Firewire Sound Cards, Sound Card MacBook Pro Options

[JC pro]

Hi,

I just purchased a MacBook Pro and wanted some advice on which sound card to get. i'm running Logic Pro 7 w/ a Focusrite Platinum VoiceMaster Pro pre amp. I Apogee makes some great stuff and so does MOTU. Not lookin' to go broke though. $300 - $500 U.S., maybe 6. All i really need is 2 mic inputs w/ 24-bit / sampling up to 192 kHz. Can you help me? Thanks.

-JCpro

This post has been edited by JC pro: Thu 4 May 2006, 02:07

[lepetitmartien]

As far as I know i see only the Motu traveller and 896HD and after that Apogee… (I may miss something)

Do you _really_ need the 192 KHz?

[drjuju]

I've got the Presonus Inspire firewire interface, $200, has two balanced inputs and two instrument-level inputs. Each channel has a nice preamp. Offers 48v phantom power, too, if needed. Has RCA stereo ins on back, along with headphone and monitor outs. Ships with Cubase LE. Use power supply or bus power. Its big brother is called firebox, and there's a firestation, etc. I like mine. Goes to 96KH, though. Do you really need 192K?

try http://www.presonus.com

[lepetitmartien]

And Presonus may have some of the nicest pre available at this price too (included in an interface that is).

[JC pro]

Hi,

About if I needed 192kHz, that's actually a question I'm trying to find an answer to. If 192kHz makes a difference in sound quality, then yes i would like to have it. Do you know anything about the Tascam FW 1082? As far as mic pres go, i have a Focusrite VoiceMaster Pro Platinum - I hope that works for me. What about the Mackie Control - is it worth the money?

Thanks for your help. i apologize for responding late.

-JCpro

[rickenbacker]

Recording at 192KHz will put enormous - and I would say unnecessary - strain on your MBP's processors. Only bats can really hear the difference between 192 and 96. Even recording at 96 is hard work for a computer and many, many audio professionals will concede that after 48KHz it's hard to really hear the difference. Sure, if you sit and listen very closely to recorded tracks in isolation, you can detect subtle differences, but that's a very artificial approach to listening to music. I'm inclined to suggest that all you'll get out of using 192 is very large files.

Bit rate is more important than sample rate in determining sound quality. Record at 24 bit and either 44.1 or 48KHz - or 96 if you must - and you'll get great-sounding results.

[JC pro]

Thanks. That's what's up. I appreciate your help. Do you know anything about the Tascam FW1082 & the Mackie Control? If so, I'm looking for quality, but just not wanting to spend more $500 - $600 US.

Thanks again,

-JCpro

[rickenbacker]

I don't know too much about them, other than a lot of people have them and seem very happy with their purchases. Do a web search and see if you can turn up opinions on the preamps in both devices. Mackie have a decent enough reputation for preamps - I know their Onyx line is well thought of.

[zooot]

i have an 896 (not hd ) and would like to know if i could chain a firepod to get 16 microphone inputs working with dp 4.61 in an imack g5 with 2 gig of ram. will a firepod even work with d p ?

[thedomus]

i have an 896 (not hd ) and would like to know if i could chain a firepod to get 16 microphone inputs working with dp 4.61 in an imack g5 with 2 gig of ram. will a firepod even work with d p ?

Use OSX Audio/Midi setup to build an Aggregate Device, which allows for any number of interfaces, FW/USB or PCI, to be used together, check the help guides in OSX for more detailed info.

BTW I bought a Focusrite Sapphire the other day and i think thta's worth checking out!