Old 12-29-2018, 04:12 AM   #1
HubertPolonski
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Default Highly portable audio interface w/o input

Hello everyone,

I'm interested in making a highly portable setup, so that I can produce music anywhere, be it a library or wherever. I've been looking into a couple of very light weight MIDI controllers, with few keys and knobs, etc.

But I'll also be needing an audio interface, that doesn't weight too much and doesn't take up too much space. But I feel like it'd be a waste of money, to invest in something that has input ports for mic, MIDI or whatever --- as I'm ONLY gonna be recording midi input, and that will go through USB directly into the laptop.

So, can anyone recommend a light weight audio interface, that doesn't take up too much space, without any input capabilities, and whose main purpose it is to handle the playback (and make a good latency between MIDI and computer? not sure how that works completely yet. If the midi controller depends on the audio interface for latency or not.) It's really not that it can't have input capabilities, but just that if I could get something even more portable, by ditching those, that would be fine. Oh, and it should still have a phone jack output

To summarize:
- lightweight
- compact
- used only for MIDI USB recording (directly through laptop) and playback of project.

Thanks!!

Last edited by HubertPolonski; 12-29-2018 at 04:36 AM.
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Old 12-29-2018, 07:06 AM   #2
domzy
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if you don't need input and it's just for portble work, why not use the onboard audio? seems silly to get an interface unless you have a specific reason for one. Do you need a particular output combination or something?
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Old 12-29-2018, 07:37 AM   #3
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Originally Posted by HubertPolonski View Post
as I'm ONLY gonna be recording midi input, and that will go through USB directly into the laptop.
If you don't already have the MIDI>USB input, just get something like this and use the onboard soundcard:

https://www.amazon.com/M-Audio-UNO/dp/B00007JRBM/

But if the keyboard (midi device) is already USB you don't even need that, just plug it in and enable in Reaper.
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Old 12-29-2018, 10:24 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HubertPolonski View Post
But I'll also be needing an audio interface, that doesn't weight too much and doesn't take up too much space. But I feel like it'd be a waste of money, to invest in something that has input ports for mic, MIDI or whatever --- as I'm ONLY gonna be recording midi input, and that will go through USB directly into the laptop.
If all you're doing is MIDI inputs, then you don't need an audio interface. You need a MIDI interface.

This one is eight bucks.

https://www.amazon.com/Amosic-Proces...nterface&psc=1
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Old 01-05-2019, 12:12 PM   #5
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Originally Posted by karbomusic View Post

But if the keyboard (midi device) is already USB you don't even need that, just plug it in and enable in Reaper.
Yes, since you'll be getting a new, portable keyboard controller as well (as opposed to using an old one that's been lying around) there's practically no way it will not have midi out in the form of a USB port, which goes directly to the laptop and is recognized as a midi device. And often there's both USB out and midi out, which is really only for those who already have a midi interface that it would go into. Otherwise I'd say nearly any new small controller you will see will have a USB port, negating the need for anything else besides the laptop and software.
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Old 01-08-2019, 12:53 PM   #6
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A few questions:

1. Do you need ONLY MIDI, or do you want to connect a microphone as well? I ask because a lot of people start by saying they want only MIDI then their needs change and they want to record with a microphone too (so a minimum of two ports).

2. Do you want the unit to have its own power (i.e. battery powered) or just use USB?

3. Do you ever intend to connect it to an iPad/iPhone? I know it's not a full-fledged production center, but an iPhone with Garageband can be surprisingly competent for jamming out tunes quickly. I use it all the time when I have an idea and I don't have access to my laptop.

If you need only MIDI, Korg PlugKey is a great option. It's tiny and from what I've seen, has the same kind of latency as a Focusrite Scarlett Solo.

If you want something for use on the go with your iPhone/iPad, check out iRig Pro DUO. It's on the expensive side but you get two inputs.

If you're willing to stretch your portability a bit, I'd suggest getting a full-fledged audio interface with a small form factor, like the Audient iD4. This will at least ensure that you get great performance. Might be difficult to carry around but at just over 1.2lbs, it's not a huge burden.
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Old 03-26-2019, 09:09 AM   #7
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I know this is an old topic, but I can recommend the cheapest interface on amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/BEHRINGER-Aud...gateway&sr=8-3

I've used it for more than a year (with ASIO4all) and have no complaints except that it's only 16 bit. If you did decide you also wanted a really cheap interface with just a few inputs, it's great, and I love how the large knobs are on the top. I like that design better than any other interface.

I don't think it was mentioned, but if you use your onboard sound, you'll probably need a driver for low latency (I like ASIO4all.)

Last edited by Quambo; 03-26-2019 at 09:16 AM.
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Old 03-26-2019, 11:53 AM   #8
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It should also be repeated often that ASIO4All is purely a last resort solution (e.g when you have no audio interface or absolutely must combine the I/O of multiple interfaces).

Some have good results with it, but most have problems. Not recommended.
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Old 03-27-2019, 07:30 AM   #9
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It should also be repeated often that ASIO4All is purely a last resort solution (e.g when you have no audio interface or absolutely must combine the I/O of multiple interfaces).

Some have good results with it, but most have problems. Not recommended.
Someone please tell me what the big fear about ASIO4ALL is. What problems does it actually cause? I haven't run into any.

And how exactly would you deal with latency without it and while running onboard laptop sound, as everyone is telling OP to do?
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Old 03-27-2019, 07:50 AM   #10
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i don't think there is an inherent problem with asio4all, it's just that a lot of people who use it and post on forums with problems don't understand it or know how to set it up correctly. I think this results in frustration & sometimes a little bit of snobbery from more experienced users that see these posts.
It was certainly a valuable tool for budget-conscious recordists in the XP days, but since win 7 the WASAPI drivers have been pretty good for low latency, if set up correctly.
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Old 03-27-2019, 10:59 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Quambo View Post
Someone please tell me what the big fear about ASIO4ALL is. What problems does it actually cause? I haven't run into any.
There are only countless threads documenting the issues. For whatever reason it's still almost a daily occurrence to find new users complaining of clicks and pops and too much latency etc etc because for whatever reason they've ditched the manufacturer drivers and use ASIO4All. Can anyone explain that?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Quambo View Post
And how exactly would you deal with latency without it and while running onboard laptop sound, as everyone is telling OP to do?
WASAPI, or a dedicated interface. ASIO4All a hack and workaround and should be the last option. If there is no other option and OP doesn't need inputs then go for it. It's not going to hurt to try it and if there are problems, the cause will be obvious.
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