Alternative to audio 8? 4 deck external mixing!
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 12
  1. #1
    Tech Mentor Jo3's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    NW UK
    Posts
    457

    Default Alternative to audio 8? 4 deck external mixing!

    Does anybody know of any alternatives to an audio 8. I really want to start mixing 4 decks when I get my new laptop in a couple of weeks. I was going to buy an Audio 8 until I read a few posts saying they sound cold in comparison to the Xone 4D for example.

    I currently have an Audio 4 and I must admit I don't think the quality is bad but at the same time it doesn't sound as clean and warm as my friends set up on his 1210 mk5 G's with a Vestax mixer (not timecode). Im not sure if this is to do with me mixing internally on Traktor and I am just noticing the difference between analogue and digital.

    I just don't know whether to spend £320 on an Audio 8 if there is a sound card that sounds better. If in time I was to buy an Xone 42 or 92 I wouldn't want to spend loads on a mixer if it will only ever sound as good as the audio interface. Any opinions or ideas?

    Cheers!
    MBPro - UC-33e - Audio 10 - TSP2 - Xone 22 - 1210's - Mackie MR5's

  2. #2
    Tech Mentor DJPhaidon's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Reno, NV
    Posts
    482

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Jo3 View Post
    I was going to buy an Audio 8 until I read a few posts saying they sound cold in comparison to the Xone 4D for example.

    I currently have an Audio 4 and I must admit I don't think the quality is bad but at the same time it doesn't sound as clean and warm as my friends set up on his 1210 mk5 G's with a Vestax mixer (not timecode). Im not sure if this is to do with me mixing internally on Traktor and I am just noticing the difference between analogue and digital.
    IMO because of analogue vs. digital. It should sound clean, just usually stale in comparison to analogue. Traktor also lacks sound coloring options found in other DAW's, but this can be compensated for.

    M-audio Firewire 410, now the Firewire 610, is pretty decent. Never done me wrong.

    13" MacBook Pro 2.7 i7 w/dual Raid0 OWC SSDs - S4 - Ableton Live 8- Lemur- iPad 2

  3. #3
    Retired DJTT Moderator DvlsAdvct's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    New Jersey/NYC
    Posts
    4,854

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by DJPhaidon View Post
    Traktor also lacks sound coloring options found in other DAW's, but this can be compensated for.
    Traktor isn't a DAW software, it's DJ software, first.

    Second, I haven't found my Audio8 to be cold at all. At that, if you think that the Audio4 is cold, but you'll be mixing externally, then would it really matter? The color will be added by the mixer you plug it into.
    It's the FAQ. Read it.

    My Mixes, Mashups and Rants

    Divided we stand
    United we fall

  4. #4
    Tech Wizard Lucid's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Seattle
    Posts
    22

    Default

    I think the mixer will play a bigger roll as well. My Audio 8 sounds nice and warm through my analog Ecler Nuo4.
    www.TheLucidLounge.com
    TSP 1.1.2 || Tech 1200's || Ecler Nou4 || Ableton Live 7

  5. #5
    Tech Mentor Jo3's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    NW UK
    Posts
    457

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by DvlsAdvct View Post
    Traktor isn't a DAW software, it's DJ software, first.

    Second, I haven't found my Audio8 to be cold at all. At that, if you think that the Audio4 is cold, but you'll be mixing externally, then would it really matter? The color will be added by the mixer you plug it into.
    Thanks for the info man! Im completely clueless as iv never mixed externally on a computer

    Quote Originally Posted by Lucid View Post
    I think the mixer will play a bigger roll as well. My Audio 8 sounds nice and warm through my analog Ecler Nuo4.
    Its looking like the audio 8 is still a good choice then. cheers!
    MBPro - UC-33e - Audio 10 - TSP2 - Xone 22 - 1210's - Mackie MR5's

  6. #6
    Retired DJTT Moderator DvlsAdvct's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    New Jersey/NYC
    Posts
    4,854

    Default

    Just like mixing without the computer, except instead of decks you got controllers
    It's the FAQ. Read it.

    My Mixes, Mashups and Rants

    Divided we stand
    United we fall

  7. #7
    Tech Convert spaz563's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    QCA USA
    Posts
    13

    Default

    Ok, I am in the same boat and I don't really like the audio series from NI. I think the support is horrible as in drivers. I hate my audio4. Crackles, pops and audio drop as I call it. Compared to my friends motu, its shite. And before you say its setup improperly... I'm an IT by day and superhero by night. I feel they just don't work with PC as well.

    I want to find a new audio card to start my 4 deck mixing. I have been doing 2 channel for years and I want to expand. I am looking at the motu ultralite mk3. The kicker is I also produce and I like doing external mixing. Just my thing. I like recording bands and shit too.

    So I need at least an audio card with the ability to output to 4 or 8 channels. I would keep my audio 4 for phono if I can't find one with phono. Any ideas?

  8. #8
    Tech Mentor TreTuna's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Lake Tahoe
    Posts
    280

    Default

    Just a note, if you do any timecode work, you are going to need an NI soundcard anyway... And as it's been said already, when you're mixing externally it's going to be your mixer that's going to color it more then any interface will. Digital interfaces are just that, digital, very sterile and uncolored. Unless you're looking to invest $1k+ into some crazy nice interface with 8 outputs, then just grab the Audio8, mine's done me great in stability and sound for the past 5 years with my Vestax PMC-08.
    Tre Tuna
    DJ and Recording and Mixing engineer for live and studio sound
    Traktor Pro 2.7.1 | MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo 2.5ghz 4gigs ram
    Stanton STR8-150s | Ortofon Q-Bert Carts
    NI Z2, F1, Machine MK I, RigKontrol 3 | Dicers | PadKontrol

  9. #9
    RGAS Guru Xonetacular's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    South Florida
    Posts
    4,088

    Default

    this is quite the thread revival


  10. #10
    Tech Guru Gryz's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Pennsylvania
    Posts
    690

    Default

    Couldn't you stack two Audio2s since T2 now supports multiple channels routed together? A lot cheaper than an A8...

    Edit: didn't see the original date of this until now, but should still help others.
    CDJ400s, Ecler Nuo, XD 53
    KRK RP8sFG


Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •