Computer Interface

Gary Shepherd · Post by **Gary Shepherd** » 17 May 2018 10:02 am

Are there any new recording interfaces in the last 3 years or so that I should know about? I still have a Phonic Firewire mixer with 20 something channels. Also have an M-Audio M-Track for one or two channels. Both are pretty good. But I'm wondering if there's anything newer/better for about $200 or less. I plan to record some tunes this summer. School's out!!!

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 17 May 2018 10:10 am

I don't think there is anything "better" in the $200 range. I know nothing about the Phonic unit but I've had an MAudio Fastrack Ultra 8R interface and it did well. I've moved on to a fancier unit with more options and better latency.

Gary Shepherd · Post by **Gary Shepherd** » 18 May 2018 5:51 am

What about software? It looks like Sonar is pretty much gone. I guess my Sonar Platinum will still work but I haven't tried it in a while.

What about Studio One? Anybody tried it yet? I downloaded the demo last night. Gonna try it out over the next 30 days.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 18 May 2018 6:27 am

Sonar has been revived. It was purchased by "BandLab". BandLab also hired The Senior Programmer and one other of the Sonar programming staff.
Sonar is now "free" from BandLab. The "Cakewalk by BandLab" version is actually the Platinum version minus some free addon's that Platinum had. However, if you have Sonar (whatever version) already installed it installs along side Sonar and picks up all the plug-ins.

I bought Studio One 3 Pro at the reduced priced when Sonar was axed by Gibson. I can't really get into it and Sonar does everything I need.

Download the "BandLab Assistant" and then download Cakewalk from the Assistant. If you just download Cakewalk from their site it is in "demo" mode. Downloading from the Assistant gives you the no expiration date version.

https://www.bandlab.com/download/assistant/windows

Greg Cutshaw · Post by **Greg Cutshaw** » 18 May 2018 6:53 am

I am still using Reaper. With free add ons it has everything I could want except RMS level meters on individual channels.

https://www.reaper.fm/

Gary Shepherd · Post by **Gary Shepherd** » 18 May 2018 7:10 am

So... if I just install from the stuff I already downloaded from Cakewalk a year or two ago, I won't be able to activate now?

What about all the extra plugins and stuff?

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 18 May 2018 7:20 am

All my extras such as Melodyne, Izotope Ozone (5 and 6), POD Farm 2, several Antares VST's, Concrete Limiter, etc are all working in the BandLab version. Really the only thing different between Sonar Platinum and Cakewalk by BandLab is the name. If something worked in Sonar it works in the new "CbB" (the "official" abbreviation for Cakewalk by BandLab).

Gary Shepherd · Post by **Gary Shepherd** » 18 May 2018 9:11 am

Jack, which version of Studio One do you have? Any interest in selling/trasfering it?

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 18 May 2018 11:07 am

I have the latest Studio One 3 Pro. I'm going to keep it. Although I really haven't done anything with it, I need to learn another DAW. A project for "one of these days".

Gary Shepherd · Post by **Gary Shepherd** » 18 May 2018 3:01 pm

I installed Sonar from the new guys. Also installed the Studio One demo. Haven't recorded anything yet but it looks like everything is still there. Thanks for the tip.

Joseph Carlson · Post by **Joseph Carlson** » 25 May 2018 10:55 am

For $99 you can get a Presonus Audiobox and Studio One Artist. That's the route I took and I have been very satisfied. Just updated to Studio One Pro 4.

https://www.amazon.com/PreSonus-AudioBo ... B00154KSA2

Gary Shepherd · Post by **Gary Shepherd** » 27 May 2018 7:42 pm

I came across the Behringer U-Phoria UMC404HD today. 4 channels and USB. No drivers to install according to a YouTube review I watched. I think I might sell my M-Audio M-Track and get one of these. Might even sell my Phonic mixer. I don't do much group stuff anyway. 4 inputs should be plenty for me nowadays. You can also A/B the outputs if you have more than one set of studio monitors.

Kent Thompson · Post by **Kent Thompson** » 8 Aug 2018 9:59 am

I have the Behringer Euphoria UMC 1820 which has 8 tracks, quick connect with a USB cable, and as Gary stated there are no drivers to install. I have recorded live performances from the stage, as well as tracking for studio stuff. Well worth the investment. Portable and easy to take anywhere of course. It also has an optical option that you can connect direct to another 1820 to record 16 tracks simultaneously.

Godfrey Arthur · Post by **Godfrey Arthur** » 28 Aug 2018 4:51 am

Audient makes interfaces. But not exactly your stated 200 benjamins. More like 300. Not easy to ballpark these things based on how much you're willing to spend.

https://youtu.be/Ctifh-b5dWo

I would go with a Babyface but that's 800 Franklins.

James Quillian · Post by **James Quillian** » 22 Oct 2018 7:10 pm

The Alesis i04 is pretty good. There is a new one out with many bells & whistles for under $100.

The older ones without the effects sell for less than $50 on ebay often with free shipping.

I don't use mine much only because I have better preamps I like to use but that would be true of just about any usb interface.

For software, I am always surprised that Mixcraft is never mentioned. For recording I have never found anything it won't do. It is unbelievably easy to use.

I use Audacity a lot, not because it is free, but I genuinely get a better recording with it. I don't know why. Record with Audacity and mix with Mixcraft.

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 23 Oct 2018 1:40 am

An additional consideration might be knowing if the selected interface has pre-amps on board that can't be bypassed.

Many of todays offerings are a combination pre-amp and interface. Especially the lower priced units.

Just know what it is you are getting.

Darren Porter · Post by **Darren Porter** » 23 Oct 2018 8:14 am

I'm a Studio One user on the latest version. I jumped-ship when Gibson dropped SONAR and have not looked back. Studio One *IMO* is lightyears better than SONAR and I wish I never wasted all that time and $$$ on SONAR. But honestly, it's really all down to what you are comfortable making music with. To me Studio One does not get in the way of the creative process. That's really what you need to look for in software.

The under-$200 market for interfaces likely will not get you much of an upgrade.

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 24 Oct 2018 1:57 am

Some perspective.

As nice as Studio One is , it was developed around 2004 and entered the market in 2009 with the 1st version. The developers had a few excellent DAW's to model after, Sonar being one of them, early Pro Tools another.

Cakewalk, then Cakewalk/Sonar has been around a very long time, going thru many growing pains. I used a very early Cakewalk on an IBM PC in 1989 , loaded with floppy disks.

Pro Tools ( Sound Designer) has been around in various formats since the mid 80's.

Studio One, is excellent , but lets remember that they had an opportunity to build a product with influence from products offered years earlier. They too are on their 4th update.

And yes, if I had to ditch Pro Tools which I won't, I would go to Studio One as the interface ( workflow) in my mind is very similar to Pro Tools. I have read on some sites that Studio One has this and that over Pro Tools but the fact of the matter is many times they have the exact same things but call them something else. For example, Studio One has Folders, Pro Tools has "Groups" , so it would be true that Pro Tools doesn't have Folders.

I've been around the block with Cubase, several versions of Sonar , early Cakewalk and since 2009 two versions of Pro Tools, 8 and 12, both running. The only one that I didn't care for was the early Cubase, others love it. I didn't ditch Sonar because I didn't like it, I moved to Pro Tools because I was able to buy a full perp PT8 for $149 when PT 9 hit the market !

just a thought

Darren Porter · Post by **Darren Porter** » 24 Oct 2018 5:59 am

Comparing version numbers and age of a product is a silly way to evaluate a software purchase.

Studio One's "0.0.1" releases are more than bug fixes... they also contain a new feature or three or five. "0.1" releases are actually pretty feature-rich upgrades. Every "0.5" is as good or better than any other DAW's "+1.0" release. Following that cycle, the numbers go up pretty slowly. PreSonus definitely does not suffer from "version number creep."

Age also is not necessarily better, well with software anyways

But hey like I said, it's all in the workflow... people are going to choose what works best for them.

(I also used Cakewalk Pro Audio installed from floppies in the 1980's. DAWs sure have come a long ways since then!!!)

Brad Richard · Post by **Brad Richard** » 7 Jan 2019 11:10 am

I bought a Behringer UMC204HD a couple of years ago and I like it. Basic, but very functional. I used an Echo Mia for years and loved it, but then my PC crashed and I've gone to a laptop. I also used Sonar for years, but have gone to Reaper. I've downloaded the Bandlab Sonar, but tend to use Reaper (although I do like to master finished mixes in the new Sonar).

I'm not a big time recorder, mainly backing tracks for my shows and general fooling around so I've kept for setup pretty simple. Works great for me.

Ken Metcalf · Post by **Ken Metcalf** » 8 Jan 2019 4:53 am

I use studio one. It is what I started with and am used to.
On my 3rd Studio Live mixer and use it for live and recording. The new one has motorized faders and records uncompressed to an SD card. Very happy with this for my purposes. Here is a demo I just made with this set up.
Learning the DAW thing was a bit of a struggle for me but now I have a fair grip on it.
I believe there are a number of advantages with Presonus. The Mastering program is one. Click Mix, Click Master, click mix.
The Tonkers are a 3 piece band. Bass in one hand and Keys on the other. Guitar and steel

https://www.reverbnation.com/thetonkers ... short-demo

https://thetonkers.com/

Rick Campbell · Post by **Rick Campbell** » 9 Jan 2019 10:39 pm

Ken Metcalf wrote:I use studio one. It is what I started with and am used to.
On my 3rd Studio Live mixer and use it for live and recording. The new one has motorized faders and records uncompressed to an SD card. Very happy with this for my purposes. Here is a demo I just made with this set up.
Learning the DAW thing was a bit of a struggle for me but now I have a fair grip on it.
I believe there are a number of advantages with Presonus. The Mastering program is one. Click Mix, Click Master, click mix.
The Tonkers are a 3 piece band. Bass in one hand and Keys on the other. Guitar and steel

https://www.reverbnation.com/thetonkers ... short-demo

https://thetonkers.com/

Ken, Great job. The mix and mastering is outstanding. Music and vocals are good too. I've been with Studio One since it first came out and I wouldn't go back to any of the DAWS I've used. I've got pretry good at getting it to do what I want it to, but I know I've only scratched the surface on its capabilities. It's good to know that its got the power under the hood if I need it.

RC

Tim Harr · Post by **Tim Harr** » 29 Jan 2019 11:12 am

Godfrey Arthur -

800 Benjamins would be 80,000. How about 800 Georges?

Godfrey Arthur · Post by **Godfrey Arthur** » 29 Jan 2019 12:03 pm

Tim Harr wrote:Godfrey Arthur -

800 Benjamins would be 80,000. How about 800 Georges?

Tim, yup you're 100% correct.

TYPO!

George was left out of the shuffle.

Should've been 2, 3 five and 8 benjamins...

Ok Chief, how's about you and I split that 80g's you got in your arms there...

Sorry Ben!

Go back to sleep