recommendations for audio interface


da_teach
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Joined: 09/08/19
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da_teach
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Joined: 09/08/19
Posts: 50
08/12/2020 11:14 pm

Hello everybody

I am looking for recommendations about audio interfaces to play with my guitar. Got to confess I am a newby and I've been playing for about a year. I now I have made some great progress and now I want to try something different

What could you recommend considering I am not a PRO player but I want to have some fun

Thanks in advanced


# 1
Carl King
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Joined: 10/08/07
Posts: 466
Carl King
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Joined: 10/08/07
Posts: 466
08/13/2020 5:11 am
Originally Posted by: mikefsm

Hello everybody

I am looking for recommendations about audio interfaces to play with my guitar. Got to confess I am a newby and I've been playing for about a year. I now I have made some great progress and now I want to try something different

What could you recommend considering I am not a PRO player but I want to have some fun

Thanks in advanced

My main interface is a Universal Audio Apollo but I have gotten an extreme amount of mileage out of Focusrite Scarletts. They're inexpensive and pretty reliable to get started. I think I've owned 3 or 4 of them over the years in different recording setups. [br][br]

-Carl.


Carl King[br]GuitarTricks Video Director / Producer

# 2
bbriant
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bbriant
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08/13/2020 6:34 am

Any Presonus you get Studio 4 Artist free with them and the cheapest have 2 channels so you can mike one and guitar another or anything you want.

You will probable find a used one cheap.

I started with a Presonus USB and slowly went up to a Presonus Studio 6/4.

check the videos on Youtube.

Hope this helps

Barry


# 3
matonanjin2
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matonanjin2
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08/13/2020 2:57 pm

I didn't know whether to post here or respond to your post in the "Gear" subforum. Since Carl and Barry responded here I will follow their lead. Hopefully others will so you can follow in one place.

Like Carl I have had good experience with my Focusrite Scarlett. I've never used anything else so can't make any comparative statement. And, like you, am not a Pro player, I never will be, and just did it for fun.

The Scarlett is very reasonably priced and reliable for us newby's. I went with the Scarlett 2i2. Watch your numbering system. The 2i2 means two inputs and 2 outputs to your DAW. If you think you are going to someday sing along with your playing and have a microphone you will want at least 2 inputs and outputs. I will never sing along but went with two with the thought if one of my jam buddies ever stopped by to jam we could record it.

There is the Scarlett Solo with just one input but the difference in price is so minimal why not go with at least two inputs just in case? You can go up to some ridiculous number of inputs. 18?

Have fun!


[u]Guitars:[/u] 2014 PRS Santana, 2013 PRS Paul's, 2009 PRS Hollowbody, 1972 Gibson ES-325, 2012 Fender Strat American Standard, 2012 Yamaha Pacifica, Martin M-36, Martin 000-15M, Seagull S6 Classic[br][u]Amps:[/u] Fender Blues Junior III, Boss Eband JS-10, Line 6 POD 500X, Quilter Microblock 45

# 4
jusroc777
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jusroc777
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08/19/2020 11:56 pm

I would say the new UAD apollo solo audio interfaces would be a good interface to start with, the audio interface has a Hi-Z input which is designed for electric guitar.

There are loads of audio interfaces on the market in various configurations and various price ranges.

If you are primarily a guitarist, i would suggest an audio interface that works best with any software that you would like to use.

What i mean in terms of software, is firstly recording software (otherwise referred to as a DAW), such as steinberg cubase, Apple Logic, Presonus Studio One, Avid Protools etc.

The other type of software that may be used by guitarists i refer to is amp simulation software (especially if you play electric guitar). Examples of amp sim software are:

Ikmultimedia Amplitude, Native Instruments Guitar Rig, Avid Eleven, Line 6 Helix Native, Waves GTR, UAD amp sims (various), Softube Amp room, Overloud THU, BIAS Amp.

Amp sims are are a great way to record electric guitar if you are on a budget, are not a pro sound engineer, and do not have access to a pro recording studio.

But also good for recording electric guitar without anoying the neighbours.

The UAD audio interfaces have a really good reputation for quality in terms of build but also in terms of quality of components, which is really important for making high quality recordings. The preamps are capable of recordings that have high amount of headroom, this is an important feature if you are considering the quality.

Alternatively, i would consider buying an audio interface from Ikmultimedia that works with their software. If you are new to recording software, their Amplitude 4 software may be worth considering as it comes with a simple 8 track recorder that is really easy to use, especially for guitarists.

If your budget can stretch to it, i would say Ikmultimedia AXE I/O interface is worth considering, as it has some unusual features that you wont find in most other audio interfaces that are especially useful for a guitarists.

It has an impedence feature which you can use to adjust the impedence of the guitar input, this is an interesting feature that i haven't seen anywhere else before.

It also has an Amp out feature, which again, is a really useful feature for gutiarists who record with a DI who may want to re record the DI signal later through a guitar amp, or perhaps experiment sending the same DI signal to different amps to see what it sounds like.

It also has the standard DI input which is an essential feature for people who wish to record using guitar pick ups, as the impedance if not matched will effect the recording quality. Recordings electric guitars straight in without using a DI box or Hi-Z instrument input sound really bad, and make you think your guitar sounds rubbish.

Native Instruments also make some decent audio interfaces,

as many other companies, for all sorts of budgets.

Tascam, who used to be a leading reel to reel manufacturer, who also make multitrack recorders, make a good budget range of audio interfaces that don't cost the earth and i believe some of their audio interfaces also do not need audio drivers, which is a blessing if you are used to software problems (windows perhaps).

Focusrite also a great manufacturer make some decent budget audio interfaces.[br]Focusrite also are a legendary pro audio company that are known for making high end control strips which are used by top level pro audio engineers.

Still, if money was not a problem i would still recommend the UAD apollo Solo or the Ikmultimedia AXE I/O

As these will give you the quality and versitility that the other audio interfaces do not offer.


# 5
ShortFuze
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ShortFuze
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04/07/2021 12:06 am

I use a Focusrite Scarlett 8i8, but also have the Scarlett Solo.

Both are very good in my opinion.

If you are just looking at recording your guitar into a DAW (I do that as well, and record each of my practice sessons) You may want to look at other options.

I use the Line-6 Spider V MKII 240 2x12 amp and it has a USB audio interface built in (I assime the smaller model may have this as well) So i plug in my guitar to the amp, plug the amp into USB on my PC, and then selece the MKII as an input on an armed recording track in my DAW. It records it perfectly, but I can also still hear it from the amp as I play.

If your amp only has a line-out, then yea, you woud need a Audio Interface to acomplish the same thing.


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# 6
ross145
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ross145
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11/07/2021 4:14 pm

Regarding quality and price - Presonus or Focusrite


# 7
ijackreynolds01
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ijackreynolds01
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06/28/2022 12:05 pm

For audio quality, Audient vs Focusrite, i'll go for AUDIENT .. Focusrite's 192khz sample rate is not a big thing for me, it's not even really noticeable to most people. Sample rate, for me, is just like frame rate on videos which having too much is not so pleasing that's why 24fps is the most recommended for cinematic video shots. 96khz sample rate of audient is the right range for me. PLUS, the audients high quality preamp, it is comparably quieter than the focusrite. The focusrite is a bit bright for me. I love the smooth sound of AUDIENT (read more on https://primesound.org/best-audio-interface-under-500/ ).


# 8

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