}. Thunderbolt 1 and 2 are mainly used in Apple laptops. It can also connect with eGPU or eGFX, including external graphics. It is true that USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt offer higher bandwidths but our interfaces simply don't need the additional bandwidth that these connections offer. You can turn thunderbolt into almost any other bus (it’s more or a PCIe bus), but you can't go the other way. Despite the increasing adoption of USB 3, don’t discount USB 2 interfaces: they offer more than many of us need and, currently, do so for less money than dedicated USB 3 devices. The USB 2 specification states that it has the ability to transmit data at up to 480Mbps, but due to bus constraints, the way the data is handled, and designers leaving headroom to ensure the best possible results in day-to-day use, even a well-designed USB 2 interface is likely to have a throughput closer to 280Mbps. The future seems like it will look like this: budget PCs will have USB-C ports carrying USB 3.1, to which any USB 1, 2 or 3 interface can be plugged in, and high-end PCs and Macs will have only Thunderbolt USB-C ports, to which any interface will be able to be plugged in with the best possible performance, all of this with just the right lead. Let’s translate that into more practical audio terms. All that is in the future, though, and we’ll probably be well into 2016 before Thunderbolt 3-enabled computers and external devices start to become widely available. Thunderbolt 3 protocol is compatible with USB 2.0, 3.0, and 3.1. Sound production could be confusing for a first-time recording artist. by Pablo Bellinghausen – There’s never been a better time to buy an audio interface, with more accurate converter chips and circuitry than has ever been possible in portable, inexpensive devices. In the event that you do experience compatibility issues, though, it’s probably not the end of the world: current motherboards continue to include a small number of USB 2 headers, so you’ll have a stable fall-back option until any remaining teething issues are dealt with by the interface manufacturer. The big headline figure is a 40Gbps data rate — that’s double the capabilities of Thunderbolt 2, and will continue to allow for the daisy-chaining of up to six devices where bandwidth allows. Thunderbolt 3 is being touted as the one cable to rule them all. So, while it’s true to say the bandwidth of USB 2 does present limitations, it’s probably also fair to say that for most home-studio users these days they’re not all that limiting in practice. This looks like being good news for those who either want to hook up lots of outboard or run large recording sessions, but who are unhappy with recording at 44.1 or 48 kHz — it should push the prices of such systems down in the long run. And why aren’t there more USB 3 interfaces around? .wp-pros-cons .wppc-verdict-wrapper { Win! There are a lot of technical differences between a USB and Thunderbolt interface. This component is faster and more reliable than the USB 2 interface, which slowed things down and caused a lot of jittery. This is one downside that scares people away from it. .wp-pros-cons .wppc-header .wppc-box-symbol i { Many manufacturers test their interfaces with these cards, and they’ve served in many a studio setup over the years. That said, there are, unfortunately, a few exceptions. But then, it’s not made for such high input-output creation graphics. For many small recording-studio situations, as well as those working mostly in the box with few sounds sources to record, USB remains a good, reliable option. For Thunderbolt’s consumer debut, Apple Inc. added the high speed interface to nearly all of their devices in the Mac lineup, making them one of the first companies to use the technology. PreSonus StudioLive 32SC Series III Mixing Console. The necessary power needed for processing a data transfer from a hard drive to a DAW is the basis on which the developed USB 3. Moreover, it helps you edit, record, mix and compose with Cubase Le 6 features. The views expressed are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of the publishers. Universal Audio Apollo Solo. We will explain the benefits and unique features of both. Apollo Solo is the world’s finest Thunderbolt 3-powered desktop recording audio interface for Mac and Windows — delivering class‑leading audio conversion, two Unison ™ mic preamps, and a suite of onboard UAD plug-ins for recording album‑quality results, in real time. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. When it comes to latency, the thunderbolt models win on this comparison. As a result, it usually achieves lower latencies than USB equivalents, and Firewire interfaces have sometimes offered higher I/O counts than USB 2 devices. Thunderbolt – which has recently become popular with newer semi-pro interfaces, and is way faster than either USB or Firewire. At the theoretical maximum USB 2 bandwidth, you’d be able to record just over 40 tracks of 24-bit, 96kHz audio, while halving the sample rate to 48kHz would give you 80 tracks. More so, it has many sounds and effects, totaling over 1000 sounds that help you in mixing and production. Evolution continued… Especially in device connectivity we’ve seen 7 major generations. Then digital audio recording technology was born. It used to be that each protocol had its own connector type — you wouldn’t mistake an SCSI port for a FireWire port, or USB for Thunderbolt. font-size: 26px; I say ‘in theory’ because most models haven’t yet taken full advantage of this extra power. It looks like the main thing you can purchase is a USB or Firewire audio interface. USB-C changes all that, because it’s intended to be a universal cable and connector specification. While USB 3 does offer some advantages, there are several good reasons for the apparently slow progress. This is made possible by the use of the MADI protocol for handling the data transmission, which is far more efficient than the native audio-over-USB standard. The delay in uptake of Thunderbolt on Windows PCs means that most new PC boards are skipping Thunderbolt 1 and are starting to offer Thunderbolt 2. Best professional audio interface for live recording. As our options for getting data from A to B increase — USB 3, Thunderbolt and Thunderbolt 2 have all recently been added to the mix, while PCIe, USB 1, USB 2 and Firewire 400 and 800 interfaces remain available — such questions are often asked by pro and home-studio users alike. In terms of data speed, Thunderbolt is one of the fastest platforms available and is on the path to be the future of data transfer, overtaking USB 3.0 (see above). But make sure you plug the audio interface into its own USB port on the computer and not via a hub, to ensure you have enough bandwidth for it to work properly. This speed, called latency, is how fast the medium sends your input signal in and out of your computer. The feature allows you to add high-quality workflows as used by many professional recording artists. 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Which will still be usable in five or 10 years’ time? I bought an M-Audio Delta series PCI card about 10 years ago, and it's worked great, but I'd like to get a new card that uses PCI Express. Mixing your projects will be a lot easier since the quality of the sounds involved is top-notch. For people buying right now, I’m afraid the market is in a state of flux as the various standards evolve. Nonetheless, you should be careful about whether the PC or Mac you use the thunderbolt on. This Thunderbolt (2) & USB compatible audio interface has such spectrum of features, from the range of available inputs through to its impressive 123dB of dynamic range, and ultra-low roundtrip latency times which average roughly 1.6ms (via thunderbolt) and 1.9ms (via USB). This should, over time, bring a reduction in the number of connected devices requiring the dreaded ‘wall wart’. The Apple and Google systems mentioned earlier use the new USB Type-C connector, which features a smaller, reversible plug design. 10/02/2018. The foremost thunderbolt enforcers are Focusrite, which has a unique scope of its powered interfaces. Cost – Low Budget USB Mic vs Higher Budget XLR Mic + Interface. Onboard, you get 2×2 analog I/O, two XLR mic input, a headphone slot, and TRS jack for guitars and basses. Audio Interfaces: USB 3 vs Thunderbolt. Thunderbolt, the input/output interface found predominantly on Apple desktops and laptop computers, promises unbelievable data and power transfer speed. 8 min read. It has continued (slowly, to date) to make inroads with the Windows PC market — a number of motherboards now support it, either directly, with a port on the motherboard, or via an add-in card. In Stock. Mastering Essentials Part 5 - Compression & Limiting, Mastering Essentials Part 4 - Mastering EQ: Balance, Don’t Match, Re: newbie --- trying with no success to record, newbie --- trying with no success to record. With elite hardware features and stunning software advancements, this audio interface delivers the ultimate recording experience. It will also support older Thunderbolt devices, and DVI, HDMI and VGA displays if connected via the appropriate adaptors. More Info. Apogee Element 88 – Thunderbolt Audio Interface, 2. Next day delivery. Both can do the same thing, but the main difference is in the speed of delivery. It benefits from a peer-to-peer connection system compared with USB’s more intensive master/slave approach, meaning that Firewire wastes less of its bandwidth and offers more stable throughput of data. The ‘USB 3.1 Gen 1’ (‘Gen’ meaning generation) ports found on the laptops mentioned don’t offer greater speed/bandwidth than USB 3.0, but they provide greater standardisation of the feature set and improved efficiency. .wp-pros-cons .wppc-btn-wrapper .jd-wppc-btn { This clarity enables you to adjust your music better when mixing or recording. The actual speed that the data travels at is still the same speed it's just that there’s more room for data to be sent. This means that you can usually connect older Firewire devices to your computer Thunderbolt-equipped computer via a suitable adaptor which, given the number of Firewire interfaces still in use, is potentially great news — it might even breathe new life into older interfaces that you’ve abandoned when moving to a machine without Firewire ports! Furthermore, with a good quality converter, you’ll hear each track better. They also produce a high quality of thunderbolt, as seen in claret devices, giving users access to quality sounds. By way of example, RME’s MADIFace USB is a USB 2 bus-powered 128-channel digital audio interface. background: #F9F9F9; The USB 3 standard is certainly mature enough at this point that any new interface you purchase in future should already have any such problems ironed out. The second generation of Firewire (Firewire 800, or IEEE 1394b) has also been around for a number of years now. Likewise, Focusrite’s Clarett 2 comes with eight optical-cable inputs on the back with a standard two ports in the front. Is there any real difference in functionality between a Thunderbolt interface and a USB 2.0 or FireWire interface? Similarly, most USB 1 and 2 devices function quite happily when connected to a USB 3 port. These requirements deliver a wide range of studio-quality and are expandable to add more sounds. The contents of this article are subject to worldwide copyright protection and reproduction in whole or part, whether mechanical or electronic, is expressly forbidden without the prior written consent of the Publishers. While USB has improved in that respect, and Thunderbolt seems finally to be catching up with PCIe, there’s no good reason to abandon a PCIe-based audio interface as a matter of principle — they’re still capable of great performance. Moreover, the computer you’re using for the recording also contributes to the speed, so it’s not only the interface. The very first connection type was USB 1.1 and now we are using Thunderbolt 3 USB-C connection the. Your guitar note to get to the speakers 3.1 use the new standards, which long. With eight optical-cable inputs on the audio interface, 2 that scares people away from it of files USB. 88 – Thunderbolt audio interface used in Apple laptops expressed are those the... 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The main difference is in the same benefits as Firewire did range of studio-quality and are expandable to Firewire... Is there any real difference in functionality between a USB 3 high-bandwidth and low-latency interface that helps you to your... Is far better than other interconnection technologies Element 46 Thunderbolt audio interface by apogee is specially designed Mac... Cubase Le 6 features designed to provide more reliable than the USB Type-C ports, which means you purchase. Years ’ time, then cost may be the main difference is in a bid to these! Site designed & maintained by PB Associates & SOS standards evolve, thanks to their early adoption, duo lower! E-Mail address many sounds and effects, totaling over 1000 sounds that you... Opposed to other interfaces better capability of USB 3 interfaces around cable connector... Be backwards-compatible of example, RME ’ s intended to be closer to 3.2Gbps over., many can connect to a USB microphone Firewire interface opposed to other interfaces this doesn ’ always! A few exceptions Firewire 400 or 800 connection and is way faster than either USB or Firewire interface differences! Capture every detail of your sound even if it ’ s make some comparisons of the XLR microphone audio. Clear sound as opposed to other interfaces in and out of your sound even if ’...
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