Top 3 Audio Interface's

[LydonB]

Prism Orpheus
FF800
Metric Halo 2882

 

[006]

...the Saffire was completely unusable due to the fixed minimum gain setting on the preamps that were being consistently clipped by drums, even with the gain turned down all the way.

Yeah, this is probably one thing that really pisses me off actually. I've started using it for guitars, oh/ride/hat and vocals and the 8Pre for snare/kick/toms because it has pads on every channel. I honestly don't know why they didn't throw that feature in there, would it really have been such a hassle???

~006

 

[Seizure.]

Prism Sound Orpheus because you get the boom when you pay bucks.
RME Fireface 800 because 800 is a bigger number than 400
Apogee Rosetta

Joe

I'd probably agree with this

 

[Jaymz]

FF800 looks like the clear winner :|

 

[AdamWathan]

Yeah, this is probably one thing that really pisses me off actually. I've started using it for guitars, oh/ride/hat and vocals and the 8Pre for snare/kick/toms because it has pads on every channel. I honestly don't know why they didn't throw that feature in there, would it really have been such a hassle???

~006

Seriously, even if they had just had the knobs start at +0db instead of +12 or whatever it is that they actually start at! Would be a really great piece of gear. Even then though, I think I would grab a Profire 2626 anyways because it has individual phantom power and pads IIRC and ProTools compatibility is never a bad thing. I think I'm actually going to buy a Profire to run in standalone as another set of preamps into my Onyx when I decide to add more inputs just because I can also use it as a ProTools dongle for any projects that come my way.

 

[LSD-Studio]

no budget?
Lavry gold
Lavry gold
Lavry gold

 

[006]

Even then though, I think I would grab a Profire 2626 anyways because it has individual phantom power and pads IIRC and ProTools compatibility is never a bad thing.

Dude, 48v and pads INDIVIDUALLY are a huge + for me too...I hate that bank shit. I'm hoping to sell the 26i/o to replace it with a 2626 myself...haha.

~006

 

[Melodeath]

Just to clarify, while the 2626 DOES have pads on each of the 8 preamps, the phantom power is not individual. It's in banks of 4.

 

[Metaltastic]

What's wrong with bank phantom power, though? Unless you have a ton of ribbon mics, it shouldn't be too hard to remember to put them on a separate bank from your condensers (in fact, if you've got ribbon mics, I'd hope you'd put them through a better pre, but that's another story )

 

[Melodeath]

Don't you turn this into the "preamps n shit" thread you bastard!

Anyway, I agree. I don't mind banked phantom at all really, though banks of 4 is actually a downgrade form my Alesis interface banks of 2. The Cascade Fatheads (the ribbons I plan to buy) are phantom safe anyway.

 

[Metaltastic]

Haha, wouldn't dream of it...JOE (oh great, now I feel like I'm quoting "A History of Violence," ugghh )

 

[AdamWathan]

Yeah banked phantom power isn't a huge deal, but individual switches is always preferrable...

 

[Seizure.]

no budget?
Lavry gold
Lavry gold
Lavry gold

Damnit.. your right!

Sounds dumb.. but i would love to clip one of those lavry ad's haha

 

[Metaltastic]

Sounds dumb.. but i would love to clip one of those lavry ad's haha

Haha, yeah, since reading that thread I feel the same way!

 

[ze kink]

Hmm, some of you seem to rate the Apogee Duet pretty high... I've been thinking about switching my FP10 for one now that I'm on a Mac. Would that be clever? It would be really easy to carry around and I usually just use one or two inputs at a time anyway. Or should I just stick with the FP10 until I can afford a FF400/800?

I'm bumping my own question as no one answered! I'm kind of GASsing for everything right now, so...

 

[xconnyx]

anyone knows if i can cascade the 2626 to like 3 units? software and hardware wise?

 

[AdamWathan]

anyone knows if i can cascade the 2626 to like 3 units? software and hardware wise?

Can do it via ADAT like any other external pre no problem and still have control over the ADAT inputs and stuff with the software.

 

[::XeS::]

With the 2626 you have 16 adat channels so you can connect 2 interfaces with, for example 8 inputs/pre's to have a total amount of 24 inputs.

 

[WestCoastCrush]

1. RME Fireface 800 ($1800) - smokin' converters and midrange clarity. Marcus: The 400 and the 800 don't have the same converters, so that's the main reason to go with the 800

2. T.C. Electronics Konnekt Live ($600) - Nice open top end and solid bottom on converters. Plus it's compact and has a built in rubber shock boot. It's also got 2 sets of ADAT in and outs on it for a LARGE track count. Plus it's all glossy black with red LEDs and looks metal as fuck

3. Apogee Ensemble ($1800) - Nice open top end on converters. Built in pres have a gain range of 72dB, so they're definitely better than average. Plus no-horseshit, professional +4dB outputs, unlike the Duet's shite consumer -10dB ones. Also looks like the starship Enterprise when plugged in with all the white LEDs and plasma meters.

 

[Metaltastic]

1. RME Fireface 800 ($1800) - smokin' converters and midrange clarity. Marcus: The 400 and the 800 don't have the same converters, so that's the main reason to go with the 800

Really? That's the first I've heard of that, are you sure? (cuz I want to be, cuz I've been planning on getting an FF400 for like 1.5 years now!)