Audio interface recomendations for windows 7 PC....

Im looking at USB audio interfaces at the moment , I dont understand the specs really I want best quality per I dont want built in mic pres really tho they seem to come as standard I want to use my DITed mic pres & compressors so Im looking for the shortest cleanest route to hard disc Im worried that when I plug in my pre & compressor it may have to go through the built in pres.....

Have looked at the focusrite saffire....the EMU tracker..Tascam US122 mk11.....

or is a PCI express card better.......

any thoughts ......many thanks

Pci(e) will always be 'better' because it offers faster data transfer with lower cpu overhead. How significant that will be is totally depending on your individual case.

I wouldn't care too much about the specs because they will probably always be 'good', but I wouldn't know how to determine the undeniable sound differences by specs.

I've always used RME soundcards (mostly with Apogee converters) and they have been the most reliable part in my computersetup for over 10 years. Not having to bother with them has by far outweighted the few bucks more compared to cheaper stuff.

Hope this helps,

Michael

same here, been using RME soundcards for at least 10 years and they have been bulletproof. Plus the fact that i can still use my first generation Multiface with the newer interface cards makes RME a long term solution for me (instead of dropping support and manufacturers always having a preference for their latest product.)

I have owned about 10 different soundcards in the last 10 years and only the RME soundcards worked without ground loops and driver hassle. Since i own 4 rme soundcards you may say i'm biased so YMMV.

greetings,

Thomas

Have a look at Echo Audiofire 12.  I has exactly the same criteria as you for an interface and this is the one I ended up with.
 
It's firewire rather than USB but that's no big deal.  No preamps, just 12 channels of line level I/O. 

Best bang for the buck in this price range imho.  All the money's been spent on the converters, no unneccessary extras...

While this may seem obvious, or even potentially wrong... my two cents regarding the question of skipping the preamps in the many converters that have them.

Some of the cheaper converters do run everything on the channel through the preamp section... not a lot of noise added because the preamp is running at very low (or 0) gain, but with all the care taken in building this specialty gear outboard... it just seems wrong. 

It seems that if you consult the Manual for a potential converter, and find that the gain controls do not control the channel when you use the "line level" jack, that you can be pretty sure you are skipping the preamps.

This is the case with the profire 2626 that I have (a firewire interface, with 8 analog, and 16 ADAT inputs, plus midi).  I would have said a while ago that i have had no trouble using it as a converter and would have recommended it, but my confidence has been shaken recently when after tracking 12 channels live for 2 hours... dropouts suddenly appeared in the stored data (first 2 hours or so were good.. then it got really ugly) and I failed to get a good copy of the tail of the performance, and I am not sure what caused it still.


I took a look online at at that echo audiofire 12 recommended by rob_gould - I never saw it when I bought my profire unit... that Audiofire looks like a really nice unit - In particular 12 channels in with METERING on every channel is nice (especially when you are using external preamps, some vintage units with tons of drive and no metering), you want to make sure you don't clip the input side of the converter.. so the metering is nice (my profire just has a clip/signal light, works ok, but not the same thing at all ... you can only see signal but not level (till it clips)). 

Just my two cents.

Wow guy great info many thanks........ok so PCI E better ....I havent seem many PCI E cards so far.....EMU 1212 was cheap only 149 pounds.....any thoughts on that one ....no wndows 7 drivers ....not good for me....

RME.....can u guys recomend a card....I only need say 2 inputs.....

Rob the echo card idea seem good but bit over kill on inputs for me.....wonder if there smaller version......I like the fact theres no pres therefore my audio cant go thru whats not on there....bit like what Bruce says about the input pot not affecting the level of my line in, thats what I want...

A shop guy I spoke to recomended a Motu ultralite.....many bells & whistles I wonder anyone know anything about this or any thoughts
http://www.motu.com/products/motuaudio/ultralite-mk3

many thanks

Just found this & at bargin price......any thoughts
http://www.esi-audio.com/products/esp1010e/

thanks again

I use a 1212 with win7 x64. Never had any problems.

rob_gould said:

Have a look at Echo Audiofire 12.  I has exactly the same criteria as you for an interface and this is the one I ended up with.
 
It's firewire rather than USB but that's no big deal.  No preamps, just 12 channels of line level I/O. 

Best bang for the buck in this price range imho.  All the money's been spent on the converters, no unneccessary extras...

Click to expand...

I had an Audiofire 12 for a couple of years and I eventually determined that (on my system) the latency was inconsistent by a couple hundred samples. This means that when you are overdubbing, the you only know where your overdub will end up in relation to your other tracks within a couple hundred samples. This was easily the most frustrating problem I have ever had with any audio equipment, period. I tried many different solutions including switching beween Mac and PC, and using different DAWs, drivers, and firewire cards, all with no improvement. I got rid of mine and got a RME Multiface II and some Lucid converters and haven't looked back. The RME has rock-solid software/drivers. I absolutely would not recommend the ECHO to anyone - it cause me many hours of grief.  That said, if this problem with the could be solved, I had no other complaints - I like that it is line input only, and that it has hardware metering.

Best,

Ben

plumsolly said:

rob_gould said:

Have a look at Echo Audiofire 12.  I has exactly the same criteria as you for an interface and this is the one I ended up with.
 
It's firewire rather than USB but that's no big deal.  No preamps, just 12 channels of line level I/O. 

Best bang for the buck in this price range imho.  All the money's been spent on the converters, no unneccessary extras...

Click to expand...

I had an Audiofire 12 for a couple of years and I eventually determined that (on my system) the latency was inconsistent by a couple hundred samples. This means that when you are overdubbing, the you only know where your overdub will end up in relation to your other tracks within a couple hundred samples. This was easily the most frustrating problem I have ever had with any audio equipment, period. I tried many different solutions including switching beween Mac and PC, and using different DAWs, drivers, and firewire cards, all with no improvement. I got rid of mine and got a RME Multiface II and some Lucid converters and haven't looked back. The RME has rock-solid software/drivers. I absolutely would not recommend the ECHO to anyone - it cause me many hours of grief.  That said, if this problem with the could be solved, I had no other complaints - I like that it is line input only, and that it has hardware metering.

Best,

Ben

Click to expand...

Hmm interesting.  Can't say I've ever noticed this, but perhaps I need to set up a few tests on my own system just to be sure.

Did you ever feed this back to Echo?  I'd be interested to hear if they ever admitted there was an issue?

Rob

Thanks for your thoughts guys Im thinking about a RME babyface at the moment.....

Thinking about this card now....

RME HDSPE AIO

http://www.centrmus.com.hk/news.asp?NewsID=547

sadly RME charge  150 pounds extra for being PCIe and not PCI ....I was even wondering if a CIe to PCI adaptor would work to save some money....this card only comes with crappy unbalanced breakout cable....nasty ......even tha balanced version looks crap another 50 pounds bloody rip off !......Im on a budget was wondering if I could DIY the unbalanced cables to make them balanced ?......didnt want XLRs anyway.......

Ive had RME multiface I for about 8 years..  its reliable like none other i have found for pc. Best drivers IMHO, and for the price extremely good converters. In any case if u dont mind the firewire solution fireface does have them preamps too just in case u want to go thru other flavour and not so far apart in price.
If u really just want best quality u get prism sound.. Or if u already got digital input on your current I/O box, maybe cranesong Hedd 192 (best AD -DA and clock i think)
U would have to spend fair bit of money tho


Regards