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Need help doing some research...
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| sr126 |
I'm looking to upgrade my soundcard. I'm using an E-MU 1820m. My budget will be about 2k +/- a few dollars.
My main thing is the sound. I want the best sound quality I can get for my daw for around 2k.
I would like something that gives me everything my E-MU gives me, but better... I would like something w/a headphone out, MIDI I/O x2, ADAT I/O (-I don't need it be able to do more than 24/48khz or use S/MUX.) SPDIF, 2mic/line for the occasional mic/guitar/sampling binges. Atleast 1 stereo out's for my monitors...
I record audio from my MPC, into Sonar w/ADAT.
Sonar is my DAW. I have Kore2 and Komplete6.
I use my MPC as my sequencer 95% of the time, so I really need MIDI. -Preferably 2 MIDI in's so I can drive 32 channels of DAW/VST action from my MPC.
I really don't need 24/192... 24/96 is enough.
If I really had to, I can go 100% in the box for generating sounds eventhough I will sorely miss being able to lay down drum tracks inside my latency free MPC.
Don't really need anything portable, or mobile since I'm using a desktop PC.
So far I'm looking @RME. Is there anything else??? Also, RME range of offerings is a little confusing to me... PCIe Internal, PCI External, Firewire, USB... I'm a little lost... All I know is that I need something better for my DAW. I'm thru w/semi-pro/pro-sumer/entry level or what ever you want to call it.
Thanks for listening... |
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| kitphillips |
Well, I'd say go an RME because thats going to be my next purchase. But if you have a bit more to spend you could look for a second hand lynx, apogee, metric halo etc... Not sure what price the lavry stuff goes for, but you could, also look into that...
I might recommend going for the lynx or metric halo over the RME if you KNOW you won't need the extra channels...
EDIT: Actually, having checked, you can probably afford one of the ones I mentioned, they're not much more expensive. |
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| sr126 |
As far as I can tell, Metric Halo, and Apogee are Mac only. :(
I was drooling for a Metric Halo ULN-2, until my bubble was popped... it didn't have MIDI I/O either, but I still have a spare E-MU1212m that I can use for MIDI.
Looks like Lavry's are just converters. Either DA or AD... No MIDI, ADAT, SPIF, or mic pre's.
I think I will end up going RME too. Probably the Multiface2, because that's the most similar to what I'm running now, minus the mic pre's. |
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| kitphillips |
Sorry, I missed that you mentioned sonar, so that might limit your options a little, but theres a few things you can do to get around it. like run a seperate interface and converter.
If you get a good converter, you can buy a cheap lightbridge from m audio, or something similar and run the converter into that. From my understanding, the interface won't interfere with sound quality or anything, just give you input to your computer. That gives you the ability to get into the serious high end of converters without spending so much. This also has an advantage in the sense that when firewire or usb becomes obsolete, you replace a $400 interface, not a $2000 converter. Keep in mind that USB 3 is starting to come out, and thats going to change audio interfaces a fair bit.
Theres some truly serious converter/interface combinations that are possible for less than 3k, like an SSL alphalink and a lightbridge, with 24 (Sasha and Charlie May approved) channels . http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/AlphaLinkMAX/
Or theres the Lynx Aurora 8 for an all in one, http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Aurora8FW/
Or the apogee rosetta http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Rosetta800192/ with either a lightbridge or their own firewire card for an extra $400
The lynx is generally regarded to be several notches above the fireface, so I'd recommend that if you don't need extra in/outputs. Its in your price range and apparently sounds really good.
Of course, its also worth thinking about whether better converters are goinng to help that much, since I can't imagine an MPC is all that high quality, and its unlikely you'll hear that much difference anyway without amazing monitors... given your current setup, I might be more inclined to buy a MOTU ultralight and spend some extra cash on monitors/treatment/your girlfriend.
Of course, most of this is just from my own research, its not all influenced by any real experience:p |
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| sr126 |
Thanks a lot for helping me out.
I don't have a lot of knowledge or experience w/computers. I was under the impression that I would have to replace the E-MU, with an RME. Then later on pick up a better converter like the ones you listed.
I was on tweakheadz, and now to me atleast, it looks like I can buy a nice converter, and use my E-MU's SPDIF -That's kind of along the lines of what you are talking about regarding getting a lightbridge.
Most of my sounds are made in the computer, using Kore/Komplete. I have some hardware that makes noise, but I don't really use them in my music anymore. My MPC4000 gets used regularly via ADAT, and that's head and shoulders above my old MPC2000 in every imaginable way. So I don't need anything w/a lot I/O or mic pre's like a Fireface800.
If I get a nice converter that's just 2 channels, then I can just track from the MPC via the master outs, through a Pacifica... That was kinda the plan for a while, but the E-MU is not cutting it soundwise. That's why I decided my upgrade path would be interface/convertor first, then monitors. Reason being that if I feed my monitors a better signal, I can get more use out of them until I have the money for something better. Meanwhile I will be recording my best stuff yet. |
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| kitphillips |
Nah, if you got the RME you'd probably just use the converters on it for a LOOOOONG time. Unless you were going to do professional tracking of rock bands or use heaps of outboard. The only reason you'd use seperate converters and interfaces is if you buy a really top end converter from what I understand.
Sounds like a good plan to use the E-mu. Just check how many inputs it can take, not all SPDIF can take 32 channels or whatever AFAIK. Make sure that theres enough capacity there for whatever converter you'll buy. Often the SPDIF on those units is only for input too, so check that out.
I don't really know how sequencing on an MPC works usually, but are you sure you can make do with 2 ins? I know the 8 on the lynx would probably be enough but 2 might limit you later if you want to use outboard of some sort... Really depends on where you see your studio headed in terms of hardware synths etc I guess.
PS
Don't buy anything until RANN or eric J or someone with a big studio comes by and sees this, I might have it all wrong:p |
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| RichieV |
| would get a lynx soundcard with that kind of money |
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| kitphillips |
| Or until richie V comes along. That was the one I was missing:) |
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