Laptop audio interface for Studio work?

I'm looking for a solid (works when you plug it in) 2 channel audio interface for my laptop. (G4, 1.67GHZ, 1gb ram, 7200rpm internal HD, LP 7.01, Tiger)
All I need it for, is to use as an output to play sounds via keyboard from Logic, for a live studio session.(Ivory piano, EVB3, synths, drum programming and etc.)
My laptop wil be used like a sound module so it would be nice to have this interface to have midi ports as well.
It doesn't have to be the best convertors in the world just want them to be clean and as good as you would find in a stock Yamaha or Roland keyboard ($2k -range).
Oh yeah - which is better?: Firewire or USB 2.0

Ooo, that is awesome, except it costs twice as much as the studio monitors! The other solutions I was looking at are in the $150 (Presonus Audiobox USB) to $190 (E-MU 0404 USB) range. I was hoping for something under $100, ideally with balanced audio. Probably too much to ask for!
But I have a question for you... do you get a lag in sync when you go through the FireWire mixer? On a different forum I was reading that if you want sync for video it's better to find an external converter that connects to the optical digital out (TOSLINK, S/PDIF) than one that connects via FireWire or USB as that means a new digital clock master. I would like not to have to worry about adjusting to get sync, but if it's less than a frame I'm not worried about it.

Similar Messages

  • Any reccomendations on a Audio Interface for recording?

    Hello!
    I’m looking to buy a new Audio Interface for under $500. Any recommendations?
    Thanks!

    I bought a firebox to do some mobile recording, but it had problems and I had to send it back to presonus. in fact I have had 3 other presonus products and every one of them developed problems and I had to send all of them in for repairs. The good thing is Presonus is a great company and they stand behind their products, but in my experience their quality control *****.
    once I got the firebox back, I used it for 3 mobile sessions and it worked fine recording 4 tracks. I used it in the studio once as an aggregate device with my motu and the thing glitches about a dozen times during the session, which forced me to constantly restart or re select the driver. right after the session was over I put it on ebay and got rid of it. and I will never buy another presonus product again
    take a look at Motu

  • Audio Interface for monitoring, mixing 5.1 St Surround in FCP and Sd Tr Pro

    I'm a fairly newbie with FCP and Sound Track Pro, and I am doing mostly long form, live event HDV recordings and editing. I'm about to start doing 5.1 Stereo Surround shooting and burning to Blu Ray. What do you recommend for an audio interface for my G4 PowerBook running Leopard w/2GB ram, to monitor/mix my 5.1 audio tracks in Sound Track Pro (since I can't monitor 5.1 in FCP?) I will likely be recording the tracks on the new Sound Devices 788T and inporting them into FCP and/or STP via firewire, but I need to monitor my mix before I burn to Blu Ray discs using Toast 10 and my LaCie BR burner.
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    You'll need an audio-interface with at least 6 outputs. They should be connected to a surround processor or AV-Receiver with multichannel inputs. In line with your budget you could use M-Audio, Focusrite or Apogee products for that, they work with STP & Protools.
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  • Recommended Audio Interface for MacBook Pro w/ Leopard

    There is more to getting a
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  • Audio interface for iMac????

    I just opened the box to my brand new iMac, and to my horror, there is only a Firewire 800 port, and none for 400! I use an M Audio Firewire 410 Audio interface (which I previously used with my now dead Power Mac), and since it connects via firewire 400, I can't use it with my new iMac
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    Not sure, but I do think its possible, because last year, when apple introduced some line of Imac, lots of people were having trouble with some specifics soundcard(like RME) cause of the apple choice to use a new type of FW800 port from another companie than Texas instrument. One way some users found to fix the problem was to simply daisy chain the soundcard on the firewire port of an external hardrive. So it should work, but keep in mind that you are gona use some part of the bandwith on your firewire cable to feed your soundcard, and that anyway a FW800 cable cant be as fast as a SATA wire or so. Mean that you may not have as much power as you want with your new HD. If you bought that drive to boost your samplers capacity, it will work only if you install some plugins on your new hardrive and some plugs on your native HD. That way you use both speed at the same time...

  • I recently upgrade to OS X Yosemite. Now, My M_Audio Blackbox audio interface won't work. Any suggestions?

    Recently I upgraded my OS to Yosemite 10.10.2 from Mavericks. Now, my M-Audio Black Box Audio interface won't work and I can't find it in the Logic Pro 9 software. Can someone suggest a fix? Thanks.

    Do a backup, preferably 2 separate ones on 2 separate drives.
    Revert to a Previous OS X - Yosemite
    Revert Yosemite to Mavericks
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  • Using M-Audio Fast Track C400 Audio Interface for FaceTime but only input 1 audio is coming through?...

    I'm trying to use my M-Audio interface for FaceTime/U Stream for music purposes. I'm a professional recording artist and I'd like to do some "live stream" concerts for fans from home. I have my keyboard in input 1 and my microphone in input 2. Both signals come through just fine when I'm using Garageband or Logic, but for some reason when I select the interface as the "microphone" option when streaming, only audio from input one is heard from my viewers. I've also switched the keyboard and mic to rule out the mic being the problem, but then the mic audio comes through and not the keyboard...I'm wondering if I'm missing some minute setting somewhere?...I don't understand why it's only for video chat applications that it's only receives one channel of audio...Any help would be appreciated, thanks.

    Are you using Logic 8 or 9?
    What are you trying to hear Logic's output through?
    If you're expecting audio output through built-in audio, and you're using Logic 9, make sure your Fast Track is set as the input device, and built-in audio is set for the output device (both in Logic's audio preferences)
    However, if you're using Logic 8 or 7, you need to create an aggregate device if you're using built-in output.
    Details here:
    http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=8813763&#8813763
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  • What's the best audio interface for Logic Pro and Mac?

    What's the best audio interface for Logic Pro and Mac?

    Depends on the computer model and if you have unlimited funds.

  • Wanted: Multi-Channel Audio Interface for iMac & GB (USB)

    I am looking for an affordable multi-channel audio interface for my iMac for use with Garageband. My goal is to playback old songs from my old computer (Atari ST) through my Yamaha gear and record the audio into GB so I can mix it. (READ: Not interested in transferring MIDI.)
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    Any suggestions? I’m trying to keep this under $100. (Also, I know I can use multiple low-budget devices and aggregate them in Audio/Midi, but I do NOT want to go that route.)
    Thanks.

    As you imply, keeping it below $100 makes it tough.
    Generally only the two channel interfaces are close to $100.
    Check out Hang Times FAQ:
    http://www.bulletsandbones.com/GB/Interfaces.html

  • Help!!! The best audio interface for Logic Studio

    Hey y'all,
    I'm looking for an audio interface. Requirements are: microphone- (XLR), instrument- (1/4") and midi-connectors. I'd like to record everything 1 by 1 all by myself, without audio playback/slowing-down issues. I'm quite new with recording and have no idea which one suits my system and software the best. I want to record as easy as possible and with the most beautiful results available. Price range of up to €500.
    My MacBook Pro:
    Mac OS X 10.6.8
    Processor 2.66 GHz Intel Core i7
    Geheugen 4 GB 1067 MHz DDR3
    My software: Logic Studio
    Thanks!

    If Midi connectivity is important: Focusrite Saffire 6 (USB). Check out the User Guide:
    http://www.focusrite.com/downloads/saffire_6_usb/
    Otherwise, I would strongly recommend Mackie's Onyx Blackjack, especially when also out gigging. Check out the product page and you can also download an Owner's Manual:
    http://www.mackie.com/products/onyxblackjack/
    I use the Mackie . User Guides/Manuals are a great way of checking out detail about a product when deciding what to buy.
    I thought that Sennheiser were well known for headphones, not microphones.

  • Audio interface for iPad

    Can you record 2 or more tracks of audio simultanously with garage band for iPad using an interface? Which interface/sound card would you recommend? Any experience with connecting an audio interface to the USB-camera connecting kit?

    And there you have it. Tascam dropped that makett and decided to stick with the main computer platforms. This was probably due to lack of interest in recording that way. Thanks for sending me the link. I contacted harmonic dog and they said the us800 does work so maybe you can find one of those used or still kicking around. Good luck and don't let that steer your creativity away. Sounds to me like you want to record a band live and have the ability to have mix control of each of the live performers. Ther are some pretty good stand alone digital recorders that are not too expensive with 8-16 inputs at once. For now the iPad is mostly a two channel input device but as more and more people show interest than these devices will be everywhere. As a guy who sold digital audio for many years I know that the home recording devices are mostly geared to solo or duo performers and their products reflect this. Live and field recording fit into a different category with recording manufactures and generally come in at higher prices due to their pro like features. Good luck.
    Here's a cheap and fun way to record a band a d still preserve control. First you center the mics for say the drummer with baffles to isolate the other members and record that drummer in stero. Then have the band play together again and do this for every player in the band. In other words a four piece band will play the song four times live never to a monitor just live and hopefully the drummer can stay on a constant tempo. Then simply assemble the individual takes and drag them around to sync up to the other tracks and then proceed to record the drummer again this time he listens to the recorded tracks of his band and have him lay as many tracks as you need to separate the drum parts. Believe it or not most studios record the drums with lots of mics but to only aboutb 4 tracks which control the toms, cymbals, snare, kick. They might also record an overall stero ambient track to blend in some space. You can do all of this with a few mics , a mixer and a stereo digital recorder. Good luck.

  • Good laptop audio interface?

    I'm trying to help my friend set up a laptop with logic 7.1. trying to keep the price down, so plan on having him by a g4 notebook, an oxegen 8 keyboard, borrowed mics from me and some kind of audio interface. Also wondered if the notebook as apposed to a powerbook is a real bad idea. He's going to use it for writing mostly and bring stuff to me to mix with my tdm system and dmx r-100 so he doesn't need a lot of juice. anything else I should know? thanks in advance

    Hi John,
    Saved by Tech in Toronto have them in stock now. I believe the first North American shippings have been done this week. I messed a bit with it last night and I'm very enthusiastic. The Saffire Console GUI is very nice and they've done a great job with the plug-ins. The EQ is very interesting. Only the amp simulator is poor but I didn't buy it for that! Preamps seem to be the same as the MBox. Hardware quality is very good. I had to try to upgrade the firmware three times before it worked but now everything is ok. Drivers seems very solid. I tried a buffer setting of 128 samples without any glitches. You can have two separate headphones mixes plus the master.

  • Audio interface for 24" iMac - conflict between firewire 400 and 800?

    So, what I have now:
    2.8ghz iMac, latest model, newest firmware, running OS 10.4.11, connected to an M-Audio Ozonic Firewire 400 interface, and I was hoping to run said interface while ALSO connecting a firewire 800 hard drive for samples, or for recording to.
    Alas, as soon as I turn on the firewire 800 drive, a model sold by Other World Computing and containing an Oxford chipset, all audio stops on the Ozonic keyboard and is replaced by clicks and pops. The only way I've found to get the audio back is with a complete restart of the system, with the firewire 800 drive OFF.
    For those of you who aren't familiar with the M-Audio device, it's a small keyboard and firewire audio interface in one unit. Perhaps not the highest quality, but my Powerbook G4 1.67 with firewire 800 CAN run both the Ozonic and the firewire 800 drive at the same time. With no interruption in sound playback.
    I did some research and discovered that in the iMac I bought, the two firewire channels, 400 and 800, appear to be on the same PCI E bus, and perhaps will NEVER work together.
    Is that right? I thought the whole point of firewire was how it's able to negotiate such communications and work seamlessly with other firewire devices. I know, I know, I'm living in dreamland, it's just sad that a much older Apple product (my PPC notebook), can do something a brand new model cannot. Sigh.
    Any advice? Any chance 10.5 fixes this?
    If not, should my next audio interface be USB 2.0? Any thoughts from the Audio pros out there (besides 'you bought the wrong machine) would be great.

    Sorry I can't help with your specific query as I have never used that Audio hardware.
    I am a video man myself and went for the 24" 2.8Ghz iMac as i believe the Firewire 400 and 800 Buses are seperate. I know on older iMacs and even the MacPro the FW800 and 400 buses were on the same bus and when connecting a firewire video camera to the FW400 bus, the 800 would lower it's speed to 400 to accomodate or in some cases would lose the connection all together.
    I currently have a FW800 Hard drive connected to the FW800 port and a video deck in the FW400 port and they both run at full speed 800/400 respectively.
    This leads me to believe Apple have fixed the Firewire sharing problem.
    I know it's no help but just though I would share my experience with the Firewire on the new iMac.

  • Which Audio Interface for Me?

    Okay, I have decided to make the switch from my iMic and a mixer to an audio interface that has two inputs so I can record two channels at once. I may be using external pre's at times so it must have line-in's. Also, right now I am using a Rev. A Mac Mini, but soon I will be upgrading to a Mac Intel Book to be named later. I will mainly use this to record acoustic guitar, vocals, bass, and ocassionally drums (using a mixer to sub mix and then into the audio interface). I will do everything for my own home enjoyment so my standards are real high. Here are the possibilities I have come up with from the Sweetwater catalog in my price range ($150 - $300):
    1.)Lexicon Alpha (this is a new model) or Lambda - both are USB
    2.)Tapco Link.USB
    3.)Makie Spike (USB)
    4.)Alesis io I 14 (what is this thing USB or Firewire?)
    5.)M-Audio Firewire 410
    6.)Presonus Firebox
    It doesn't matter to me if it is USB or Firewire, I guess my biggest requirement is the ability to use the line-in for external pre's. Thanks for any help!

    I guess you guys mean that I could pan channel one
    left and two right and then into the iMic?
    That's correct
    There are two jacks on the iMic I see,
    No, one of those is the input, one of those is the output (you could plug headphoines into that one)
    but I guess I don't
    understand how I can have those on two seperate
    channels in garageband.
    That's the easy part. Create a New Basic Track and click the "I"nfo button, then set the input popUp menu to "Channel 1 (Mono)". Create a second New Basic Track and set it's Input popUp menu to "Channel 2 (mono)". Make sure the little red Record Enable buttons are on for both track and hit record. You'll be recording 2 tracks.
    Also, I think one thing for
    me as that my mixer didn't have in/outs on each
    channel so I can use external pre's.
    Okay, like I said, I would never dissuade someone from getting a better interface, and the iMic is nowhere near the Top Of The Line...
    I use PreSonus' FirePod and for the year+ that I've had it I've been thrilled with it. I have no person al experience with the FireBox, but PreSonus has an excellent reputation so if it has the features you want, I'd expect it to be a great product.
    Finally, I guess I should say that I'm using
    Garageband now, but had thought about Logic Express
    in the future. Thanks for the help
    Any of the interfaces you listed should work fine with whatever software you want to use (the compatibility question is not really with the software, but rather the hardware. If the interface works on your Mac then it will work with GB and Logic).
    Hope that helps --HangTime [Will Compute for Food] B-|>

  • Need advice on an Audio Interface for guitar, bass and vocals

    I have a G4 Dual Processor 500.
    For now I'm using a Griffin 1/4" to 1/8" adapter cable. I plug one end into my guitar and the other into my Microphone jack on the back of my computer. I even tried using a splitter to share my microphone port. This allowed me to share the stereo signal with Guitar and bass ( by setting guitar to left mono and bass to right mono in GB). This doesn't work well at all!!!
    My goal is to have my friend come over so we can record live into GB using a custom software drum track with two real instrument tracks, guitar (me) and bass (him).
    So, what is a good multi track audio interface (mixer) to do this with. Hopefully one that doesn't have latency problems. I think a four track would be enough, right.
    Is firewire better than USB?
    What mixers do most GB muscians use?
    thanks,
    Haifarm

    Sorry to highjack this discussion. I'm new to the boards and couldn't figure out how to post a new message.
    Does anyone know when M-Audio might be updating their drivers to support Leopard? I've been monitoring the M-Audio site, but they're not being very specific with a time estimate. Does anyone remember how long it took them when Tiger was released? I really miss being able to use my Firewire 410 interface and 88es Keystation.
    Thanks in advance,
    Chris

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