USB or PCI audio interface

Started by DethoticA, August 09, 2013, 04:41:23 AM

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DethoticA

Hi Guys,

I would like to replace my sound card so I am looking around for a new one. At the present moment I use Creative X-Fi Prowhich is about 7 years old and now causes a few problems here and there due to poorly written 64-bit Windows 7 drivers... Anyway, I need a new card for home recording and I cant make up my mind whether to go with PCI or USB, I must've searched half of the internet and couldn't find the answer - on one site people say that USB cards are fine and on another say that USBs are too slow (high latency). I record 1 guitar at a time, so dont need lots of input ports, but I do need midi In/outfor my Roland drumkit and as low as possible latency (5-7ms max). Any suggestions? Oh yes, my budget is pretty low around £100-£350...

P.S. If you check links below you would hear what sort of quality I would be quite happy with ;)




montyrivers

Unless you're packing some Pro Tools HD and are scoring music for film at way more than 96khz you won't need the bandwidth of a PCI card interface.  Firewire 800 or USB 2.0 will be just fine for most applications, even recording multiple inputs.  Just don't get a crappy interface.  Ie. the M Audio MobilePre

DethoticA

Thanks for your reply..  Do you use one at home ? If so, could you recommend anything ?

Jim Williams

I have found USB 2.0 interfaces to be good for my studio needs. My main interface at home is a Lexicon Omega and all my PC sounds go through that. I also use The USB interfaces from my Roland devices, but when I record with my Band I use my Tascam US 1800. I have a Rig Kontrol 3 that is good for single guitar tracks.
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Everything from modeling to the real deal, my house looks like a music store.

Elantric

#4
Survey of Working Audio Interfaces.
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=8291.0





I still like my Firewire interfaces.

Re USB Interfaces - must use a USB 2.0 Port.

If you have a recent Laptop  - the problem is finding one with a USB 2.0 Port/

There are problems using USB3.0 Ports with most Audio Interfaces.


USB 3.0 compatible chipsets for Audio Interfaces
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=8562.0


Remember the VG-99 and GR-55 can both be used as USB Audio Interfaces for Recording Stereo Guitar sounds in your DAW application ( ProTools, Reaper, Logic, Sonar, Cubase, StudioOne, Ableton Live, etc) 

montyrivers

To throw my own hat in the ring I use a ProjectMix I/O with a firewire 800 to 400 adapter (for a longer cable run) but as a backup, I still have my old Mbox2 mini usb2.0 interface.  I don't use usb audio/midi on my roland stuff because I have never been able to make them work within Pro Tools to date.  I do spdif my VG99 to my ProjectMix, though.

DethoticA

Quote from: Elantric on August 12, 2013, 06:59:47 AM
Survey of Working Audio Interfaces.
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=8291.0





I still like my Firewire interfaces.

Re USB Interfaces - must use a USB 2.0 Port.

If you have a recent Laptop  - the problem is finding one with a USB 2.0 Port/

There are problems using USB3.0 Ports with most Audio Interfaces.


USB 3.0 compatible chipsets for Audio Interfaces
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=8562.0

Thanks for the links, they helped a lot :)

Brak(E)man

I still use the old Mbox with usb 1 sometimes , it worx since you can monitor to your recording before going through the computer. It's hard to find drivers though :)
swimming with a hole in my body

I play Country music too, I'm just not sure which country it's from...

"The only thing worse than a guitar is a guitarist!"
- Lydia Lunch

misc100

Focusrite do a range of decent ones.
I have a Scarlett 8i6 but they do 2i2, 2i4, 6i6 and 8i6 all within your price range.
The 2i2 and 2i4 rely on USB power though so be mindful.

DethoticA

In case anybody finds this useful.  I bought USB powered Komplete audio 6 and more than happy with it. It actually works better than my internal PCIe Creative Zx. IMHO, unless Creative pull their sh*t together, this will be the last ever creative card that I buy.

HecticArt

I recently purchased a Komplete 6 too. I've been happy with it, and it's been doing a good job for me.

Smash

Is there any latency advantage to PCIe?

Elantric

#12
PCIE typically has lower latency vs USB

Look at independent latency tests 

lowest on Windows has been RME HDSPe
https://www.rme-audio.de/en/products/hdsp_pci_e_interface.php


read more
Optimization for lowest Audio Latency
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=12835.0

Today ThunderBolt can match or exceed PCI-e

DethoticA

Agree, it should have lower latency but because of bad creative drivers i got all sorts of problems trying to record in Cubase and to be honest, 5-7 ms that I get with Kontakt 6 works fine for me

montyrivers

#14
Wow this is an old thread.  Also with respect to PCI E.  Newer windows and mac computers with Thunderbolt 3 support are all basically PCI E now.  Super fast and affordable thunderbolt audio interfaces are flooding the market now.

Even the new Presonus Quantum apparently has a round trip latency that mops the floor with my RME UFX+

https://www.gearslutz.com/board/music-computers/618474-audio-interface-low-latency-performance-data-base.html