M-audio Mobilepre Usb Vs. Aardvark Direct Mix Usb3 Options

[T1mon]

I would like to record my guitar with a 12" Powerbook (and external monitor, don't worry).
I looked at some interfaces and these two seem to be good.
MobilePre USB: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/sid=03.../base_id/103189
Aardvark Direct Mix: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/sid=03...l/base_id/55331
Which one do you prefer or is there another one I should look into?
I just wanna record my guitar, so I don't really need 10 inputs.

Would I have to use a preamp to get a decend sound? I have Amplitube Live but when I used it I had a 2 sec delay on everything I did. (scroll windows, open folders...)

This post has been edited by T1mon: Tue 22 Jul 2003, 23:31

[scientificbox]

m-audio has a better history of mac support. that would leed me to suggest the moble pre. the older m-audio usb duo is simmilar, has better converters, and can be found used for about as much as the moble pre. edirol has a few usb audio interfaces that might work for you (the ua-3fx looks good, and the built in effects would get you away from latency problems in amplitude).

ultimately, good "traditional" guitar sounds are hard to get running strait into an interface. the signal level is low and the impedences don't match. unless the interface you buy has a dedicated "guitar" or "high z" imput, you should probobly use an external amp simulator, direct box, or at least a foot pedal with some gain.

[T1mon]

The Aardvark has a High Z input and the MobilePre is built for guitar too so I shouldn't have a problem with those two, right?
But how does this work then, do i have to plug my guitar into the amp first and then into the interface or do I go directly into the interface? Or would I have to buy a preamp?

[scientificbox]

you would run directly from your guitar (or stompboxes) into the "hi z" input. this will give you a tone that sounds very dry and unnatural to most guitar players. the output of your amp is likely to be either line level (labeled "line out" or something similar), in wich case you would use the mic/line input not the "hi z", or a powered output for an extension speaker, which you wouldn't want to plug into the audio interface at all (it will make funny noises, start smoking, or give some other sign of distress). if you like the sound of your amp and have a line out, try it. otherwise, plug your guitar directly into the audio interface's "hi z/ guitar" input and play with some plug-ins until it sounds right.

[T1mon]

OK, thx for the help! I'm gonna try the line out of my amp and if I don't like that I'll try plugins. Do you have any idea which plugins are good?