• Registered: 2009-03-09
  • Posts: 12

Topic: 2 in 2 out Convertor/Interface

Do you think RME will ever make a good quality 2 channel balanced (mono) AD/DA interface (USB) that includes midi in/out and a headphone out?
I would think by now that most people already have preamps.
I would also guess that most amateur home recorders don't record more then two instruments at the same time (guitar/vocals-keyboard/vocals).

So why do companies keep putting out these 36 or more input/output channels that include a bunch of preamps?
I would prefer to put the money toward better quality channels (2-4) without all the unecessary extras.

  • Knut
  • Knut
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Re: 2 in 2 out Convertor/Interface

I would think by now that most people already have preamps. I would also guess that most amateur home recorders don't record more then two instruments at the same time (guitar/vocals-keyboard/vocals).

At least for the vocals they need the preamps. I doubt "amateur home recorders" have preamps of the Babyface quality.
The keyboard is usually a stereo device and could not play/record with guitar/vocals on only two channels at the same time.

I would prefer to put the money toward better quality channels (2-4) without all the unecessary extras.

There is the RME Babyface. But an universal interface for mobile and studio recordings - like the Babyface - is useless without preamps. There is no "better" quality and there are no unecessary extras. The great success of the Babyface shows that it provides exactly the feature mix that 2-channel users need and want - no less, but a little bit more.

An interface with 2 in + 4 out of this quality would be not really cheaper without MIDI or SPDIF/ADAT I/O. But it would be a lot more inflexible and this means not RME-like.

best regards
Knut

3 Reply by rapideye (edited by rapideye 2011-07-16 19:22:58)

  • Registered: 2009-03-09
  • Posts: 12

Re: 2 in 2 out Convertor/Interface

Thanks for the reply Knut!

"At least for the vocals they need the preamps. I doubt "amateur home recorders" have preamps of the Babyface quality.
The keyboard is usually a stereo device and could not play/record with guitar/vocals on only two channels at the same time."

-Well I'm an amateur home recorder and I have two preamps with as good or better quality then the Babyface (allot of people have bought into the 500 series models).
-I never meant that the keyboard would be played with guitar (I'd like to see that), I meant one or the other with vocals. But you do have a point with keyboards usually being stereo.

"There is the RME Babyface. But an universal interface for mobile and studio recordings - like the Babyface - is useless without preamps. There is no "better" quality and there are no unecessary extras. The great success of the Babyface shows that it provides exactly the feature mix that 2-channel users need and want - no less, but a little bit more."

-I would also guess that most amateur/hobbyist home studio recorders are not doing mobile recordings.

"An interface with 2 in + 4 out of this quality would be not really cheaper without MIDI or SPDIF/ADAT I/O. But it would be a lot more inflexible and this means not RME-like."

-I'm all for the inclusion of midi with either adat or aes (does anyone really use spdif anymore? I've never used it) for flexibility. But USB would be the main interface.
-What most don't need are the extra convertors and preamps...and they do cost more money if you want quality.

Also, I'm not a fan of breakout cables. I would also guess that if people had a choice, they would prefer not to have them.

  • Knut
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Re: 2 in 2 out Convertor/Interface

-What most don't need are the extra convertors and preamps...and they do cost more money if you want quality.

Sure. But this is not the RME thing. The Babyface and all other RME interfaces are for professional users with the need for mobile work on the best possible level. RME provides premium products for high demands, with unique quality and flexibility. Since years RME is the reference for the pro audio market and earned a high reputation. The best FireWire solution, the best USB interfaces. The most complete MADI solutions and great preamps and converters for a special range of customers. There are countless other companies for the hobby/amateur market which cost of course less, but this is not the RME philosophy. Maybe an interface without preamps and SPDIF could cost 100 Euro less but this would be not an RME interface. It's the same like with premium cars ...

Also, I'm not a fan of breakout cables. I would also guess that if people had a choice, they would prefer not to have them.

Agree. But a product like the Babyface or the HDSPe AIO is only possible with breakout cables. And there are of course RME rack solutions (Fireface series, Multiface, ADI-2).

best regards
Knut

  • Registered: 2009-03-09
  • Posts: 12

Re: 2 in 2 out Convertor/Interface

Fair enough, thanks Knut!

Dream build (USB) would be 2 balanced analog in, 4 balanced analog out.
AES out
Midi in/out
Headphone out