Apple ditches FW400... let's talk about USB Audio Cards

Pasha · Post by **Pasha** » Sun Oct 19, 2008 6:35 am

jah4life wrote:they suck. all of them.

Can you describe some bad experiences?

- Best
- Pasha

Baron von Case · Post by **Baron von Case** » Sun Oct 19, 2008 7:02 am

Opinions on he NI Audio Kontrol 1?

sidownes · Post by **sidownes** » Sun Oct 19, 2008 10:17 am

I'm currently considering which USB 2 interface to get. weighing up between Edirol UA-101 and m-audio Fast Track Ultra. anyone have opinions or experience on those with OSX?

Fledz · Post by **Fledz** » Sun Oct 19, 2008 11:32 am

While I haven't actually used a USB AI, when I was shopping around for an AI more than a year ago I didn't come across much positive feedback. A lot of negative feedback on poor streaming ability, despite the fact that USB2 is quite fast.

Somehow, I don't think anything has changed. HDD are fine on USB2 but not AIs. USB3 might change this but if it still sends in packets then I don't know how.

NativeOps · Post by **NativeOps** » Sun Oct 19, 2008 11:56 am

if apples going to remove firewire ports from there new macbooks. I think I'm' going to be on of the 50% of customers they're going to lose.

This is a stupid idea, and I hope it bites apple in the ass. USB audio BLOWS ASS!!!!!

BAD MOVE APPLE.

SubFunk · Post by **SubFunk** » Sun Oct 19, 2008 12:03 pm

i am pissed off with apple big time, but get a MBP stop crying and don't get any USB audio card shit!

USB audio sucks. rather get a decent laptop with FW, it's not that the world falls apart because there is one model less on the market which carries firewire.

Pasha · Post by **Pasha** » Sun Oct 19, 2008 12:55 pm

SubFunk wrote:i am pissed off with apple big time, but get a MBP stop crying and don't get any USB audio card shit!

USB audio sucks. rather get a decent laptop with FW, it's not that the world falls apart because there is one model less on the market which carries firewire.

+1 .... And that's the reason why the Logic users are twice as pissed off.
At least we have a double platform software with Live!

Pasha · Post by **Pasha** » Sun Oct 19, 2008 1:27 pm

It seems that there's a real lack of experience about USB2 AI. I can't imagine how MOTU can produce a USB2 interface knowing that's crap. I see that the price of the USB2 AI is somewhat higher at the entry level point then comes in line with their FW counterpart. At this point (except Live performance) do you think that internal audio interface can be used instead? I use mine on my 'plastic' MacBook and it does what I expect with Latency low enough to play AU Instruments and record guitar & bass (if I monitor thru hardware mixer) is this better than using USB2 AI?

- Best
-Pasha

mr.adl · Post by **mr.adl** » Sun Oct 19, 2008 5:27 pm

I own this one and it´s a good working horse:
USB-Audiointerface, Monitorcontroller and recordingstation in one
http://mindprint.de/cms.php?scr=product ... 7&trio=usb

guly · Post by **guly** » Sun Oct 19, 2008 5:38 pm

Pasha wrote:I'd like to hear from all of you what is the general experience with USB Audio cards.

i heard very good words about the new m-audio and motu, very bad about edirol ua25.

"this is not another usb vs fw debate" that's just a fact: OSX's usb driver is slow and unreliable. hope "they" will build a better one, if you go for an usb audio device..

Kodama · Post by **Kodama** » Sun Oct 19, 2008 7:44 pm

I think the big difference is going to be getting stable, low latency performance.

Many of these USB2 interfaces will be fine for people who don't need to stream audio into Live in realtime (*cough* DJ's *cough*).

I've got a MBP right now, and am planning on getting an Ultralite.

I really don't know of a better portable option for less than $1k... $550 is already a bit rich for me... (Which also cuts out the few Express card options)

I know I might get screwed later, if I get a future MB or MBP, at least the MBP pro might have a card that I could use for FW 400.

robin · Post by **robin** » Sun Oct 19, 2008 7:50 pm

Kodama wrote: Many of these USB2 interfaces will be fine for people who don't need to stream audio into Live in realtime (*cough* DJ's *cough*).

*Out* of, not into surely.

Most DJs just use a handful of channels for output (in fact mostly just two stereo). USB2 can cope with that surely as my old USB 1.1 maya44 could cope with no problems at all.

robin · Post by **robin** » Sun Oct 19, 2008 7:51 pm

Kodama wrote: I know I might get screwed later, if I get a future MB or MBP, at least the MBP pro might have a card that I could use for FW 400.

New MBP has the suspect FW chipset. YMMV

Kodama · Post by **Kodama** » Sun Oct 19, 2008 7:54 pm

robin wrote:
Kodama wrote: Many of these USB2 interfaces will be fine for people who don't need to stream audio into Live in realtime (*cough* DJ's *cough*).
*Out* of, not into surely.

No, I mean in, as in processing audio inputs in real time, where latency counts both ways.

robin wrote: New MBP has the suspect FW chipset. YMMV

And the way things are going, that could be the last one, so anyone who wants to keep their FW interface may have to use an Express card in the future, even with MBPs.

mkelly · Post by **mkelly** » Mon Oct 20, 2008 9:01 am

MOTU seem to like the new MacBook/MacBook Pro ranges: http://www.motu.com/newsitems/new-macbo ... otu-studio

Apple ditches FW400... let's talk about USB Audio Cards

Re: Apple ditches FW400... let's talk about USB Audio Cards