Alesis IO26

[Guest sero_13]

Chaps (and Chapettes),

 

I'm in the market for a new audio interface and I've been looking at the Edirol FA-101 but with only 1 hi-z input and 2 preamps I don't know if its really what I need. I've now got my eye upon the IO26 and I would like to hear if anyone's got some experience with it. I've heard some horror stories abut Alesis' build quality in general but nothing concerning this particular box.

 

I've got a Macbook 2.4 Ghz with 4 Gig Ram, an Oxygen 8 and an Edirol UA-25. I use this as my home setup and I take it to a practice room with two of my chums to record us playing together. Input one I put a rough and ready microphone just to record the room and input 2 is my bass on the hi-z setting. I run the left channel out of the Edirol to the PA system, and route Ableton's main output including any sofysynths to that. The right channel I run my bass through some vst effects and route it to the bass amp.

This works surprisingly well but the main issues I have are that I can only have my bass DI'd into the laptop and that the UA-25 is far too fucking loud. I constantly have noise on the line until I disarm the track in Ableton. I've tried everything to eliminate it but I've read this is quite a common problem with this box. Does anyone know if the Alesis has a similar problem?

 

What I also want to do is input my mates's guitar into ableton and run the signal from a dedicated out to his amp, in the same way as I do my bass. The other hi-z input would do this quite nicely. I also want to cheekily mic up the drums and record that as we all play together. Would the IO26 be able to do this as I envision?

 

It looks perfect for me as its got everything I need and most importantly fit my cheap bastard budget but in my experience you get what you pay for so I don't want to buy a piece of shit if I can avoid it.

 

So, anyone have any views/opinions/etc?

[Guest sero_13]

sod it, I know no-one replied but I thought I'd follow myself up.

 

I got this today and so far its working like a charm. 250 notes and its as clear as a bell. Its a bit bigger than I thought but definitely portable and seems to be built like a tank. I'm taking to our practice room tomorrow night so I'll put it through its paces then but first impressions are good.

 

I'm glad its working cos my only other option was paying out of my arse for an RME or Motu and its only going to record 3 dickheads pissing about in a room.

 

Shalom