren Littlejohn
Lover of all boobage.
lost_within
Member
Yeah they have a passive pair lying around in my school's studio.. They're using some yamaha's now, no idea what model!
Ermz
¯\(°_o)/¯
Haha, I assume by concentric speakers you mean the ones with voice coils that look like little springs on their higher-end ones? Fortunately, these don't have 'em, so I love 'em like crazy, but they're also the nicest speakers I've ever listened to (along with the HS80s), so fortunately I've never heard anything like K&H to spoil me!
Concentric designs are actually where all the drivers are unified at one point. So essentially the tweeter and woofer are centered at the same location on the speaker. Harshest shit ever.
If you can avoid it, I definitely would avoid listening to K&H. You won't be able to go back to using speakers in the HS80M price range. Actually even just listening to Dynaudios and PMCs has made it hard to consider the Yammies. The KHs just make you want to give up to listening to anything ever.
Hmm, none of the Tannoys I've ever seen are like that - maybe it's an older design...
