Music Interface for Mac?

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 26 Mar 2004 10:45 am

I recently got a Mac Powerbook G4, and I'm looking for a music interface device for it. As I see it, the device should have:

1) Midi In/Out
2) SP/DIF coax digital In/Out
3) SP/DIF optical In/Out
4) guitar/mic input(s)
5) connect to Mac via USB or FireWire
6) support for Mac OS X
7) small enough to throw into my laptop bag

Am I dreaming? What are my options?

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<img align=right src="http://b0b.com/Hotb0b.gif" width="96 height="96">Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs, Open Hearts
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (Emaj9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (C6add9),
Sierra Laptop 8 (E6add9), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6),
Roland Handsonic, Line 6 Variax[This message was edited by Bobby Lee on 26 March 2004 at 02:12 PM.]

Karlis Abolins · Post by **Karlis Abolins** » 26 Mar 2004 1:02 pm

B0B, You can get a very small unit if you leave out the midi option. When you add midi, you are forced up to the next size level. Edirol and M-Audio both make excellent equipment. This Edirol unit http://www.musiciansfriend.com/.../detail/base_pid/705348/ has everything you are looking for. This M-Audio unit http://www.musiciansfriend.com/.../detail/base_pid/701386/ is very similar.

Karlis[This message was edited by b0b on 26 March 2004 at 02:01 PM.]

Kiyoshi Osawa · Post by **Kiyoshi Osawa** » 26 Mar 2004 1:14 pm

Have you seen the OZONE by M-audio? this is a nice little package in a small 2 octave keyboard, includes 2 input 24 bit audio interface. Its it makes a real nice partner for any notebook computer. No cables except USB! a battery powered porta studio. No spdif inputs though... Its a great companion for REASON or cubase or other programs of that type.

other options... hmmm. have you seen the MOTU 828. Thats a sweet one. its firewire, not USB, which is a faster port, and it has lots of ins and outs, and SPDIF as well. AND ADAT to boot. ahh. im drooling already. I dont think you can power it from your computer though, if what you want is to record yourself jamming in the park or something

hope it helps...

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Kiyoshi
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Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 26 Mar 2004 2:10 pm

I really do need SP/DIF inputs. I want to run digital audio from my Genesis 3 or my Roland VS-1880 into the computer.

Brad Sarno · Post by **Brad Sarno** » 26 Mar 2004 2:33 pm

The MOTU 828mkII is hard to beat. Pro quality, extremely stable and friendly, talks to just about any software with ease. Best bang for the buck. Check out www.motu.com. I think that's what Pat Metheny is using now. I love the MOTU stuff. Mac and MOTU are the way to go for audio and especially midi.

Brad Sarno

Bill Llewellyn · Post by **Bill Llewellyn** » 26 Mar 2004 4:47 pm

I can't argue with the MOTU stuff.

I personally have the Firewire 410 from M-Audio http://www.m-audio.com that fit's all of b0b's requirements and costs a bit less.

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Bill, steelin' since '99 | Steel page | My music | Steelers' birthdays | Over 50?

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 26 Mar 2004 5:57 pm

Maybe I need to scale back my requirements to meet my budget!

Bill Llewellyn · Post by **Bill Llewellyn** » 26 Mar 2004 8:57 pm

What's your budget (if I may ask)...?

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 26 Mar 2004 9:45 pm

I'm hoping to find something small enough to carry in the laptop case, for under $200.

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<img align=right src="http://b0b.com/Hotb0b.gif" width="96 height="96">Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs, Open Hearts
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (Emaj9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (C6add9),
Sierra Laptop 8 (E6add9), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6),
Roland Handsonic, Line 6 Variax

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 27 Mar 2004 10:09 am

I saw some "pigtail" type devices at the Edirol web site. Since I really don't need to use S/Pdif and MIDI at the same time, I can get two separate little pigtails, one for MIDI and one for digital audio. After that, all I need is a way to run guitar/mic audio input. That might just be an adapter for an existing mic jack on the laptop (I think it has one).

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<img align=right src="http://b0b.com/Hotb0b.gif" width="96 height="96">Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs, Open Hearts
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (Emaj9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (C6add9),
Sierra Laptop 8 (E6add9), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6),
Roland Handsonic, Line 6 Variax[This message was edited by Bobby Lee on 27 March 2004 at 10:13 AM.]

Joey Ace · Post by **Joey Ace** » 27 Mar 2004 11:18 am

You have a Line In, right next to the headphone jack, between the Power In and the PCMCIA slot.
(there's also a telephone and USB input between those)

Be sure to select it in the mixer via
Upper Left Apple Icon >System Preferences > Sound > Select Input[This message was edited by Joey Ace on 27 March 2004 at 04:33 PM.]

Bill Llewellyn · Post by **Bill Llewellyn** » 27 Mar 2004 2:58 pm

b0b,

I had the M-Audio "MobilePre" for a spell. It worked fine, but I upgraded to the Firewire 410 to get S/PDIF. Here's the MobilPre for $149:

http://www.zzounds.com/item--MDOMOBILEPRE

Here's a whole page of audio interfaces (and some other gizmoids):

http://www.zzounds.com/cat--USB-Audio-Interfaces--2424

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Bill, steelin' since '99 | Steel page | My music | Steelers' birthdays | Over 50?

[This message was edited by Bill Llewellyn on 27 March 2004 at 02:59 PM.]

Bob Hoffnar · Post by **Bob Hoffnar** » 28 Mar 2004 8:46 am

Bob,
With OSX I find that I don't need to use a midi interface to do what I need to do with an external keyboard anymore. USB into a softsynth does the trick. There are even external samplers and synths that use USB and the internal OSX midi-be-gone feature. Its feels good to toss all those midi cables and routing/interface boxes into the garbage.

I also think that the MOTU stuff is worth the money. Very complete and well thought out.

Bob

Bill Llewellyn · Post by **Bill Llewellyn** » 29 Mar 2004 7:55 am

A lot of these USB audio interfaces come with at least one MIDI out and one MIDI in by default. I guess enough folks have at least one MIDI box they want to retain as they move to digital recording. I already had MOTU's MidiExpressXT MIDI interface (8-in, 8-out), so the pair of MIDI I/Os on the Firewire410 were kind of unnecessary in my case.

The FW410 seems to be doing the job for me ($400), but I have to admit MOTU hardware is very good stuff (I have their digital recording software, btw).

Bill Carpenter · Post by **Bill Carpenter** » 29 Mar 2004 9:35 am

If you want pro quality recording and editing capability check out Protools Digidesign MBox. Digidesign's Protools is awsome and most pro studios use it so you could lay down tracks and then take it the studio for additional tracks, mixing, mastering etc.

Brad Sarno · Post by **Brad Sarno** » 29 Mar 2004 2:52 pm

The M-Audio stuff is pretty nice and their Audiophile USB interface is pretty affordable. You could have two devices. One audio interface for well under $150 and then a midi interface for about $50. That may do the trick. If you have two USB ports, you may be able to have them both operating at the same time.

Brad Sarno

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 29 Mar 2004 11:02 pm

I mainly want the MIDI ports to interface the EMagic software to my Roland VS-1880 recorder. Also, now and then I like to talk to my antique U-110 sound module - it sounds like no other synth, and has 6 independent audio outputs.

I look to me like those little pigtail units are the way to go. I don't plan to use the Mac for multi-track recording - I have the VS-1880 for that. I just want to use the Mac to capture my mixes, burn CDs, and maybe output synth sounds to the VS.

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<img align=right src="http://b0b.com/Hotb0b.gif" width="96 height="96">Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs, Open Hearts
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (Emaj9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (C6add9),
Sierra Laptop 8 (E6add9), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6),
Roland Handsonic, Line 6 Variax

Chris Schlotzhauer · Post by **Chris Schlotzhauer** » 30 Mar 2004 8:04 am

Bob, can't you export your .wav files to CD from your VS, then to your i book? I have the 2480. I wish they would upgrade to USB or Firewire.

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 31 Mar 2004 8:13 pm

I don't have a CD drive for my VS-1880 yet. It's on the list...