Hello I am new here and this is my first post I hope I can find an answer to my confusion
I need your professional help guys, I am buying audio interface for my home uses to produce (EDM) I am confused between M-Audio M-Track plus and Scarlett 2i2 can you help me please? since both of them rely under the same price category
my studio will consist of (my desktop computer (PC) and my maudio oxygen25 3rd gen midi controller also audio technica studio headphones ATH-M50x
no studio monitors until now (not before a year or something to collect the budget)

 

someone told me that you'll need the interface for your headphone to get better hearing capabilities than the on board sound card anyway and futuristic upgrades
and does it matter if I used midi controller via usb or via midi input/output protocols? since the m-audio got input and output for midi but from what I self learnt that
midi controllers doesn't produce sound itself it just gives signals to synthesizers to produce sounds so using it via the audio interface won't add anything than the usb
right? Thanks for baring with me

 

Focusrite

 

Focusrite, Focusrite, Focusrite. You're midi controller will plug into an empty usb slot in your computer. What DAW (Digital Audio Workstation -recording software will you be using? Also, your Audio Technica headphones are just great and they will plug into the headphone jack in the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2. You will also need to decide which synths and drum machine to use.

 

Focusrite all the way. I have the 2i4 and for you price you can't get much better microphone pre-amps if that matters. Also the build quality is elite for the price and the support as a company is much better than M-Audio in my opinion.

 

Focusrite all the way !!! I sent all the details in PM. Good to see Focusrite fans ! Good Luck !

 

Yeah Focusrite for sure, been using my 18i20 for about 3 weeks now, and just absolutely love love love it. Had a Presonus 44VSl Audiobox, and what a piece of shit! Nothing but problems with drivers, latency issues, pops and clicks constantly, not support... Focusrite has been the exact opposite, can't say enough good things. As far as MIDI goes, you only need MIDI in/out for older devices that don't connect via USB. Or, inexplicably my PodHD500... so yeah, you should be good to go with the 2i2.

 

Ableton Live 9 -
but the sound I am hearing will definitely be remarkably better in the headphone when i use the Audio interface? or It doesn't matter if I heard it through my on board sound card ?

 

DAW (Digital Audio Workstations) *Ableton, FL, Pro tools, studio one, etc...*

DAW send and receive data through audio interfaces. The audio interface converts the digital signal into analog and viceversa. (DAC/ADC) If you don't use an audio interface, your computer will be doing the conversion which it will just end up making cracks noises or crash.

It's recommended to set up your headphones/speakers to the audio interface because the chain goes as follow.

Computer (DAW) -> Audio Int (digital->analog) -> speakesr/headphones * Microphone/Midi(Synth or guitar or piano or etc..) -> Audio Int (Analog->Digital) -> Computer (DAW)



As far as Focusrite or M-audio. I would suggest focusrite hands down. I would suggest getting the 2i2. 2I2 usually have bundles should check that out.

 

But the scarlett 2i2 doesn't have midi input/output

 

Looks like about $50 difference... what do you need MIDI in/out for? Something you already have? Something you think you might own in the future? Otherwise don't worry about it. And by the way, not that it's really noticeable, but connecting a controller via USB has a lot less latency than through MIDI ports.

 

M audio oxygen 25 will buy that alongside with the interface and headphones
so USB won't harm anything