Please help me chose a new audio interface.

Hi

I need help deciding on an audio interface. I have £200 to spend.

Im looking at the:
Saffire Pro 24 firewire.
Traktor A6 (not really wanting to pay extra for timecode vinyl/cds that ill never use)
Komplete Audio 6

Im also open to suggestions (as long as I can buy it in the UK)

I require 2 Decks + 1 remix deck to be connected to my mixer. So 3 stereo pairs.
At least one input so I can use Traktors Mix/Loop Recorder functions.
I would also like to be able to record from Mics/Guitars into Ableton.
Firewire would be nice as it would free up a usb port.

Im leaning towards the Saffire but im confused about the connections. It has 6 outputs that can aparently accept balanced or unbalanced cables. I think would allow me to connect to either a dj mixer or active monitors just by using the relevant cable.

Please help. I need to spend this money before my wife finds out I have it and makes me spend it scatter pillows or some shite. ;)

if you need mic and guitar inputs then you cant go wrong wrong with the saffire or the komplete audio but id go with the saffire as to my knowledge the preamps are much better, i personally have 2 interfaces 1 for djaying and 1 for recording which is my profire which i love

PS the down side of the saffire is that the inputs are purely trs or xlr not rca so the deck input might be low (i found this using a deck into my profire inputs)

Thanks I'm pretty much decided on the saffire now. Found this on a spec sheet.

Quote:

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Analogue Channel Inputs (Inputs 1-4)
• 2 x XLR Mic/Line Neutrik Combi-Jacks (Inputs 1-2)
• 2 x XLR Instrument Neutrik Combi-Jacks (Instrument on inputs 1 and 2 only)

Automatic switch of Mic / Line (inserting a jack switches from Mic to either Line or Instrument (instrument selected via the software control panel)

Line inputs 3-4 have low and high gain settings can be controlled from the Saffire MixControl software (low gain being the default)

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Im hopeing that the option to set inputs 3-4 to low or high will avoid the low recording volume issue. Can anyone confirm?

if using decks an instrument level preamp will not give great phono result im finding this with my profire using the high gain inputs and still getting very low input signal

simple solution tho for your decks use one of these between deck and saffire

http://www.amazon.co.uk/SOUNDLAB-PRE...1512660&sr=8-1

to boost the signal to a line/instrument level

The pre's in the saffire line are amazing FWIW.

don't buy firewire, it is a dying interface standard
saffire soundcards do have excellent preamps and incredible amount of gain (compared to other USB bus powered soundcards)
komplete 6 does not have 6 analogue outputs (5/6 are SPDIF)
XLR/TRS connection has no effect on signal gain, input resistance and preamp gain, however, do
NI A6DJ does not have Mic/Inst preamps (minor downside IMHO)
why dont you go with a second-hand A8DJ, it has loads of IO and one Mic preamp

Audio 6. Dont leave home without it.