Please recommend audio interface /soundcard

I need a good audio interface / soundcard for my Power Mac G5.
My criteria are as follows:
Must work perfectly with the G5 in OS 10.4.
Must have excellent A/D and D/A convertors
Must have digital in/out and balanced line in/out
Must have 1/4'' headphone out
Must support a minimum of 24bit, 48kHz
I do not need any pre-amps or bundled software, I don't need it to be portable, and I only need stereo in/out.
The D/A and A/D convertors are the most important feature for me, so must be low noise, flat signal response, low harmonic distortion etc.
I would also like it to be cheap, certainly no more than £200 ($368 / €291).
I am not sure whether PCI Express, Firewire or USB would be best; - I am willing to consider them all.
What I have already:
Studio Projects VTB1 pre-amp (male XLR balanced out)
Yamaha MSP3 speakers (female XLR balanced OR female 1/4'' TRS balanced)
I use Logic Pro 7.1.1
What audio interface / soundcard do you recommend? - Please give me some options for me to investigate further. All responses are much appreciated.
Thanks.

These companies have firewire devices for ~$300-$500:
http://www.alesis.com/
http://www.m-audio.com
http://www.edirol.com/
Get firewire, not USB2. I don't know of any PCI Express audio devices except for Pro Tool's new hardware (expensive).

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Hi there,
I have several high-birtrate mp3 and wma files I'd like to convert to AAC for my iPod. Can someone please recommend a good utility to do this on Arch? Thanks!

fukawi2 ~ $ mpg123 -w - /mnt/music/Andrea\ Bocelli/Amore/01\ Amapola.mp3 | faac -o /tmp/amapola.aac -
Freeware Advanced Audio Coder
FAAC 1.26.1 (Feb 1 2008) UNSTABLE
High Performance MPEG 1.0/2.0/2.5 Audio Player for Layers 1, 2 and 3
version 1.6.1; written and copyright by Michael Hipp and others
free software (LGPL/GPL) without any warranty but with best wishes
Directory: /mnt/music/Andrea Bocelli/Amore/
Playing MPEG stream 1 of 1: 01 Amapola.mp3 ...
[wav.c:381] warning: Cannot rewind WAV file. File-format isn't fully conform now.
Title: Amapola Artist: Andrea Bocelli
Comment: 00000D22 00000BF3 00004417 000035D3 00024A1E 00024A35 00008000 00008000 00024A1E 00024A07
Album: Amore
Year: 2006 Genre: Easy Listening
MPEG 1.0 layer III, 256 kbit/s, 44100 Hz stereo
Quantization quality: 100
Bandwidth: 16000 Hz
Object type: Low Complexity(MPEG-2) + M/S
Container format: Transport Stream (ADTS)
Encoding - to /home/phillips/Desktop/amapola.aac
frame | elapsed | play/CPU
9550 | 15.0 | 14.80x
[3:43] Decoding of 01 Amapola.mp3 finished.
[wav.c:381] warning: Cannot rewind WAV file. File-format isn't fully conform now.
9620 | 15.1 | 14.84x
fukawi2 ~ $ file /tmp/amapola.aac
/home/phillips/Desktop/amapola.aac: MPEG ADTS, AAC, v2 LC, 44.1 kHz, stereo
fukawi2 ~ $
*shrugs* I dunno, I just did some quick Googling

Recommended Audio Interface for MacBook Pro w/ Leopard

There is more to getting a
four pin firewire audio
interface to work than
buying one. Tech forums are
full of driver related issues.
Is there a tried and true
FW audio interface for the
MBP w/Leopard that anyone
is using now? Thanks.

not quite understand.....I m using MAudio firewire 400.....is working quite fine.
And lot of people is using it. With leopard I do not know, any way it should work fine as well.
Good luck

Recommended audio interface to plug guitar into Garageband.

I have a 2013 Macbook Pro Retina with latest Yosemite update. I'm trying to learn how to use Garageband. If I use a USB guitar lead I get a terrible howling beeping noise when "monitor" or recording. It is a new good quality USB Guitar lead. I don't think it is faulty. Is there anything I can do to quiet down the cacaphony?Internet research says I need an audio interface, either USB or Firewire. The USB is obvious but I don't quite know what to use the Thunderbolt ports for (I've never used them whatsoever).
If any Garageband guitarists guru can point me in the right direction on what to do here I'd be grateful.

Thank you isteveus for your reply.
I can confirm that I am using the "USB PnP sound device" input as the recording device, as I go into the Garageband preferences I select that and the output as either "system settings " or "built-in output".
The noise is there with headphones or without and with the lead plugged into the guitar or not. I can remove the noise by playing with various volume controls on the amp models but then I can't hear anything. I've also tried running the guitar through a small mixing desk and then using the usb lead from the mixer into the computer but to no effect, howling beeping feedback is still there.
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PLEASE HELP, AUDIO INTERFACE PROBLEMS

hi, i just got a new macbook and logic express 7. i also just uploaded something for this audio interface iv got, the tascam US122. but it is not recognising it. the light for phantom power comes on if i plug the usb cable into my mac from the tascam but it doesnt come up anywhere on my mac to say that it has recognised it. if you could help pleeease do.
thanks

Hi,
The Tascam US122 is no longer a supported device. Try to go to the Tascam website, and see if they do have a driver that can run in your particular Mac.
If not, then you're S.O.L.
Cheers

G5? OS X.4? - What Audio Interface do you use?

Calling all people with a Power Mac G5, running OS 10.4 (Tiger). - Please list your Audio Interface (Soundcard) here!
(Reason being, I'm looking into getting an Audio Interface, and I'd like to know what works well on a G5 running OS X.4)
Thanks!

A lot of users also seem to like the MOTU 828mkII. I've used it with good results as well. I do own a Digidesign Digi 002 rack, and it works ok I guess. The core audio support is pretty miserable, but it works with Pro Tools. It does still function with logic as well but maintains a pretty high latency. I wouldn't really reccomend it unless you are using pro tools. Good Luck!
--Justin S.

Please recommend the best audio interface not the firebox!!!!

i am not sure if this unit is doing what i want it to do.
what audio interface are you using (firewire) to record external synth/guitar
and recording out of its audio outs to a recording device like a minidisc at the same time monitors are connected to it. The firebox is eccentric, sometimes the drivers are there in the midi audio and sometimes they arent.
which brand are you using with consistent results?
its always hit and miss with this firebox. im using OS 10.4.11 and just upgraded the new software mixer and control at its web site.
garageband has gotten so good now its the audio interface failing me.
thanks

I use the M-Audio Firewire solo. It's super reliable and I think it's got everything you need. As long as your drivers are good, you're good to go. Just make sure that you DO NOT plug it in when the computer is on (as with all firewire products)! I ruined one that way.. then turned around and bought another one.
Love the thing.
http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/FireWireSolo-main.html

Can anyone recommend audio/midi interface LE7 + Mac mini

Hi all!
I've been working with LE 7 for some weeks now. My setup is really simple: a Mac mini, LE7, some free plugs, that's it. Now, I've come to the stage when I need to record guitar, bass, keyboard and add some vocals. Could someone please recommend a decent interface that is compatible with my setup?! I don't have very hi-tech requirements, I just want something that works. No need for lots of inputs, and I've only got one keyboard. FireWire or USB should not matter, unless you know what to prefer. Low budget....
Many thanks in advance!

Firewire Interfaces are always better than USB ones for audio. I really love the Focusrite Saffire but maybe it's more than what you're willing to pay. You could also check out Presonus Firebox or M-Audio FW Solo. However, M-Audio drivers are sometimes a little on the buggy side. If you want to go the USB way, I'd check Tascam's US-122.

Hard-drive and audio interface set-up - Advice please

Hello,
Please offer me some advice if you can. I have the new 13" macbook pro 2.26Ghz with Logic Studio. I am going to get a hard-drive that has both usb and firewire 800 interfaces and need to decide whether to get a usb or firewire audio interface. The crux of my problem is in what configuration to use the devices, which will determine which audio interface I choose. E.g.
1. Firewire 800 hard-drive to record tracks onto and back-up + usb audio interface; or
2. Firewire 800 hard-drive as above + firewire 400 audio interface daisy-chained; or
3. Record onto the internal hard-drive and use a usb audio interface; or
4. Record onto the internal hard-drive and use a firewire 400 interface.
FYI, the audio interfaces I'm looking at are the E-Mu 0404 USB or Focusrite Saffire LE, both of which have had excellent reviews.
Questions to consider, please, are: Which configuration will offer the best performance and least latency? Is it worth recording onto external hard-drive (7,200) or will the internal drive (5,200) be faster/as fast? Will daisy-chaining cause a significant drop in performance? Do you have any alternative configuration suggestions? Plus any other comments you can think of.
Thank you in advance
Jamie

The good thing about #2, if the drive enclosure also has a USB 2.0 interface you have the option of using/trying that configuration as well. I know a few that get away with using USB drives for recording.
Make sure the audio drive is formatted Mac OS Extended, with Journaling OFF.
Don't trust the drive formatting as it's delivered.
pancenter-

Audio Interface not working Please Help

I have been using Logic express with no problems with my Tascam us-122 audio interface , I recently downloaded a program for firefox to be able to capture webpage-video i.e. You-tube etc, and now I cannot get sound out of my interface, even after trying to unistall that program and reinstall my interface driver
Please help, many thanks

Hello,
"and now I cannot get sound out of my interface, even after trying to unistall that program and reinstall my interface driver"
Try using AppZapper: http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/systemdiskutilities/appzapper.html
This way you make sure you have UNinstalled all the associated files.
Carolyn

I recently bought a dbx hardware compressor and am not quite sure how to use it in logic express 9. I hav a focusrite saffire 6 usb audio interface and am not dont how to use it in logic. Please help???

I recently bought a dbx hardware compressor and am not quite sure how to use it in logic express 9. I hav a focusrite saffire 6 usb audio interface and am not dont how to use it in logic. Please help???

MUYconfundido wrote:
Pancenter,
Thanks for the response, but I do not have a midi interface. I am using a midi to usb connector cable, thus bypassing the need for a Midi interface.
The Mac reads the USB cable as a midi device, but not the keyboard that I am trying to use as a controller. I have tried it with my korg sp 300 and with my Nord Electro 2.
Thoughts?
Thanks,
Tristan
Tristan...
This is what you have, correct?
http://www.alesis.com/usbmidicable
This from Alesis..
"The AudioLink Series USB cable receives and outputs MIDI signal thanks to its internal interface. The USB-MIDI Cable connects plug-and-play to your Mac or PC for an all-in-one USB-MIDI solution."
Notice, -internal interface-. What you have is a simple USB MIDI Interface. Most MIDI interfaces are USB.
My point is (was), MIDI OUT of the Korg goes to the connector marked MIDI IN on the Alesis, those new to MIDI often get this wrong.
pancenter-

Help choosing an Audio Interface Please

I am new to the mac world, and GB'08 is my first exposure to computer-based recording. I have been using the internal mic to record guitar and vocals, but want to upgrade so I can get better quality. I am not a pro, and am not looking to spend a bunch of money on this. I currently have a Tascam US-122, but although I have th most recent driver (and it shows up in system pref, GB, etc.) I cannot get it to work properly. I'm ready to move on.
I have found 2 devices that I think would be sufficient for my purposes, the Miglia Harmony Audio Interface (firewire) and the Imic (USB). Does any one have any ecperience working with either of these? Preferences? Other recommendations?
I have the imac 20", 2.4ghz, 2gb RAM with Leopard OSX.
thanks.

Michael
I am a singer songwriter who uses GB to do my songs. I bought a 10 input Behringer mixer for $70 and the iMic for $30. I run the guitar and mic into the mixer and the tape outs (Y Card - two RCA outs to 1/8" in) into the iMic. I get really good sound. iMic is a 2 way device so you can monitor also. Also, I converted all my bands old cassette recordings to MP3 using the iMic. And those recordings sound really great. So I speak from experience that the A to D converter in the iMic is pretty good. I owned a studio in LA back in 80's so I know the difference good sound and bad.
Another idea would be to buy a $50 Behringer mixer and run your audio into the audio in jack on your computer. Have never tried this but I am guessing it would be better than using the internal Mic (the worst possible scenario).
And the good thing about the iMic is....it just works and it is cheap. So later if you get money you can spring on a "pro" interface like the Apogee Duet.
The absolute key to getting a good sound is to have a "hot signal" going into your computer so you don't have to crank up the input gain and introduce a bunch of noise. The Behringer mixers come with XLR inputs for your Mic with ok gain. I actually plug my Mic into a Symetrix preamp to make the signal "hot" and then feed it into the Behringer.
Good luck!!

Recommend me an audio interface

I need an audio interface - PCI, Firewire or USB-2 - with a bunch of inputs and outputs (min. 6 in, 4 out), a couple of universal XLR/minijack input jacks with good pre-amps and, here's the clincher, separate level controls for headphones and monitor output.
Does anyone know of anything that suits my needs?

I agree, I would stay away from M-Audio and definitely from Digidesign. I really want to recommend Metric Halo and the RME Fireface, but they are both out of your budget and do not give you separate headphone and monitor knobs on the physical interface (except the ULN2 which is limited in i/o options).
I would look into Presonus first, and MOTU second. I think the converters on the Presonus interfaces are slightly better. But MOTU interfaces are pretty solid and have good drivers.
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