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Consumer-Grade Audio Input Options for the Mac?

Posted by Cliff on from the what-sound-does-an-apple-make-when-it-hits-the-ground dept.

hypnos asks: "With the recent release of the Creative Labs Extigy, I'm wondering if there are any remotely similar options for Mac users. What I really want is a way to get several audio inputs, a mic pre-amp, and MIDI-IN all in one box, and attached to some protocol (USB, FireWire) that'll let me use it on my desktop or my laptop. Does anyone know of such a device? And barring that, are there sub-$500 PCI-type options that will allow the same things (without the notebook portability, obviously)?"

16 comments

  1. apple.com by chrismear · · Score: 2

    No experience of Mac audio myself, but I'm guessing Apple's own page on Music and Audio is a good place to start.

  2. More... by chrismear · · Score: 3, Informative

    Also, a quick Google search brought this up: The Tascam US-428 has 4 channels of audio plus MIDI, and has actual sliders and transport controls that can control your recording software. And this online store has a whole page of USB audio interfaces.

  3. Tascam US428? by mopp · · Score: 2, Informative

    Have you considered the Tascam US428? It performs as a bright-blue hardware interface to your sound software (a stripped down version of Cubase is included, although you may be unimpressed with the 'Mac version coming soon!' bit).

    It's got a USB interface, MIDI I/O, 4 inputs, 2 outputs, and may meet many of your needs...

    I'm trying to locate one in Sydney at the moment (with limited success), so I cannot give a review of its capabilities, but if it lives up to the product blurb, it could be nice! (any tips from fellow Australians?)

  4. iAudio iInput by nadie · · Score: 2, Informative
    On the most basic level, there is the iMic

    A bit (lot?) more capable is a couple of USB Digital Audio Processor's from Onkyo, a MSE-U33HB and a SE-U55

    I don't have any direct experience with these, but a quick Google search should turn up several reviews.

  5. UNIVERSAL serial bus... by Howie · · Score: 2

    So much for the promise of USB. Why not hassle Creative into providing non-Windows drivers for their existing unit? That's the way it's supposed to work - you have one device for all USB-capable computers...

    Heck, we might even get *nix USB drivers out of it.

    --
    "don't fall into the fallacy of believing that Perl can solve social problems. Maybe Perl 6 can, but that's a ways off"
  6. Try the M-Audio USB Quattro by Penx · · Score: 1

    Try the M-Audio USB Quattro

    http://www.midiman.net/products/m-audio/quattro. ph p

    Haven't used it myself but have seen a favourable review in computer music magazine (uk)

    1. Re:Try the M-Audio USB Quattro by clifyt · · Score: 2

      The Midiman / MAudio stuff is pretty good...they've actually worked with Apple to get the latency down to near realtime speeds for their Delta 1010.

      To be honest, I'm not sure why this was a /. question...go to any of your local music stores and ask there. Most pro musicians are STILL Mac despite what others may tell you (usually bedroom musicians are more likely to tell you Windows is the predominant music OS...because thats what they have and what they can pirate easily).

      After you've checked out your local music store and found there are dozens of options stop on over at Sonikmatter.com as we have tons of knowledgable users that work on Macs and all have different audio interfaces).

      clif marsiglio
      editor
      sonikmatter.com

  7. There's this thing called a search engine. by Wakko+Warner · · Score: 3, Insightful

    For God's sake, USE IT!

    Google is your friend.

    - A.P.

    --
    "Remember when the U.S. had a drug problem, and then we declared a War On Drugs, and now you can't buy drugs anymore?"
  8. Protools... by SvnLyrBrto · · Score: 1
    I'm no audio guru myself, but I've a friend who is.

    He swears up and down by Digidesign's ProTools. 'Says not to bother with anything else, as no one will ever take you seriously otherwise. (Kind of like no one will take anyone who claims to do graphics work seriously unless they know Photoshop, I guess)

    Caught me by suprise, it did. I had always thought that ProTools was just a really high-end chunk of software. But, turns out it is a hardware/software combo package.

    And it has an "LE" version, much like Adobe has the low end Photoshop, for novice users. And the LE version costs about that $500 you mentioned.

    cya,
    john

    --
    Imagine all the people...
    1. Re:Protools... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      ok Protools is god... period, i am an audio tech, and well it is coming close to the standard in ALL recording, period.

      Digidesign (the owner of protools) has a nice little into bundle (PCI Card w/ out board (OB) interface) bundled with prottols 5.1(i think) LE, problem is its @ $800. BUT it does have 8 analog I/O (w/ 2 !nice! Preamps & 6 line in) 8 chanels of ADAT otical(i doubt you even need that) and 2 S/PDIF I/O all digital @ 24 bit REz. Also has a 1in 1 out MIDI interface. 3 additional seperate outputs are a stero monitor / headphone w/ volume (IE no mixer neaded!) downside is this bundle does NOT include any REAL plugins(DSP) (however this bundle does @ $1.2K)

      If you want an alternative MOTU (Mark of the Unicorn) has a Firewire based OB unit, but its not protools and i have never used it, and its only a couple dollars less,

      If you really want to hold out for $500 dollars, you are going to have to go consumer grade, all of these are basically pro grade (motu is, 001 is mighty close). and with consumer grad you are not going to get the same quality/support as you woould with either of these companies

      need more e-mail me olp647@excite.com

    2. Re:Protools... by filtersweep · · Score: 1

      Let's see.... a proper Protools system will run about $10,000 to get you in the door. Their $500 version is not quite the same thing.

      http://www.soundthinking.com/digi_products.htm
      Any proper "audio" card should have Mac drivers... in fact Mac was ahead of PCs for years for DAW equipment. A Creative card is regarded as a "gamer's" card, and will produce more headaches than you can imagine if used in a DAW. There are very few (if any?) legit cards under $500 that also have a midi port- FYI. Most people at the upper end would likely seek a midi bay with 64 to 128 channels anyway. A decent mic preamp alone can cost $500- but there are cards with basic preamps, XLR connections, etc...

      --


      Those that suggest you "dance like no one is watching" really want to see you make a complete fool of yourself.
    3. Re:Protools... by aidan2 · · Score: 1

      ok i am the anonomus coward above (just got a /. uN)(olp647@excite.com)

      I agree that a REAL protools system, shit doesnet even START at $10K however, (i know i work on one daily) In real life however the Digidesign 001 is good, simply becasue of the fact that you can work with it just about anywehre, in almost any computer. with few exceptions (within reason and *nix too), and once you have worekd as far as you can, you can take it to a REAL studio, without losing any sonic quality,

      and abot the pre-amps, if you spend 500$ on a preamp, unless you are a REAL studio you are wasting your money, rarely is every channel going thorugh a 500$ preamp, it just doesnt make sense. and i have heard the ones in the 001 and they sound good, but rember you are only spending $1000 on what amounts to a "crippled" DAW worstation.

      one thing to consider in all of this with HDR's and DAW's is that you are starting to use ALLOT of Hd space, and if you are serious about it Glyph Tech makes a great one that matches the 001 called the Project X but thats another 500$, (or you could just buy "generic" scsi/firewire external hard drive)

      --
      ---MTL--- =0
    4. Re:Protools... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Pro Tools is a beautiful piece of software. There is Pro Tools Free version which is OK, but the real deal is very, very expensive and if you are working from an iMac you may as well forget it.

  9. Some hardware is available by SmittyTheBold · · Score: 1

    For minijacks, you might look toward the Griffin iMic. It's a USB-attached sound input preipheral, with support for regular and PlainTalk mics. I really have no idea how they cooperate with more than one on the same system, though.

    You can also get similar hardware for Midi connectors.

    For a PCI-based solution, I know the SBLive! is supported on Macs by Creative. I don't know about the Audigy.

    --
    ± 29 dB
  10. M-Audio by apm · · Score: 1
    M-Audio makes several good options in both PCI and external boxes. If you're looking for PCI, try the Audiophile 2496. It gets good reviews.

    Personally, I have an Omni Studio system and have been extremely pleased with it. The audio quality is excellent.

    Notably, M-Audio has also been much more forthcoming with OS X drivers than any other company I've seen.

  11. Echo Audio & Aardvark by kisielk · · Score: 1

    Both Echo Audio and Aardvark Pro Audio make a wide range of audio cards with a variety of features. Both companies have a good reputation among pro audio enthusiasts for their high quality products.