Help me pick an audio interface

Hello guys!

I've been DJing for a while now, and I'm ready to get into producing. I've messed around with ableton live lite, and I like ableton so I'm keen to go that route.

I'm going to be purchasing soon an APC40 + MPK25 to use with Ableton Live 8 suite.

I've already got a set of KRK 6's , but once i get all my goodies I'll also need a soundcard to connect my KRKs to my macbook pro.

My dilemma is that I'm stuck between getting an M-audio fast track pro, and a NI Audio 2. I've heard NI are giving away free TSP2 with their hardware so as I'm selling my S4, I'm keen to have a Traktor license, just in case i ever wanted to use Traktor.

Which would you recommended the M-audio or the audio 2 ? I know the Audio 2 doesn't have any balanced outputs ? does the M audio ?

any other recommendations ?

http://www.core-sound.com/FastTrackP...front-rear.jpg

http://lh4.googleusercontent.com/pub...qmsqHAEoerOkD8

If you want to dabble in production, can't go to wrong with the Saffire 6.

so no one would say go with the Audio 2 then ? damn might have to buy one anyway to keep a tp2 license

nice ill look into the saffire too! found a local deal for £80 m audio might get that

It's really meant to be a portable interface for DJ's. That's why it lacks the features you want vs. a production specific interface. It's nice that it comes with a 'free' pro 2 license, but it will limit you within Ableton if you ever want to hook up instruments, or mics.

There are a lot of perfectly good budget sound cards. No reason to buy m-audio's crap (I've had really bad luck with their cards). Focusrite, Avid, Echo, NI, and Presonus all make decent budget cards…Motu, RME, Apogee, and like a billion other people make slightly better ones.

Really good ones can get expensive.

Motu would be the best compromise I'd say. I'd ditch the APC40 and MPK for the time being and invest that money in the soundcard as that should be your first priority along with the speakers (would trade the KRK's for some Yamahas myself but that's just me).

Whereas I think the audio interface is largely irrelevant, especially for a beginner, unless you're also going to be recording hardware or anything off a microphone.

A $150 sound card, if it has the ins and outs you need, will not sound different from a $5000 sound card unless you spend a lot of money on speakers and acoustic treatments. Recording is a separate issue, and you owe it to yourself to get something decent, but there's a lot of decent running around.

Does a free version of traktor pro come with all NI sound cards ? I could get an audio 4 or 6 , and keep a tp2 lisence and have a decent interface ?

Yes. But they're not what you want for production. They don't have hardware gain controls on the inputs, and they don't have any balanced outs…which matters less than most people think it does, but is something that will probably bother you.