placidsound Posted January 29, 2010 Report Share Posted January 29, 2010 I'm looking to purchase an audio interface to use with my MacBook Pro (2009 model) under $500 as I have a very limited budget. Right now I'm looking at a Presonus FireStudio Project. It has the inputs I need as well as the outputs I need. Any recommendations or tips? I've been running a HD-P2 (as this is what is available to me) and I really need more channels as well as more monitoring. I've got a project coming up that I'd like to run with 1 boom, and 3 lavs. Also, I will most likely run Nuendo or possibly BoomRecorder. I would really appreciate any feedback I can get. I've noticed that the Motu Traveler seems to be used a lot but that would require me to go from 1/4" TRS to XLR and my current funds won't allow for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Joachim Posted January 29, 2010 Report Share Posted January 29, 2010 How about this? New from Tascam. Announced at NAMM. http://www.tascam.com/products/us-800;9,15,3877,16.html $249.00 SJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip Perkins Posted January 29, 2010 Report Share Posted January 29, 2010 I'm looking to purchase an audio interface to use with my MacBook Pro (2009 model) under $500 as I have a very limited budget. Right now I'm looking at a Presonus FireStudio Project. It has the inputs I need as well as the outputs I need. Any recommendations or tips? I've been running a HD-P2 (as this is what is available to me) and I really need more channels as well as more monitoring. I've got a project coming up that I'd like to run with 1 boom, and 3 lavs. Also, I will most likely run Nuendo or possibly BoomRecorder. I would really appreciate any feedback I can get. I've noticed that the Motu Traveler seems to be used a lot but that would require me to go from 1/4" TRS to XLR and my current funds won't allow for that. Traveler has 4 XLR inputs w/ mic pres., 4 more as line only (TRS) and 8 analog TRS outputs in addition to the headphone out, ADAT i/o, AES i/o and SPDIF/i/o. It talks directly to your computer via FW 400. Your monitoring can be set up on the computer screen using MOTU's "Cue Mix" app, which allows 4 separate mixes to be made at once. Cue mix has solo, pan levels etc, as well as other signal proc in the newer Traveler. (Mk 3). Mk2 Travelers are around all the time pretty cheap used since the new Traveler came out. The Cue Mix app is a free download (along with MOTU's TC app for the Traveler). Making TRS to XLR or whatever adapters is a very easy solder job, w/ parts avail at any Radio Shack. You can use your HDP2 as two more mic pres by putting it in record/pause and connecting its SPDIF output to the Traveler's SPDIF input. Neither box has a great clock for long takes, but for shorter ones I would make the clock master the SPDIF coming from the HDP2. I have done this numerous times and it worked fine. If your lav mics are via wireless, probably your wireless RX have line level output, which could be plugged into the Traveler's line inputs saving your Traveler mic pres for boom and plant mics etc. You might want to check and see if Boom Recorder is available right now--if you buy a new MacBook you'll be on OS 10.6 and I don't know if BR is working on that OS yet. Philip Perkins Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicole Hankerson Posted January 29, 2010 Report Share Posted January 29, 2010 The Tascam US-1641 is nice as well might want to check that out and its in your budget. Nicole Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackHenry Posted January 29, 2010 Report Share Posted January 29, 2010 1/4" to XLR adaptors a very cheap to buy. A quick Google and you'll find them in your local area. They look like this http://store.a2zcable.com/ava125.html I always have a couple in my SD702 bag just in case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
placidsound Posted January 30, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2010 Thank you all for the great recommendations. I've decided to go with the US-1641 as it has phantom in two 4ch groups. Also, when I mentioned before about the Traveler having all TRS, well I was looking at the UltraLite instead, my mistake. I would love to get the MOTU Traveler but it just isn't in my price range right now. Thanks everyone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicole Hankerson Posted January 30, 2010 Report Share Posted January 30, 2010 Glad you where able to find something. Enjoy the US-1641. I have used Tascam products and enjoy them. Nicole Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip Perkins Posted January 30, 2010 Report Share Posted January 30, 2010 Thank you all for the great recommendations. I've decided to go with the US-1641 as it has phantom in two 4ch groups. Also, when I mentioned before about the Traveler having all TRS, well I was looking at the UltraLite instead, my mistake. I would love to get the MOTU Traveler but it just isn't in my price range right now. Thanks everyone! Understand that NONE of the available low-costs FW interfaces have clocks accurate enough for long-term sync, however. IE not at all in the same league w/ Sound Devices, Deneke, Zax etc.. USing a good external clock w/ yr new box is a very good idea. Philip Perkins Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
placidsound Posted January 30, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2010 Understand that NONE of the available low-costs FW interfaces have clocks accurate enough for long-term sync, however. IE not at all in the same league w/ Sound Devices, Deneke, Zax etc.. USing a good external clock w/ yr new box is a very good idea. Philip Perkins Thank you, that will have to be one of my next purchases. Luckily right now everything we've been working on tends to have pretty short takes but I will definitely be in need of the sync. Ryan Mozek Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackHenry Posted January 30, 2010 Report Share Posted January 30, 2010 Out of curiosity, can the Tascam US-1641 be used directly into an external recorder like the SD7xxx, without attaching it to a computer?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip Perkins Posted January 30, 2010 Report Share Posted January 30, 2010 Thank you, that will have to be one of my next purchases. Luckily right now everything we've been working on tends to have pretty short takes but I will definitely be in need of the sync. Ryan Mozek For a few minutes you'll be fine w/ MOTU or TASCAM clocks. I was talking about shooting over 10 min or so. Philip Perkins Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip Perkins Posted January 30, 2010 Report Share Posted January 30, 2010 Out of curiosity, can the Tascam US-1641 be used directly into an external recorder like the SD7xxx, without attaching it to a computer?? No, the 1641 is a USB digital interface only--it has to "talk" to a computer host and a recording app like Metacorder or Sound Studio or etc that don't demand proprietary hardware (like ProTools). The Sound Devices recorders can record from analog or AES/SPDIF digital audio only. That said, you may be able to use the analog section of the 1641 as a somewhat crude mixer (with Tascam's computer control app) and send the analog outs to a Sound Devices recorder. But SD's mic pres etc are a lot better than the 1641's, so I'm not sure what this would be buying you.... Philip Perkins Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zack Posted February 1, 2010 Report Share Posted February 1, 2010 You might want to check and see if Boom Recorder is available right now--if you buy a new MacBook you'll be on OS 10.6 and I don't know if BR is working on that OS yet. Philip Perkins Been a few weeks since purchasing this interface myself, and I must say it's working exactly as I expected. I am using BR with 10.6.x, but with no sound report output. Everything else seems to be working fine though. I got my SD702T as master TC clock and working great as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
placidsound Posted May 2, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 2, 2010 Hello Everyone, I wanted to say thanks for all of the replies! I ended up working with the Saffire Pro 40, I had a few issues with it. -Sometimes the Firewire lock would disconnect erratically forcing me to reboot my entire setup -Could not access "device mode". This was a problem because the Saffire was set on one of the Safe Modes and therefore I could not get any decent signal unless I brought up the gain to 8 or 9. Also, I tried out the Zoom R16, just to check it out. It works very well but as you would expect the preamps are not the best. Right now I've moved to a Tascam FW1884 (after using the R16 I really enjoyed having a control surface) for my newest project. I'm sending signal also to 2 DR-680's as backup and everything is basically hooked up to my MacBook Pro with Nuendo. We'll see how this goes.... Thanks again everyone, I really appreciate it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip Perkins Posted May 3, 2010 Report Share Posted May 3, 2010 Hello Everyone, I wanted to say thanks for all of the replies! I ended up working with the Saffire Pro 40, I had a few issues with it. -Sometimes the Firewire lock would disconnect erratically forcing me to reboot my entire setup -Could not access "device mode". This was a problem because the Saffire was set on one of the Safe Modes and therefore I could not get any decent signal unless I brought up the gain to 8 or 9. Also, I tried out the Zoom R16, just to check it out. It works very well but as you would expect the preamps are not the best. Right now I've moved to a Tascam FW1884 (after using the R16 I really enjoyed having a control surface) for my newest project. I'm sending signal also to 2 DR-680's as backup and everything is basically hooked up to my MacBook Pro with Nuendo. We'll see how this goes.... Thanks again everyone, I really appreciate it! What are you recording with this setup? Are you on a cart or is it a tabletop situation? What are you delivering your files on? What's your clock setup? thanks Philip Perkins Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RadoStefanov Posted May 3, 2010 Report Share Posted May 3, 2010 Before I got 744t I use to use RME FireFace with Time Code Option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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