To MAC or not to MAC...

[colejustesen]

It would be nice if there were dedicated USB 3.0 interfaces; as the transfer rate is quite astonishing! I think all the Focusrite interfaces that use FireWire are also capable of using Thunderbolt connections too.

I would also look at the UR824 if you are interested in a rack mountable USB interface, otherwise, I really like MR816csx that I have

Cole

[Sex Panther]

Yeah, I'm looking into all options. Just found the 18i20 brand new for $419.

May go to GC tonight and get them to price match. I may test out my laptop with a new interface before I buy a new PC...see if that solves any issues.

[colejustesen]

Yeah, I'm looking into all options. Just found the 18i20 brand new for $419.

May go to GC tonight and get them to price match. I may test out my laptop with a new interface before I buy a new PC...see if that solves any issues.

If you haven't, optimize your PC first... That really helped my system out!

I used these to optimize my laptop after getting my FireWire interface...
http://www.presonus.com/community/Learn ... Production
http://us.focusrite.com/answerbase/opti ... -windows-7

Cole

[Sex Panther]

Yeah, I'm looking into all options. Just found the 18i20 brand new for $419.

May go to GC tonight and get them to price match. I may test out my laptop with a new interface before I buy a new PC...see if that solves any issues.

If you haven't, optimize your PC first... That really helped my system out!

I used these to optimize my laptop after getting my FireWire interface...
http://www.presonus.com/community/Learn ... Production
http://us.focusrite.com/answerbase/opti ... -windows-7

Cole

Is that for USB too?

[colejustesen]

I would say yes... There are some things that are more geared towards FireWire like drivers, but for the most part this should work for USB as well... It helps reduce CPU for better recordings.

Cole

[Sex Panther]

I would say yes... There are some things that are more geared towards FireWire like drivers, but for the most part this should work for USB as well... It helps reduce CPU for better recordings.

Cole

Gotcha. Gonna look into it. May pick up the Focusrite tonight, and am considering just putting a new HDD and fresh install of windows on my laptop for a temporary solution.

I figure I can upgrade to 7200 RPM, and get rid of all the garbage I have on it for what...$200? Still not sure. Whatever I do will end up being an impulse decision.

[colejustesen]

That Focusrite would be nice! It will sound good, I loved the way my 18i8 sounded, but the MR816 is a bit of a step up to my ears. I have no doubt you will enjoy the 18i20!

Cole

[Sex Panther]

That Focusrite would be nice! It will sound good, I loved the way my 18i8 sounded, but the MR816 is a bit of a step up to my ears. I have no doubt you will enjoy the 18i20!

Cole

Yeah I bet it does...but it's also just about twice the cost at $750.

[colejustesen]

That Focusrite would be nice! It will sound good, I loved the way my 18i8 sounded, but the MR816 is a bit of a step up to my ears. I have no doubt you will enjoy the 18i20!

Cole

Yeah I bet it does...but it's also just about twice the cost at $750.

Haha, I am all about the used market I got my MR816 for $325...

Cole

[Sex Panther]

Haha, I am all about the used market I got my MR816 for $325...

Cole

Not bad!

[Sex Panther]

Well...

I'm currently logged in on my new PC! First ever build, went down without a hitch.

Ended up with an i7-4790k, 16 GB ram, a 256 GB SSD, a 1 TB 7200 RPM HDD, Gigabyte Z97X-GAMING 7 MoBo, EVGA 500 W power supply, and whatever cheap shit DVD drive I could grab.

Time to start testing this baby out...should be able to handle anything I can throw at it.

[colejustesen]

Nice! Where did you get your hardware? I was pricing components today... a lot of options out there! I think the Z97 chipset looks pretty solid!

That looks very close to the components I was looking at! Did you grab that interface too?

Cole

[Sex Panther]

Nice! Where did you get your hardware? I was pricing components today... a lot of options out there! I think the Z97 chipset looks pretty solid!

That looks very close to the components I was looking at! Did you grab that interface too?

Cole

Microcenter. They had a lot of rebates, and the processor was like $50-60 cheaper than everywhere else.

Didn't have time to get the interface...maybe tomorrow. I have enough to do on this now as it is.

All in all the subtotal was under 1k for a total beast of a machine.

[colejustesen]

Awesome! I would still recommend optimizing your machine so that extra CPU isn't being robbed from you! Did the people there point you in the direction of the components?

Cole

[Sex Panther]

Awesome! I would still recommend optimizing your machine so that extra CPU isn't being robbed from you! Did the people there point you in the direction of the components?

Cole

Yeah, I plan on doing that.

I'd been researching parts for a bit, so I had an idea, but I had them help me make sure everything was compatible, and that I had everything I'd need.

[newholland]

sweet!

that thing sounds like a monster.. you're officially overprepared for the recording apocalypse.. i suspect you could be super wasteful of CPU power with that SOB and it just won't matter..

i think some serious capacity may've been added to the basement studio..

congrats-- now don't be loading anything else on that critter and you'll have a beast of a machine for hell near forever..

[colejustesen]

Thar PC should be awesome! I am half tempted to snag an ASUS Z97 Pro Gamer... I can get one for $150 right now which seems like a good deal! May I ask why you went with Gigabyte mobo?

Cole

[Sex Panther]

Thar PC should be awesome! I am half tempted to snag an ASUS Z97 Pro Gamer... I can get one for $150 right now which seems like a good deal! May I ask why you went with Gigabyte mobo?

Cole

It was cheap, had everything I needed, and had good reviews. They bundled it with the processor, and I ended up with the i7-4790k and the GB MoBo for just under $400.

I was talking to them about Asus MoBo's, and they recommended these. Don't know if they get a kickback or what, but the reviews and features were good enough for me to be ok with saving some money.

[colejustesen]

The ASUS and this unit seem pretty comparable... I might look into a combo deal, that would definitely be cheaper... Did you grab a case, or did you already have one? I was looking to using my old (circa 2001) case, but it doesn't look like the new motherboards can mount to it. Which case are you using? I am super stoked for you bro!

Cole

[Sex Panther]

The ASUS and this unit seem pretty comparable... I might look into a combo deal, that would definitely be cheaper... Did you grab a case, or did you already have one? I was looking to using my old (circa 2001) case, but it doesn't look like the new motherboards can mount to it. Which case are you using? I am super stoked for you bro!

Cole

Yeah, I grabbed a case. Can't remember which model...I can let you know when I get home. I had no problem fitting everything in there.

Installed Reaper last night, now I gotta get a legit copy of SD 2.0 (:lol:), and then I think I'm gonna pickup Slate VMR and possibly VCC as well.

[colejustesen]

That is going to a bomb setup! I would appreciate you letting me know what case you have.

Cole

[Sex Panther]

That is going to a bomb setup! I would appreciate you letting me know what case you have.

Cole

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6811139011

That's the one. But they had it on sale for like $50-60. I didn't have any case preferences...just needed something that would fit everything I needed. Seems quiet enough for me, but people who need absolute silence will probably want to go another route.

[Sex Panther]

Bought the Focusrite 18i20, and we had our first Studio practice last night.

Took a while to setup right, but once it was setup...it was awesome. Sounded great, and didn't blow our ears out.

There were a couple of clicks and/or pops, but only when I set the buffer down as low as it could go, ran Superior Drummer, 3 amp VSTs, 3 instances of LeCab, and multiple other VSTs.

We then upped the buffer and used hardware monitoring for the vocals, and had no issues. Playing tracks back...I can load up as many VSTs as I want, and there haven't been any issues.

[colejustesen]

Fantastic to hear! That PC of yours should handle that well! The 18i20 looks killer!

I ordered myself an ASUS Z97 board... I will get more components eventually, but the deal I got the mobo for I figured not to pass it up.

Cole

[newholland]

badass.

glad you're already up and running- that was crazy fast. enjoy that thing.. envious