Had my heart set on a Clarett 4pre to use with Logic, but having second thoughts...

[Steve Ciccarelli]

So about a year or two ago I finally started taking home recording a little more seriously when my band broke up. I was using a Scarlet 2i2 since 2013 and knew I wanted to upgrade to something with external power, hopefully better preamps (and I want 4 instead of 2), MIDI I/O, and kind of whatever else.

Lately I'm not too sure if that's still the interface for me.

The Universal Audio stuff has been really intriguing to me for the plug-ins and how it seems it's a standard choice among musicians I follow, but no MIDI I/O. And will I use the plug-ins that much?

There's also the Steinberg stuff with the Neve preamps which caught my eye but still not totally sold.

So basically, can anyone help me either decide that my choice was not a bad one or inform me of some great alternatives?

I work in Logic, usually try to mic my guitar amp, use an eKit to trigger EZDrummer and then edit from there, and I'm usually recording heavy punk/indie/alt stuff.

ANY help at all would be worth its weight in gold, so thanks in advance!

[James Perrett]

If you stay in this game long enough, eventually you'll end up with an RME interface.

The cheapest way to get onto the RME bandwagon is probably to buy a Digiface USB and partner it with a Behringer ADA8200. As you move up you can replace the Behringer with something better but chances are you won't need to change the RME interface for many years.

If you use DIN style MIDI connections you'll need a separate MIDI interface but there is no problem with having different interfaces for MIDI.

[The Elf]

I'd go RME every time. Long time support commitment from them and the incredible TotalMix, without which I never want to work!

[Hugh Robjohns]

If you stay in this game long enough, eventually you'll end up with an RME interface.

Ain't that the truth!

[IAA]

As a logic user I’ve had a Clarett, and liked it a lot. I’ve settled on an Apogee Element. It has DSP so you can run their plugins within the interface if you wish plus for me it’s seamless with logic’s mixer allowing easy gain settings without faffing. I used to have an Apogee ensemble FireWire and whilst it was lovely, apogee discontinued support. This is where RME win out. They seem to support hardware much longer than some (most) other companies. Anyway it’s another option for you.

[Dave Rowles]

I've got a Clarett 4pre, and it's great. I use it with Logic and use a combination of Slate Digital plugins and Logic's own. Sound quality and build are great, it's a solid bit of kit, and has even gigged and had some rather significant flight hours too. Gigging it takes the place of outboard reverbs and FX when lower quality units are supplied, or are non-existent.

That said, it's hard to argue with the guys who've been in the game a little longer. I don't expect this to be the last interface I ever buy, so I'm not as worried about the longer term support than maybe others are. As it's USB C and class compliant, I expect it'll last quite a while though.

UAD is a great platform, and has some amazing plugins. So at the end of the day I suspect it all boils down to...what do you want to use it for?

I use my 4pre for location and small recordings. I've also got an X32 Rack married with a Midas DL32 stage box which I use for larger channel counts. The Clarett has the edge on the pre-amp quality, though the Midas ones aren't that far behind.

[Bob Bickerton]

Happy UAD Apollo user here but has been said the only real reason you'd go with UAD is to access their plug-ins and preamp emulations.

If I was starting afresh and had no need for their plug-ins I'd probably go with RME based on trusted comments around here - even though, and oddly enough, after 25 years in the game, I still haven't used RME!

Bob

[Steve Ciccarelli]

I've got a Clarett 4pre, and it's great. I use it with Logic and use a combination of Slate Digital plugins and Logic's own. Sound quality and build are great, it's a solid bit of kit, and has even gigged and had some rather significant flight hours too. Gigging it takes the place of outboard reverbs and FX when lower quality units are supplied, or are non-existent.

That said, it's hard to argue with the guys who've been in the game a little longer. I don't expect this to be the last interface I ever buy, so I'm not as worried about the longer term support than maybe others are. As it's USB C and class compliant, I expect it'll last quite a while though.

UAD is a great platform, and has some amazing plugins. So at the end of the day I suspect it all boils down to...what do you want to use it for?

I use my 4pre for location and small recordings. I've also got an X32 Rack married with a Midas DL32 stage box which I use for larger channel counts. The Clarett has the edge on the pre-amp quality, though the Midas ones aren't that far behind.

Hi Dave, and thanks everyone - basically the goal here is to record my music mostly at home (including bass, vocals, drums via sample, and hopefully some live drums). UAD does have some amazing plugins, but I still feel like I can hear the difference between their Softube Marshall Jubilee (which DOES rule) and a real amp.

Don't think I'll be using it in any live setting, but will likely bring it to various friends houses to record with. A whole rack unit is too much for what I'm trying to do, though I like the OctoPre as an option.

But lon story short, I've never really looked into RME. As IAA said, I was also looking at Apogee stuff but it's also way over my price range and again doesn't have MIDI I/O as I saw.

My best friend has become popular in the subgenre of "alternative metal" (think Jesu meets something doomy meets really pretty parts) and he just yells at me that all I need is something like a Tascam like he uses. But I'm pretty set on investing a little bit into this for features that would help any part of my process.

Going on RME's site now, will report back. Thanks, all!

[manwilde]

+1 for RME here. If you can get a 1st gen Babyface for a good price you´ll have an excellent plattform to build upon. And Totalmix is something else...

[Kwackman]

+1 for RME here. If you can get a 1st gen Babyface for a good price you´ll have an excellent plattform to build upon. And Totalmix is something else...

A super unit, but only has 2 mic inputs. OP wants 4.

[dbfs]

Rme here. Love the raydat and ufx devices.

[manwilde]

+1 for RME here. If you can get a 1st gen Babyface for a good price you´ll have an excellent plattform to build upon. And Totalmix is something else...

A super unit, but only has 2 mic inputs. OP wants 4.

Oooopss, my bad, sorry. Nevertheless, a 2nd hand Babyface paired with an 8 pre ADAT expansion would strecht to around 800-1.000€, depending on the kit. Don´t know what the OP´s budget is...

[Dan LB]

Out of curiosity, what manufacturers make interfaces that are compatible with Logic’s audio device controls (ie adjusting gain, polarity, HPF and +48V from within the DAW)?

Is it only Apogee or are there others?

[Steve Ciccarelli]

Out of curiosity, what manufacturers make interfaces that are compatible with Logic’s audio device controls (ie adjusting gain, polarity, HPF and +48V from within the DAW)?

Is it only Apogee or are there others?

as far as I know, yeah, just apogee - which is a huge bummer because the desktop unit looks so rad but it's literally a month's rent. so thanks apogee but no thanks.

this is a place in the market someone else should try and get in on

[Terrible.dee]

DO NOT waste your time tripping on anything to do with Audio interfaces.

MASSIVE waste of time and resources. They are disposable units anyway. Remember that.

Get the I/O that you need....THAT is important. If you need MIDI make sure you get one with MIDI.

If you want ADAT/SPDiF expandability, make sure you get it.

But do not go thinking about "These pres vs. those pres" or "These converters vs those converters."

The companies who market these products have fostered an environment where consumers think these things are vastly different from one another.

In any price range....they are not.

So just grab something with the I/O you need and then don't even THINK about your interface again until it ages out.....and it WILL age out. At which point you'll have to buy another.

Disposable product. Don't let it waste your time.