Options for three input interfaces

rickwaugh

I'm stepping up the home studio a bit. I'm finding I'm not happy with my acoustic guitar sound, so I'm picking up a second mic. I'd like to be able to record two mics and the pickup from my acoustic on three separate tracks, just to give myself options on the mix. I of course want it to sound great, and I'm also budget conscious. It looks like with Focusrite, I'd have to step up to the 6i6 to get what I want, though I think I only get two preamps with that, which would cause a problem for a passive guitar pickup if I have two mics. Any thoughts from anyone? (As if no one on here has an opinion on this matter..... )

ToMess

I have 6i6 mkI and its great. Only thing that really bothers me is that in order to change from direct monitoring to daw monitoring(sound to speakers only from ipad, not from inputs), i need to hook it to computer to change this.. I also have steinberg ur22 mkii, which is also good. It does have knob to change between daw and direct monitoring, which is handy. It doesent have enough inputs for you, but the ur lineup has ones with more inputs.

rickwaugh

@ToMess said:
I have 6i6 mkI and its great. Only thing that really bothers me is that in order to change from direct monitoring to daw monitoring(sound to speakers only from ipad, not from inputs), i need to hook it to computer to change this.. I also have steinberg ur22 mkii, which is also good. It does have knob to change between daw and direct monitoring, which is handy. It doesent have enough inputs for you, but the ur lineup has ones with more inputs.

That would annoy the hell out of me right there. Thanks for the feedback.

richardyot

If you already have some existing equipment, you could do what I do: use two mics in a 2 input interface going to the iPad, and then use a guitar interface going to an iPhone for the guitar pickup, then later import that from the phone to the iPad.

Obviously this only works if you have an iPhone and a guitar interface as well as a regular 2 input interface for the iPad, but I thought I would mention it in case it saves you money.

rickwaugh

@richardyot said:
If you already have some existing equipment, you could do what I do: use two mics in a 2 input interface going to the iPad, and then use a guitar interface going to an iPhone for the guitar pickup, then later import that from the phone to the iPad.

Obviously this only works if you have an iPhone and a guitar interface as well as a regular 2 input interface for the iPad, but I thought I would mention it in case it saves you money.

Very nice idea, @richardyot. I do indeed have that option. I could run the pickup through my iRig Pro into my iPhone.

rickwaugh

@ToMess, does your Steinberg have phantom power?

ToMess

@rickwaugh said:
@ToMess, does your Steinberg have phantom power?

Yep. All at least half decent ones do nowadays.
https://www.steinberg.net/en/products/audio_interfaces/ur_series/models/ur22mkii.html

[Deleted User]

Apogee quartet.

rickwaugh

I have thought long and hard about the quartet, but it is not budget conscious. I was looking at a very nice new guitar yesterday that was on the low side of that.

@richardyot has got me thinking seriously here. I may just pickup an iRig Duo, which I can get at a decent price, record the mics into that, and then use my iRig Pro to record to the iPhone for the pickup.