Hi everyone, I need to upgrade my interface. I have a Mackie Blackbird which has always given me some level of hassle with Windows 11 and Cubase 12. It gave me hassle with Windows 10 and Cubase 11 too. I can no longer put up with losing time having to restart etc to get it working.
My main requirements are decent pre amps, 8 or more mic inputs (for recording live drums). Output wise I use 1 set of monitors and 2 headphone outs. I don’t have any analogue hardware to connect.
I’ve been looking at the UR816C, just wondering if anyone on here is using the UR816C with Cubase 12 or if anyone has any better recommendations around the same price range?
I use the older UR824 but I think it compares to the UR816C. Main advantage I see is that this interface ‘integrates’ with Cubase. It is possible to adjust the settings and volumes from within Cubase and you get a nice Reverb and 'Morphing (Compressor and EQ) effect.
Should I need an interface right now, my short list would include the UR816C and Focusrite Scarlett.
My advice is to buy the best RME that your budget will allow and that fits your needs.
Think driver stability … if I add up all the money I spent on cheaper interfaces before I got the RME, and even before I factor in the wasted hours and frustration with crashes and glitching, the RME was an absolute bargain.
On Windows PreSonus’ drivers are so much better than Focusrite’s that I’d choose them for that reason alone. Lower Latency, More Reliable, less bloatware to run in the system tray, etc. I’m never buying another Focusrite interface for a Windows machine after my experience with that. They did introduce a driver protection feature to counteract some of the issues, but that increases RT Latency by like 20% and YMMV with it.
I’d use a solo as a travel interface, if needed for Audio/Instrument Recording, but only on a MacBook via CoreAudio.
I’m considering getting a Mac Studio so I can stop using Windows for Music Production, as I have really grown to hate ASIO and it’s Driver Roulette situation.
I think things are better with the Focusrite Pro interfaces. Those likely get better driver development and support.
Dunno about that - I can only speak from personal experience, but the Scarlett drivers, on Windows 11 at least, are far more efficient than the Steinberg/Yamaha drivers. Latency is very good, even on 192 samples. I agree that having to run background software is not great, but the app does give a LOT of flexibility for routing , especially if you are using Control Room.
Agreed. After my experience with the Audient ID22’s poor internal layout, leading to unit failures, and the bogged down YSUSB Issues some of us have been having. Definitely looking at RME, nothing but good news.
I think better to spec out what you need and do the research. I tried Babyface Pro, Apogee and Antelope equivalents and found them to be excellent but at twice the price of a Scarlett, certainly not twice the quality. Also tried UAD which at least has the advantage of built-in DSP FX, but it was too glitchy with my AMD processor.
W’re all guilty of thinking more expensive = better … I always buy Fender USA guitars for the prestige and feel-good factor, but are they really twice as good as Mexican models? I very much doubt it.
LOL Ive got a MIM “Classic 60s” Telecaster I’d take any day over an AVRI (or whatever they call them now). It’s doesn’t have the “collectors” hype or anything, but it’s a solid workhorse battle axe for guitar players that like to play and need to get the job done. Same with my Epiphone… Picked up one of their ‘60s Standard’ Les Pauls a year or so back, a quarter of the price and just as solid as the Gibson version…
With interfaces, the thing to watch out for with Focusrite, is they like to discontinue and drop support for things more often than say RME or MOTU. My 20 year old MOTU 828MK2 is no longer supported (it was until a few years ago when they just couldn’t get parts for them and Apple started sweeping firewire under the rug) but STILL works with the latest drivers on MacOS. If you’re on a PC I’d look at RME, on a Mac either RME or MOTU if you want longevity and solid support.
When I started having issues with my UR and Audient, I reverted back to my old and trusted M-Audio 1010LT on one machine, and a Lexicon I-ONIX U22 on another. These cheaper interfaces’ drivers have been rock solid from Windows 7, and still rock solid in Windows 11. So no, we are not “all” guilty of thinking more expensive = better.
Yeah, I know and agree. Just saying that the OP needs to do homework on which is best, rather than throwing money at a problem. When I say ‘we’ I should probably have said ‘I’
I doubt it also. Purchased a mexican Fender Telecaster for 650 €, two years ago : never got a guitar able to keep its well-tuned state for so long. In my arsenal, it’s my favorite one for both the sounds I get from it and its rock solid behavior, this, with my Epiphone Casino. Just to compare : I bought more than thirty years ago (circa 1990), a Fender US Strat : never really got accustomed to it and now, it shows its age, I guess, as it’s rather diificult to keep it in tune.
Well, I do agree. Just to let you know, as I read a few posts not in line with this opinion.
I truly think people underestimate the power of ‘marketing’ and overestimate their own ability to have a ‘free unbiased opinion’.
Anyhow, the quality of music depends on the musician, and only to a lesser extend it depends off the quality of the Mic pre-amps.
… but at least the 828MkII can still function and be used as a standalone mixer/converter via the front panel.
I see so many ads for new interfaces – many of them capitalizing on brand names the were never known for digital products – and I really wonder if it’s still going to be possible to run these five years from now. Most of them will have contracted out the task of providing software for their products to third parties who are even more likely to disappear.
Hence my argument for RME … they still provide drivers for all the interfaces they’ve ever produced, and the quality of their drivers is, in my experience, unmatched.
Don’t just buy a unit became it fits your needs. Or because someone has it, and recommended it after a short time of use.
Find an Audio Interface that suits what you are looking for.
Do a general search on the interfaces’ name followed by words like “Issues” “Not working” “Pops and crackles” “Channel not working” etc, and see what results appear.
This can sometimes give you a general idea of what to expect if you proceed to aquire one. Issues that you may or may not encounter.
Way out the pros and cons., like the number of people reporting the same, or similar issues. Are their drivers reliable? Hardware longevity, are units encountering similar problems over time?
Yes, this can take time, but in the long run, could prove worth it.
Yes, BUT: as home studios grow, so do the needs. I recommend considering how ‘future proof’ an audio interface can be. So, one day you may indeed want 8 inputs … and ADAT expansion options may become useful after a few years …
