Here’s an awesome review about the Audient iD24. The issue with focusrites is not their gear. The gear is good, but the drivers suck a$$.
https://www.reviewrevival.ca/reviews/audient-id24-usb-audio-interface-review-in-depth-2023

 

Electricity shortage? Please do go into detail as I have never heard of this phenomenon before.

Also, I would advocate for RME. I've been doing this a long time and can tell you that all of this driver latency crap is completely solved with RME interfaces & converters, period.

 

Last edited: Oct 28, 2023

obviously he did not use the correct term. no reason to get pedantic.

A short circuit is an electrical circuit that allows a current to travel along an unintended path with no or very low electrical impedance. This results in an excessive current flowing through the circuit. The opposite of a short circuit is an open circuit, which is an infinite resistance between two nodes.

But what he is really describing is a power surge anyway. hence the UPS suggestions.

 

Last edited: Oct 28, 2023

Apollos are amazing - if - you spend the $$$ to be in their eco and have many dsp plugins.
Otherwise, waste of money !
just my 2cts

 

If you plan to use professional headphones, forget about Focusrite, their headphone Amp is too weak.
If you use windows, forget about Motu, their software and drivers are made for Mac and badly ported to windows, many problems.
So better go for the Apolo.

 

Here the scientific approach to buying ;)

you want clean PreAmps

 

that's yesteryear Motu is it not?

 

Get the Scarlett and make music. Don't loose your time to find the best soundcard.
Focusrite it's one of the best and knows the part "sound" for many many years.
Great sound, drivers, price and will last for years.
Liquid Saffire 56 and clarett owner here.

 

well, and the Apollo isn't expensive?
Also, yeah, the problem is not what interface that will stand the power cut kick best, but what device you can use to minimize damage to whatever you're going to connect to the electricity. UPS for instance. Otherwise, in a few months you'll be coming here asking advice for mics, and after the usual budget like Rode and such, people will suggest you a Neuman. And then you'll get one and pretty soon that will be fried too because of power problems.
About the RME it's a great great device but if we're talking budget, you can get by with far worse interfaces than the Apollo or any RME for that matter.
The problem with the UAD mind you, IMHO, is that once you get into their ecosystem with plugins etc, as it were, you're pretty much tied down to the interface. meaning that you can't just pack your session in a laptop and go and do a lil' mixing because if you don't carry the interface your UAD plugins won't work. Same with sending a session with UAD plugins. Unless the other cat has a UAD card you're dead in the water. and while they have some good plugins. You can get by easily without them.

 

Last edited: Oct 28, 2023

I said that's the only thing that will offer significant upgrade latency vise over what he got that uses USB protocol, maybe I should said nothing in that price range that uses USB protocol, than I recommended unit in that price range that uses other protocol and actually offers that.

Thread wasn't about, hey I need to get my first budget interface around 200-500 bucks that got lowest possible latency, recommend me something, it's about upgrading from an already good entry level interface that pretty much is capable enough for not calling anything an actual update until budget really starts going up in RME territory. At this point this is what he should probably do, consider really upgrading this time or stick to what he got.

 

Last edited: Oct 28, 2023

Well that's not entirely true. You can use Apollo without using any UAD plugins. Apollo pre's are super clean and transparent.
Plus UAD finally turned their attention to WIN users a lot so drivers are very very good.

 

It's kind of like buying a better airbag for your car instead of fixing the brakes.

I would tackle the voltage problem first, because other digital hardware will also be damaged in the long run. Especially data on hard disks and SSDs will be damaged. This is often only noticed when it is too late.
I bought a cheap used (APC Back UPS RS 1500) USV ($60) and new buffer batteries ($40). There are a lot of used USV on ebay and after market buffer batteries are really cheap.
Effect:

• Outages up to 10 min. are buffered by USV internal batteries. Time enough to shut down hardware.
• Voltage fluctuations are compensated by the UPS
• Indirect lightning strikes are blocked

This measure would also increase your hardware selection.

 

Last edited: Oct 28, 2023

This is why you print stems. The desktop Apollo models have become close to reasonable prices used now. Some people view them as nothing more than a dongle for their plugins. Now they do not need it to run UA plugins so they are selling them. But it is also a good option for someone recording vocals and live instruments to have external dsp. You wouldn't even have to buy their expensive plugins, and some of the bundle deals they have been offering lately would be plenty of effects. They aren't going to prevent you from using the plugins you have now.

I wouldn't buy one new, but for something like half of original retail price; it could be worth considering.

 

is there any problem with the Behringer interfaces? never hear anybody touting them but also, never hear of people complaining they don't work.

 

IF you use a laptop and want to be safe, then you need an audio interface which does reliably operate just from USB power, no additional power adapter,

majority of "small" interfaces can do so, and it doesn't really matter which one you pick because latency differences are minimal,
sure if you have budget, used RME Babyface is still a good option, or RME Babyface Pro if you want the best,
I wouldn't complain with NI Komplete Audio series or recent Focusrite 4th gen series either to be honest,

- but be aware some advanced features will be missing in order for DSP to be powered from USB only (lack of Dynamics = compression+expander+gate+limiter features on RME) and imperfect phantom power delivery on more than 1 channel, or lack of I/O with budget interfaces

another point of view is to save money for a decent UPS power box which might prove a better value in the long run compared to fancy audio interfaces to begin with....

 

Nope. Using one right now and it's just fine. It's not worth consideration in this case though, it won't be any kind of upgrade from Focusrite (that I know of).

 

UMC404HD here. Excellent interface. 2ms latency. (OK, that is more a property of the computer.) Costs were 110,- € when it was brand new (in 2019??? Anyway ...). So that can' tbe beaten by any other interface. So ... I don't care about RME or similar.

 

^^^^^
It's true. People have a fetish for flushing money down toilets based on "conventional wisdom" and group think while maybe others are getting on with it. Of course strenuous use requires more robust tools but I'm no where near that and never will be. The Behringer works fabulously.

 

the audient looks very interesting giving olny 2.9 input latency at 64 samples which is the samplerate i workt at it's 320 euros where i live maybe i should save some more and get it but with the power cut's i wonder how much it will last

 

Dude! You could diy a UPS with some car batteries and cheap (camping) solar gear.
Everything is better than living with powercuts, even a middle of the road Ryzen Notebook would pay for it self
in saved electronics. here is some tips, you can calculate your needs and go from there.