Selecting an Audio Interface

Hi,
I recently purchased Logic Pro 9 on my 2011 13" Macbook Pro, and am in need of a new audio interface. I am using it to record with my band (using synthetic drums so I am usually recording one track at a time). We used to use Sonar Home Studio with an Alesis Multimix 8 USB 2.0, but felt we needed something with more power and options so we switched to Logic. Also, we had some problems with the Alesis with quality among other things. I need an audio interface that will give me good sound quality with at lease one XLR input, a guitar input, a MIDI input and an output or two, one of which that can be used for headphones while tracking vocals and such. I don't have a set price range but I do want something that will give us good audio quality and something that will work well with logic.
Any help and suggestions are much appreciated and please let me know if there is any more information you need from me.
Thanks!

Presonus makes good quality equipment and they're always wheeling & dealing with various music retailers (ie Sweetwater, Musicians Friend) to offer package deals with, say, an audio interface + heavy discount on Studio One Pro which is their relatively new DAW (btw, it is a nice app and has defaulted to my secondary after Logic).
I'd avoid M-Audio. I once owned their 2496 card which was worth every penny I paid: $15 + a six pack of Sam Adams to a friend moving out of state.
Can't really go wrong with Focusrite hardware but someone needs to get their plug-in developers to step up.
Good luck.

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My macbook with GarageBand '08 won't recognize my audio interface (Alesis iO 26) connected by firewire. any suggestions?

my macbook with GarageBand '08 won't recognize my audio interface (Alesis iO 26) connected by firewire. any suggestions?

srjinx wrote:
i have a firewire connected. so should i select "built-in" or "system settings" from garageband?
not if you want to use your interface
srjinx wrote:
there is no option on either the main mac system preferences audio input menu nor the garageband preferences menu to select my audio interface as the input.
does the iO 26 require a driver? check the Alesis web site to make sure you have the latest, if it does.
if not, the first suspect would be the cable, try another FW cable.
less likely is one of the FW ports, if you have another FW device you might see if it works on the Mac, for the interface you might need to visit a music store to test it

Playing DVDs in 5.1 With Firewire Audio Interface Connected for Logic Pro

This is exactly the same q as asked by plantwebguy in July 06, link
http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=2696970#2696970...
I'm struggling to get an answer on this anywhere... I have Logic Pro running 5.1 Surround Mixes on a g5, using a Metric Halo Mobile IO Firewire audio interface - its 6 analog outs are connected to a M Audio LX4 powered surround system. It all works great - until... the problem is when I need to listen to DVDs with 5.1 soundtracks (for reference), or even HD trailers (with 5.1 soundtracks). With the Mobile IO selected as audio interface, DVDs only play in stereo. I think this is because the 5.1 soundtrack is only output thru the optical out - but connecting the optical out to the Mobile IO and selecting 'Digital out' on the g5 brings silence.. Im told this is because the MIO's optical in wont decode 5.1. I'm interested to hear from anyone with a Pro Audio interface - like a MOTU etc - who needs to switch between mixing their own music in 5.1 and then listening to DVDs in 5.1.. I cant be the first, surely?
Plantwebguy said he solved his issue with VLC. Do we know if VLC willl decode 5.1 and then output it to the Interface via Firewire? I've searched the net for a Pro Audio interface with (1) 6 analog outs & mic inputs etc (2) firewire connection and (3) optical in that reads AC3/5.1 etc (rather than just ADAT).... nada. Sorry to be long-winded but I cant get a solution anywhere..
Thanks in advance
g5 dual 2.5 Mac OS X (10.3.9) Logic Pro/Mobile IO 2882 FW Interface/M Audio LX4

This is exactly the same q as asked by plantwebguy in July 06, link
http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=2696970#2696970...
I'm struggling to get an answer on this anywhere... I have Logic Pro running 5.1 Surround Mixes on a g5, using a Metric Halo Mobile IO Firewire audio interface - its 6 analog outs are connected to a M Audio LX4 powered surround system. It all works great - until... the problem is when I need to listen to DVDs with 5.1 soundtracks (for reference), or even HD trailers (with 5.1 soundtracks). With the Mobile IO selected as audio interface, DVDs only play in stereo. I think this is because the 5.1 soundtrack is only output thru the optical out - but connecting the optical out to the Mobile IO and selecting 'Digital out' on the g5 brings silence.. Im told this is because the MIO's optical in wont decode 5.1. I'm interested to hear from anyone with a Pro Audio interface - like a MOTU etc - who needs to switch between mixing their own music in 5.1 and then listening to DVDs in 5.1.. I cant be the first, surely?
Plantwebguy said he solved his issue with VLC. Do we know if VLC willl decode 5.1 and then output it to the Interface via Firewire? I've searched the net for a Pro Audio interface with (1) 6 analog outs & mic inputs etc (2) firewire connection and (3) optical in that reads AC3/5.1 etc (rather than just ADAT).... nada. Sorry to be long-winded but I cant get a solution anywhere..
Thanks in advance
g5 dual 2.5 Mac OS X (10.3.9) Logic Pro/Mobile IO 2882 FW Interface/M Audio LX4

Mainstage not working with audio interface

Hi,
I'm having problems in using Mainstage with my audio interface, a Tascam US-600.
Mainstage does not receive any input signals when I connect a microphone or a guitar into the Tascam and use it with Mainstage. I selected the audio interface as audio input and tried with all the inputs (from 1 to 6) that the channel strip let me select. For the audio output, when I select the built-in output I can not hear nothing; when I select the Tascam outputs, I can hear just the NON-PROCESSED sounds.
I don't know what to do, because I realized these other facts:
     - Mainstage works with a MIDI device directly connected to the Mac with a MIDI-USB cable;
     - The Tascam, as written above, receive the input signals. Using it with GarageBand it gives me no problems, with the same instruments (both                microphones, guitars and the audio interface) and connections!
     - Also if it gives me problems with feedbacks and noises, the built-in microphone seems to work with Mainstage - at least MS recognise input signals.
Thanks in advance for your answers and sorry for my English if it's not so smooth.
Francesco

dmriveratre wrote:
The problem is that since the MacBook only has two USB ports, I am having to use a USB hub. <snip>
When I quit Mainstage and unplug the USB hub and only using either both interfaces, or one interface and the midi controller, it works fine.
Hi
Is the Hub a powered one or ?
Sounds like you need a better (powered?) one
CCT
edit
Could be an overall power limitation if everything is bus powered? Can you use external PSU's for any of the kit?

Error message: "the previously selected audio interface is not available"

HELP?!?!?!?!?
I'm stuck, and I can't go forward. Here's my issue:
I've bought a Focusrite Saffire LE, a simple firewire audio interface, for use with my Logic Express 7 (with all the latest updates). I run the setup assistant and select my saffire as the audio interface to use, and then when logic runs I get the message "the previously selected audio interface is not available" and it defaults to my Macbook Pro's internal microphone and speakers.
Just for sanity I've tested the audio interface with garageband and it's fine. My other audio apps aso run fine using the saffire as the audio interface. The setup assistant for logic has no problem finding the saffire, so why does it get rejected as soon as logic starts?!?!?
Please - this is driving me crazy.

I asked Focusrite for some help, and they said it should work (which I knew) and made some suggestions. Here's their email:
"Saffire LE should work fine in Logic Express.
Try resetting your logic preferences. Go to Logic > preferences > initialise all except key commands.
Do you still have the same problem?
Do you have any other firewire devices attached?
Have you had any other interfaces installed in the past?"
All good suggestions, but so far no luck.
Has someone else got the same config as me? (15" Macbook Pro and focusrite saffire le)?

M Audio firewire solo with yosemite - 'The previously selected audio interface is not available'.

Hi, I recently bought a new mac mini with yosemite OS. I plugged in my M-audio firewire solo and (after a bit of trouble) finally managed to see it appear in GB. then moments later a dialogue box appears with 'The previously selected audio interface is not available'.
There doesn't appear to be any update drivers from M-Audio and the CD that came with the interface also does not work?
I can't find any information with this problem. Can any one help?

Oops. . . A loose lead connection may have been the problem, although still not receiving a signal?

FCE Unexpected quit upon selecting audio interface in voiceover tool

FCE runs fine. I've just installed a Tascam US-122mkII USB audio interface which is also running fine in all other programs. It outputs sounds perfectly and inputs fine from the attached external microphone.
When I go to the Voiceover tool in FCE, the US-122mkII is displayed in the dropdown list, but five seconds after I choose it, FCE quits.
I'm running the latest version of the Tascam driver and teh internets seem to agree that this driver is pretty solid. I've reinstalled the driver just in case, updated firmware, deleted preferences...and now I'm out of ideas.
Anyone got any ideas?

Hi(Bonjour)!
Did you search aboout this issue in tascam.com web support?
There is a mac OS X 10.6 driver update:
http://www.tascam.com/i-3863-232-128-0-D2F26A42.dmg
Michel Boissonneault

Setting up an audio interface with logic 9

hey im still pretty new to this. i have a powerbook G4 with logic pro 9. i just got a steinberg CI1 usb audio interface which i was told would work with logic. (http://www.steinberg.net/en/products/hardware/ci1/ci1_start.html) im recording vocals and im having trouble with logic picking up any audio. ive installed the drivers and my mac has no problem discovering the interface. i went into logic and it intilized the core audio, and then i went to "prefrences" and set the audio input/output to the interface. i can hear myself with the headphones i connect to the interface and i can also hear the instrumental music coming from logic. The problem is logic wont pick up any of my vocals. I set the track to record enable and i still have nothing. Any help? Thanks!
oh and i tried it with garageband and it worked fine, so im pretty sure it has to do something with the setting on logic. any help would be appreciated!

Hey bud i was able to sort it quite easily in the end!
Ensure u have latest drivers installed!
Restart your mac! Ensure interface is plugged in
Load logic!
Click the + to add a new track:- select audio instrument!
Enable record and monitoring! Choose the channel you want to record from!
You may have to select your interface as your output if monitors are being used through the interface!
Hey presto!

Problems with USB Audio Interface

My Behringer mixing board came with a USB Interface so I can out put the audio from the board into my laptop via USB. The trick is though Logic recognizes it and I can record say microphone audio from the board on Logic, I cannot hear the tracks that already on Logic. For instance, say I want to record a vocal track onto something I have created on Logic. Logic will let me record the microphone vocal but it won't allow me to hear the track, rendering it useless. It is a very simple USB interface and I have been thinking of upgrading but I am wondering if it something I am doing wrong on Logic. Any thoughts?
Ken

when you select , lets say the USB device in your audio preferences, it will be used as the input and output device. You can use the USB interface's audio outs plugged into your mixer, and use speakers or the headphone jack. When you create an aggregate device, using the USB device and your built in audio, and choose it in your audio preferences, this allows you to use the inputs and outputs of both the USB interface and your built in audio from your mac. So now you can record from one device while listening back on another. meaning you can record the audio from the USB device and listen back using your Mac speakers or from headphones plugged into your mac.
if you get a better audio interface, one with mic inputs, you will still need to connect it to speakers or plug in headphones to it to hear audio. If you have the budget, a dedicated firewire audio interface will usually give better results, in audio quality, than a behringer mixer and a usb interface.

Problem Using Zoom H4 as an Audio Interface with Garageband

I'm new to GB and I am having problems getting started using my Zoom H4 as an Audio Interface with Garageband on my iMAC.
I'm fairly certain that I have the connection and all of the setting configurations correct, and yet I cannot get any sound from the H4 into GB.
I do see the sound volume registering in the Input Level window of the H4, but not in GB.
Here is what I see in my Garageband:
Preferences >
Audio/MIDI >
- System Setting
- Built-in Microphone
- Built-in Input
- H4 Audio IN (when H4 is connected to the iMAC via USB)
Of course I have selected the H4.
Any help or insight would be greatly appreciated. Operators standing by!

I don't have a H4 but do have a H2. Did you set the H4 as a audio interface, after you plug it in choose interface in the H4 screen?
Did you choose the H4 input channel in the track info?

How to set up an audio interface with logic express

i just got a deck board tascam us-1641, downloaded the driver, plugged in my keyboard but nothing is happening. What am I missing or not doing?

You probably have to set up Logic to use your audio interface.
You'll find these settings under the Logic menu > Preferences > Audio. Then you can select the preferred audio interface.

Question about working with an audio interface

Hi
I just bought an audio interface (tascam us-122l) and i have logic express 8 installed, so i've connected my guitar and my keyboard (via MIDI) to the audio interface, and i've read the user's manual but i still don't know how things work...
Is it possible to use the built-in speakers on my imac as a sort of "amplifier". So when i play on my guitar or keyboard, i can hear what i'm playing trough my imac.
This is what i did so far;
- installed the drivers and updated the firmware
- system preferences > sound > input and clicked on my audio interface (US-122L)
- LE8 > preferences > audio > devices > and i selected the US-122L as device
This might be a stupid question but i just want to record songs.
Thnx anyway.

Logic audio preferences assumes you want to use your interface as an output for monitor speakers - the standard way and the best way given that your internal spekers will be neither loud enough or good enough to act as great monitors. If you don't have speakers you will be able to hear what you have recorded through headphones connected to your interface. If you want to listen from imac speakers or audio out you do indeed need to change to "built in input" - this is just a name logic uses to refer to your imacs internal sound card (including input and output).
To separate the input and output for different devices you need to set up your aggregate device, which you should be able to do, though you say you can't.

Audio Interface

Hi just recently i think after a osx software update for my intel imac, everytime i start up logic it gives me a message saying "the previously selected audio interface is not available. The built in audio inputs and outputs of the computer will be used instead for this session" Ive checked the audio/midi interface setup and its set to line in, but it seems to be recording from the built in mic...
Anyone have an idea?
-Si

I got that a couple of times, what's weirder is that the Sampling rate on my MOTU was showing 96Khz when I had it set to 88, and 48 when I had it set to 44.1, and then tried to record in logic and logic would complain that the sampling rate was wrong (yeah no s*&^).
Since I had installed some beta stuff on the machine, I just rebuilt it from scratch, just took 1 hour including installing everything over, and now things are perfect.
I gotta stop beta testing crap.

Audio Interface Recognized, then Immediately Dropping

Hello all. This is my first post on here and I'm hoping I could get some solid advice.
I'm using Logic Pro 8 for live recording and my computer meets all required specifications. We use a TASCAM-1641 USB audio interface for our recording.
Sometimes Logic recognizes my interface and we get through an entire night of recording. However, a majority of the time the software recognizes the interface when I power it up. I the select the interface in Core Audio, and then about 20 seconds later I get a message stating: Logic can no longer detect the US-1641. Switching to default setting.
No matter if I reboot the computer, restart the program, create new song, etc., the problem does not resolve.
Does anyone know what could case this "drop" of the interface? After this happens, my friend switches in his computer with GarageBand and it's good to go, so it's definitely not the USB cable or the interface. It has to be some audio setting on my laptop or soething with Logic.
Thanks in advance for the help.

I have a feeling that the ports on your laptop may not be USB 2, just regular USB. That appears to be the case with my 2007 MacBook Pro. If you look at System Profiler, the only high speed USB port is the one used internally by the built-in webcam.
I don't know which Mac laptop you have; if it's a regular MacBook then you're SOL, but if it has a PC or Expresscard slot then you could use something like this:
http://www.sonnettech.com/product/fwusbexpresscard34.html
(Sonnet tends to be expensive - you'd want to shop around.)
If my theory is correct AND if you have a MacBook with no card slot, your only option is to put your interface on ebay and buy a FireWire one. But I don't know that my theory is correct - it's just an educated guess.

Can't hear playback with USB audio interface plugged in

I start Logic Pro 8 and then plug in Lexicon Lambda for a USB interface between guitar and macbook pro. With the Lambda plugged in I hear nothing from mac or headphone input on Lambda. If I unplug Lambda I can hear playback from mac just fine thru speakers or headphones.
Very appreciative of any advice on how to solve this.
Thanks.

berkleyrob wrote:
I start Logic Pro 8 and then plug in Lexicon Lambda for a USB interface between guitar and macbook pro. With the Lambda plugged in I hear nothing from mac or headphone input on Lambda.
Unplug your audio interface, reboot the Mac, plug the USB interface in, let it be recognized. Open Audio/MIDI Setup (in utilities) see if the Lambda shows up as an input and output device.
Yes/No?
If yes, you don't have to select if for any of the Input/Outputs, Logic's audio interface selection operates independently from the system.
Open Logic go to "Preferences/Audio) select the Lexicon or Lambda interface as the default unit, set audio buffers to 256.
Anything yet.
All audio I/O will be coming from the lexicon the Mac's audio system is now out of the equation.
pancenter-

Selecting an Audio Interface

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