Best Recording Audio Interface for around 1K?

  • Thread starter Thread starter craigbeckta
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craigbeckta

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Looking for the best sounding recording interface
for Mac OSX for around a grand.

The new Universal Audio Apollo looks sweet but
with a 2k price tag, a little expensive.

What interface mic pres sound good when it comes
to recording distorted guitars?

I have the Mbox 3 and I am looking for something
better sounding.

Not interested in the Apogee Duet 2 or the RME
Babyface.

I have heard good guitar clips recorded with the
Focusrite Saffire Pro 40.

Is there anything better in the 1k or below price
range?

With 2 to 4 on board mic pres.

That also allows you to use outboard mic pres?

Craig
 
If you can find a used API A2D. Its a great all in one box for heavy guitars and meets most of your criteria.
Also, the black lion modded stuff can be pretty good as well. (002 rack etc.)
 
kiddjazz":37wlu8o0 said:
If you can find a used API A2D. Its a great all in one box for heavy guitars and meets most of your criteria.
Also, the black lion modded stuff can be pretty good as well. (002 rack etc.)
Click to expand...

Don't you still need an interface to go from the A2D digital out to the computer?

For that price range, maybe look at some RME products. How much i/o you actually need is going to impact the price range.
 
+1 for RME. If you're looking to move a step up, Lucid, Lynx, Apogee, RME, UA, API are some names you want to look at. A used RME Multiface is what I started with and did some great recordings with.
 
I doubt you'll hear an appreciable difference between most big dollar converters. If you want a Firewire deal, why not just go Mackie onyx Blackbird?

If you really wanna' be a badass, go with an Onyx mixer, so you can have the analog EQ at mixdown. That's what will make the recording sound better. All digital is a bit stale in comparison.
 
I think I will wait until the Universal Audio
Apollo comes out.

It is more than I want to pay but it has some
cool features like Firewire 800 with the possibility
to use Thunderbolt in the future.

4 Mic pres and on board UAD effects.
 
MAudio ProFire 2626 is great for the price. Way under 1k, as well.
 
Jordon":suz1luhu said:
MAudio ProFire 2626 is great for the price. Way under 1k, as well.
Click to expand...

This is what I have at home, and I must say I was very impressed with this unit. For about 700, it is top notch. Conversion is pretty great, pre's are certainly usable, lots of I/O options, just overall a very solid unit. I really like mine.
 
If you look at the right dealers, you can score a pair of the 2626's for a grand. My intern just bought his for $480 NEW.
 
Consider the MOTU Ultralite, MOTU 4pre, and TC Impact Twin. All have excellent converters. MOTU software is really nice for setting up mixes.
 
Check out the tc studio konnekt 48, 4 mic pres with 8 line ins for 12 in total. The pres are very clean with a lot of headroom and the conversion is very good. It also comes with a remote that gives control over more then just volume. It has an onboard dsp that can run two powercore channelstrips, a reverb, and a couple others. You can't add more powercore plugins to it so you can only use what it comes with, what the ones it comes with are good ones.
 
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