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Showing posts with label usb audio interface. Show all posts

Pro Tools Mbox Mini (3rd gen) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)First let me say, I have no idea what the other guy is talking about. I just got my Mbox Mini the other day and had zero issues installing the program.
As for using the Pro Tools, it can do everything and sets the standard. I wish it came with more plug-ins, but those that are included cover all aspects of sound production. I was surprised to see a trimmed-down Guitar Rig 4 plug-in included.
While the learning curve for Pro Tools is steep, once you get the hang of it, there isn't anything it - and you, can't do!

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ART Pro MPAII Microphone Preamplifier Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Can you find a better sounding mic pre with more functionality than the ART Pro MPAII? Absolutely. Can you find a better mic pre anywhere near this price range? Not in my experience.
The controls are intuitive and the sound is excellent. My only two complaints are:
1.) The stock tubes that come with this unit are CHEAP. If you get this, I would recommend ordering a pair of high quality tubes as well. I went with TungSol 12AX7 Gold Pin tubes, and the difference in sound was substantial. l'd probably have bumped my rating up to 5 stars if the stock tubes had been better.
2.) It would have been nice if ART had put the XLR inputs on the front of the unit next to the 1/4 inch inputs. As it stands, the XLR inputs are on the rear. I have my components mounted in a stationary rack integrated into a desk, and hooking up mics can be a bit of a chore. This is a small complaint, but it's something to be considered.
Beyond that, this is a great buy for someone looking to see big improvements in their sound without spending vast sums of money.

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M-Audio Solaris Multipattern Condenser Microphone Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Happy with product, only took about a week. It actually came with a shock mount which that wasn't list to come with it. Thanks

Click Here to see more reviews about: M-Audio Solaris Multipattern Condenser Microphone

The Solaris is a large-capsule condenser microphone that sounds as good as it looks. Beneath the stylish exterior lies the best-sounding solid-state electronics available at any price. Vintage design principles merge with incredibly tight manufacturing standards to yield no more than +/-1dB of deviation across the entire 20Hz-20kHz frequency range. The industry-thinnest evaporated gold diaphragm also delivers incredible sensitivity. Multi-pattern architecture provides flexibility that makes it ideal for just about any miking situation--included capturing vocals, guitar, piano, drums and live events. It's like having three mics in one.

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Digidesign Command 8 Control Surface for Pro Tools Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)My son is a sound recording technology student at college. I'm a computer expert. To help my son in his studies, I upgraded his Apple/Sonar DAW to a ProTools environment. We spent many thousands of dollars doing so, and it was a painful experience.
The Command|8 proved to be the most frustrating element in the entire digital sound chain, and a lack of good documentation and support from Avid (or whatever it is called today - the company appears to merge and change its name weekly) does not help.
It took weeks to get the device configured and working reliably with ProTools 8. Even after that it would constantly require recalibration or would go offline arbitrarily, requiring reinstallation of protools to bring it back. I have no idea how pro-am studios manage to survive using ProTools.
A few weeks out of warranty, the display failed and the unit refused to come online. The faders go crazy for a few minutes then park at the bottom although you can hear the fader motors still clicking wildly. This problem is posted several times on the Avid user forums, and appears to be a common defect. Repair costs might run to several hundred dollars.
Unlike most users, we read the user manuals "avidly" and followerd all user directions. As a former sound engineer myself, I insisted that all equipment in the sound chain was covered with dustcloths when not in use. This device was probably used less than 100 hours in its lifetime.
Do not buy this product.

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M-Audio Fast Track Ultra 8R Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Both this and the Presonus FireStudio are quite awesome audio interfaces. Never heard a pop and static is phenomenally low. It is built like a TANK and I'm sure it could withstand a beating. Preamps work great. The only downside, and I mean the only bad thing about this interface is that MIDI requires a breakout cable. Not a big deal but it's just something you could lose easily. I definitely recommend getting this. It really is great.

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MOTU Audio Express 6 x 6 FireWire/USB2.0 Audio Interface Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The Audio Express is solid and sturdy, and comes with adapters so you can mount it on a rack shelf. I'm still learning how to configure it; my first session with the AE took a very long time, the next one went more quickly.
The USB/FireWire interface works well, and the unit will power itself off bus power while on FW, but needs the included audio adapter when using USB.
The front panel is difficult to figure out, and am only now starting to get used to it after using it for a few weeks; a lot of functions are accessed by pressing the pots in to cycle through different modes.
A nice touch is the locking connectors for the combo XLR sockets; no more pulling a mic out accidentally, at least not out of the Audio Express. (This'll put my mind at ease a bit when using phantom power.)
Recommended tentatively, since I'm still leraning the unit; I'm also undecided on whether I should have spent the extra money on the MOTU Ultralite or the MOTU 828mk3 Hybrid Firewire Audio Interface, although the Audio Express's small size makes it far more portable. However, coming from an M-Audio FireWire 410 4-In / 10-Out FireWire Mobile Recording Interface, this unit is a vast improvement.

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Focusrite ISA428 Four Classic Microphone Pre-Amps and High-Quality A/D Conversion Review

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(More customer reviews)Very versatile preamps! I've had them for 3 years and wouldn't dream of getting rid of them! Very clean, but colorful (in a good way). I've used them on everything from drums to voice to symphony to bass & keyboards (direct). No complaints. I've done shootouts with preamps that were much more expensive and I won't say the ISA428 blew them away, but it came closer than it should have considering the price difference!

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Alesis MultiMix 8 USB 2.0 Mixer Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I was a little nervous to buy this without reading someone's assurance that it would do specifically what I wanted: record our band multi-tracked into a MacBook.
But it works great. No hiccups while streaming 6 channels at once into Garageband. Amazing at the price.

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Designed with low-noise analog electronics, the MultiMix 8 USB 2.0 mixer lets you take advantage of 100 studio-grade 28-bit digital effects. Whether used for mobile or studio recording, the MultiMix 8 USB 2.0 mixer makes recording high-quality audio to your computer fast and easy. The MultiMix 8 USB 2.0 mixer is also bundled with award-winning Cubase LE software for instant creativity right out of the box.
Key Features
10-direct outputs to your computer for recording and 2 return inputs for monitoring
High-gain mic/line (XLR and 1/4-inch balanced) inputs with phantom power, 2 stereo balanced 1/4-inch
Line inputs, aux send (to onboard or external effects), stereo aux return
Switchable 75Hz high pass filters
100 onboard 28-bit preset effects including reverbs, delays, chorus, flanging, pitch and multi-effects
3-band EQ per channel with high/low shelving and mid band pass/reject
Separate 1/4-inch balanced main and monitor outs, headphone out
24-bit, 44.1 to 96 kHz operation with high-end A/D and D/A conversion through an integrated USB 2.0 Audio interface
Steinberg Cubase LE included

Specifications
Input Channels
Mic In Sensitivity Range: -60dBu to -10dBu nominal, +5dBu maximum
Line In Sensitivity Range: -40dBu to -+10dBu nominal, +25dBu maximum
Mic/Line Gain Range: +10 to +60dB

Equalization
High-Pass Filter: 75Hz, 18dB/octave
High Shelving: 12kHz, +/- 15dB
Mid Bandpass/Band Reject: 2.5 kHz, +/- 15dB
Low Shelving: 80Hz, +/- 15dB

Aux Sends
Aux Send A & B Gain Range: -∞ to +10dB

Aux Returns
Aux Return A Gain Range: -∞ to +15dB
Effects Level/Aux Return B Gain Range: -∞ to +15dB

Channel Levels
Channel Level Gain Range: -∞ to +10dB

Master Levels
Main Mix, Ctrl Room Gain Range: -∞ to +10dB

1/4-inch Inputs
Stereo Aux Return Level: +4dBu nominal, +20dBu maximum

RCA Inputs
2-TRACK IN Level: -10dBV nominal, +5dBV maximum

1/4-inch Outputs
Main Mix, Ctrl Room, Ext Aux Send Level: +4dBu nominal, +20dBu maximum
Headphone Output: 75 ohm output impedance >105mW into 75 ohms, >40mW
into 600ohms

RCA Outputs
2-TRACK OUT Level: -10dBV nominal, +5dBV maximum

Dimensions and Weight
14.5 x 10.75 x 5 inches
7 pounds

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Rode Podcaster USB Dynamic Microphone Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)For recording my voice (baritone), it does a great job. For extra warmth that means close-miking, which in turn means not popping your p's, etc. If you hold it close to your mouth but don't directly face it end-on, that's easily done (or get a pop filter). [...].
The microphone electronics are extremely quiet - the audio is sampled at 18 bits.
It comes with a warranty which is easily extended to 10 years for free.
The real-time headphone monitoring is a great idea and works well.
It's a bit heavy (part of being built like a tank), and you need to think a little about how you're going to mount it, since some cheap desktop stands can barely manage it.
Some things to keep in mind are:
1) It likes close-miking (at least for male voices)
2) It is USB-only
3) It is a on the bit large and heavy side.
If those don't bother you, and the price is in your range, then you will probably like it a lot.

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Line 6 POD Studio KB37 Review

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(More customer reviews)I'm new to creating music on a computer, and my research, along with tons of positive reviews from others, led me to the POD Studio KB37 as a good all-purpose starting point. In terms of flexibility, this package is very hard to beat. The built-in inputs and mic preamps let you record just about anything, from guitar/bass and other electric instruments to vocals and acoustic instruments (using your own mic, of course). For these uses alone, the KB37 is a great way to get sound into your computer with minimum headaches. Simply connect the KB37 to your computer with a single USB cable. It's USB-powered, so you don't even have to plug it into a power outlet.
The hardware's MIDI keyboard and control surface open up a whole new dimension. They allow you to add keyboard parts and adjust some software parameters via real-world knobs and buttons; this is much faster than clicking and dragging onscreen "virtual" controls.
The included software package reveals the KB37's full potential, transforming an otherwise great product into an incredible bargain. Sure, the Reason Adapted (synth, sampler, sequencer, and effects) and Ableton Live (multitrack recording) software are the "lite" versions of these programs, but even so, they're very versatile and powerful. If you're fairly new to DAW software, trust me, even the lite version of Reason is pretty incredible -- you'll get a lot of use out of it. It includes tons of sampled real-world instruments, fully functional and tweakable soft synths, drum machine, sequencer, effects, and a lot more. It takes quite a while to explore its impressive capabilities. Once you do, you'll know whether you want to upgrade to the full version, which is available at a discounted price. But again, the lite verion will be plenty for many users.
Finally, you get Line 6's POD Farm software, which gives you an arsenal of stompbox and rack effects for guitar, bass, vocals, and just about anything else. On top of that, it includes amp, cab, and mic preamp modeling. You get everything that most guitar multi-effects units provide and then some. Because it runs on your computer, naming and saving patches is quicker and easier than stand-alone multi-effects units, and you can save as many custom patches as you like. And, unlike stand-alone units, POD Farm is expandable. Line 6 claims that the KB37 allows you to monitor your tone, complete with effects, without a latency problem (a lag between playing a note and hearing the output). This is not an empty promise. On my modest laptop, which runs Windows Vista on an Intel Core 2 Duo T5550 (1.83GHz) with 3GB of RAM, I experience zero latency problems.
All told, for the price of one guitar multi-effects unit, you get everything you need to start a home studio. If you're a full-time keyboard player, this package probably isn't aimed at you. As its name suggests, the KB37's keyboard has only 37 keys. So, there are probably better MIDI keyboard controllers out there for you. Plus, as a keyboard specialist, you'd most likely want a full version of whatever synth software you prefer. On the other hand, if you play guitar or bass and you want all the building blocks for tweaking your tone, adding vocals, effects, *and* getting your feet wet with powerful synths, sampling, and multitrack recording, here it is for a laughably low price.

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Mackie Onyx 1620i FireWire Recording Mixer Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)this mixer is amazing. if you have wanted to build a project studio or record your band in your rehearsal space, this is the mixer you need.
the pre's sound great. very quiet (even when jacked).
the eq is really fun to play around with. you can really find the sound you are looking for with a few tweaks.
i'm using Ableton as my recording DAW. it's really snappy and after a few tweaks, very hard to notice any latency.
the Firewire I/O also works with Pro Tools, which is great. the driver is available for purchase on the mackie website.
for this price, you won't find anything even close to the same ball park.

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