Another darned Audio Interface topic

I'm looking for a new audio interface for

http://www.roland.com/products/en/FA-66/index.html

any alternatives/experiences for this card.

Basically what I want is:

a cracking sound quality output on both the headphones and speaker end

inputs that support general line in equiptment, electric guitar, mic

something that has very low latency that won't rape my CPU (I take it most cards support ASIO now) and to not cause clicks and pops like it currently occasionally does using my Extigy w/ASIO4ALL (although for a >6year old card a solid 20ms total latency aint bad)

So is there any benefits of firewire that'll be noticeable, and issues that people have encountered with firewire cards. Am I thinking that I can plug a turntable directly into the FA-66 without a preamp or no. Would this card work as a general 'daily' soundcard (i.e. can I happily play halflife 2/emulator games etc. and it'll output it all without sticking its nose up at me). Is the card overboard for my needs (would I notice any difference between this and its younger brother ( http://www.roland.com/products/en/UA-25/index.html ) )

So many questions. What card would you/have you gone for....

Echo Audio makes some fine interfaces for relatively cheap (not sure what the UK prices are.. look on ebay). They sound great and the support is really good. Regardless of which interface you choose, you'll almost certainly need a separate phono preamp if you want to attach a turntable due to the RIAA EQ curve.... Although I suppose theoretically you could compensate for it in software. Sounds like more trouble than it's worth, though.

No that's OK I've got a preamp, I was just wondering if such a thing was possible without one with too much hassle but I guess not !

Other products that are around the same price (the FA-66 is £189):

Echo AudioFire 4: http://www.echoaudio.com/Products/FireWire...Fire4/index.php (£170)

Presonus Firebox: http://www.presonus.com/firebox.html (£189) (looks like a pretty awesome card actually)

Tascam FW1804: http://www.tascam.com/details;8,14,45.html (£199)

perhaps not inteirely on your topic but m-audio makes what looks like a great firewire audio interface/mixer. it has like six inputs/outputs --> pc. so you could do some awesome jams and then record each channel as a new track.

  YEK said:

perhaps not inteirely on your topic but m-audio makes what looks like a great firewire audio interface/mixer. it has like six inputs/outputs --> pc. so you could do some awesome jams and then record each channel as a new track.

seriously fuck m-audio and their shitty cards... more specifically their shitty drivers. I have the firewire audiophile and the inputs are complete shit.

edit:: that Echo AudioFire 4 looks damn fine... i might be picking that up as my next interface.

I just got a Phonic Helixboard Firewire 12, 12 channel mixer with digital fx and firewire outs. It's quite cheap, 24bit/96khz, I really really recommend it. It's nice not having to dump 3 synths -> computer over one stereo pair.

  ten fingers ten toes said:

I just got a Phonic Helixboard Firewire 12, 12 channel mixer with digital fx and firewire outs. It's quite cheap, 24bit/96khz, I really really recommend it. It's nice not having to dump 3 synths -> computer over one stereo pair.

Never head of Phonic before... it's almost perfect but is missing midi... the Phonic FireFly looks very promising.

EDIT:: found it for $124 shipped here: LINK and bizrate has good reviews from the retailer.

I had never heard of Phonic before.. Those are some seriously cheap (and cheap-looking) interfaces. I tried downloading the manual for that FireFly and the damn thing was corrupt!.. Okay, so I was able to get it on the second try, but I shudder to think about the driver support.

I suppose something like the Echo Audiofire 4 is comparatively expensive, but I think it might be the difference between "good" and "too-good-to-be-true." My dealings with Echo's products and staff have left me feeling all warm and fuzzy. They once repaired my laptop card free of charge, even though it was way out of warranty. They even paid the return postage!!!

Back to you, Kent.

It feels quite solid, much moreso than my old Behringer mixer....

The drivers are pretty basic but very fast (getting 2ms latency right now in Renoise streaming 3 stereo pairs at 24/96). No midi is a shame but just get a midisport 1x1 or 2x2 to go with it...

I've been more than happy with my Echo Adiofire8 Pete - I can happily recommend any of the Audiofires. Been an Echo user since the initial Mia card for Win98; have an Indigo DJ for live too - great no-nonsense interfaces, with top-notch sound quality.

I use an m-audio firewire 410 w/ a 5+ year old p4 pc

sounds great. never had any issues w/ latency, cpu, etc. runs in ASIO.

i avoid m-audio products usually, but this has been a good purchase.

i run an audiophile usb for portable and a delta 1010 for studio.

no issues at all ever.

m-audio tech support is good too.

and the two soundcards magically sync up when i install them on a single pc.

used to run an echo 'gina'... was pretty solid, but the delta is better.

echo are fucking good tho.

This is all awesome guys, thanks for the input. I've got a question that may be a bit retarded by I can't find any answer to this anywhere: Is an audio interface different to an external soundcard ? Can I do anything with an audio interface that I can do with a soundcard like gaming etc. I think the reason this has got confuzzled in my head is because I've had my Extigy for many a year now and have just thrown anything at it and it plays any audio. If I get these new-fangled cards am I going to find that Cave Story, a NES emulator, System Shock 2, ZDoom etc. etc. just looks at the card blankly and then laugh ....

ive been rocking a saffire proplus for a little while now, seems pretty stolid. whats the general consensus on these, ive never had any other interface and was wondering are they any good on the scheme of things?

  mcbpete said:

Is an audio interface different to an external soundcard ?

No. They are the same. The "Interface" bit just implies that they provide many ways to interface with your computer (i.e. instrument cable, XLR, MIDI, etc).

Well, I bit the bullet and got the Audiofire4. Lets see how it shapes up to my initial demands:

  mcbpete said:

Basically what I want is:

a cracking sound quality output on both the headphones and speaker end

Check, the stereo spacing and just simple increase in definition between this card and my last card is outstanding

  mcbpete said:

inputs that support general line in equipment, electric guitar, mic

Check, and with some phenomenal pre-amps on the inputs to make everything sound bloody amazing

  mcbpete said:

something that has very low latency that won't rape my CPU (I take it most cards support ASIO now) and to not cause clicks and pops

And a final thumbs up check. Down to around 7ms (I could probably go down even further but I didn't even try !) latency with no clicks or anything. Hurrah

  mcbpete said:

Would this card work as a general 'daily' soundcard (i.e. can I happily play halflife 2/emulator games etc. and it'll output it all without sticking its nose up at me)

Sure does. Plays anything from Defcon to Punishment 2 to Cave Story to Atari800 emulator to GLQuake to Youporn clips. Huzzah

So thanks guys, you suggested a cracking card. Plus it's built bloody solid too.

Yay!

OK the only thing I cant work out how to do now is to record the output of the card. In my Extigy I chose Waveout/What U Hear/Something like that but there doesn't seem to be anything like this on here (it all seems to be sorted out my the console). Anyone know how I can select the input on this card ?

  mcbpete said:

OK the only thing I cant work out how to do now is to record the output of the card. In my Extigy I chose Waveout/What U Hear/Something like that but there doesn't seem to be anything like this on here (it all seems to be sorted out my the console). Anyone know how I can select the input on this card ?

Hmm, that's a tricky one. I would guess that if there isn't an option to record the output in whatever software you're using (as there is in Wavelab, for instance), then you might need to physically connect the output to the input.. Not a very elegant solution, I suppose.

i go from computer to interface to mixing console to interface input to computer input.

it's not ideal, but it works.

There has to be a way to record the interfaces output. When you go to set up whatever recording software you're using, what inputs/outputs does it list?

it usually only lists inputs.

Didn't with my M-Audio Delta, or my Phonic Helixboard, both Sound Forge and Renoise will record off of the outputs just fine.

I have an FA-66, did I chime in too late?

I downloaded ol' Total Recorder, problem solved