[kurcatovium]

Hello everyone,
I'm about to purchase an audio interface that I am intending to use for three main purposes:
1) I just re-started playing the bass so I'd like to plug in the bass, plug in headphones (Superlux HD681 EVO atm) and play along with background music streaming from PC.
2) Gaming (stereo) & desktop use - I'd need to plug in headphones + microphone (V-moda BoomPro) and be able to use skype, teamspeak, etc.
3) General listening to music through headphones. I'll probably buy external headphone amp in the future, but that's not priority for now.
 
What I'm NOT going to use it for (at least not intending to do so):
1) Music mix/mastering, just no.
2) Sing recording - nobody would want to hear me sing, trust me.
3) Using more than one input at a time - possibly, just possibly I'd need to use mic & guitar at a time, but that's definitely not 100% sure.
 
I am currently using integrated soundcard from my PC (probably some Realtek chip branded as "SupremeFX 2014") through some cheap two band monitors or those Superluxes mentioned before. As you can see I'm miles from being hifi/audiophile.
 
Reading through quite a sum of reviews I am currently looking at units like these:
- Presonus Audiobox USB (or newer Audiobox iOne)
- Steinberg UR12
- Focusrite Scarlett Solo / 2i2
- ESI U22 XT
- Mackie Onyx Blackjack
- Tascam US-2x2 (or older 122MK2 or 322)
- Roland Rubix22 / UA-22 Duo
or anything else similarly priced. That's based on a fact I'm always on low budget.
There is virtually no place to see things like this in store where I live (sad part of Europe) so any help and/or suggestion will be highly appreciated.
 
And just one last thing, I'm using PC (as I don't like Apple), operating system is Windows 10 64-bit, and my machine has no firewire if that's still the thing.
Thank you very much!

 

[ADK-Mark]

Hi - I have been using an audio interface for my Mac, a Tascam US-1200 that I got on a Stupid Deal of the Day, I never in the world imagined myself needing 6 inputs - until I got the unit.  Now I'm glad it has 6!    I looked hard at the  Focusrite and Mackie as well.  Any of these units are low power as I found out here on Head-Fi,  and any of them may also result in unexpected latency with your microphone.  You say "hi" into the microphone and you hear [teeny delay] "Hi" coming out of your headphones.  I looked for a unit that had settings I could manipulate in order to reduce latency, and am doing OK with this one now.
 
Maybe get any one of them and try it out, you'll learn more about them by buying one and finding out for yourself.  Tascam was helpful on customer service, you want to be at least able to get some tech support if you need it.
 
One thing to consider is a good pair of gaming headsets that have the stick mic attached?  Instead of the interface?
 
ADK-Mark 

 

[kurcatovium]

Yes, I've read too that thos audio interfaces tend to have low powered headphone output - but is it too bad? As I said with my use case, I won't be needing my headphones to struggle against drums or loud music from outside, I just need to hear my music and my bass in moderately quiet room (e.g. TV show running somewhere in background). I still think those *should have* enough power for this, but as I said I have no experience here and that was just a wild guess... Am I wrong?
 
Latency - is it really that bad? On the other hand I think this should be countered (again in my use case) if the unit has "direct monitor", right? If I get it correctly, this should simply take your voice split it in two signals - one to computer/SW and second straight to headphones. So there's no latency coming out from your voice needing to go go to SW and back. Is this assumption wrong again?
 
As for the gaming headset - I generally don't like them. Imo you pay too much extra just for label "gaming headset". Those I had experience with were pretty meh (some Steelseries Siberia & Asus), absolutely incomparable with those Superlux EVO's I have. Yes, of course, my EVO's don't have mic, but that's easily solved with V-Moda BoomPro -> great piece of kit!
Plus gaming headsets doesn't really solve my "problem" when I want to jam the bass with music - where would I input my bass? Yes, it's possible to plug it straight to line-in on soundcard, but there's this latency and output power is really low. Thus I thought audio interface is my only sane option?

 

[ADK-Mark]

 [...] headphone output [...] *should have* enough power for this
 
Latency - [...] "direct monitor",
 

Hi -
 
Re:  Headphone output, I've found that for all the music that I've played along with for about a year, the US-1200 is uncomfortably loud at 3/4 volume, completely distortion free.  Absolutely enough power.   You can see on a previous post that [theveterans] looked up my specs and my audio output is only 50mW.   For what I needed with the drums I got the Beringer model HA-400 and found it completely capable for doing what I wanted (plus I can share the joy with up to three other people).  I just need an outboard EQ because I'm increasingly fussy and picky and irritable about my inboard vs. outboard mix.  (Uh oh, I think slipping down the slope!)
 
Re:  latency - If the interface you choose has a direct monitor feature, then you wouldn't perceive any latency.  If you didn't have a way to adjust, then yes the latency would be too great to play along.  Say in 4/4 time at 60 beats per minute, 1...2...3...4... you would play a bass note on beat 1, and hear it on beat 1.3.  Like if you've every played live outside and the stage speakers face a house or structure, and you can't even play because the echo is so bad.
 
I do think that buying *something* and trying it out is way better than fretting too much over it.  I figure it's about making progress, not perfection.   If my HA-400 proves too little over time, then I'll know better what I need next time around. 
 
Mark

 

[kurcatovium]

   
I do think that buying *something* and trying it out is way better than fretting too much over it.  I figure it's about making progress, not perfection.   If my HA-400 proves too little over time, then I'll know better what I need next time around. 
 
Mark

 
This. I'll probably buy something that's available now and see how I like it.

 

[kurcatovium]

I just wanted to let you know I got older secondhand Tascam US-122 MkII and it works like a charm. Now it's only up to me to find out what I do like, what I miss and at least next purchase wont be so blind and I'll know what exactly I need.
 
Thanks!

 

[ADK-Mark]

Awesome!  Great you made the plunge.   Jam on!
 
Mark