Just a query really.
Having produced music (techno) in the mid 90’s and since packed away all my gear
I’m wanting to start again now I have a dedicated studio space.
I’m asking for guidance as to the interface from Mac to midi.
As things have moved on greatly and I’m out of the loop so
is Kenton still the best for hooking up the old analogue gear?
Thanks

I suppose I depends on what you are doing. Are you aiming to control your analogue gear from software? I use a makie mixer then send that to the PC via the external soundcard. But I have no software control over the synths as I record in real time and edit on ableton.

I’ve got a focusrite 2i4, gives you 2 guitar inputs, or 2 mic inputs (it’s a dual port type this), it’s got 48v phantom poswer and a midi in and out on the back. so can take 3 things at once.

More than enough for me. But you can get larger versions that will accomodate more inputs. tbh you’ve plenty of choice from variety of manufacturers.

Can’t fault sound I get from it.

Plugged in with abelton 9 and it’s a great combo. 🙂

I plan to be using ableton, I used to use logic for the midi control with an old motu interface
for the analogue gear, then record the audio over. That won’t work on with the
new Mac software tho so was wondering really what the best interface option was?

Is this Native Instruments Audio Kontrol any good to you? – if so you can have it for £35 posted.

That kontrol is a great interface.
Can’t go wrong with focusrite either.
I used to use propellerhead balance, great for having lots of devices connected but doesn’t play with usb 3.0 ports so that just sits in its box.
If you have a lot of gear you’d want as many channels as possible and ableton can route each to a separate audio channel. Do you have a firewire port? The focusrite saffire range is nice. The scarlett range is usb. I think you get several mastering plugins with the scarlet range (don’t let ads con you that this is an extra!)

how many analogue bits have you got?

and you might be surprised what will still work 🙂

Kenton is still a good bet, but there are other options out there too, now that modular synths are getting so popular. Like this –

http://www.thomann.de/gb/doepfer_dark_link.htm?ref=search_rslt_midi+cv_267300_9

i run something like this to keep the timing a bit tighter and stop you having to daisy chain everything too:

http://www.thomann.de/gb/motu_midi_express_128.htm

Thanks for the replies, I was looking at a Kenton pro 4 but not sure whether they are still available?
I have 4 mono synths and a couple of polys.. Also drum machines.
I used to use a couple of pro solos and once audio was recorded swop them over to the other synths to layer stuff up.
Just wanted to get everything singing and dancing together, so I don’t need to swop stuff about and use one dedicated programme..
I still have a midi express but have to run an old version OS on my old Mac as I was using ableton 1 and logic

emagics unitor driver still works with 10.10.5 amazingly… I’m using an old MT4 with yosemite

When I was producing techno in the mid-2002 I used to have a Focusrite Saffire LE Firewire interface and the sound quality was incredible. 2.0 interfaces seem to be the most common now though.

You can spend as much or as little as you like really, there’s interfaces that cost a tenner and interfaces that cost £1,000+. Depends on which ins and outs you need.