ShortScale.org

So i'm looking to upgrade my recording interface that I use for demo stuff around the apartment with something I can also transfer into the jam space to get a few ore mics on things, or just whip out a live off the floor demo with a bit of separation.

right now i'm rocking a Tascam Us-122MkII
info here
basicly its a 2 track usb input offers midi control and has RCa output to go with the USB should I need to run line audio out (plus headphone out for monitoring direct input) each channel can do stereo or mono etc.
it's been great for me for the past few years, and for a while I was using it with my Mackie 24*8 as the interface from the board out to computer to capture some live audio at gigs.
however i don't use the mackie much these days (no space, and the power supply got fucked when the jam space flooded)

anyways, i'm trying to decide between a couple of Steinberg models
(I use cuebase for recording, and its also what gets used where I usually go to do tracking)

First up is the Steinberg UR44
Info here

6x4 USB 2.0 audio interface with 4x D-PREs, 24-bit/192 kHz support & MIDI I/O


Lastly is the Steinberg UR28M
Info here

6-in/8-out USB 2.0 audio interface with 2x D-PREs and 3x3 monitoring matrix


Both offer the ability to run into an ipad (via camera connection kit) where you can record to the app, and then drop it to your main system at a later date. as well as work with other apps via standard ASIO connections, and i'll be using that quite a bit when i'm out, as hauling the mac mini is a pain, and the laptop just becomes cumbersome after a while (also i use an ipad mini)


anyways, thoughts, opinions, other options?

i'm not tied to either, and the ipad recording is more cool useful then necessary, as i can always just take my laptop instead.
price wise there is only about $50 between them, and both are available locally sourced.

Sorry. I have zero experience with any of these. Are you tied to Steinberg? Only asking cos when I was asking about for a recommendation for a good card no-one suggested any of these.

Re. your complaint in the pub:
Sorry. I have zero experience with any of these, or any others. That's why I didn't vote.

Thomas wrote:Sorry. I have zero experience with any of these. Are you tied to Steinberg? Only asking cos when I was asking about for a recommendation for a good card no-one suggested any of these.

for my daw, sort of, though I use reaper and logic as well

for my hardware, not at all.
just like the idea of it playing well with the ipad, though it isn't a necesity.


ideally i'm after an 8 in an usb/firwire out (individual channels etc)
with option for expansion later (like the now discontinued firepod that did 8in and could daisy chain up to 4 total for 32 tracks)

hardware with Asio under $400 USD is pretty much my requirements
and being portable enough to grab sound recordings off the board at gigs (most venues I play have direct analog outs from each channel, or the obvious mixed stereo out that runs to the p.a. as well)

I've been looking at this focusrite Scarlett studio bundle that had a focusrite interface, whole set came with a condenser, headphones and cables. looked pretty nice and I think it got good reviews, it'd only 250usd, I figured it'd be worth checking out when I got some cash.

Focusrite preamps are awesome IMO. But that doesn't answer your original question at all. Sorry, no experience with Steinberg either.

Focusrite are great, they have serious issues if you're using mac tho (mavericks and above). For PC they're great.

In the spirit of not answering your original question but recommending Focusrite, I have a Scarlett 8i6 (possibly discontinued now) and have not had any issues with it. Preamps sound good (to my untrained ears) and it's been reliable and easy to use.

I am using it with Reaper. Edit: on a PC.

Thomas wrote:Focusrite are great, they have serious issues if you're using mac tho (mavericks and above). For PC they're great.

Oh rly? That's very disappointing.

Edit: I just checked, and their iTrack Solo (designed specifically for iOS use) requires an adapter to work with the lightening input. Lightening has been standard for two years now!

As a Mac guy, I have to change my vote to Apogee. It'll def be expensive to get an Apogee device with a lot of inputs tho.

singlepickup24 wrote:Edit: I just checked, and their iTrack Solo (designed specifically for iOS use) requires an adapter to work with the lightening input. Lightening has been standard for two years now!

Think they do two versions:

Focusrite wrote:A certified "Made for iPad" device, we have one version of iTrack Solo for Lightningâ„¢ compatible iPads and another for earlier generation devices.

LANK

Ah, I missed that... I went straight to the system reqs page. Good catch!

very interesting.

yeah i record with either a macbook pro running mavricks
or a mac mini running mavricks

I do have an older vista laptop to use, but i would prefer not to.

I like my Tascam US-1800 so that gets my vote

As for the Focusrite having an ios specific version, I'd still avoid it. Their issues across ios devices on mavericks and above are well documented. Even using the "fixes" they suggest you still get random crackles and pops. That's on a top end Macbook on Mavericks. Shitty old pc? well it works great on that no latency etc etc. Latency on the mac is shit (even the direct monitoring option they have doesn't fix the issues.)