Based on a few recommendations from other members and Mr. Spreadbury, I figured it’s time for me to try using an External, USB Audio Interfaces with Dorico so it could handle the heavy lifting for the audio.
I have a few questions
(1) What are good budget ones that would be able to handle Dorico and NotePerformer? I can not spend more than $130 on it, and I also would prefer to hover around $100 if possible.
(2) How would I be able to set up an Audio Interface to work with Dorico? This is the question I would preffer to get answered first/more in-depth. Do I just plug in the USB, select it from the device set up in Dorico? Or is there a more complicated set-up process?
Making some advertising for our own audio interfaces, the Steinberg UR12 is our smallest and least expensive model, yet offers decent audio quality and fits probably your playback needs.
The handling is quite easy as well. You install the driver for it, then plug it in via USB, start Dorico, go to the Device Setup dialog and choose from the drop down list the Yamaha Steinberg driver. That’s it, sound will then come out via the UR.
Btw, the handling should be similarly easy with any other vendors audio interface as long as an ASIO compatible driver gets delivered with it.
I bought the Steinberg UR242 audio interface, around 200€ on Amazon or Thomann. And yes, it was pretty straightforward. Install a few utilities with the provided installer, run Dorico and select the new device.
You might find a second-hand interface around the price you’re looking for!
Edit: Ulf was faster!
I’m using the UR22C which works great and is really easy to install. If you’re planning to connect a microphone to the URs, just be aware that the switch to turn on phantom power is on the back of the device which can be pretty unhandy in case the interface is placed below the monitors for example.
The Focusrite Scarlett audio interfaces are awesome as well, also easy to install, and the 48V switch is located at the front.
+1. The Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 seems to be the default “intro” interface, and I have a lot of friends that have one. Are you planning on recording or just need an external DAC? If you don’t need the mic preamps, the Schiit Fulla is a nice little USB DAC/headphone amp for $99. Or the Magni/Modi combo if you want separates.
With external interfaces/DACs/headphone amps there is a little bit of a split between those marketed on the audiophile side, and those on the music production side, with a few that straddle the line. Do you know which side of that you are on? Do you need the mic preamps, or just a high quality DAC? Is the headphone amp important?
I’ve had quite a few different DACs over the years but currently am using an Audient iD14 interface with my laptop recording setup (barely visible top right here) and a UA Apollo with my desktop so I can use the UA plug-ins for Pro Tools.
@FredGUnn
All I need an External Audio Interface for right now is just to handle the Heavy-lifting for playback since my computer doesn’t really handle it that well. Recording things is on the table, but right now, I don’t have the time/money to start buying XLR microphones and all that.
As for what side of the line I am on, I do have Audiophile AKG k240 headphones, but I just need an Audio Interphase that plays back the sound acceptably. I don’t want anything that “colors” the sound. Right now I don’t need anything with XLR mics, but a high Quality DAC/External Audio Interface, and the headphone amp is important. Will the Schiit Fulla be able to handle large Dorico Ensembles such as a Full Orchestra?
You get exactly the same amount of audio data from a solo flute or a 200-piece orchestra. The question should be whether your computer can handle the VSTs for a big ensemble, not whether audio interface can.
That is correct Rob, but it also depends on how good the audio driver is. Because the audio driver does also drive the audio engine and provides the clock so to speak. If it is unsteady then the whole audio engine will become unsteady. And dedicated audio interfaces usually also come with better/professional drivers.
@Ulf, my question now is, If Dorico keeps cutting out in playback, would using an external audio driver solve the issue? Is that because they install their own professional audio drivers on my computer system?
Forced to update our beloved Saffire 6 USB 2.0 due to problematic/lacking support of Win10, we’re now looking for alternatives; we love the USB 3.0 of the otherwise very similar Steinberg UR22C (not so much for data speed per se where USB 2.0 seem to suffice for the time being - but the much better data polling protocol).
But the placement of the phantom-switch - exclusively - on the backside, whereas all other controls are on the front, is a major and most idiotic design flaw prohibiting use in our setup.
Also there’s reports of dry-channel bleeding into the mix albeit being cut off (set to 0 %) on the UR22 II which might have inherited to the new ver. UR22C - anyone able to comment on this?
Ik heb een Steinberg audio interface ur22 mkii die met een usb kabel is aangesloten op mijn pc.
Wanneer ik in Dorico wil werken hoor ik geen geluid.
Ik las hier in het forum het volgende : De bediening is ook vrij eenvoudig. U installeert de driver ervoor, sluit deze vervolgens aan via USB, start Dorico, gaat naar het dialoogvenster Apparaatinstellen en kiest in de vervolgkeuzelijst de Yamaha Steinberg-driver. Dat is alles, er komt dan geluid uit via de UR.
Kunt u me inlichten waar ik dit dialoogvenster Apparaat instellen kan vinden?
Dank bij voorbaat.
Met vriendelijke groeten,
gilberto72
Are the Steinberg USB 3.0/1 ASIO drivers for the interfaces multi-client? On Windows 10? I’ve been using a Tascam FW1884 for years and although I’m used to it’s many delightful quirks it remains stubbornly single client. I’m thinking a second more modern interface mainly for Dorico and Nuendo might be a good idea.
Thanks muchly Ulf - can you tell me of any interfaces which are genuinely multiclient and would be OK for Dorico and Nuendo on Windows 10. Some people say Focusrite are multiclient but I guess the catch is if this is so for Windows 10 or 11. I never seemed to notice much when both Cubase /Nuendo and Dorico had the ‘lose focus in the background’ but now it is a pain when you launch an external browser say, to watch a tutorial and you get white noise on one channel. I have been wondering about Blue Cat’s Connector software as well and wondering if this might sort things out a bit.
Thanks and Dorico 4.3 btw is a great achievement. Simon.
I don’t know many other interfaces than our own. RME are multi-client, I think, but though they are very good interfaces, they are not cheap. If you just want to listen to YouTube along with Dorico, that is also possible with the Steinberg interfaces, but you can not run Dorico and Nuendo on the same driver at the same time. Having said that, it is possible however to run e.g. Dorico on the Steinberg UR driver and Nueno on the Generic Low Latency driver, or vice versa, but this is a rather poor workaround.
