Recommended Hardware
From Guide
Recommended Hardware for RiffWorks Standard and RiffWorks Demo
Contents |
What Do you Want to Record and What is Your Budget?
RiffWorks Standard requires an interface that plugs your guitar into a computer (ASIO device on Windows or a Core Audio device for Mac OS X). This is the hardware we recommend using with RiffWorks based on what you want to record and how much money you want to spend. There are many ways to set up your home recording studio - If you already have a device, or would prefer a different one, check the hardware compatibility chart below.
GUITAR ONLY $150 - $250
To record only an electric or acoustic guitar (with jack or pickup) using an interface that plugs into a computer - no vocals:
- RiffWorks Standard $129 and
- Audio Interface (No Mic Preamp): StealthPlug $99, GuitarPort $99, or TonePort GX $69
or
More devices listed on charts below.
BUDGET VOCALS & GUITAR $300 - $400
To record an electric or acoustic guitar with nice-sounding amp, vocals and any mic'ed instrument using an interface that plugs into a computer:
- RiffWorks Standard $129 and
- Mic Preamp Equipped Interface: TonePort UXI $129 and
- Dynamic Microphone: Sure SM57, SM 58 or Equivalent ($30-$100)
More on Recording with your acoustic in our forums and on About Home Recording.
More devices listed on charts below.
QUALITY VOCALS & GUITAR $400+
Record the above with higher quality condensor microphones (that require phantom power):
- RiffWorks Standard $129 and
- Phantom Power Equipped Interface: TonePort UX2 $199, PreSonus Inspire 1394 $199, or PreSonus FireBox $299 and
- Condensor Microphone: AT2020 $99, Neumann TL103 or equivalent Up to $1000
Learn more about Condensor Microphones from Wikipedia.
More devices listed on charts below.
Intro to Audio Device Drivers & RiffWorks
Looking at the feature set of an audio device only tells half of the story. RiffWorks (and other applications) talk to the device through a driver. Not all drivers are created equal. One of the driver's responsibilities is to report the latency to the application. If the driver reports its latency incorrectly, then RiffWorks can't adjust the recorded layers to be perfectly in sync with each other.
We continue to test RiffWorks Standard with as many of the most popular devices as possible. If your device isn't listed, it doesn't mean it won't work, it just means we haven't tried it yet.
There is more information, like why ASIO4All is not recommended, on the ASIO page.
Legend for the Hardware Compatibility Chart Below
The Driver Version is the version of the driver used to test the device with RiffWorks. In most cases, it was the newest available driver from the manufacturer's website, not including beta versions.
The Latency Error is reported in samples and was measured by recording with the output plugged into the input of the device and measuring the offset between recorded layers in RiffWorks. Most measurements were taken at either 256 or 512 sample buffer size.
The Rating is based on the Latency Error we measured as well as any trouble we had getting the drivers working.
- Excellent - Sonoma found Latency Error to be low and the driver was easy to setup
- Good - Sonoma found Latency Error to be okay and the driver worked without too much trouble
- Poor - Sonoma found the Latency Error to be way out of spec and/or the driver was difficult to get working
- Does Not Work - Sonoma found that it did not work
- Users Report Success - Not tested by Sonoma, but users report it works
- Users Report Problems - Not tested by Sonoma, but users report it has problems
You can try using the RiffWorks Standard Demo with your device to make sure it is working properly.
Windows Recommended ASIO Devices for RiffWorks Standard
| Manufacturer | Model | Driver Version | Latency Error | Rating | Buy from SWW |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASIO4ALL | - | 2.7 | Varies | Might Work, but not recommended or supported, see ASIO | |
| Behringer | FCA202 | ? | ? | Users Report Both Problems and Success, see forums | |
| Creative | ? | ? | Users Report Both Problems and Success, see forums | ||
| Digidesign | Mbox (v1) | ? | 58 | Excellent | |
| Digidesign | Mbox2 | ? | ? | Excellent | |
| Digitech | GNX4 | 1.001B | ? | Does Not Work | |
| IK Multimedia | StealthPlug | 1.1.0.4 | ? | Excellent | Buy Now |
| Lexicon | Omega | ? | 750 | Poor | |
| Line 6 | GuitarPort | 2.8.9.0 | 0 | Excellent | |
| Line 6 | PODxt | 2.8.9.0 | 0 | Excellent | |
| Line 6 | PODxt Pro | 2.6.8.0 | 0 | Excellent | |
| Line 6 | PODxt Live | 2.6.8.0 | 0 | Excellent | |
| Line 6 | POD X3 Live | 2.6.8.0 | 0 | Users Report Success with RiffWorks Standard, see forums | |
| Line 6 | TonePort UX1 | 2.8.9.0 | 0 | Excellent | |
| Line 6 | TonePort UX2 | 2.8.9.0 | 0 | Excellent | Buy Now |
| Line 6 | TonePort KB37 | 3.1.X | ? | Excellent | |
| Line 6 | TonePort DI-S/G | 3.1.X | ? | Excellent | |
| Line 6 | TonePort GX | 3.1.X | ? | Excellent | |
| M-Audio | FastTrack USB | ? | 0 | Excellent | |
| M-Audio | FireWire 410 | ? | 7 | Excellent | |
| M-Audio | JamLab | ? | 0 | Excellent | |
| M-Audio | MobilePre USB | ? | 110 | Good | |
| Presonus | Inspire | ? | 44 | Excellent | Buy Now |
| Presonus | FireBox | ? | 330 | Good | Buy Now |
| Presonus | FirePod | ? | 54 | Excellent | |
| SoundTech | Lightsnake | NA | NA | This device is not compatible with RiffWorks as it does not have an output. The headphone jack on the LightSnake is just a pass-through output, and will not play RiffWorks audio. | |
| Tascam | US-122 | ? | -24 | Excellent | |
| Tascam | US-428 | ? | ? | Users Report Problems & Success, read problems here and success here |
Mac OS Recommended Core Audio Devices for RiffWorks Standard
| Manufacturer | Model | Driver Version | Latency Error | Rating | Buy from SWW |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple | Built-in | 10.4+ | Varies | Works well, but with latency, see Aggregating Separate Devices for setting up Intel Macs | |
| Digidesign | Mbox (v1) | ? | 675 | Poor | |
| Digidesign | Mbox2 | ? | ? | Excellent | |
| IK Multimedia | StealthPlug | NA | ? | Excellent | Buy Now |
| Lexicon | Omega | ? | 718 | Poor | |
| Line 6 | GuitarPort | 2.8.9.0 | 0 | Excellent | |
| Line 6 | PODxt | 2.8.9.0 | 0 | Excellent | |
| Line 6 | POD X3 Live | 2.6.8.0 | 0 | Users Report Success with RiffWorks Standard, see forums | |
| Line 6 | TonePort UX1 | 2.8.9.0 | 0 | Excellent | |
| Line 6 | TonePort UX2 | 2.8.9.0 | 0 | Excellent | Buy Now |
| Line 6 | TonePort KB37 | 3.1.x | ? | Excellent | |
| Line 6 | TonePort DI-S/G | 3.1.x | ? | Excellent | |
| Line 6 | TonePort GX | 3.1.X | ? | Excellent | |
| M-Audio | FastTrack USB | ? | 184 | Good | |
| M-Audio | FireWire 410 | ? | 13 | Excellent | |
| M-Audio | MobilePre USB | ? | 255 | Good | |
| Presonus | Inspire | ? | 80 | Excellent | Buy Now |
| Presonus | FireBox | ? | 158 | Good | Buy Now |
| Presonus | FirePod | ? | 0 | Excellent | |
| Tascam | US-122 | ? | 353 | Good |
