audio interface suggestions?

[Toni Mason]

I'm looking for some advice for a new audio interface. My previous set-up included a m-Audio Delta 4x4 breakout box/PCI card as my audio interface (into a Mackie board, along with a dbx286a processor). With the recent untimely death of my computer, I have found that new computers have new PCI slots...none of which work with my old PCI card for the m-Audio breakout box. There seems to be very few PCI options out there as most are going the way of USB (yes, I hate change--I still have a box of reel-to-reel!!). My issue is I'm now on my 2nd USB device and HATE all the noise on both! First USB was a Mackie ProFX8 (to replace the m-Audio and my old Mackie board), now I'm on a Allen & Heath ZED10fx. Ideas anyone?? If it helps, the PCI slots I have on my new Win7-64bit are PCIx1 and PCIx16. Thanks!!!

 

[Emmett1057]

If the Zed is too noisy, something else is wrong. You need to examine the rest of your chain.

 

[Toni Mason]

Thanks Emmett. I had thought that perhaps what I was hearing could be computer noise...since that's the only other new element. But thought the USB interface seemed like a more likely suspect. Everything else (mic, processor) are the same. Any thoughts on how to determine if it's the computer?

 

[Emmett1057]

Turn everything all the way down on the Zed. Everything. Record silence. You should see somewhere below -75 on your meters. If it's any higher than that, something is definitely wrong. Could be a defective board, something wrong with the USB or a power problem. If it does record silence, as expected, you'll want to find the source of the noise by raising and lowering controls one at a time.

 

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

Toni: I am using a USB audio interface that is relatively new to me. I just ran the test that Emmett described. My noise level is bouncing the meter around between -90 and -88.

I use Adobe Audition for software. I don't know how accurate the feature is that "graphs out" the frequency response but the noise that is being measured seems to be down in the area of 30 hertz and below. On my recordings I usually use a "brickwall" filter and take out everything below 65 to 70 hertz. So in the audible area... things that someone with good ears might be able to hear... my noise level is -130. I think I can live with that. ;D

So I conclude that maybe USB is indeed a viable vehicle for moving sound around.

• [My audio chain is the PreSonus Audiobox 22VSL. It may not be as good as the best, but it is a lot better than what some are using, and what I was using.]
  

I have another thread going in this forum about "confetti like noise". Some of that I have isolated and identified as a problem with my mouth. Buried in some of my sibilants is a collection of little spikes that look like a fish skeleton when you expand the waveform on the screen. These became visible when I used the sibilant-reduction feature on some "S"es that were on the edge of a whistle sound. When the 'frying hiss' of the S'es is removed.... there is the spikey little fish skeleton!

 

[PirateJohnny]

...

I have another thread going in this forum about "confetti like noise". Some of that I have isolated and identified as a problem with my mouth. Buried in some of my sibilants is a collection of little spikes that look like a fish skeleton when you expand the waveform on the screen. These became visible when I used the sibilant-reduction feature on some "S"es that were on the edge of a whistle sound. When the 'frying hiss' of the S'es is removed.... there is the spikey little fish skeleton!

I was responding in that thread and was about to mention this, because it happens to me, too.