USB Interface..next level needed ??

BFT Gibson

BFT Gibson

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Putting studio together piece by piece. Do i need a better USB interface than my Steinberg UR22 mk ii ? Not for in's or outs or features ..but in how it converts to DAW. A lot of effort will be put into amp tone(during capture at mic) before computer & will be into decent preamps. Is there a next step up ? Thanks
 
Seriously. Call Sweetwater and chat with one of their sale/engineer folks. I hear they really know about setting up studios.
 
A to D conversation is a lot better now than it was 15 years ago. It’s a lot easier, now, to get good results from entry level stuff.
I’m not familiar with your particular interface(yet), but if it compares to today’s entry level stuff(Focusrite Scarlett etc) you’ll be fine..
I like my little Apogee Jam for it’s conversion prowess....but my Soundcraft USB board seems to do fine too.
 
Basically, with your good preamps in play, you want to have the ability to inject signal as close to the analog to digital conversion stage as possible.
 
Thatbastarddon said:
A to D conversation is a lot better now than it was 15 years ago. It’s a lot easier, now, to get good results from entry level stuff.
I’m not familiar with your particular interface(yet), but if it compares to today’s entry level stuff(Focusrite Scarlett etc) you’ll be fine..
I like my little Apogee Jam for it’s conversion prowess....but my Soundcraft USB board seems to do fine too.
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thanks..i could be thinkimg in that next bump up. could be worth it in the long run..does that Apogee seem to have a noticeable difference compared to the Soundcraft?
 
BFT Gibson said:
thanks..i could be thinkimg in that next bump up. could be worth it in the long run..does that Apogee seem to have a noticeable difference compared to the Soundcraft?
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Honestly....not enough to justify the added expense per channel. What you may want, if you’ve got good preamps already, is an interface that has plenty of line level inputs to accept the analog at hand. That’s why I like the Soundcraft board that Ray, and I, have...the A/D conversion is directly after the preamp AND line inputs. Those A/D converters would have been really expensive 5-10 years ago....
So peeking at the mkII version of your Steinberg quickly, I don’t see any line inputs that are separated from the preamps....setting your new preamps to feed, and not need any(much) gain from the Steinberg preamps would be best practice for what you have at hand.
 
Alright....I blame you @BFT Gibson ....I will let you know what I think of the converters in the Soundcraft soon....I should get a package in the next week, or so....grrrrrrr.....
It’s something I’ve wanted for a looooooong time though....I found a decent deal...
 
Thatbastarddon said:
Alright....I blame you @BFT Gibson ....I will let you know what I think of the converters in the Soundcraft soon....I should get a package in the next week, or so....grrrrrrr.....
It’s something I’ve wanted for a looooooong time though....I found a decent deal...
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i sorry...:victoire:...Could you tell me about the soundcraft ?
 
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Thatbastarddon said:
Sorry, I should have used the emojis for a wink on my previous post( ;) would have been appropriate).
I can, and so can @RVA . I’m at work now though.
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been messing all day & got up in a mix pretty good compared with somereferences...now it's mic placement time. Took a whole day & just have moved things around & learned what they do...then read some tips. Think a few days of learning will pay off. Might be able to really get creative at home...like 1 whole day on an intro..get it right & move on. One thing i noticed is to leave a track with a flow on it.(i have the drums done .then played on top of it for a reference-not perfect but the actual emotional flow captured).so it doesn't become part to next part blocky..no natiural flow...like you can tell it is done in stages. fun stuff
 
BFT Gibson said:
This any good ?
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That’s the big version of the model that Ray, and I, have. I kind of wish that I went for it, but I’m glad that I didn’t...I already had a software control surface, boxed up from many moons ago, and I wouldn’t have room for it on my desk(again) if I had gone with the 22.
I generally record live rehearsals using 10 tracks simultaneously...I can go 12 if I need to.
As far as I’m concerned, I don’t deserve much better than 24bit 48k resolution...that is video standard format, and slightly higher resolution than CD audio.
In all honesty, I wish that they had put out a 16 channel version.
I really dig the Soundcraft Ghost preamps a lot...I’ve been running them for years...my live room board, that I pull direct outputs from, has them too. They’ve been my favorites for years now.
This is my live room board:


Since you’ve gone the way of flavorful stand alone preamps, and channel strips, I would ask your studio guy what resolution he commonly prefers to work with. If he says something higher than 48k, you may want to look at something like this:
It has 4 mic preamps, and 4 line inputs(just the type you’re looking for, for those external preamps....they’re on the Soundcraft too...but the Scarlett will go up to 24bit 192k resolution.
We could argue about the merits of that type of resolution recording....yeah, it sounds great and all...but when you ever upload for streaming, or hosting of any type, it’s gonna get heavily molested in to a lower resolution...without you being in control of the situation. If you’re gonna do physical CD media, it’s going to be dithered, and squashed, to 16bit 44.1k anyway....so there’s that too.
That’s part of the reasoning as to why I’m happy to run 24bit, and either 48k or 44.1k. I know that it’s closer to what’s going to be out there....if I ever put anything out there. :)
 
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Thatbastarddon said:
That’s the big version of the model that Ray, and I, have. I kind of wish that I went for it, but I’m glad that I didn’t...I already had a software control surface, boxed up from many moons ago, and I wouldn’t have room for it on my desk(again) if I had gone with the 22.
I generally record live rehearsals using 10 tracks simultaneously...I can go 12 if I need to.
As far as I’m concerned, I don’t deserve much better than 24bit 48k resolution...that is video standard format, and slightly higher resolution than CD audio.
In all honesty, I wish that they had put out a 16 channel version.
I really dig the Soundcraft Ghost preamps a lot...I’ve been running them for years...my live room board, that I pull direct outputs from, has them too. They’ve been my favorites for years now.
This is my live room board:


Since you’ve gone the way of flavorful stand alone preamps, and channel strips, I would ask your studio guy what resolution he commonly prefers to work with. If he says something higher than 48k, you may want to look at something like this:
It has 4 mic preamps, and 4 line inputs(just the type you’re looking for, for those external preamps....they’re on the Soundcraft too...but the Scarlett will go up to 24bit 192k resolution.
We could argue about the merits of that type of resolution recording....yeah, it sounds great and all...but when you ever upload for streaming, or hosting of any type, it’s gonna get heavily molested in to a lower resolution...without you being in control of the situation. If you’re gonna do physical CD media, it’s going to be dithered, and squashed, to 16bit 44.1k anyway....so there’s that too.
That’s part of the reasoning as to why I’m happy to run 24bit, and either 48k or 44.1k. I know that it’s closer to what’s going to be out there....if I ever put anything out there. :)
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Don..as always..thanks so much for that. That explained it at what i am looking at. We record 1 at a time..so the hyper focus is on 1 aspect at a time(hence..me-the band in a box..lol) going to the swamp soon, i just cant drive a half hour to my studio guy anymore with my drums done & walk out in 8 hours ready for him to mix. The info you provided is very important...seeing as my website is where the music will be available. I will find all the info out..thanks again !!
 
BFT Gibson said:
Don..as always..thanks so much for that. That explained it at what i am looking at. We record 1 at a time..so the hyper focus is on 1 aspect at a time(hence..me-the band in a box..lol) going to the swamp soon, i just cant drive a half hour to my studio guy anymore with my drums done & walk out in 8 hours ready for him to mix. The info you provided is very important...seeing as my website is where the music will be available. I will find all the info out..thanks again !!
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I figured, from what you have written around here, that you would have more than enough input with the 22 channel Soundcraft board...that one is geared for a more dedicated set up...a full band, always mic’d up scenario...like me, and mine. That’s why I have the separate “live room board” that is capable of putting out direct signal from many places. The smaller Soundcraft 12MTK gets patched to directly from wherever I need to pull signal. That works for the band, live.
If I’m tracking individual instruments, I may use the MTK preamps, or whatever I feel is appropriate.
For tracking my drummer’s kit, I may use both the MTK, and live room board to run up to 10-12 mic’s/tracks. But it would be unusual for me to go over 10 in my room, with his kit.
Guitars are usually 2-4 mic’s/tracks per guitar.
Same with bass.(although one track is usually a DI)
So, yeah....the Sig. 12MTK plays well for me so far.(oh yeah, and it works with iOS...so iPad and iPhone etc.)
The Scarlett I linked to has room for growth too. It has an ADAT input that you can add an outboard 8 channel preamp with. Although ADAT 8 channels limits you to 24bit @ 44.1k or 48k only.
 
Thatbastarddon said:
I figured, from what you have written around here, that you would have more than enough input with the 22 channel Soundcraft board...that one is geared for a more dedicated set up...a full band, always mic’d up scenario...like me, and mine. That’s why I have the separate “live room board” that is capable of putting out direct signal from many places. The smaller Soundcraft 12MTK gets patched to directly from wherever I need to pull signal. That works for the band, live.
If I’m tracking individual instruments, I may use the MTK preamps, or whatever I feel is appropriate.
For tracking my drummer’s kit, I may use both the MTK, and live room board to run up to 10-12 mic’s/tracks. But it would be unusual for me to go over 10 in my room, with his kit.
Guitars are usually 2-4 mic’s/tracks per guitar.
Same with bass.(although one track is usually a DI)
So, yeah....the Sig. 12MTK plays well for me so far.(oh yeah, and it works with iOS...so iPad and iPhone etc.)
The Scarlett I linked to has room for growth too. It has an ADAT input that you can add an outboard 8 channel preamp with. Although ADAT 8 channels limits you to 24bit @ 44.1k or 48k only.
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very cool... good USB is prob what i need. Lots of pre's, mic's,compressors ect will be appearing down the line. Loving this aspect of the music. Rearranged my house to practice recording & have a mix pretty tight compared to where i was on Monday. Have a new song that am using as a test. Have a 24 input Carvin for the live stuff. maybe what saves me is ..we never used effects/ strait in band..same in studio..was always super concerned being mixed naturally..pretty easy band to mic up, When i mix,,noticed not a whole lot of moving around to do..Like to change mic's & angles to spread it & thicken up, had my first phase cancellation on Tuesday..was so funny..like where did it all go !!lol
 
Like this dusty, old thread, i found this dusty old stuff in my garage...

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I bought so much stuff along this journey...SMH
 
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