I actually own a Tascam US-200 and I have been using this interface for quite a while now. I always been a little disappointed with my choice (at that time I was going with my budget). The reason I was disappointed was the fact that it crashes my system quite often with BSOD or simply lost of communication/sound. The USB drivers are the culprit and Tascam never released any update since. Beside that, it answered my needs and latency is more than acceptable.

I am a keyboardist and I am not using my gear professionally anymore. I am a hobbyist now, and for the last 10 years I have been playing and composing in my humble home studio, just for myself, and I have no intention of going back professional.

I still own my road gear though and its time for me to refresh some of my toys

My needs (similar specs to Tascam US-200) :

- MIDI in/out
- at least 1 Mic XLR Input
- at least 1 line Input
- at least 4 Outputs (for two distinct PA systems)
- USB3

I am asking for your suggestions here. I don't have a budget limit.

Thanks

PS : My next buy will be a good pair of studio monitor for a 12 ft. x 12 ft. room.

 

USB 3 and no budget limit, it's easy:

- RME Madiface (XT, PRO) around 2000$, 1100$
- Presonus 192 (also portable version avaiable) 900$, 600$
- ZOOM UAC-2 250$

I don't know ANY other USB 3.x interfaces. Seems that round trip latency does not benefit from it (channel count, maybe). So even Focusrite, Apogee, Prism Sound.. don't produce USB 3 even in 2017.

I am a keyboard player too and looking for lowest latency, but it seems USB 2.x isn't the bottleneck.

 

Thanks for your feedback

- RME Madiface (XT, PRO) : MADI I/O technology is not something I need and paying the extra money for it wouldn't be a judicious choice.

- Presonus 192 : This one has no MIDI in/out which is a must for me.

- ZOOM UAC-2 : This one has only 2 outputs. I need at least 4

I have been looking at Focusrite Scarlett collection, the 2i4 looks appealing for my needs.
I am also thinking about a Motu 828x or Mk3 which has a lot more to offer than I really need but... I like the product.

Thanks again for your suggestions !

 

I just pointed out the "strange" fact that there are just a couple USB 3.x interfaces (yeah, should've said ZOOM UAC-8 or something - the entire range is USB 3.0) as this was on your feature list.

This has a good reputation. It's USB 2, but Focusrite state that there is absolutely no need for USB 3 for any of their cards.
Forget the USB 3.x and rather look at other features that you need and that need to be the best quality possible.. like drivers, I/O and especially preamps, if you plan to stick the mic and stuff directly in. Good luck

 

Presonus audiobox USB is what I have been using for a long time. About $99 new.

 

If you weren't dead-set on built-in MIDI, there's Antelope Zen Studio. USB 2, 12 mic press, DB-25 outs (in case you want to go into a summing mixer), best clocking on the market, down to 1,795 at Sweetwater (also, Zen Tour, the Orion Studio or the big mama: the Goliath).

 

for small home rig I'm a big fan of the clarett 4pre; seems like it will hit your needs

*edit: I'm using it with thunderbolt


https://global.focusrite.com/thunderbolt-audio-interfaces/clarett-4pre

 

Last edited by a moderator: Mar 29, 2017

http://www.presonus.com/products/AudioBox-44VSL try this

These things work great. Use current drivers if you have any problems.

 

Last edited: Mar 29, 2017

Hmmm ! Not sure what you mean in your last statement. Do you mean using last stable drivers for the suggested 44VSL card instead of using the latest beta or were you referring to the problem I actually have with my US-200 ?

Anyhow, I like your suggestion. "@kooper" suggested similar but it had only 2 outputs, but the 44VSL is much closer to my needs.

Thanks to both of you

 

probably best sound and conversion. i mean for i/o and reamping + monitoring
antelope zen tour
some fine rme gear like uc (+arc)
the audient id22 is very cool too

and for the midi. more and more intefaces drop it because usb and wireless adapters are more common now
maybe this could work for you too
yamaha wireless midi comes to mind ;)

 

UAD Apollo Twin is also USB3 but if you dont plan on purchasing their plugins, you're probably better off with another interface. Still, its a pretty awesome interface even without the plugins and I personally love mine. No MIDI connectivity though :/

http://www.uaudio.com/audio-interfaces/apollo-twin-usb.html

 

why the emphasis on usb3 anyway? for this low of io that you want its pretty useless
you are going to pay a premium for it. no speed increase only throughput.
usb will till be compatible for years to come.

another suggestion, if, your music room will also be your listening room
the adi pro fills a uniqe spot

i just mention the, imo, higher end gear because the also do monitoring + you want to get newer speakers too
and would not seperate the two. it will only get more expensive otherwise. (or loose quality)

 

USB 3 a must have? with 2/4 io?
If not get an audient id 22. And a midi interface. Best Bang for the buck.

And of course rme, rme and did i mention rme? Great interfaces with superb latency!

 

This is what i´m gonna buy me next month,
it is also a Monitor Controller,
has Midi I/O,
2x Stereo Outputs,
SPL Preamps.

https://spl.info/en/products/interfaces-converters/crimson/in-detail.html

 

i like it, but i liked the sound of the audient pres more. Test or compare em if you can

 

You are right. I didn't mean to put emphasis on USB3 in particular. I listed it in my request simply because those are the ports available on my PC, and technology is there, and naively I thought that newer interfaces were following this route helping latency.

As for midi request, the reason is that I still have many vintage gear all midi (from the eighties/nineties) and and I do not want to have another device in the way in order to have this functionality while it is already implemented on several cards.

Maybe my thinking is old school but... I guess it's the way it is as time goes

 

Last edited: Mar 30, 2017

RME Babyface Pro.

Just got it a couple weeks ago and couldnt be more happy. GREAT drivers/latency, super clean pres, excellent conversion, and of course everything you asked for.

 

Just a word of caution..

On an audio card you have one MIDI in-out. I only have one keyboard controller plugged in my MIDI on the card and I don't need nothing else. But if you have a lot of vintage gear /w MIDI implementation, how do you plan connecting everything? In a "daisy chain" arrangement? First, every device in a daisy chain adds delay to the system. Second, not every device have a thru port and some even lack an out port (FX units,...). There is also the number of channels limit.

MIDI interfaces are not there just for fun. Just something to consider when you plan an "old school-vintage gear" MIDI setup.

 

Thanks Matt777 for your wise advise and all your suggestions.
There is a lot to consider and many choices offered upon a wide variety of products.
Thanks to all of you guys for your suggestions. I will definitely take the time to think and read on all the choices I have.

I am a little surprised though that nobody mentioned MOTU products. Maybe it's flagship 828 has faded out with the years ??

 

yep the 828 was uniqe in price performance back then, but over the years
they did have bad driver support and faulty gear. now they seem to do better
but their main atraction now "was" one of the "first" avb/audio over ip adopter (as a pro vendor).

imo they lost their "edge" as stupid as that sounds, just like maudio after avid or even tc droped out.

it has to do with 3rd party vendors. like in china are now capable to produce good "sounding"
chips and boards. this used to be the hard part. this explains stuff like cool and capable
"3rd world" smart phones. even now; while there is prism as a pro audio vendor who does
inovation in measurment gear linked to the aforementioned stuff. Most of the inovation for pro audio
comes from iT vendors like DAD notable daughter of NTP tech. Or all the new(er) Audio over ip
protocols AES67, AVB, Dante are by Network and iT Firms. Notable there is Stagetech.
They developed a mic "pre" that doesnt amp the mic in a traditional sense And does so
with one of the lowest noise floor in a pro aplication. + while everything is networked to their desks.
quite Fascinating ))

sorry hope didnt take it too far. geek must geek!


ok just one more thing (cant leave without a pic)
Avids rebranding of Dadx32
avids "matrix"

 

Last edited: Mar 30, 2017