Tascam US-16x08 – USB Audio/MIDI Interface (16 in/8 out)

Product Information

The space between the gain pots on the front panel is small and may prove problematic when fine-tuning input settings. There's also no monitoring meter, so you'll need to listen to see if your signal is clipping. The Scarlett 8i6 is an "in-betweener" interface, bridging the gap between the 4i4 , which has no S/PDIF capabilities, and the 18i8 with additional I/O options at a price jump. One of the standout features of the Octa-Capture is its eight premium preamps, making it suitable for recording multiple instruments simultaneously. The Auto-Sens feature optimizes input levels, streamlining the recording process. The Versatile Software (VS) enhances the overall recording experience. Additionally, powerful computer setups report near-zero latency, allowing for real-time monitoring during recording, while custom mixes for individual musicians are crucial for collaborative recording sessions.

Several expansion options are also available via Optical I/O. The iD44 was designed to grow with your studio, with additional inputs available should you choose to bring in more input options like a dedicated 8-channel preamp such as the Focusrite Octopre and other similar units.But digital audio is different. A digital audio signal is a collection of information that can be used by a computer (basically, just a long string of 1’s and 0’s). The Tascam US 1608 audio interface has excellent hardware and 16 input channels. The other 8 input channels are line-level inputs, whereas 8 of these input channels feature ultra-high resolution microphone preamp inputs. It also offers a stereo headphone output in addition to eight balanced 14 inch outputs. Each input channel on this audio interface has a 4-band EQ and compression. Overall, the 16A is a great value. It ditches some of the features you find in units like the Fireface, but doesn’t compromise quality, and the result is a high quality 32-channel audio interface for about half the price. Conclusion

Bundled software includes Presonus Studio One Artist and Studio Magic Software Suite, Ableton Live Lite, so you'll have plenty to get you up and running no matter what your audio interface needs. EVO 16 is designed to work in tandem with the EVO software app, and this offers deep control of the unit. Many of EVO 16’s parameters can also be accessed from the front panel using the parameter buttons and main volume, which doubles as an encoder. This is made much simpler thanks to EVO 16’s LCD display. This tiny display is not only crystal clear but easy to view even when you’re way off-axis. One con that I noticed immediately was how the interface would go on a sort of "sleep mode" when no sound from my computer is playing. When a sound is played, there is a noticeable delay followed by an audible "pop" that seems to indicate the interface is waking up from a standby state. I have yet to see how to resolve this and if someone could point me to solutions, feel free to write in the comments below. The vocals were neat although we felt a bit of strain towards the higher end but that might have just been the mic placement or multiple frequencies acting up. The guitar sound was excellent. This unit is light years better in ease of use, warmth of sound, routing flexibility, and headroom. It does a great job as an interface and we can’t help but think that it’d even do a better job as a digital mixer for a church or a cafe. These converters will have analog inputs and digital outputs (and vice versa) that you can use to plug in additional microphones and then connect to an audio interface via ADAT (or sometimes other types of connections).AudioFuse connects via USB 2, but USB connectivity goes further; Arturia has built a USB hub into it, providing three extra USB ports. AudioFuse provides a beautiful and contemporary approach to USB audio interfacing with a great design, compatibility with a huge range of possible audio sources, a great sound and a highly tactile control set. The SSL 12 is the bigger, new relation to the SSL 2 and 2+ interfaces. It has extra connectivity but the same option to inject some classic SSL character – inspired by the SSL 4000 console – into your recordings. These specifications describe the resolution of your converted digital audio, and the general idea is that the higher the Sample Rate, the more details are captured. The Bit Depth determines the maximum dynamic range (difference between loudest and softest), and the Sampling Rate determines the highest frequencies that can be recorded. If you're feeling lazy (or you're a drummer) you can take advantage of the auto gain-setting feature which, as you may expect, automatically sets the optimum input level for each channel. This is great for a fast and dirty full band recording, or handy if you're playing drums while recording yourself.

One limitation is the mixer app, which may need a more user-friendly interface. The fact that phantom power is only controlled via the app is also a negative and increases your reliance on the high learning curve software. Keep in mind, to use it on macOS, we had to update the 16R firmware first — while the laptop was simultaneously connected to the internet. The unit also comes with a QMix-UC personal monitoring control for iPhone/iPad/android. Today, I’ll be highlighting three different audio interfaces at different price points that all have different strengths. All three are among the best in their price range, and all three are capable of high quality audio recordings.analog outputs give you access to a multitude of monitor or outboard processing sends. You can fiddle in detail with your routing using the included Focusrite Control app, which gives you access to all of Clarett's internal features. The updated connectivity options guarantee future-proofing for the unit - it will enjoy relevance for many years. Clarett is Focusrite’s premium USB range with three models and a decent bundle of software including Focusrite’s Red 2 and Red 3 plugins and Plugin Alliance’s bx_console Focusrite SC. Clarett+ focuses on improving audio performance rather than expanding that feature set.