Which Interface Is Best For Me And Imac G5?, Mbox, Spike, Omega, Firewire 410? Options

[bigheadjoe]

In a couple weeks I will be getting a new imac G5. I am fairly new to recording music. I've used Cakewalk Sonar on my friends computer as well as Cubase SX. I prefer to use Cubase SX. I need a good solid interface, but I don't really care about the software that comes with it since I will be using Cubase SX3. I am a singer songwriter and currently I don't need more than two channels of audio recorded at the same. I am stickler for low latency. I've heard a lot of good things about Digidesign's Mbox, however it sounds like I'd be paying mostly for the software that comes with it. I've also been looking at:

Mackie Spike
Lexicon Omega
M-Audio Omni
M-Audio Firewire 410

Any suggestions?

P.S. Is the 600 Mhz bus worth the extra 200$ for the new iMac G5's

Thanks,
Derek

[Don't EVER put your email in full in the forums! We don't give them away, don't do the job of spammers! People can always write to you with the link in your profile. LPM ]

This post has been edited by lepetitmartien: Tue 14 Sep 2004, 03:26

[mishmash]

bigheadjoe,

I've been pondering the same kind of choices on the interface issue. My needs are similar to yours, but I'd like the flexibilty of a multi-channel interface for expansion purposes, and absolutely go firewire. Sorry I can't be more help on the brands, but there are heaps of these interfaces now. A friend of mine has a simple 2 in 2 out M Audio (USB) piece, and he likes the mic-preamps on it (He's a full time mix engineer). Of all the choices you list, Mackie probably has the best mic-pres.

On the frontside bus issue, YES. The fastest G4 FSB is only 167mhz. 600mhz on the new imac G5 will be a noticable difference, combined with the faster DDR RAM. This is the kind of smoke we need for softsynths and effects with no glitches. Jumping up to a 800 mhz FSB on the tower may get you another plugin, but the cost goes way up. After this it's the 1ghz FSB on the fastest tower G5, but $$$...

Remember when Tiger comes, the true 64 bit apps will follow in time, making the imac G5 specs shine even more.

mishmash