5 ms·

What USB interface do you use with the DBX 286?

nickjj 7y ago
I use a Scarlett 2i2. I prefer it over the Solo because the input jack supports XLR and TRS (the 2i2 has a combo port where the Solo is only XLR). For vocals or recording yourself with a mic this isn't a big deal because mics use XLR connections but if you ever wanted to screw around with a guitar or another instrument then you'd be using a TRS cable. Also for podcasters, if you ever end up doing a live show with a guest, having the 2 inputs is nice because then each of you can plug in your own microphone. You can't do that with the Solo. The Solo is $110 and the 2i2 is $135. Given the above I don't mind spending the extra $25 for the 2i2. The only downside I've seen with Scarlett's interfaces so far is that the USB connection is very sensitive. Every 6 months or so I have to reconnect it otherwise nothing works. This is with the 2nd generation interface. They just came out with a 3rd generation not too long ago, so maybe that has a more robust USB connection (I haven't tried it). I've had my 2nd gen for a few years and it's still going strong, you just need to be aware of the USB connection. Overall it's decent. I haven't had any real complaints, other than maybe its pre-amp tends to slightly boost high end frequencies but I don't think it's worth replacing it for that alone. A lot of this stuff comes down to combinations of gear too, not just 1 piece. For example if the pre-amp boots highs and your natural voice is deep, and your mic is pretty neutral then things will sound good in the end. If you have a high pitch voice with boosted highs on your pre-amp and mic then you might sound a little thin. You could get a shotgun to work in an untreated room, but the problem with shotguns is everything in the $200-500 range sounds pretty bad when you directly compare it to a dynamic mic. I have not experimented first hand with a bunch of shotguns so I wouldn't feel comfortable recommending anything, especially not in the $1,000+ to $2,000+ range. I would start with this video from Curtis Judd https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7rfwCFjBDg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7rfwCFjBDg. It's a shotgun showdown from 2020 at various price points. Curtis is a really knowledge dude when it comes to audio and his channel has a bunch of great comparisons and tips. He has some videos where he compares dynamic mics to shotguns too.
- modernerd 7y ago
  Thanks, that’s helpful. I’d seen reviews that the 2i2 could be noisy (e.g. https://www.gearslutz.com/board/newbie-audio-engineering-production-question-zone/1069846-focursite-2i2-noise-issues.html https://www.gearslutz.com/board/newbie-audio-engineering-pro... ) but the output from your setup seems good. I guess you probably don’t have the gain cranked up that high. Thanks also for the link to Curtis’s video. I get the impression I’m better off with a good dynamic mic for now. (Using a Rode Podcaster at the moment, which has great rejection of room noise and echo but leaves little control over tonality/gain and really stands out on video since it’s white. My experience with audio software for streaming and other live audio has not been great on macOS – crashes and delay being the main issues – hence why rack-based hardware appeals.)
  - nickjj 7y ago
    Around half way down that thread, someone posted a sound attachment with a bunch of noise. Mine sounds exactly like that if I crank the gain too. I keep the Scarlett at about 35% and do notice a lot of noise as I go above that. It climbs up quickly. What's interesting is the DBX has enough gain on its pre-amp to keep the Scarlett at 0% with the AT2005 mic but I don't do that because I found with the AT2005 + DBX + my personal voice combo things come out a little too boomy on the low end which is weird because my voice is pretty high. So in this case I like having a little bit of the Scarlett's presence come through and at this amount of gain there's no real noticeable noise. The DBX's pre-amp gain is really quiet. I have it at 100%. There's extra gain you can add on the output side too. I keep that one at -8 DB because if I go any higher than that it clips, which is nice because it means the DBX has a lot more power to give for a more power hungry mic. I'm still not 100% happy with my audio. I think from a line noise perspective it's close to as good as you can reasonably ask for but I feel like it's still too boomy and slightly muddled on the low end. I keep the low end completely off with the DBX too (it has an "Enhancer" which is sort of like a basic EQ for highs and lows). I'm not convinced it's a pure DBX issue tho, or a problem with the microphone. For example, this guy has the same AT2005 microphone https://youtu.be/g95hJZlWFwU?t=111 https://youtu.be/g95hJZlWFwU?t=111 and personally I found his sound to be very natural with a great tone. It doesn't feel boomy and it has an even spread across the spectrum. I don't know what pre-amp or interface he uses. Audio is super complicated because your real voice plays such a huge role. That and it's a rabbit hole that never ends haha.

I use a Scarlett 2i2. I prefer it over the Solo because the input jack supports XLR and TRS (the 2i2 has a combo port where the Solo is only XLR). For vocals or recording yourself with a mic this isn't a big deal because mics use XLR connections but if you ever wanted to screw around with a guitar or another instrument then you'd be using a TRS cable. Also for podcasters, if you ever end up doing a live show with a guest, having the 2 inputs is nice because then each of you can plug in your own microphone. You can't do that with the Solo. The Solo is $110 and the 2i2 is $135. Given the above I don't mind spending the extra $25 for the 2i2. The only downside I've seen with Scarlett's interfaces so far is that the USB connection is very sensitive. Every 6 months or so I have to reconnect it otherwise nothing works. This is with the 2nd generation interface. They just came out with a 3rd generation not too long ago, so maybe that has a more robust USB connection (I haven't tried it). I've had my 2nd gen for a few years and it's still going strong, you just need to be aware of the USB connection. Overall it's decent. I haven't had any real complaints, other than maybe its pre-amp tends to slightly boost high end frequencies but I don't think it's worth replacing it for that alone. A lot of this stuff comes down to combinations of gear too, not just 1 piece. For example if the pre-amp boots highs and your natural voice is deep, and your mic is pretty neutral then things will sound good in the end. If you have a high pitch voice with boosted highs on your pre-amp and mic then you might sound a little thin. You could get a shotgun to work in an untreated room, but the problem with shotguns is everything in the $200-500 range sounds pretty bad when you directly compare it to a dynamic mic. I have not experimented first hand with a bunch of shotguns so I wouldn't feel comfortable recommending anything, especially not in the $1,000+ to $2,000+ range. I would start with this video from Curtis Judd https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7rfwCFjBDg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7rfwCFjBDg. It's a shotgun showdown from 2020 at various price points. Curtis is a really knowledge dude when it comes to audio and his channel has a bunch of great comparisons and tips. He has some videos where he compares dynamic mics to shotguns too.

modernerd 7y ago
Thanks, that’s helpful. I’d seen reviews that the 2i2 could be noisy (e.g. https://www.gearslutz.com/board/newbie-audio-engineering-production-question-zone/1069846-focursite-2i2-noise-issues.html https://www.gearslutz.com/board/newbie-audio-engineering-pro... ) but the output from your setup seems good. I guess you probably don’t have the gain cranked up that high. Thanks also for the link to Curtis’s video. I get the impression I’m better off with a good dynamic mic for now. (Using a Rode Podcaster at the moment, which has great rejection of room noise and echo but leaves little control over tonality/gain and really stands out on video since it’s white. My experience with audio software for streaming and other live audio has not been great on macOS – crashes and delay being the main issues – hence why rack-based hardware appeals.)
- nickjj 7y ago
  Around half way down that thread, someone posted a sound attachment with a bunch of noise. Mine sounds exactly like that if I crank the gain too. I keep the Scarlett at about 35% and do notice a lot of noise as I go above that. It climbs up quickly. What's interesting is the DBX has enough gain on its pre-amp to keep the Scarlett at 0% with the AT2005 mic but I don't do that because I found with the AT2005 + DBX + my personal voice combo things come out a little too boomy on the low end which is weird because my voice is pretty high. So in this case I like having a little bit of the Scarlett's presence come through and at this amount of gain there's no real noticeable noise. The DBX's pre-amp gain is really quiet. I have it at 100%. There's extra gain you can add on the output side too. I keep that one at -8 DB because if I go any higher than that it clips, which is nice because it means the DBX has a lot more power to give for a more power hungry mic. I'm still not 100% happy with my audio. I think from a line noise perspective it's close to as good as you can reasonably ask for but I feel like it's still too boomy and slightly muddled on the low end. I keep the low end completely off with the DBX too (it has an "Enhancer" which is sort of like a basic EQ for highs and lows). I'm not convinced it's a pure DBX issue tho, or a problem with the microphone. For example, this guy has the same AT2005 microphone https://youtu.be/g95hJZlWFwU?t=111 https://youtu.be/g95hJZlWFwU?t=111 and personally I found his sound to be very natural with a great tone. It doesn't feel boomy and it has an even spread across the spectrum. I don't know what pre-amp or interface he uses. Audio is super complicated because your real voice plays such a huge role. That and it's a rabbit hole that never ends haha.