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Post by mobeach on Oct 4, 2013 16:24:13 GMT -6
This is probably a worn out question, but guys like me can't afford an RME. So what's a good quality card for under $400? I've been looking at the ESI MAYA 44 XTE that go for around $150, any opinions on those? Comments appreciated!
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Post by scumbum on Oct 4, 2013 16:33:57 GMT -6
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Post by mobeach on Oct 4, 2013 16:43:01 GMT -6
Thanks for the link, I guess I will hope to find a used Lynx AES16e as the L22 is PCI, I need the Express.
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Post by scumbum on Oct 4, 2013 17:07:17 GMT -6
Thanks for the link, I guess I will hope to find a used Lynx AES16e as the L22 is PCI, I need the Express. So thats what that "e" means . I know nothing about pci cards . All my converters are either Firewire or USB . |
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Post by popmann on Oct 4, 2013 18:47:36 GMT -6
Well, the Lynx has no analog IO....so, are you saying you have some high end AES converters but can't afford an RME PCIe card to go with them?
I've actually long bitched about this. Apple has now made it moot since the new MacPros have no more card slots. But, IME, a PCI interface will beat USB and Firewire in terms of latency. Irrelevant for an audio workstation, but for some doing VI work, it's crucial.
There are none. I mean, if you can do PCI, I'll sell you my old Gina3g for less than your budget. I think I stuck it up locally for $125. Anyway...but, if you need PCIe, there really never were any. There were professional class cards--Lynx and RME...and some big IO MOTU (they just ported the 324 to PCIexpress and used teh same IO boxes they've had for a decade--some SSL I think in the MADI world. Almost all home studios for years have been running off Firewire or USB interfaces. Not mine, mind you, but...
What's the reason you have for needing a PCIe card+box? Mind you, there are good reasons, but they don't apply to a lot of people. Do you you need a lot of IO at high sample rates? And I mean simultaneous--meaning running lots of external gear in real time in the software mixer? Or tracking a band with a HUGE mic setup on a kit? Mixing 1 to 1 outputs on an analog desk?
BTW--not semantics--no converters are USB. Computer interfaces are--and some of those have converters. Some of them have mic preamps. DIs. Headphone amps. DSP. I say that to facilitate clear communication. When you're looking at most PCIe AES and ADAT cards by Lynx and RME, they have NO converters. No preamps--they're JUST an interface to the computer. Where and Apollo serves as a swiss army knife unit.
$150 is tough no matter what the IO needs. That's about the level that gets you a 2x2 by Maudio or something. If you can do PCI, seriously--got a Echo Gina 3G right here I just pulled out of service because I needed more IO.
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Post by mobeach on Oct 4, 2013 20:05:01 GMT -6
Thanks for the link, I guess I will hope to find a used Lynx AES16e as the L22 is PCI, I need the Express. So thats what that "e" means . I know nothing about pci cards . All my converters are either Firewire or USB . PCI and PCIe use different shaped/sized slots on the motherboard |
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Post by mobeach on Oct 4, 2013 20:10:56 GMT -6
Well, the Lynx has no analog IO....so, are you saying you have some high end AES converters but can't afford an RME PCIe card to go with them? I've actually long bitched about this. Apple has now made it moot since the new MacPros have no more card slots. But, IME, a PCI interface will beat USB and Firewire in terms of latency. Irrelevant for an audio workstation, but for some doing VI work, it's crucial. There are none. I mean, if you can do PCI, I'll sell you my old Gina3g for less than your budget. I think I stuck it up locally for $125. Anyway...but, if you need PCIe, there really never were any. There were professional class cards--Lynx and RME...and some big IO MOTU (they just ported the 324 to PCIexpress and used teh same IO boxes they've had for a decade--some SSL I think in the MADI world. Almost all home studios for years have been running off Firewire or USB interfaces. Not mine, mind you, but... What's the reason you have for needing a PCIe card+box? Mind you, there are good reasons, but they don't apply to a lot of people. Do you you need a lot of IO at high sample rates? And I mean simultaneous--meaning running lots of external gear in real time in the software mixer? Or tracking a band with a HUGE mic setup on a kit? Mixing 1 to 1 outputs on an analog desk? BTW--not semantics--no converters are USB. Computer interfaces are--and some of those have converters. Some of them have mic preamps. DIs. Headphone amps. DSP. I say that to facilitate clear communication. When you're looking at most PCIe AES and ADAT cards by Lynx and RME, they have NO converters. No preamps--they're JUST an interface to the computer. Where and Apollo serves as a swiss army knife unit. $150 is tough no matter what the IO needs. That's about the level that gets you a 2x2 by Maudio or something. If you can do PCI, seriously--got a Echo Gina 3G right here I just pulled out of service because I needed more IO. I don't have any converters at all, my motherboard accepts PCIe only, I have an old 1212M I can't use because it's PCI. I heard bad things about the drivers but I never had any problems with mt old XP computer. My new one is Windows 8 and the only option I've tried so far is USB because I already have the USB board. For a preamp I use a Presonus tube preamp/compressor. |
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Post by popmann on Oct 4, 2013 20:35:03 GMT -6
FireWire cards are $30-50. FYI.
But, if you just record the one input, I'd just go USB. You say you've tried this? With what...?
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Post by mobeach on Oct 5, 2013 7:29:18 GMT -6
FireWire cards are $30-50. FYI. But, if you just record the one input, I'd just go USB. You say you've tried this? With what...? Alesis Multimix 8 USB, and I have issues with the track bleed over I mentioned, and an echo/feedback when enabling input monitoring. |
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Post by popmann on Oct 5, 2013 14:11:26 GMT -6
That's because it's an analog mixer--you shouldn't have input monitoring on. That's not related to USB vs pcie.
Good news is, in that, you have a killer monitoring solution already.
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Post by popmann on Oct 6, 2013 12:14:57 GMT -6
Did you turn off input monitoring? All good?
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Post by Deleted on Oct 6, 2013 13:00:47 GMT -6
if you got $400, buy a used Duet or Apogee ONE. best bang for the buck.
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Post by popmann on Oct 6, 2013 14:31:12 GMT -6
He's on Windows-Apogee no workie.
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Post by mobeach on Oct 6, 2013 15:03:45 GMT -6
Did you turn off input monitoring? All good? Same problems as before with the previously recorded tracks bleeding onto the current track. |
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Post by popmann on Oct 6, 2013 18:29:05 GMT -6
So, you can hear you mic/input in the heahones before you run an app, right? That's your analog monitor signal. If so....then you run the DAW--should be the same. I don't see any documentation about the naming of the inputs, but you select what as your input for a new track? Like "Alesis USB1" or...?
Then, I did see this in the manual:
"When recording to your computer, make sure the 2 TRKS/USB TO MAIN switch is in the up/raised position to avoid feedback in your recording. Alternately, you can deactivate the "software playthrough" function in your software while recording."
The key here is gonna be in selecting the input. Let me know which you're selecting AND what other options it gives you.
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Post by popmann on Oct 6, 2013 18:36:00 GMT -6
Oh wait...I see what might be contributing to the issue--this unit has no ASIO driver. That's fine with a Mac...that's a recipe for suck on Windows. They suggest you use ASIO4All, which is a generic ASIO wrapper.
So, now...this doesn't again, have to do with USB vs FW vs PCIe. This is a driver thing. You can try ASIO4All...but, if that doesn't work, remember in shopping that when you use Windows, the hardware needs an ASIO driver, as any recording app will expect it. You can likely get it to work with the WDM--but, you have to use the Windows sound control panel to configure it...
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Post by mobeach on Oct 7, 2013 9:28:43 GMT -6
I already had the asio4all driver installed, it let me use it as an option but then the playback was muted. I need to replace this USB POS!
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Post by popmann on Oct 7, 2013 18:36:36 GMT -6
Ok. But, it's not because it's USB. I will give you that you might want to replace something that doesn't come with an ASIO driver since you're using Windows. Apple, you could plug in and just use that with CoreAudio, but...
PCIe is professional (read expensive) use only. I find that that kind of sad--having had a number of inexpensive PCI cards over the years work in PCs like CHAMPS...but, the world apparently LOVES Firewire &USB. I remeber when I bought my Echo, what 6 years ago maybe? Maybe 7? They tried to talk me out of it--"no one buys these cards anymore, just get Firewire"...but, my PC didnt have FW, and I didn't see the point in buying a $50 card so that I could buy an interface that would inherently have more latency for sample/VI playing (sole use at the time)...
But, now it is what it is. The Market has spoken, and the least expensive choice is a MOTU 2408mk3 Core at like $950. RME Multiface right above it....both old designs. More than I've ever spent for a computer PCI card. I mean--I use a Multiface, but I bought used-and it's PCI...so, it was cheap-o.
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