Should I get a USB Audio interface?

Posted on Sep 06, 2009 11:24 am
Quasicampus
Member Since: Aug 03, 2009

Hi to all who read this. I'm using an old Audigy sound card and with ASIO4ALL, i'm getting 11ms of latency. Will the getting something like the Behringer UCA202 lower it or do I have to get something that cost more?

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pjk
Prince CZAR-ming
Member
Since: Apr 08, 2004

Sep 07, 2009 08:20 am

The uca202 may be a little lower latency, and if that's what you can afford, then it probably will be better in that regard, but there's other problems with that device, and more than a few people have had some troubles getting it to work right.

Not to say that you won't, but if you're going to step up to a real recording interface, I would suggest maybe putting in an M-Audio Audiophile 2496. This card has been around forever, and is solid and fast.

Or, in the usb line, the line6 UX2 (or current replacement) is a dandy interface. Many on here use one with great results.

I bought a tascam US122 some years ago, and it's been nice. Though I would probably get a UX2 if I had to replace it now.

Noize2u
Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002

Sep 07, 2009 09:27 pm

I really doubt the UCA will get any lower latency. It uses generic Windows drivers and is not very reliable at all.

Dematrix
http://www.reverbnation.com/2ndg
Member
Since: Nov 27, 2007

Sep 07, 2009 09:38 pm

while were on the subjuect, whats the go with firewire?
Lets say, for Quasi here (and me) we wanted to have a look at it, is running firewire gonna be faster and less likely to make the computer crap out in terms of overload? and even make the latency betterer?

doesnt it transfer info faster than USB?
would ya still have the possible problem of the CPU overloading just as much as USB?

Or am i way off the mark?

If firewire is better then that could be the answer to my ,i mean,
both or our problems.

im not really in the know aboot firewire, im going by what ive read, and im sure its probably mostly sales pitch.

pjk
Prince CZAR-ming
Member
Since: Apr 08, 2004

Sep 07, 2009 10:12 pm

I think USB2.0 and Firewire 400 are both close; 480 and 400 mbps, I think. So technically, for just full speed throughput, I'd think USB is faster. But, I think in the audio world, FW has gotten the more 'high end' moniker, sporting faster speed and better throughput than USB1.0. I'm thinking that FW400 can maintain a higher constant rate of data than USB2.0, but I certainly can't back that up with any numbers =/

Another thing, is that FW hasn't always worked as flawlessly as most USB devices. So more often, people that were spending real $$$ on gear would buy good stuff, that was already known to be compatible, whereas home hobby types (like me) would go for the cheaper, more universal USB solution.

I do know, however, that at Sweetwater, the mac guy got like 120 tracks coming into a g5 with a bunch of motu devices over firewire. that's pretty impressive, and I don't know if I'd even try 16 on USB.

eh, i tried to find the article, but I'm not seeing it. oh well, you get the idea.

Quasicampus
Member
Since: Aug 03, 2009

Sep 07, 2009 10:49 pm

I see, so $$ is still linear to latency....:(

pjk
Prince CZAR-ming
Member
Since: Apr 08, 2004

Sep 08, 2009 10:18 am

Yeah, pretty much. I think the cost is directly related to how fast the converters can process data. Someone makes a basic converter, and then someone makes one with cheaper components, to drop MFG costs, and sells it for way less, to fill the cheap-o market.

I think that this is the case with the uca200 line, and probably most stuff from Behringer (imho).

Noize2u
Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002

Sep 08, 2009 07:12 pm

Well, I just got done reading an article that went in depth on this.

Firewire is on its way out in the not to distant future. It has been found to be unreliable and extremely difficult to port hardware to that runs stable. In the end it will be taken over by USB2.0 or the newer version when its released.

The USB limitation for input and output for audio is not on the USB itself, it is on the hardware maker's. They put more attention into Firewire because it was the next big thing. And it turned out to be the next big flop.

Firewire has too many conflict's happening trying to run with other bits of hardware and their driver's. Were USB rarely has any tupe of conflict with another piece of hardware or its driver's.

All that said, PCI is still the number one most reliable hadrware set up for audio at the moment. That is partly why MOTU and some of the others are so popular for larger installation's.