What should I buy...

[smallweed]

Hi, I've got an iMac 27" and want to start home recording again. It's been a while - back in the day I recorded on a G4 using Pro Tools with a Digidesign external sound card into which I could plug analogue leads for microphones, guitar, keyboard + midi and old EMU sampler...
Could anyone recommend a good way forward with my new Mac? Ideally I'd like to continue using some of my analogue kit so an external card would be good (I don't necessarily want to move to nothing but USB mikes and leads). Up for learning new software too - Pro Tools is great but would I be better moving to Logic or some such?
Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[RHELF]

Hi,
As far as interfaces go, if you are looking at something on the lower end, but still very good, check out the Focusrite Scarlett range. The 2i2 is a great place to start, or the 2i4 which will give you MIDI connectivity and some extra RCA outputs. If you go up in the range, you will have same quality, just more I/O. If you are looking at higher end interfaces, check out the Universal Audio Apollo Twins or Rackmounts(the UAD plugins are amazing), Apogee duet, quartet, or ensemble, or RME babyface Pro. For software, I personally use Pro Tools and Logic. Both are great, although a lot of people are not fans of the new Pro Tools subscription model. Hopefully this helps you pointed in the right direction.

 

[smallweed]

Hi,
As far as interfaces go, if you are looking at something on the lower end, but still very good, check out the Focusrite Scarlett range. The 2i2 is a great place to start, or the 2i4 which will give you MIDI connectivity and some extra RCA outputs. If you go up in the range, you will have same quality, just more I/O. If you are looking at higher end interfaces, check out the Universal Audio Apollo Twins or Rackmounts(the UAD plugins are amazing), Apogee duet, quartet, or ensemble, or RME babyface Pro. For software, I personally use Pro Tools and Logic. Both are great, although a lot of people are not fans of the new Pro Tools subscription model. Hopefully this helps you pointed in the right direction.

Thanks very much for that - gave me a great start for my research and I ended up ordering the Focusrite Scarlett 2i4 so really looking forward to getting recording again soon.

 

[RHELF]

Thanks very much for that - gave me a great start for my research and I ended up ordering the Focusrite Scarlett 2i4 so really looking forward to getting recording again soon.

Awesome! Good luck!

 

[fastlanephil]

Hi, I've got an iMac 27" and want to start home recording again. It's been a while - back in the day I recorded on a G4 using Pro Tools with a Digidesign external sound card into which I could plug analogue leads for microphones, guitar, keyboard + midi and old EMU sampler...
Could anyone recommend a good way forward with my new Mac? Ideally I'd like to continue using some of my analogue kit so an external card would be good (I don't necessarily want to move to nothing but USB mikes and leads). Up for learning new software too - Pro Tools is great but would I be better moving to Logic or some such?
Thanks for any suggestions.

If you're mostly recording with mics then maybe you should stay with Pro Tools. If you want to start using samples in your recording I would check out Studio One. Maybe check out Studio One anyway. I believe they have a Pro demo. I like Logic but I do a lot of music creation using soft synths. I'm sure it works well for recording also but I do find myself sometimes exporting audio tracks for editing to another DAW out of frustration.