Audio Interface
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Posted on Oct 22, 2009 02:35 pm
Fragile
Member Since: Sep 30, 2009
I'm currently just using a berringer UCA202 usb interface out of my mixerboard. I don't think its really hurting my sound much, but i could be wrong. I would however like to get a cheap interface with 2 XLR channels so i can really experiment with dual micing. Personally, i don't mind if its USB or firewire. I don't understand the logic that firewire would be better. Is it any better when we're talking just 2 channels?
Anyway, i'd like as cheap as possible. I have a preamp, but only one. Idk if thats a problem or not. Absolute max 350, i'm hoping under 150.
Also, could i skip upgrading the interface altogether for a little while? I'm a fairly good guitarist, but if i wanted to do, say 4 guitar tracks layered together would it get pretty muddy even with a good performance?
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CptTrippsCzar of Turd PolishMember
Since: Jun 20, 2006
Oct 22, 2009 05:15 pm Line6 is your friend and the UX2 is a fantastic piece of gear for ~200. My songs are all recorded with Line6 (all guitars are modeled) and I am more than happy with it.
Anyway, from what I gather you just want fat guitar tones. For the most part this is achieved by double (or more) tracking, not by dual mics. The slight variations are what make it sound so thick. On that note, I have dual mic'd and quad tracked guitars with success. It really all depends on the song. If you can get by with your current rig then more power to ya :)
Oct 22, 2009 06:08 pm Cool! Yeah i just checked out your music uploads :] definitely a great tone on everything! Is that you singing too? (I'm listening to freedom fries right now) Good tune!
anyway thanks for the suggestion! I might seriously get me one of these. GC sent me a 50 dollar off card when spending 349 or more, the very weekend before i was gonna go drop 300 bucks there anyway. Perfect timing!
Even if i try dual micing and its not for me, 2 channel separation is still somewhat important for me, b.c. i'd like to put some live acoustic covers on youtube. So this will record each channel into a different track, right?
So like, how exactly does this work? I've been looking at some descriptions but i'd just like to know how you've been using it. Do you record from the mic on your amp, distorted and everything and then run it into this and model it? Or do you go direct from your guitar and use the line 6 modeled amps? One last question, can you use this software with another program, such as cubase?
Sorry for the bombardment of questions hehe.
Oct 23, 2009 10:21 am I think Tripps was sayin he used his guitar direct, so just the guitar into the modeled amps in the toneport. But you could also record from a mic too if you really want but I wouldnt but any amp modeling on it. I use my ux2 with cubase with no problems at all. And yes you can record from both xlr channels onto seperate tracks.
Oct 23, 2009 12:39 pm Gotcha :]
It SEEMS almost too good to be true haha. All that quality for only 200 bucks. Out of curiosity, lets just say i never get around to using the amp modeling. Hypothetically, lets just say its not for me.
Then how does the UX2 stand up against other audio interfaces in the same price range? 2 channel, and it'll be processing vocals, guitar, bass, and electronic drums. Probably a little keyboard too, though i might be using VSTs mostly.
I just reallllly want to make sure this thing is good at the most basic functions i need it for, as well as all the fancies i hadn't even considered.
CptTrippsCzar of Turd PolishMember
Since: Jun 20, 2006
Oct 23, 2009 02:52 pm Oh wait wait!!!
The angels trumpets album was recorded in portland, I was not specific. The three bottom songs in my profile are the ones I speak of. The guitars on the other album were recorded with an SM57 right on the grill. His equipment was not much better than mine, but the extra 10 years experience probably had something to do with it :)
And yes, I plug directly in and simply have the line6 do the modeling, there is no micing going on. The pre's on the Line6 are fine imo, not spectacular but I get a good drum tone with my Audix D series mics. For the price it's hard to beat.
Basically, my UX8 unit was $500 and I feel it has paid for itself over and over again.
If you want to mic your guitars that is fine and dandy with the UX2, should turn out great. But... I think you will find that when tracking Bass a combo of mic+modeling or DI+Modeling is damn fantastic when blended together.
Last but not least, if you wanna do keyboards you could look into the KB37 from Line6. It's basically a UX2 with 37 keys for your VSTi's. Think they run $300.
Oct 23, 2009 06:31 pm Ah i see :] well still a great tone on those songs! And for preamps I've actually got a used presonus channel strip w/ preamp, comp, and EQ on layaway. Its got a tube in it, not sure if that'll really make a huge difference or not but eh, if i don't like it i can always return it.
So another 50 bucks pricier than a few other interfaces i saw isn't a bad price for a chance to test out this direct signaling. :]
CptTrippsCzar of Turd PolishMember
Since: Jun 20, 2006
Oct 26, 2009 01:37 pm The cool thing is that modeling is an option with line6 but you can still always capture direct and bypass the modeling software, even while using it to monitor.
I do this for vocalists as well. I send them a comp/delay signal but record them dry. I will end up comp/delaying them later but I like having the control after the fact in case there was too much during tracking.
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Oct 26, 2009 05:02 pm I'll agree on the Line 6 option's as well. Use a US-2 here many times before firing up the bigger interfaces.
Nov 04, 2009 07:19 pm Well, about 2 weeks ago i went in and got talked into buying an M-audio fast track pro instead. Same exact price, and the sales rep sounded pretty convinced that i'd get better quality with this than the UX2. But there is always the possibility that he gets more incentive for selling products in store (they were out of the UX2s, and ordering more).
So that, on top of reading a few posts from you guys and just the ability to amp model does really intrigue me. So idk. I'm considering returning the fast track pro and buying the UX2. I just can't decide :\
I guess what it really comes down to is the analog to digital conversion itself. I have a preamp thats probably better than the onboard preamps for either the fast track or the UX2.
So in your guys' humble opinions, how much of a difference can digital conversion make? And do you think the fast track would sound any better than the UX2? Anyone able to do a side by side comparison with the UX2 and any other converters?
Nov 05, 2009 06:37 pm I hate to be a pest, but chances are tomorrow i'll be taking a trip to GC to get some strings and such, and possibly return the fast track pro. What do you guys think? Are there ANY advantages the fast track has over line 6? Does the digital conversion itself have any huge difference in the hardware? Drivers any better? Preamps i don't care about, already have a decent one.
I guess whats really holding me back from jumping on the line 6 is it seems too good to be true that its the same price as the fast track, but with so many more goodies to play with. Which probably made me pretty easy to sway by any salesman :[
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Nov 05, 2009 11:17 pm Drivers are a bit better from Line 6 to be honest. There was a day t hough that M-Audio was up there and kept their driver database spotless and extremely current. I can't say that anymore. Line 6 however you can usually find a complete update of firmware, driver and USB driver and even the software about once a month to keep it current and to beat out any updates MS might toss out that would bugger things up.
And yes, the modeling of not only the guitar amps, but bass and microphone pre amps is more then I would need to make the switch. Audio quality, well that is a moot point as its apples to apples there. But bang for the buck is ten times bigger with the UX-2 that is not even a question. And yes, the GC dude gets bigger commission on the M-Audio product line. Don't let him jerk you around on that. And for them the commission comes on the instant sale so that is why he dind't want to wait for the Line 6 stuff to come in. They don't want to loose that sale to another guy in the store when you come back to pick up your order.
Nov 06, 2009 12:41 am Man, i swear every time i go in there they get me with something, no matter how small. Like telling me a 400 dollar mic kit is on sale for 200 bucks, go online after buying it and find out its 230. Saying a guitar is on sale, 100 off, when it wasn't at all :\
I really don't understand why they have to do that. I mean sure, it made the sale a little more certain for them. But when i go into a music store knowing my price range and what i'm gonna get, chances are i won't leave with much in pocket. If they'd just be honest they'd have a much less PO'd customer.
But theres no other good music stores close by, so i'm a bit stuck. And tomorrow i'll be putting up with 15% restocking fees. I found the ux2 online 30 bucks off though. I'm going to price match it and try to be pushy. Which is a hard thing to do when you're a pushover LOL :|
Anyway thanks for the advice noize! Always appreciated.
pjkPrince CZAR-mingMember
Since: Apr 08, 2004
Nov 06, 2009 06:15 pm heh heh, hit your thumb with a hammer before you go in, then you'll be crabby and they'll want to deal with you quick =).
(just kidding, don't really hit your thumb with a hammer)
I do all my $$$ online. I have real bad stores locally, bad attitudes, bad info, etc. Course I live in the sticks, so that doesn't help any.
Nov 06, 2009 08:30 pm Yeah me too, corn fields on 3 sides of my house haha. But my biggest problem is i love, love, love it when they stroke my ego :\ i walk in there, they know me by name, joke around, talk about their lives and BAM i'm willing to do whatever they think is best lol.
Nov 07, 2009 08:39 am Ok. Yeah. Line 6 is my friend :] I knew i was in love the second that first power chord rumbled threw my PA. Its so fluent and feels so real! Heh, even the noise gate is pretty cool, you can hear the amp noise with it off. Man, why in death and hades would a GC salesman advise me NOT to get this thing? I'm really blown away :]
Has anyone purchased any expansion packs for this? I wouldn't have the cash for a long, long time for something like an expansion pack, but i'm curious how much new gear you get.
Nov 07, 2009 02:05 pm The Salesmen at my Guitar Center are really dumb as rocks. 2 of them (in the recording/hardware department) couldn't even help with Interfaces... they told me that Pro Tools is the only real option (?) - I explained that I use Logic Studio 9 on my Mac and Sonar Producer 8 on my PC and they seemed mystified ;)
Nov 07, 2009 02:20 pm hahaha, well, that doesn't sound like a confidence building experience.
They likely get the best commission on PT...or, are simply that stupid or got moved from guitars to recording that day for the recording guys that called in sick with the swine flu.
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Nov 07, 2009 08:17 pm @ Fragile
My PODxt is fully loaded with all the xpansion pack's. There is a $99 buy three deal they do once in awhile. And my advice would be to do the FX, Metal and Vintage pack's together. They usually combine those anyway. But yes, its not a huge amount but the packs add a good deal of stuff. My UX-2 is still bone stock and I have yet to really not find anything I would want the xpansion packs on it for. But then again, I do have them on the xt so it a moot point.
Bottom line, yes there is some cool stuff on there.
Nov 07, 2009 09:11 pm Gotcha :] I've got the fx, free with the hardware. I might do a 30 day trial of the metal and xt live packs down the road. Some nice sounding clips on there.
I've got plenty of tweeking to do at the moment though, seeing what i can do with it as is (and layering with my amp tone. I'm quite curious!). Currently, i'm obsessed with the synth/ filter effects. There's some serious technique in learning how to get them to sound decent, but i LOVE the tones!
That reminds me, quick question. I noticed it seems like you're a bit limited on options such as the effects chains, and combining certain effects (like 2 synths, or a synth and overdrive besides a distorted amp). Is there any setting or mod to bypass these limits?
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Nov 07, 2009 09:24 pm You should be able to combine a synth and overdrive. But the chain is refined to use only one of each type of effect at a time. I've tried combining more then one of certain effects on other rigs and it sound like rubbish. So there is a method to their madness.
But ya, the only thing I would trade my Line 6 gear for is an Ax-FX rig. But then again that is about 8 times the cost of a UX-2 so not something I'm going to run right out and do.
Nov 08, 2009 11:59 pm Nope :\ for whatever reason, distortions (except those on the amps of course), dynamics, and filters are all limited together. I'm sure line 6 felt that they didn't sound "right" together, but personally i'm all about experimentation. And a thick flange, chorus, delay, and distortion combo make for a pretty sick sounding lead in my opinion!
I have a small arsenal of stompboxes, and i suppose the limits line 6 puts in the program aren't that hindering, but i'm still curious if its possible to disengage these limits. Has anyone heard of someone modding the podfarm for any use? I'm going to read the PDF tonight and an extensive google search for mods
CptTrippsCzar of Turd PolishMember
Since: Jun 20, 2006
Nov 09, 2009 01:05 pm I would have to check at home, but I'm trying to remember if Gearbox has those same limitations as podfarm.
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Nov 09, 2009 03:49 pm sadly the line up is pretty much set as for what you can use in a chain. I know that is kind of lame in my book. But all the DSP type amp set ups are like that. I'm not sure if they are trying to save on CPU use or if there is a specific reason for it.
Let me know if you find a hack for it though. I have searched and found nothing so far.
CptTrippsCzar of Turd PolishMember
Since: Jun 20, 2006
Nov 09, 2009 06:55 pm Just curious, does the UX2 come with the plugin version of either gearbox or podfarm? If so you could add the plugin later, remove all amp modeling and just add the fx desired.
Or...
You could run a dual tone but center them both and apply different FX per tone.
I will still check the gearbox setup when I get home. I like podfarm better but use gearbox now and again as there is a driver bug when using podfarm with the UX8 and trying to do two seperate instruments.
On the synth tones, me and a buddy were playing around with them and had a blast. Eat your heart out Jack White ;)
Nov 09, 2009 09:28 pm Hmm. The dual tone is a nice step-around i have to admit :] didn't think of that.
And the UX2 comes with podfarm, no gearbox though. It comes with something called Riffworks T4, i believe its a limited version however. I messed around with it some, not enough to know much on it yet though.
And thats a negative on the hacks, so far at least. I'll keep looking from time to time though :] I doubt the program would be terribly difficult to hack for a person that really knew what they were doing. I, on the other hand, don't have the slightest idea how a string of 0's and 1's can do crap haha.
