Quick interface solution question?

Bertotti · Post by **Bertotti** » Sun Jan 31, 2016 8:39 pm

Just looking for thoughts. I have been trying to hold out for a Behringer x32 not the full sized monster but the producer or possible compact but I am missing having an interface. I have seen the iconnectivity audio4+ and the price is decent so I am drawn to cut wait wait and go for this portable device. I am thinking when traveling even if Ingot the x32 version at some point this would still be handy and now with a few analog items and midi piece the functionality would come in handy. I don't think it would be to redundant and it might even fulfill my home needs for several more years. What opinions do you all have on this device? It does audio and midi and I know some of you are happy with iconnect midi devices. Have you had continued good use from them? Good customer service and tech support? Thanks!

SanderXpander · Post by **SanderXpander** » Sun Jan 31, 2016 11:33 pm

I usually check reviews and forums for stuff like that. It seems like a handy enough device but I have no experience with it. Depends on your needs I suppose, it's obviously a VERY different animal than any version of the X32.

Do you need direct monitoring? I don't see if it has it, probably does, but no mention of any FX. What are the latency figures? Will you be using it for serious acoustic recordings? In that case preamps and AD conversion quality is important. Does it need an external PSU? If you plan on bringing it that'd be a killjoy.

Bertotti · Post by **Bertotti** » Mon Feb 01, 2016 6:23 am

Thanks SanderXpander for giving me a bit o focus. I just need something quick and dirty for capturing audio not to many inputs so it has enough, a PSU doesn't bother me and I still have my Yamah mixer if needed. X32 is more of a luxury which is why I don't have one now, no room for luxury currently. But a simple portable audio interface and the midi would just be extra. I am not sure I want USB with my mac thunderbolt would be nice but then I wouldn't have midi capabilities this has then again the smaller connect midi and a better audio interface may be a better choice. PSU doesn't bother me, bus powered is nice but I have no aversion to power cords or walwarts. Thanks again I will dig deeper and research a bit more. What do you use for a portable audio interface? Again portable for me coulee be a unit as big as a couple laptops stacked up. I carry a lot of tools and items so a few more doesn't bother me to much.

SanderXpander · Post by **SanderXpander** » Mon Feb 01, 2016 9:20 am

I don't think you need to worry about Thunderbolt, as of yet there is only a handful of devices that support it and for low (sub 32) channel counts there isn't really much of a benefit.

I have an RME Fireface UCX which is a great unit but also a lot more expensive. But I'll give you an example of my considerations, more or less in order/
1. Rock-solid driver stability and support
2. Top quality AD/DA and clock
3. A really flexible direct monitoring/mixing app including reverb and dynamics running in the unit itself, at 0% CPU load. This is important to me because I record a lot of vocals and want to be able to give the performers a zero latency mix with reverb and a little compression.
4. Stable at very low latencies for playing softsynths.
5. 2 good quality mic preamps (I have a high quality analog unit and almost exclusively record vocals or guitar through that, so it's less important).
6. iOS class compliant mode, its mixing app also runs on my iPad so I can use it as a full 18 in 18 out mixer.
7. 8 analog ins/outs standard, expandable with 8/8 over ADAT and 2/2 over S/PDIF.

The last three points are almost incidental for me, I realised after purchasing that I could use it as a mixer for this new trio I'm starting, all I need is an ADAT enabled preamp.

SanderXpander · Post by **SanderXpander** » Mon Feb 01, 2016 2:58 pm

By the way I got all this info from fellow musicians (brand reliability etc), the RME forum (looking for common problems) and reviews (for features and general experiences).

Bertotti · Post by **Bertotti** » Tue Feb 02, 2016 2:28 am

Thank you sir!

Bertotti · Post by **Bertotti** » Tue Feb 02, 2016 6:29 pm

Well there a certainly some device with better specs but none seem to incorporate audio and midi like this. I think for what I am doing, mostly just recording practices to learn from this will work fine. I am not good enough to take advantage of a better unit and with my little ten channel mixer I should have all the capabilities I need. Thanks for the help!

SanderXpander · Post by **SanderXpander** » Tue Feb 02, 2016 7:12 pm

It definitely looks handy! Let us know how it works out for you!

Bertotti · Post by **Bertotti** » Fri Jun 03, 2016 11:05 pm

Well I still have no interface. Frankly I get to looking get lost in specs and functions, get fed up and just gave up. Now I am back again. I am going to instead ask a wwyd (what would you do)?

I have the Kornos, Karp, Minitaur, Roli Rise, some iPad/phone apps I would like be able to record. I am looking for a way to use everything through Logic Pro X.

I do not have the latest Kronos update and have to tried it in logic since a couple updates ago. Minitaur works well with USB to the mac book pro into logic but I have to have head phones on, no audio interface to get audio in, and the Karp I have only tried standalone. Rise works great with the Minitaur and logic.

I am fine using Logic to route but I do not have the drives to do the physical connections other then usb.

The Claret 4pre is looking nice to me for audio and the new 2nd gen of scarlets look nice as well.

I am no pro, I am learning and I do not play in a band. I have no other vices then building/woodworking and trying to learn music.

Budget under a grand in my situation would either of these items the clarett or scarlett be a good choice? I do like the idea of thunderbolt but I understand the usb audio of the scarlett would more then suffice me as well. I would rather have more available inputs and outputs then needed rather then grow out of a device in the future. I lean towards the thunderbolt because it would leave my USB ports open for other uses, but there are powered hubs.

Bertotti · Post by **Bertotti** » Sun Jul 10, 2016 6:30 pm

Ok I have delayed any midi routing device and have pretty much made up my mind to go for the antelope audio zen tour. I have no experience with Antelope audio products but they seem to be of good quality with good reliability. Any one have any negatives about them I should consider? Thanks!

Bertotti · Post by **Bertotti** » Tue Jul 12, 2016 2:05 am

Thanks to everyone who has helped here, just to close this out I went with the Antelope Audio Zen Tour. Thanks again, it was a much more tedious search then I ever would have imagined it would be.

Bertotti · Post by **Bertotti** » Sat Jul 16, 2016 5:33 pm

Got it Thursday opened the box but it had a loose screw rolling around so I didn't power it on. Sweetwater overnighted me a new one and I returned it on their call tag, thank you Sweetwater Jason Thiele. Fedex was here bright and early, nice packaging, very simple set up, you have to log in to Antelope Audio and create an account to activate it the first time but that was painless and it did a firmware update at the same time! All connected and set up was just a short amount of time. Guitar in, headphones out sounds great! Love this interface! 30 minutes isn't enough to learn it all but I have very very little experience with interfaces, you all, with the experience could be up and running in under ten minutes with no issues. I am most certain of that! Marcel already emailed me unprompted to welcome me to the Zen Tour and give some advice, I replied and he actually replied right away with some answers to a few questions I had. I have never had customer service like that on a Saturday! Thanks everyone!