Top 3 Audio Interface's

[bensnookes]

Since i'm in the market for a new Audio Interface, thought it might be fun if you guys list YOUR Top 3 Audio Interfaces...

No budgets or price range

 

[Metaltastic]

In order

RME FF400 (or 800, but I don't see the reason to spend the extra cash for two extra preamps that are "eh" at best)
Mackie Onyx 1200F
Focusrite Saffire 26

 

[AdamWathan]

RME FF400 (or 800, but I don't see the reason to spend the extra cash for

The FF800 has significantly more i/o than the 400, not just the preamps...

I've only owned my 1200F and a Saffire Pro 26i/o so I can't really make an informed opinion but the 1200F stomps the Saffire in every way. I would never recommend that Focusrite unit for anyone, you are much better off getting a Profire 2626 in that feature/price range.

If I didn't have an interface and I had to pick my top 3 candidates, I'd say...

1. 1200F
2. Fireface 800
3. Profire 2626

The Fireface would rate higher if it had more built in preamps, but it's not designed to be as much of an all in one unit as the Mackie and M-Audio products anyways... The 1200F has it all though IMO, but you could get a Profire 2626, add a Digimax or something for another 8 pres and buy a standalone headphone amp for that price, so it's a toss up.

 

[Metaltastic]

The FF800 has significantly more i/o than the 400, not just the preamps...

True, but the 18 total inputs (not including MIDI) on the 400 are plenty for me

 

[gorath23]

1. Apogee Ensemble
2. Metric Halo (something or other)
3. Yamaha i88x (man I am loving this thing)

 

[Metaltastic]

Yeah, the Metric Halo thing does look pretty cool - too bad it's Mac-only

 

[Joematthews]

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

Joe

 

[beyond dead]

apogee ensemble
rme firefice 400 (dont need the extra features, at that price, I would buy seperate converters and pre`s for a bit more)
apogee duet

 

[Dave1978]

I haven't found the ultimate audio interface yet...

Edirol UA-25: Good quality, limiter usefull, but not enough line inputs for me

Digidesign M-Box: Very good premaps, good audio quality, but no WDM-driver support - that sucked

Line 6 Toneport: Bad preamps, usefull ampsims an not enough line-ins too

MOTU 828 MKII: Good soundquality, useful preamps BUT: doesn't work well under Windows ... drivers are shit! Line-In makes crackles and noise ... not recommendable at all

 

[Machinated]

Depends what you are after....

That metric halo interface looks fucking ace if it has enough channels for you. I'd go for that personally.

Apogee duet looks good, but again is mac only.

 

[Melodeath]

F0RBIDDEN,

Have you noticed a difference in sound quality between the 1200F and the Saffire? How does the 1200F "stomp the Saffire in every 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?

 

[bensnookes]

Anything you guys swear by under £500?

 

[coldthrn]

1. Mackie 1200F
2. RME Fireface 800
3. Apogee Ensemble

 

[xconnyx]

what about the motu 8pre, is it no good?

 

[AdamWathan]

F0RBIDDEN,

Have you noticed a difference in sound quality between the 1200F and the Saffire? How does the 1200F "stomp the Saffire in every way"?

I didn't personally notice a difference in sound quality, but I returned the Saffire about 2 months before I managed to pick up the 1200F so there was a big gap between when I last used the Saffire and started using the 1200F. When I say it stomps it, I mean feature wise. For my purposes, 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. Onyx has 4 extra preamps, 4 headphone outputs, pads on every channel, phantom power individually controlled on each channel, etc. Also costs about $1000 more though :/

 

[Metaltastic]

what about the motu 8pre, is it no good?

Only has two outputs, which is a deal-breaker for anyone who wants to re-amp (e.g. me )

 

[Mikaël-ange]

Lynx Studio Technology Aurora 16 and 8
RME Fireface 800
Apogee Ensemble

 

[Ermz]

Prism Orpheus
RME Digi/Multiface (they work essentially as connection hubs, with super low latency and lots of expansion options)

 

[broken81]

In this order...

Digi002/003

Digi001

Mbox

Ok I'm just being a smart ass but the digi002 with black lion audio mod is sick!