Seeking advice on audio interface

[mavdime]

Hi all,

seeking some advice on which interface to get for my studio.., (i'm on MAC)

My Needs:

1) High quality output DAC

something with good dynamic range, excellent imaging, not too much colour... I am familiar with good audiophile DACs and tend to lean towards products with the now rare PCM1704UK Dac... it's precise sounding and superlative to listen to when implemented well in a DAC unit --- to give the audiophile nerds on this forum an idea, I am talking about the AudioGD reference series DACs

2) 2 mic preamps

I make Electronic music, so don't need lots of mic recording capabilities, but do do stereo mic recording everynow and again

3) A good headphone amplifier
I have AKG 712s... they need a good, powerful amp behind them

4) Decent digital connectivity
AES/EBU + ADAT/Spdif preferred... I want to be able to connect to my Eventide Harmoniser to the unit permanently, and still have capabilities to interface more digital gear (using ADAT or SPDIF) as the need arises

5) Something that can double up as a monitor controller
I would like a tactile knob to control the main volume, headphone volume, DIM, etc. Until now have been using totalmixFX on the computer which is a bit annoying ( I know I could have got myself an RME remote control, but never got around to it)

6) Capacity to route signals in and out of Logic X and ableton relatively easily
I would like to be able to send signals out for processing with my modular and other hardware synths and / or run it through an outboard chain including compressor etc.

7) At least a pair of line outs/Ins... I would like to be able to record synths etc... I'm not fussy about having needing to record lots of simultaneous tracks... don't mind having a patchbay and being limited to one stereo pair at a time

So... at this stage I have narrowed it down to these options

1) Lynx Hilo
Everything looks awesome about this unit... only issue for me is going to be the i/o count... I think I]if I go down this path I also have to deal with the certainty of having to expand it with an 8/8 unit over ADAT at some point... Am able to get one of these second hand for a very good price (so not looking at retail prices)... obviously I would also have to factor in to buy an external mic pre unit with this

2) Apogee Symphony I/O 2x6
Similar to the Hilo and from what I can tell, the plus here is any expansion to the unit can be done by adding in a card rather than getting another unit.. Am also able to get one of these second hand for a very good price (so not looking at retail prices)... similarly would have to factor in an external pre unit

3) Apogee Ensemble 2
Looks good... does't have AES/EBU but has lots of other digital connectivity... not sure it's on the same level sonically as the Hilo or Symphony I/O... would be paying retail effectively

4) Metric Halo ULN 2
has good pres form what I've heard, lots of connectivity and expandability... could always upgrade t the new DSP chips when they come out and use some of the good plugins MH makes

5) Universal Audio Apollo
Looks okay but seems like I'd be paying extra for the plugins part which I don't really care about... Don't really want to go down the path of getting into UAD plugins as it's sure to be a drain on my wallet!

OR, 2 cheaper options...

6) Audient id22
ADAT expandability, less than half the price of the other units... good monitor control capabilities...

7) Ta@#$% UH 7000
No ADAT expandability but has AES/EBU... one reported downside is you can't run line level signals independently of the pres... also no send return on the pre channel

Unfortunately, I have found it very hard to find anywhere I could do some side by side listening comparisons between the different units, so would appreciate some advice from you learned folks about your view on which interfaces you think would fit the bill best

Thanks!

Manny

[ether]

Real world opinion ... any of these (excluding maybe the Ta@#$%) will be excellent. Modern technology is incredible, and you can get lost in gearslutz land with opinionated claims about what's better than what ... for differences that not even bats and dogs can actually detect.

All this gear is great, and the weak point in your recordings won't be the AD/DA - it'll be your space, your microphones, your monitoring, your skills, etc.

Pick a favourite and jump in.

Others will have other opinions, and I'm sure they'll chime in.

You could also consider the RME gear as well.

I went with the Apogee Symphony and can't be happier. Especially as there's now an update to Logic Pro that gives me further control over the unit from within the DAW. I'm running with external Mic Pres now, and that's a perfectly good long term option, though I'll get the internal 8 x pre card at some point, if I'm mad enough to attempt full band recording, rather than leaving it to those with more experience in that area.

[gigpiglet]

while reading your post but before i got the your "options" i was thinking hilo is perfect for this!
i dont have one... i looked/ researched/ tested, and for MY needs didnt do the job
but for yours (like you mention with an extra card) i think it will nail it for you
otherwise you are nearly certainly looking at more than one device to tick all your boxes (though a PT HD Omni will come VERY close)

[mavdime]

Hi guys, thank you both for the very helpful responses.

Ether - I agree that at this level it's much of a muchness and that room treatment, mixing skills, etc will make more effective difference. I am at the point of actually needing to dish out on a new interface and wanted to at least invest in a quality interface that was a bit future proof... I have quality monitors which I know very well and have them in a treated room so pretty happy on that front. AS for mixing skills... ever learning on that front, but getting more confident

Thanks for the feedback on the Symphony I/O. I can grab one with the standard 2/6 at a reasonably good price including the d-sub cable so am seriously considering it.... have you had any issues with fan noise on your unit? Also do you mind letting me know what the changes to Logic X were (I also use Logic for the main part so I'm interested to hear about the synergy between Symphony I/O and Logic)


Gigpiglet - thanks for the suggestion on the Hilo... I am mighty tempted at this point for going down the hilo path as it seems to be very well thought out as an interface... What the Hilo lacks in Symphony I/Os expandability it seems to make up in terms of sonics and immediacy as a monitor controller

With both the Symphony I/O and the Hilo I would need to go out and buy a stereo mic pre unit... maybe something like the Audient Mico or even something with a bit more colour may fit the bill

One practical question - regardless of whether I used the symphony I/O or Hilo, in terms of connecting it all up, would it be best to run my monitors directly from the interface, eventide directly from the unit (via Aes be), and then run the stereo line in and out to a patchbay to be routed to a stereo mic pre unit or synth / digital keyboard etc etc?

Thanks for your help

[Ender]

Thanks for the feedback on the Symphony I/O..... have you had any issues with fan noise on your unit?

I also really like the Symphony, did as above and just jumped in and its been great compared to what I had before. I've read about the fan noise complaint before, and I do have a minor problem that I am still a little disappointed about related to the fan.. basically when it starts up, the fan ramps up to a fair roar and never comes back down by itself! When I first got the unit, it started up with the fan, but would then go silent after a short time. I'm not sure why but both Apogee and the dealer weren't able to really give an answer, and the fix seemed so simple I didn't bother pushing. Whenever I change the input mode (eg. from Symphony to Standalone and back) it resets and corrects itself. It does seem like a bug with the system, but for the 30 seconds it takes to correct I haven't worried too much about it. Sound wise, I've been very happy.

[Gian]

Are you sure you have the most recent firmware update on it?

[ether]

My Symphony goes a bit hovercraft when it turns on, but settles down very quickly. There IS some faint fan noise, but nothing that bothers me.

[mavdime]

Great, thanks for the info guys.

At this stage leaning towards the hilo due to the extensive onboard routing possibilities, especially while in standalone mode.

For example, what I am thinking of doing is having my h7600 connected to the aes i/o, an analog processing chain connected to the analog stereo i/o and a 8x8 mic pre with adat (something like the focusrite octopre or audient asp800) connected to the dat input of the hilo.

All of my synths / mics etc would be connected to the 8x8 preamp unit.

From my reading of the routing capabilities of the hilo I would then easily be able to route something coming in from one my dat channels through the eventide or through the analog chain (or both, sequentially!) then out to the monitors while in standalone mode if I'm just playing around in the studio, or obviously, through usb to the daw if i wanted to record it into logic.

While the symphony i/o looks great, my understanding is that while I could easily achieve this type of routing, it would have to be through the maestro software.... I kind of like the option of doing this all without needing to switch on the computer. Could any symphony users chime in about the standalone capacities???

many thanks... appreciate everyone's input

Manny