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Audio Input devices

post #1 of 20
12/1/02 at 3:48pm
Thread Starter 
I'm interested in audio input like the MOTU 828, but maybe something not so expensive. I'm wondering what devices people use and with what level of success they've had in OS X. I'm not against USB, although I'm not sure if it can handle the bandwidth I'd ultimately use.

Basically I'm looking at hooking up some mics and/or guitars/amps directly into a device and recording the audio. The MOTU 828 is probably perfect, but it's not cheap considering I'm not trying to run a studio or do this for profit.

Any suggestions? Advice? Is the Digital Hub the right place to put this??!?

Thanks.
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post #2 of 20
12/1/02 at 3:55pm
Im currently using a MOTU 896 FIREWIRE interface with my iMac (700Mhz, 512mb RAM0) and it performs really well. I run Digital Performer 3.1, a few soft synths (FM7, Battery, Absynth) and a few outboard synths with no problems.

The pre's in the MOTU gear are excellent, Im very happy with the vocal tracks I get from the 896.... and the 828 is excatly the same. Sure they are expensive but the results are worth it.

Im not 100% sure when Digital Performer comes out for OS X but i think its nearly out of development so should not be too far away.
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post #3 of 20
12/1/02 at 5:01pm
i've been thinking of recording on my mac too, but i'm on a mini-budget. i was going to maybe try an inexpensive pre-amp to a $35 iMic. im looking at some inexpensive pre-amp/direct boxes such as Midiman's audio buddy (under $100) or the Tube MP studio V3. i dont cut demos... i just do this for a hobby but am soooo past 4-track cassette.
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post #4 of 20
12/1/02 at 10:04pm
Thread Starter 
[quote]Originally posted by mac's girl:
<strong>i've been thinking of recording on my mac too, but i'm on a mini-budget. i was going to maybe try an inexpensive pre-amp to a $35 iMic. im looking at some inexpensive pre-amp/direct boxes such as Midiman's audio buddy (under $100) or the Tube MP studio V3. i dont cut demos... i just do this for a hobby but am soooo past 4-track cassette.</strong><hr></blockquote>

I seem to be in the same boat you are. I don't think I'll ever need midi, so I just want raw audio. But, I'm not against a midi device that also does raw audio.

And I HATE 4-track cassette recorders.

EDIT: I've been eyeing the MOTU 828 since it was released, and deep down I know it's the right piece to buy. I'm just trying to keep things within a "hobby" budget. I can't justify it to myself, not even at the eBay prices.

[ 12-02-2002: Message edited by: bunge ]</p>
"Hearing a corrupt CEO like Cheney denigrate Edwards for being a trial lawyer is like hearing a child molester complain how Larry Flint is a pervert." -johnq
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post #5 of 20
12/2/02 at 12:24pm
I see three options for ya:
Edirol/Roland USB Audio Input Devices

or

Digidesign MBox

or

Emagic 6|2

They should keep the budget under $500 or so.

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post #6 of 20
12/2/02 at 7:40pm
[quote]Originally posted by bunge:
<strong>

I've been eyeing the MOTU 828 since it was released, and deep down I know it's the right piece to buy. I'm just trying to keep things within a "hobby" budget. I can't justify it to myself, not even at the eBay prices.

[ 12-02-2002: Message edited by: bunge ]</strong><hr></blockquote>

it's a great piece, but it might be overkill for hobbyists like me. regardless, i have prioroties. sorry MOTU, but i'd rather be saving up for a Taylor acoustic-electric.
&lt;dreamy sigh&gt;
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post #7 of 20
12/2/02 at 7:56pm
Thread Starter 
[quote]Originally posted by Composer:
<strong>
Emagic 6|2</strong><hr></blockquote>

I couldn't find a price, but an Emagic EMI 6|2m is coming soon. That allows for 6 inputs and two outputs (rather than the 2|6's 6 outputs with two inputs.) I'm not sure which one you were referring to, but this looks pretty cool.
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post #8 of 20
12/3/02 at 12:40am
I have a Tascam US-428...4 channel (two with mic preamps, two switchable line/instrument) audio interface and a control surface for most recording programs.

And one of the few with _working_ OS X drivers!

Not as small as the emagic or the mbox...and it's not bus powered, but the control surface so makes up for it.

-12
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post #9 of 20
12/3/02 at 1:34am
[quote]Originally posted by bunge:
<strong>

I couldn't find a price, but an Emagic EMI 6|2m is coming soon. That allows for 6 inputs and two outputs (rather than the 2|6's 6 outputs with two inputs.) I'm not sure which one you were referring to, but this looks pretty cool.</strong><hr></blockquote>

The price for the EMI 6|2m will be the same as for the 2|6: 375 Euro (in Europe that is...;-))

Or have a look at <a href="http://www.rme-audio.de/english/hdsp/multifa.htm" target="_blank">http://www.rme-audio.de/english/hdsp/multifa.htm</a> . This is my favorite, although a bit more expensive than the EMIs.

Cheers

zero
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post #10 of 20
12/3/02 at 9:04pm
[quote] twelve_labs <hr></blockquote>


i have some questions about your US-428 set up cause i am about to set up mine.

are you using MOTU in OS9 ?
what are you using? logic ?

i'm really interested.
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post #11 of 20
12/3/02 at 11:32pm
In OS 9 I used Pro Tools Free.

I bought Logic Gold 4.8, but never used it much...I didn't like the way it handled audio compared to Pro Tools. It's MIDI implementation is great, but I work with audio and the occasional softsynth.

In OS X I've given up waiting for Digidesign and I ordered the Logic 5 upgrade (I tried Deck, but I didn't like it much). I know Digi says it's releasing Pro Tools 6, but I doubt the free version will be first on their list, and the Mbox isn't officially scheduled to be released until "2nd quarter 2003"... that probably means 6 months at the earliest... more than likely longer. Not to mention having to buy a new audio interface just to use the software I like.

Right now I'm suffering through the demo period of Deck until my Logic upgrade shows up. I also use Reason a lot. I occasionally reboot to 9 to use Pro Tools, but now that I've used OS X a lot it's hard to go back.

The Tascam's pretty easy to set up in either OS.

In 9, just drop a copy of the ASIO drivers into whatever program you're using's ASIO folder.

In X it's even easier, install the Tascam's CoreAudio driver. Every piece of software I've used since has recognized it since (assuming I've remembered to turn it on).


Sorry if I've rambled... I always end up here late at night.
I'd say "off to bed", but I'm already in bed (thank you Airport).

Ciao.

-12
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post #12 of 20
12/4/02 at 4:57am
I use the Emagic emi 2/6 in Logic 5.5, it's fine. All other apps see it. I front -end it with a Focusrite Trakmaster so as not to scare singers and guitarists. I'm hoping Emapple come out their own Firewire 2 solution- whatever happened to mLAN?
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post #13 of 20
12/4/02 at 6:45pm
Thread Starter 
The price has come down on the Tascam 428...it's almost cheap enough considering it looks better than the competition.

Acoustic/Electric Taylor? The ones with the thin bodies? Sound great plugged in, but 'thin' when you play them acoustic. Not that I wouldn't want one anyway....
"Hearing a corrupt CEO like Cheney denigrate Edwards for being a trial lawyer is like hearing a child molester complain how Larry Flint is a pervert." -johnq
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post #14 of 20
12/4/02 at 11:27pm
i was hoping someone had had some positive experiences with Digital Performer and the US-428 in OS9.

i wish it were really easy.

i've got to get an old drum kat and a cheapo midi keyboard hooked up through the US-428 but i will be doing almost exclusively Audio and not midi.


i would try Logic if and when it worked with US-428 in OSX.


i'm furious that mLan has been left languishing for all these years. i think it was shelved so that Yamaha could get more mileage out of their existing product offerings.
they came to market in Japan with like 3 products but never aggressively introduced it in all their product lines. i had heard at one point [soemone bullsh!ting perhaps] that Apple and Yamaha were doing things with mLan. but i wouldn't hold my breath. i have been tracking mLan and hoping for it's rollout since '99.


plug and play when we're old and grey!
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post #15 of 20
12/6/02 at 8:47am
Thread Starter 
'Nuther related question.

Does anyone have any experience with the new iBook (perhaps the $999 model) and recording 4 track audio? Perhaps with the Tascam USB-428 thingy? Or even the old 500 MHZ iBook? Preferably in OS X. Is it a viable mobile recording unit?
"Hearing a corrupt CEO like Cheney denigrate Edwards for being a trial lawyer is like hearing a child molester complain how Larry Flint is a pervert." -johnq
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post #16 of 20
12/6/02 at 8:00pm
I've been using my iBook 600mhz (about a year old) with the US-428 for a long time in OS9 w/ no trouble.

I've just recently set it up with Logic in OS X, and it's been a little more trouble, but I figure that's due to not having experience w/ setting the OS up for audio.

I ran into the USB audio stutter problem that I've been hearing about on the tascam.com and osxaudio.com webboards, but I got it under control for a while after I shut off airport.

I'm not sure if that was temporary or not... the general concensous is that it's a driver problem.

Once I did that though, it worked pretty great.
I recorded 4 audio and 3 softsynth tracks... had a bunch of plugins going too.
Barely a couple of notches on the CPU meter.

-12
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post #17 of 20
12/6/02 at 8:54pm
i don't suppose you'd be interested in giving a full account of problems and work-arounds setting up US-428, Logic and OSX ?

are you doing it in Jag? any tricks? caveats ?


re: mLan
<a href="http://www.emusicgear.com/store/Product.asp?did=101&pid=109" target="_blank">http://www.emusicgear.com/store/Product.asp?did=101&pid=109</a>
<a href="http://www.digitalaudiocreations.com/chronicles/mlan/mlan_yamaha.html" target="_blank">http://www.digitalaudiocreations.com/chronicles/mlan/mlan_yamaha.html</a>
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post #18 of 20
12/8/02 at 8:26am
Thread Starter 
[quote]Originally posted by twelve_labs:
<strong>
Once I did that though, it worked pretty great.
I recorded 4 audio and 3 softsynth tracks... had a bunch of plugins going too.
Barely a couple of notches on the CPU meter.</strong><hr></blockquote>

That's kick booty news. Thanks.
"Hearing a corrupt CEO like Cheney denigrate Edwards for being a trial lawyer is like hearing a child molester complain how Larry Flint is a pervert." -johnq
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post #19 of 20
12/8/02 at 10:27am
[quote]
i don't suppose you'd be interested in giving a full account of problems and work-arounds setting up US-428, Logic and OSX ?

are you doing it in Jag? any tricks? caveats ?

<hr></blockquote>

too early to say... I just got the upgrade a few days ago.

There's a lot of things OS X does in the background that I'm going to have to learn about. They may or may not have anything to do with audio performance, but it's a whole new thing. I'm also recording to the iBooks internal disk (not the fastest in the world), and I know that the OS uses a form of virtual memory. I wonder what effect that has on disk access.

Lot's of questions...

Thank god I'm not doing this for a living.

-12
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post #20 of 20
12/9/02 at 9:27pm
Thread Starter 
Here's an <a href="http://maccentral.macworld.com/news/0212/09.emagic.php" target="_blank">update</a> about the emagic part....
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