Elektron-Users

Ok, sorry that I keep changing this threads title every time I have a new question. I just figured it would be best to keep my ramblings all together as I am learning about the whole computer audio interface area of recording, so I need all the help and opinions that I can get. Also, what is a good brand of instrument cables?

I used to have the Delta. Great card, never gave me any problems. It's probably dirt cheap on the used market these days, too.

I've had a Delta 66 for years now and have never had a problem. The drivers are rock-solid and the device has a good bang-to-buck ratio.

The only annoyance you might run into is the lack of inputs. As you surely know, there are six inputs, but only four 1/4" jacks; so, if you plan to record more than 4 mono (or two stereo) sources at once, you may want to consider the Delta 1010.

I still use the Delta 66 in conjunction with my Onyx 1220 (w/firewire option).

-d

Thank you Glaive and Glitched for your input, I appreciated it. :-D

With the Audio Interface put aside for a sec, I'm also on the hunt for some good affordable shielded cables but I don't know which ones are good, could someone please point me to the right direction? Also, my recordings are always plagued with constant hum/hiss noise and random digital stutters/hiccups, would a Hum Eliminator help solve most of those problems? If so, what would be the best Hum Eliminator to buy?

Once again, thank you for helping me.

have you got the card yet?

you might find the hiss/hum/pc noise problems go away once you switch cards, with no need for extra solutions.

cheap stock soundcards tend to be plagued with such noise.

No, I haven't purchased the card yet cause there are a few other things that I want to add to the order before I finalize it. I need cables for my synths and I want to get shielded ones but I don't know what brands are good. I also want to get cables that are different colors 'cause it would make my setup a lot easier when playing live. Could faulty wiring also be the cause of the humming/hissing in my recordings? If so, should I buy the Ebtech HE2PKG Hum Eliminator?

Thank you for your help,
- Mr. E

Let me just say this: You do NOT need to get fancy cables. Hosa is fine and if you are getting noise in your recordings the first thing I would blame is your interface, probably the weakest link. I would personally reccomend a firewire or usb interface, but a decent pci card might be fine. The second thing I would check is to make sure that all of your gear is being powered from the same outlet/circuit to avoid ground loops (maybe this should be first). Next see if the noise seems to change or go away if you move the cable around. If this is the case, you could be gettting EMI from wiring or flourescent lights. Faulty wiring could be also be the culprit, although that is somewhat unlikely unless the cables are homemade. I repeat, do not waste your money on expensive cables, it will not improve your sound quality enough for the cost. And I suppose that Hum Eliminator is an absolute LAST resort.

yeah, the hum eliminator most likely has cheapo transformers inside of it which isolate the signal from any ground potential. can't sound great - I have only used them as a last resort when I had like 1000 guitar pedals lined up in a row

the PCI interface is going to be much noiser than firewire or anything external (like the motu PCI systems) because the cables and audio go right into the computer, which is a breeding ground for noise and RF and all kinds of shit you do not want anywhere near audio in general.

With a firewire interface, the audio is converted to 1's and 0's inside of a seperate shielded box, and only the digits go into the computer - the ground is completely isolated from the audio path (I assume it is, I never checked) maybe its optoisolated or something. The point is, you are not plugging something into 300 cables hanging off of a PCI card - thats like an antenna for noise, and the computer insides are noiser than a NY traffic jam.

Thanks for the info Thunder and Milkmansnd. I have a question about USB Audio Interfaces. I am completely new to all this, so I need your help again. Which one of these USB Audio Interfaces would be a better choice/purchase, the M-Audio Fast Track Pro or the Edirol UA 25?

Dang, you've got a good idea there with the USB interface.

I don't know for sure, but I've heard that the latency is worse on a USB interface, not to mention that you're limited in some situations when recording multiple audio channels at high resolutions. (This is due to the limited bandwidth of the USB "pipe".) Certainly, a positive is that the FTP is mobile; however, if you're looking for something mobile with great performance in any situation, why not firewire?

http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/FireWireSolo-main.html

The FireWire Solo does not have MIDI I/O.

If you wanted to get into talking about Firewire interfaces, that's a whole 'nother can o' worms. Lots of cheaper ones from Focusrite and Berhinger.


-d