looking to get started with an interface

[devonteran]

I'm running a macbook and planning to just get started using garageband.

 

I want to get a decent interface but don't want to spend too much money.

From what I've heard it sounds like either the M-audio fast track pro or firewire solo are my best bets.

 

I know firewire is preferred but it seems like the fast track usb has more features. What's really better? I like the idea of having midi available because I'd love to get a midi keyboard before long too.

 

The other thing I'm considering is getting a firewire mixer. I've seen some that seem like a decent price to the noob that I am. I was wondering if a mixer might be better to go with so I can do more tracks simultaneously. What do you guys think?

 

I've also heard that even though there are multiple inputs on the M-audio interfaces you can't use them all at once? Is that true? How many inputs do you guys realistically use at once?

[royal crxsh johnson]

if you want pro tools go for the mbox. it's a bit more expensive but comes with pro tools m powered on it. as far as i know phil uses one with his macbook for on the go recording.

 

a mixer might be nice, but kind of useless unless you really need it.

 

if you're only recording a few tracks at a time, look at an apogee one too. it's priced in between the fast track and the mbox and seems like a good deal. have yet to use one but if it's anything like the duet it should be great.

[devonteran]

does having midi inputs really matter or would I just get adapters to go straight into my mac with any midi controller?

[Phil O'Keefe]

You can get keyboard controllers with USB ports on them; IOW, MIDI over USB. I use an M Audio Oxygen 8 when on the go, and that product line has USB ports on it. If your keyboard controller only has 5 pin DIN MIDI jacks, and no USB port, you can add a simple 1 in, 1 out USB MIDI interface to your MacBook for under $50.

 

The interface you get will largely depend on your budget and how many inputs you need available at once. For on the go, a Nbox Mini is fine for my needs - it only has two inputs (and only one of those has a mic preamp, the other is line or DI input only), so it can only record two different sources at once (one line or DI input, one mic / line / DI input), but I don't really need it for recording most of the time - I need it for editing on the go... but I felt that - just in case I DID want to record something while I'm away from my HD2 Accel setup, the Mini was a better choice than the Micro, which is strictly playback only, and has NO inputs for recording audio.

 

At $329 list, with Pro Tools LE included, it's the most affordable way to get into a recording capable Pro Tools setup. Pro Tools M Powered only works with certain M Audio interfaces, and while you can get such a system for around the same price, you'll have to purchase the hardware and software separately - the M-Audio interfaces do not come bundled with the software like the Digidesign interfaces do.

 

BTW, all of the M-Audio and Digidesign interfaces come with ASIO drivers, so you should be able to use them with other programs besides Pro Tools... IOW, they'll work with Garage Band, Logic, etc.

 

Currently, there is no USB or firewire equipped analog mixer that you can use as an audio interface for Pro Tools, and many / most of the ones you'll find out there have only two channels of audio I/O to the computer anyway, so they "sum" all of the multiple inputs to that stereo pair. If you need a LOT of simultaneous inputs, a dedicated multi-I/O interface is, IMO, the best option.

[royal crxsh johnson]

i'm thinking about picking up a tascam fw-1082.

 

anyone have any experience with it?

 

other choices are the fast track ultra, lexicon ionix 42/82, and the mbox pro.