<$100 USB Interface

soundlight

Well-Known Member
Pretty straightforward. I'm looking for a decent audio interface under $100. My requirements are simple: a TRS line input, and a combo mic/line input, so I can either run stereo line or a mic and a line in to my computer. Don't need phantom power for the mic. I'd like to be able to run my keyboard (non-midi) and a microphone in to my computer for recording, so it also needs some basic recording/editing software (everything comes with software these days!) I do have a laptop, so this can't be an internal soundcard. It can be a PCMCIA interface, even though I'd like to go with USB 2.0. My computer is running WINXP Pro with SP2, for OS requirements.

I do have a unit in mind, but I want to see what people have to say before getting a bunch of "yeah, just go with that" posts.

I will not purchase from eBay, this must be from a reputable online retailer. I'll probably be ordering it within the next two weeks.

Any recommendations?
 
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Re: >$100 USB Interface

I would look at anything made by m audio or prosonus. Both make what you are looking for. I would not really even consider the software they come with, its usually some crappy version of cubase. Download audacity, its open-source and has some great plug ins. If your a mac person, and I dont think you are, garage band will do mostly of what you want. Neither are audition or pro-tools, but they work very well. You might also want to search around for a Mbox version 1, you might be able to get one for a few hundred bux and then you will have a great little pro-tools system. Also, echo makes some great products, might be able to pick up something decent on ebay. Really for a hundred bux, your not going to get anything that will sound that spectacular.
 
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You could try this, http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Behringer-UCONTROL-UCA202-USBAudio-Interface?sku=702540

It is $30, but it only has stereo rca in/out and a digital out (for your monitors), I'm not sure how good it would work for recording, but I use it to run sound cues from my laptop.

You could also get a cheap(small) Mixer like this one http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Behringer-Eurorack-UB502-5Channel-Compact-Mixer?sku=631239
That would give you the mic preamp/input and 4 other (2 in stereo) inputs

Then theres also this http://www.musiciansfriend.com/prod...-USB-Computer-Recording-Interface?sku=703606V
which a friend of mine has, and it works pretty good for the price, seems like it would fit your needs.

Also untill you can get Pro-Tools you can do alot with the free program audacity, http://audacity.sourceforge.net/
 
Please do not recommend blatant knock offs of decent products, this is the real product:
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/UA1EX/

I'm sorry, I was not aware of that Edirol product, I bought the behringer because it was cheap and looked like it would serve my purpose, which it did, I also tried recording with it last light, and its not that bad, not as good as an M-audio firewire box that I've used, but for about a fifth of the cost, it preforms very well.
 

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