Which audio interface should I buy ? (Live Use + Recording)

Yes, the point is that brands doesn’t advertise what they don’t have. Not fair for the users, but that’s how it works.

Searching for devices with multiclient asio drivers, I can say that it is never mentioned in any product specifications.
One really have to look for it and most of the time none of that clearly appears (except RME).
Even in a single brand, some models can have this ability, some not and it is not specified.

Thank you :slight_smile:
CoreAudio on Mac is multiclient natively apparently (I’m in mac).
Is this true ?

Since day one! quite certain…

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You’re on mac ?
No driver issues ? Low latency ? Happy with the sound quality ?
I’m maybe leaning toward it :slight_smile:

I am on Windows, but have no driver issues and very low latency. I run 128 samples and the “low latency” setting to get 2.9ms on a laptop.

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@bpeterson Can you load 2 instances ?

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Don’t know. Never tried.

I have (in order of acquisition) a MOTU Traveler, Focusrite Scarlet 18i20 Gen 2, RME Babyface Pro, RME UFX II, and a MOTU M4.

I honestly couldn’t tell you the difference between the mic pre’s on any of them once I run them through EQ or effects or whatever I’m doing. I don’t mic instruments, though. Only ever used them for vocals. I definitely don’t mean to imply they’re all exactly the same. Just that I wouldn’t call any one of them better than any other, and that includes my MOTU Traveler from 2003 through the RME UFX II. I guess my ears just aren’t that good.

The major difference between all of them for me is in the software interfaces, the controls, and the number of IO. I like the RME Total Mix FX better than the others hands down. The Focusrite Control app isn’t bad, but I find the RME software easier to work with. I can’t really compare the MOTU software because the M4 is different (much lower) class of device, and the Traveler (while good at the time and still sounds great) is of a different era.

I don’t tour or gig, so I can’t speak to road worthiness of any of them, but I think they’d all handle it well.

To put this in perspective, I have guitars that just absolutely irritate me for one reason or another from a tone standpoint, and been through a ton of different keyboard VSTs and hardware that I can’t stand for some particular tonal issue. And clearly speakers, amps, and cabinets all tend to have a lot of sound “color” or whatever. I have some that I love for certain things but can’t stand for others. e.g., I wouldn’t play a piano VST through a guitar amp, or a guitar through a keyboard amp/cabinet (except through an amp/cab sim first.)

So I think it’s through that perspective that every audio interface I’ve ever used seems completely transparent to me.

In short, I don’t think anyone in the audience is going to hear any difference between any audio interface you choose. I’d pick based on what IO you need, the price, and how the thing makes you feel. I’m old enough to admit that part of me that just likes or dislikes something for purely aesthetic reasons, and I don’t need to pretend that’s not a big factor.

I recently got a Focusrite 18i20 3rd generation. I’d like to send it back and get something else. The biggest issue for me is that I use it for vocal processing before it goes into splitters and then to FOH. I want to send the FOH a mic level signal, but if you do that the hiss noise from it is horrible. The noise is low if you want to send a 0 db level signal but I want to send -28 db like the mics are and that brings the noise floor up 28db! Seems like a bad design to put the output level BEFORE the noisy stage of the electronics.

I also don’t like that it does not remember your phantom power settings (set it again every time you power on) and I would prefer front mounted inputs since that is where everything else plugs in on setup. The unit was larger and heavier than the comparable Behringer it replaced. The Behringer was lower noise but it failed after 9 months and I have 2 other Behringer interfaces that failed but 1 that still works.

One, two, three go RME…

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Firt thing first, thank you all for your very interesting and detailled experience.
As I thought, this question of wich interface is not so easy :slight_smile:
Especially when money become a problem.
If I had more I’d buy RME or Apollo but I spent too much lately :wink:
I was leaning toward the focusrite since it seems to be the best bang for the buck in this range of price but the last reply makes me hesitate !!
Happy to have all these answers and I’m sure I’ll

I have a focusrite for testing. Just for testing. :wink:

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Your 18i20 noise level issue seems odd. Are you sure it’s not some kind of cable or environmental noise issue? There are no xlr outs on my 18i20 (gen 2), so assume you’re running a balanced 1/4" to xlr cable from the 18i20 to a mic input on a foh mixer?

If you do it with an unbalanced 1/4 to xlr cable I wouldn’t be surprised if you pick up a lot of noise or cause a ground loop.

I got an answer from focusrite tech support. Poor signal to noise is typical when operating the 18i20 at low level (-28db mic level) output. They say it’s not designed for it.

So I have a Steinberg UR816c on order, but I can’t figure out how to ask them the question directly. After several clicks through their support pages, and registering for their forum, I was able to verify my address and post on the user forum. I did get a response from a user but it was not helpful. I may test it and just send it back if it can’t do it. Too bad it’s so hard to ask this in advance. Kind of turns me off on their support even before I have the unit.

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Thank you for your feedback, it seems Focusrite needs to be avoid ?
Maybe Steinberg would be the budget solution indeed ?
Don’t you think you’ll get the same noise problem ?

Every audio interface I’ve ever owned only provides line level outputs. Sometimes there are XLR outs and 1/4" outs, but both have always been line level on my interfaces.

If you want to output mic level signals on a line level output you’re going to have to turn the gain way down and that’s going to lower your signal to noise ratio a lot.

There are line level to mic level devices you can put before the mic XLR in on a mixer, which might be a better solution than trying to find an audio interface that’s going to output mic level signals. Shure A15LA for example.

I expect you are correct. But I’m my view if you are going to provide an output level control it should be on the output where it will reduce the noise with the signal.

But my guess they are too enamored w there dsp on the front end they forgot about what I would consider basic circuit design.

I’ve tried to inquire if the Steinberg unit does it the way I want but it won’t surprise me if I wind up getting the Art S8 8 ch mic splitter w 29 db pads switchable on each chanel.

Out of my own interest: Why do you want the output to be at Mic level?

I want mic level because it goes into a mic splitter then to foh where the tech is expecting mic level from the mics. It’s a different tech at many shows and they don’t read the advance info. Just trying to give them what they expect.