Is MAC/Apple the only way?

[Kapo_Polenton]

Part II of my converter/preamp question..

Looking at the Apogee and Apollo stuff and seems like their offerings into Windows platform is limited. I am talking about 4-8 mic input interfaces. I have to say that I like the sound of the apollo stuff running UA plugins. Their Neve preamp sim is pretty sweet sounding. Buy it once and have it on all your channels for example.. when I started crunching numbers and if I pick up a 500 series rack and a 2 clones (have to start at least with this for overheads), I am over 1k easy and close to 2k canadian. At that point why would I not try to also address the issue of lower level converters? The verdict is out on whether or not they really make that much of a difference but there can be no denying that overall, there is a step up between the higher level preamp/converter units and the firepod I now have. I can hear it and it is in the high end,detail and the fizz. It may be clear fizz, but it is there especially on guitars.

What have you guys ended up with? Anything that is Windows PC compatible that is in the same quality as the Apollo and Apogee stuff or are they the standard? Maybe RME, Focusrite?

 

[Vrad]

Apogee yes. But I thought UA supported Windows.
RME is great, but I haven't used their stuff in years. I have a cheapie Focusrite 6i6. Also, I'm on a mac and dude, I absolutely love it.
Logic X is great.

 

[rokket2005]

I'm on windows and have been using RME for a few years. I had a fireface 800, and upgraded to the 802 last year and I love it. I think RMEs driver support is the best aside from super high end stuff, and it's mainly personal preference as far as whether you like UA/apogee/RME more. Of you go Mac take a look at metric halo stuff too, as it's great too

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

Would the RME and focusrite stuff compare at all to the Apogee/Apollo stuff? There is def. a big cost upfront to make the jump to Mac but I would consider it to do it right as I am spending all this time writing and recording and think as a hobby, it is worth it. Also, now is the time to do it before potentially having kids and no more fun money!

Edit: looks like a lot of the focusrite stuff is also MAC and not Windows compatible. What for MAcs are you guys using? Mac Mini with external monitor? I am not well versed in the land of apple besides my iphone which I dig.

 

[Vrad]

Would the RME and focusrite stuff compare at all to the Apogee/Apollo stuff? There is def. a big cost upfront to make the jump to Mac but I would consider it to do it right as I am spending all this time writing and recording and think as a hobby, it is worth it. Also, now is the time to do it before potentially having kids and no more fun money!

If it's just a hobby, don't kill yourself with top of the line stuff. They're all pretty darn good these days. I had an Apogee Duet and I don't think the Focusrite 6i6 is any worse.

Yes RME and Focusrite is comparable to Apogee and Apollo depending on price point of course. RME is fairly expensive, but the BabyFace is very similar to the Apogee/UA stuff.

The thing about UA is you get their plugins and the hardware runs them without loading down your CPU, so that's something to consider. The others are all just straight recording interfaces.

In short, I've had a bunch of different interfaces and unless you're comparing $150 interface to a $2500 interface you won't hear the difference. The $400-500 range is extremely competitive and I wouldn't hesitate getting anything from any of the companies mentioned.

 

[justinashouri]

yes, it is the only way! as far as i know lol

 

[dfrattaroli]

I use a Focusrite Saffire Pro 24 with my iMac. Works great. For home use, once you get past the consumer grade stuff, the law of diminishing returns kicks in. At that point, it comes down to the user and the performer. Can you make it sound better than higher-end gear? Absolutely. Spending 2k on an interface will not guarantee you results.

 

[JerEvil]

Apogee yes. But I thought UA supported Windows.
RME is great, but I haven't used their stuff in years. I have a cheapie Focusrite 6i6. Also, I'm on a mac and dude, I absolutely love it.
Logic X is great.

Love Logic Pro X!!!

What was the question again?

 

[Vrad]

Apogee yes. But I thought UA supported Windows.
RME is great, but I haven't used their stuff in years. I have a cheapie Focusrite 6i6. Also, I'm on a mac and dude, I absolutely love it.
Logic X is great.

Love Logic Pro X!!!

What was the question again?

Yeah I don't miss Cubase. I used to love Cubase.

 

[Michi]

"Remember the stairs, it's the only way"

 

[JerEvil]

Just get an IMac with an i7 processor .
Then buy the Apollo Rack unit.
Done.
You will have all the plugins, and mic pres and an interface.

Is it going to sound as good as my ensemble? No, but then your just hobbying.

But it will knock out a lot of your checkboxes and still be pretty great sounding.

Once you go mac you never go back (Former Microsoft Certfied Systems Engineer)

Yeah I am deciding between the Apollo Duo8 or Focusrite Clarett. The only upside to the Apollo is the unit running pulg in's as mentioned. I talked at great length to my sales guy at Sweetwater and he was clear with me that between the Clarett and Apollo, I am literally sacrificing nothing sound-wise. Not sure the Apollo, for my needs, is worth the additional $800. Now, I use the Slate "Everything" bundle so I really don't even need the UA plug ins.

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

Apollo to me has the edge because of the quality of their plugins but they aren't the only ones with plugin suite (thought that Neve preamp sim is damn sweet the more I listen to it)but I agree, I am not going to make something that rivals a pro recording but to me clarity and less fizz are important. That's why I want to make the jump from my presonus firepod which was a great intro to being able to track 8 tracks at once, but now is showing it's weaknesses. Lots of similar reviews on presonus limitations all over the net. Lots of people seem to be hearing what I hear.

Was checking this bad boy out too though: https://us.focusrite.com/mic-pres/isa-428-mkii#

It does however look more and more like a jump to MAC is what needs to happen.

 

[Vrad]

Apollo to me has the edge because of the quality of their plugins but they aren't the only ones with plugin suite (thought that Neve preamp sim is damn sweet the more I listen to it)but I agree, I am not going to make something that rivals a pro recording but to me clarity and less fizz are important. That's why I want to make the jump from my presonus firepod which was a great intro to being able to track 8 tracks at once, but now is showing it's weaknesses. Lots of similar reviews on presonus limitations all over the net. Lots of people seem to be hearing what I hear.

Was checking this bad boy out too though: https://us.focusrite.com/mic-pres/isa-428-mkii#

It does however look more and more like a jump to MAC is what needs to happen.

Kapo,

Going by what you stated in the initial post, I'd caution you against overstating the importance of gear for what you're looking to do. In most cases, a good DAW (Logic X, Cubase, Pro-Tools, etc...), a decent machine, and a reasonable interface ($400-600) will be enough to get you started. 90% of making a great recording is comprised of:
1-Great Performance/Arrangement
2-Practice miking up sources to get the best sound possible
3-Proper gain staging
4-Adjusting faders and panning

You would be impressed at how far you can go before you even need to hit the plugins. Also, these days DAWs some with very comprehensive plug-in suite. Logic for example also comes with some killer soft synths. Many of these plugins are as good as the high priced ones.

I would also caution you against expecting pro-level recordings out the gate. The big boys use things we don't have access to and chasing that is a fools errand that will keep you from developing your mixing chops.

Anyway, that's my 2 cents.

 

[sixstringking713]

hell no..

Built my recording PC for ~$750 with black friday parts

 

[JerEvil]

Apollo to me has the edge because of the quality of their plugins but they aren't the only ones with plugin suite (thought that Neve preamp sim is damn sweet the more I listen to it)but I agree, I am not going to make something that rivals a pro recording but to me clarity and less fizz are important. That's why I want to make the jump from my presonus firepod which was a great intro to being able to track 8 tracks at once, but now is showing it's weaknesses. Lots of similar reviews on presonus limitations all over the net. Lots of people seem to be hearing what I hear.

Was checking this bad boy out too though: https://us.focusrite.com/mic-pres/isa-428-mkii#

It does however look more and more like a jump to MAC is what needs to happen.

Do not sleep on the Slate Digital bundle. $29/mo for all of them including updates and new products. The UA stuff is killer but Slate is absolutely top shelf. Potayto = potahto

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

Apollo to me has the edge because of the quality of their plugins but they aren't the only ones with plugin suite (thought that Neve preamp sim is damn sweet the more I listen to it)but I agree, I am not going to make something that rivals a pro recording but to me clarity and less fizz are important. That's why I want to make the jump from my presonus firepod which was a great intro to being able to track 8 tracks at once, but now is showing it's weaknesses. Lots of similar reviews on presonus limitations all over the net. Lots of people seem to be hearing what I hear.

Was checking this bad boy out too though: https://us.focusrite.com/mic-pres/isa-428-mkii#

It does however look more and more like a jump to MAC is what needs to happen.

Kapo,

Going by what you stated in the initial post, I'd caution you against overstating the importance of gear for what you're looking to do. In most cases, a good DAW (Logic X, Cubase, Pro-Tools, etc...), a decent machine, and a reasonable interface ($400-600) will be enough to get you started. 90% of making a great recording is comprised of:
1-Great Performance/Arrangement
2-Practice miking up sources to get the best sound possible
3-Proper gain staging
4-Adjusting faders and panning

You would be impressed at how far you can go before you even need to hit the plugins. Also, these days DAWs some with very comprehensive plug-in suite. Logic for example also comes with some killer soft synths. Many of these plugins are as good as the high priced ones.

I would also caution you against expecting pro-level recordings out the gate. The big boys use things we don't have access to and chasing that is a fools errand that will keep you from developing your mixing chops.

Anyway, that's my 2 cents.

Don't get me wrong, not expecting pro level results and I was able to get some very good sounds on my entry level yamaha drum kit using free EQ and compression plugins but the bottom line is that I need a bit more clarity and I think the move up would benefit me. More importantly, "if" I am to invest in better mics down the line, I would like them not to be negated by on board preamp and converters. That's all. I am honestly of the opinion that most plugins ( I have EZ mix) are useful but not necessary. The most important I see are EQ and compression over everything, having decent treatment in your room, mic placement on cabs, and then preamps for clarity/colour. I am definitely not going to jump the gun here but I appreciate your opinion though as it does make you stop and think about it before you open the wallet and fork out the cash! I will check out slates preamp sims out of curiosity. Maybe it will help me fake it till I make it! lol..

If I were to go Mac though, macbook air good enough for this use? All the ports necessary to handle connections from external monitors, hardrives etc?

 

[JerEvil]

Apollo to me has the edge because of the quality of their plugins but they aren't the only ones with plugin suite (thought that Neve preamp sim is damn sweet the more I listen to it)but I agree, I am not going to make something that rivals a pro recording but to me clarity and less fizz are important. That's why I want to make the jump from my presonus firepod which was a great intro to being able to track 8 tracks at once, but now is showing it's weaknesses. Lots of similar reviews on presonus limitations all over the net. Lots of people seem to be hearing what I hear.

Was checking this bad boy out too though: https://us.focusrite.com/mic-pres/isa-428-mkii#

It does however look more and more like a jump to MAC is what needs to happen.

Kapo,

Going by what you stated in the initial post, I'd caution you against overstating the importance of gear for what you're looking to do. In most cases, a good DAW (Logic X, Cubase, Pro-Tools, etc...), a decent machine, and a reasonable interface ($400-600) will be enough to get you started. 90% of making a great recording is comprised of:
1-Great Performance/Arrangement
2-Practice miking up sources to get the best sound possible
3-Proper gain staging
4-Adjusting faders and panning

You would be impressed at how far you can go before you even need to hit the plugins. Also, these days DAWs some with very comprehensive plug-in suite. Logic for example also comes with some killer soft synths. Many of these plugins are as good as the high priced ones.

I would also caution you against expecting pro-level recordings out the gate. The big boys use things we don't have access to and chasing that is a fools errand that will keep you from developing your mixing chops.

Anyway, that's my 2 cents.

Don't get me wrong, not expecting pro level results and I was able to get some very good sounds on my entry level yamaha drum kit using free EQ and compression plugins but the bottom line is that I need a bit more clarity and I think the move up would benefit me. More importantly, "if" I am to invest in better mics down the line, I would like them not to be negated by on board preamp and converters. That's all. I am honestly of the opinion that most plugins ( I have EZ mix) are useful but not necessary. The most important I see are EQ and compression over everything, having decent treatment in your room, mic placement on cabs, and then preamps for clarity/colour. I am definitely not going to jump the gun here but I appreciate your opinion though as it does make you stop and think about it before you open the wallet and fork out the cash! I will check out slates preamp sims out of curiosity. Maybe it will help me fake it till I make it! lol..

If I were to go Mac though, macbook air good enough for this use? All the ports necessary to handle connections from external monitors, hardrives etc?

I would not go below the MacMini 2.6gb. The MacMini 2.8gb would be fine and should have enough connections between Thunderbolt and USB 3. I am going to be selling my 27" iMac for the 2.8 MacMini soon.

A MacBook pro would be preferred

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

The $$ are adding up here! I think I am going to grab an ilok for 50$ and try some slate demos. if a 200$ plugin gives me what I need, I will hold the line for now. I could see this becoming a slippery slope....first you start with a Mac...then a preamp/converter......then Pro Tools so you can mix like a pro. I'm rocking Reaper right now and it does everything I need. It would really suck to spend 4k on all this shit and then listen back to back and note a 5% improvement on a track that will be listened to by Rig Talk, 5 guys on my hockey team and my niece!

 

[JerEvil]

The $$ are adding up here! I think I am going to grab an ilok for 50$ and try some slate demos. if a 200$ plugin gives me what I need, I will hold the line for now. I could see this becoming a slippery slope....first you start with a Mac...then a preamp/converter......then Pro Tools so you can mix like a pro. I'm rocking Reaper right now and it does everything I need. It would really suck to spend 4k on all this shit and then listen back to back and note a 5% improvement on a track that will be listened to by Rig Talk, 5 guys on my hockey team and my niece!

Seriously, get the Slate Digital bundle. Comes with a free iLok. Don;t buy what you don't need. I am only buying a new Mac to use the Raven MTi2. Won't work with my current Mac. I technically don't need the Raven but it just looks too damn awesome!

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

Yowsa, even better deal. They will ding me on customs the bastards but that is a ton of stuff. Might just get that and a bigger monitor for my studio and have at it. (customs is a thing I will never understand.. a small envelope with a 300$ price tag will still mean tax...gotta love free SLOW healthcare though!)