I need one of them for my home studio based on Windows. Which would you recommend? I have read some bad reviews on Amazon about Scarlett. Problems occurs with drivers, software, and its built or gain and S/N ratio of rear inputs. But no bad reviews on SSL. Or any other device in the price range? Thanks

 

I have a scarlett and can't say that I've noticed any noise and or bad signal. I do mostly vocal recordings. I like my scarlett and think it's great.

 

both are shit check this https://www.thomann.de/fr/universal_audio_volt_476p.htm

you get a lot more for your money.

 

What are your actual needs, can you expand more on that?

 

smaller interface? NI Komplete Audio 6 MKII is alright, cheap Behringer stuff like UMC404HD isn't terrible either to be honest

 

Avoid Focusrite.
It's headphones output is too weak for pro headphones.
The pots are made with plastic that melt by itself after some years.
The editor for PC is not practical at all.

 

Last edited: Dec 18, 2023

CQ12T/CQ20B. Double the price though

P.S. Also EVO 16. Might be just what you're looking for.

 

I record vocals with Shure SM58 and three old synths with MIDI. So I would use two stereo inputs for them without any mixer. And I need two pairs of headphones.

 

Last edited: Dec 17, 2023

avoid both. you don't even need convincing for this. Take a deep breath and tell yourself to be patient some more and find some more budget and go for Audient, RME or Apogee or anything other than that 2 you mentioned. The newer SSL products are so shite they dont even deserve to be mentioned, bought SSL small interface for fun and now I found its use to hold the door. Focusrite even though has better function to price ratio, they are just low quality, impossible to tell if you haven't used a good one.

 

I am just looking at Evo 16... It looks very nice. Does anybody have experience with Audient? Customer support, software, drivers, quality...?
PS. Evo 16 bad reviews again on Amazon…
I have found another one Motu M6.

 

Last edited: Dec 17, 2023

If you need 3 Synth(3x2) + 1 Vox (1) that's 7 ins.

I don't have issues with the MOTU gear:

support isn't instant but they get back to you and they do try their best
drivers are also not instant but they come out a few weeks to a few months later with good legacy support and are solid (for Mac at least.)
​

As long as you are willing to idle a bit before updates you should be happy with MOTU gear but I've never run or tried one of the striped back "M" prosumer models. I would recommend a Ultralight mk5 but one of your requirements is two headphone outputs, so I guess it will not do. Generally MOTU stuff does what it says it will do on the tin and is well built. It should drive 250Ω headphones as well.

 

Last edited: Dec 18, 2023

I was using Focusrite 18i20. The Mac software was horrible. It would drop connection to my mac over and over and not see the hardware. I would have to reboot it and my mac (sometimes more than once), reconnect and screw around with it to get it working again. Then it would work for a month and do it again, totally randomly. On 2 different macs. The software sucked when it worked, but this was intolerable.

I switched to MOTU 828ES MK2 and have not had a single problem since.

 

Last edited: Dec 18, 2023

Haha, never had "connection" problem with my Focusrite on PC. But yes I had a lot of problem with MOTU with Windows.
It seems that Focusrite initially was made for PC, than ported for MAc, and that's what happened with MOTU in the other direction.

 

Last edited: Dec 18, 2023

So what is this based on?

I replaced my RME MAdiface XT with a SSL12 and it is rocksolid, small latency and I experienced no downgrade in sound...
Very happy with it, and it also functions as master studio volume knob

 

It looks like nothing for £400 works well, noisy inputs, broken software, bad drivers, tacky rubber knobs. As long as we don't spend more than £700-900 on the device, it will be satisfactory. It is obvious that people will check and review those devices and later label the manufacturer as cheap, broken or crap. F hell…Why do they produce such a shit and hail it in music magazines? Just for money? Don’t they care. People will judge it… F!!!

 

Don't want the expense of UAD audio devices, or RME go Audient ID44 easily expandable if more inputs are required, top-notch converter and preamps. Best bang for buck there is out there!!! https://www.thomann.de/gb/audient_id44_mkii.htm

 

People Here have either VEEERY old opinions or some bad luck with their picks imo

The Actual Numbers tell a different story

the Focusrite are good, or good enough
The SSL Pre is nicer to my ears (to Focusrite)
The Motu is Probably the Best of all of them! Very Clean Pres

to get better headphone AMPs i would get a used (any) RME (Babyface)

if its a desktop Comp you are running? The used route
Get yourself a Proper FW ad-in card (Ti Chip important) Sonnet 40++)
and get an Older Fireface

Fireface800 400+
Fireface400 300+
RME with USB- (UC, UCX/UFX) 500+
Babyface Pro Runs you 450+

new they Start 700-800+

Nearly forgot
here a test for SSL2

 

Last edited: Dec 18, 2023

I use a Focusrite 2i2 for mobile purposes. I never expected much from it as it was only intended for laptop use whilst I was away from home. I've had it about four years now and it's still working, though there are occasional connection issues and the pots can be a bit scratchy but 99.9 % of the time it is fine. The pres are actually reasonable and s/n ratio is acceptable. I run the headphones under halfway - if I pushed it to even 3/4 of the way it would be at hearing damage level. I certainly wouldn't recommend it for pro use but at the price level there's not much to grumble at.

In the studio, I have a W7 PC that still sees daily usage as it is networked to the main system as a slave. It is an ancient x58 i7-980 machine with dual Focusrite Saffire Pro 40 interfaces. They have worked almost flawlessly for what must now be nearly twenty years. The pres are average, clean and quiet enough for most purposes but do benefit from using better quality pres/DIs beforehand. The headphone outputs are a little quite on them but that's not an issue for me as they are routed to headphone distribution amps anyhow.

I rarely defend a company as most really couldn't care less about the customer but I have to say my experience with Focusrite/Novation has been second to none. I have 7 Novation hardware synths and a couple of their controllers which have all developed faults at some point during the last 25 years and their tech-support has been 100% every time, to the extent of mailing me out components FREE OF CHARGE for products that in some cases are over twenty years past their warranty. That's the type of company I can wholeheartedly support, hence why I will still buy their products today.

It has to be accepted that all budget products are built with budget components and it's hit and miss whether they stand long-term usage or not. Quality varies even within supposedly identical products (the soldering is most likely superior at the beginning of the shift than at the end as is the QC). Everyone's experience varies with a particular product and it's almost impossible to make definitive comparisons when competing budget products use virtually identical components. I'd say that most budget interfaces these days are a reasonable quality and will do the job for most people, but don't expect miracles.

 

i do, i have their mk1 id14, and to be honest it's one of the things that just works driver is rock solid stable no issues and even constant updates throught the years, i love mine and i also plan to get the evo16 with the sp8, going with the evo is just great and i do recommand it alot.

one issue i used to have is when i had my ac on the same outlet of my computer and external power of the id14 (i know stupid, but kinda broke to do a proper electricty setup at the time) had to hard reset it by disconnecting it and reconnecting, issue went away after i seperated.

 

Regarding Novation Customer Service, it is excellent. That’s why I own 3 Novation synths.