Looks like this could be a nice little project. So glad this space is heating up. This seems like it’s going in the right direction for someone with my setup:
Fascinating! A 16-in interface smaller than an iPad is an extremely interesting device, especially for those who just want a no-frills way to pipe audio into a computer with midi i/o as well. Presumably you’d need to use splitters to get 16 inputs, which could get kinda messy. Still takes less space than the 16Rig I should be receiving soon, though! If this can run standalone it’ll be an absolutely standout product.
Very cool, I’ll be interested in seeing how this project develops.
looks interesting. shame they didn’t go w/1/4 jacks or even dsub.
fwiw a couple years ago i bought a new old stock previous year’s model of a focusrite Scarlett 18i20 2nd Gen for very cheap directly from focusrite’s site. works great w/ipads and anything else i want to use it with.
The developer has chimed in on the Audiobus thread where i heard about the project:
Yeah, sometimes all you need is something that can handle the analog to digital conversion, and not some big specialized interface with all the bells and whistles, with special preamps or whatever.
This looks cool. I’m keeping my eye on it too, as my space for music is about to be reduced to less than half I had before :))
Here’s the developer’s update:
Hello, I’m pleased to see that my audio interface project is attracting a lot of interest. Yes, a first prototype should be ready for the SB 24. The PCB design is in the final stages and should go to the manufacturer next week. I expect to receive the first units in mid to late April and hope they work as expected.
For me, this is a project I initially started for myself as I was always looking for a lightweight and easily transportable interface to use at live gigs. My setup fits in a backpack so I can get to any downtown venue on public transportation, but the audio interface I usually use is pretty bulky. And all hardware mixers are way too big to be transported this way. Since I couldn’t find anything on the market, the idea was born to develop such an interface myself to connect some hardware synthesizers and outboard effects and mix all analog and virtually generated signals together. Pre-listening independently of the main output was also very important to me. Together with an application like Audiobus or AUM (or even Loopy pro, Dramboo and all others that can control multiple audio IO streams) and a hardware controller, you can build your own modular audio mixing setup with exactly the controls and effects components you need. It is also called “modular” because it is designed to be expandable. By adding a third board between the two boards, you can expand the system to 32 input channels and 16 output channels. Also, different upper boards with different connectors and specifications are possible, e.g. for DC-coupled Eurorack signals or larger mono jack sockets. The design would also fit into a metal housing without having to redesign the circuit boards. But that’s all still up in the air. I have decided to start with the simplest, but also - at least for my application - the most suitable version of the platform.
On pricing. That depends very much on the quantities produced. As you probably know: The more, the cheaper. That’s why it’s very important for me to get feedback and to be able to estimate how many pieces I need to produce. That’s also the reason why I’m exhibiting at Superbooth. If there’s a big demand, I’ll probably start a Kickstarter campaign to fund a lot of units to make them cheaper and cheaper. I hope to get them under 400,-€ excl. retail price, but I can’t promise that. The components themselves are already quite expensive and the development of the circuit board and firmware takes a lot of time. Not to mention handling, logistics and a bit of marketing. If everything goes smoothly, I expect the first devices to be delivered at the end of the summer this year.
Honestly this thing sounds incredibly cool. I’m really curious to see what he exhibits at superbooth!
i don’t know… this interface definitely seems specialized
i think it looks great and will suit a lot of people. nice they squeezed the midi i/o in there. there are other things w/similar specs for similar price though but format/size vary.
i wonder if it will be possible to rack mount it?
Might be nice on a pedalboard as well.
Touché! Yeah, specialized probably wasn’t the best word to make that point :))
need a shit ton of 1/4 to 1/8 cables. not sure how long 1/8 jacks would survive on a pedal board though… unless it’s not on the floor being stepped on by a guitarist.
I’m sure you can, but in those dev notes saying “I wanted something that can fit in my backpack”……I’m pretty sure rack mount wasn’t a concideration at all.
@lowph is prolly right and he (and prolly a ton of iOS users) just needed something to do the AD/DA conversion with basic midi mapping of basic controls so any controller will work.
Mounted underneath, there’s no real risk of damaging it. Slap some dual lock or something on it and you’re good to go.
Depends what goes on the pedalboard of course. I got one of those NUX pedalboards and I was already figuring out what type of interface I had to pick. This interface seems great with lots of small gear. The pedalboard can than go into a flightcase or bag that I have.
Short update on what was going on in the last weeks from what I experienced myself and heard from the developer:
- There are a couple of working prototypes now and they were demonstrated at the Superbooth.
- The resonance was overwhelming from a lot of visitors including some well known artists.
- The sign-ups to the mailing list skyrocketed from ~100 to ~600 in the last 4 days.
- We can expect a crowdfunding campaign soon(ish).
- It has been featured by some YouTubers (nobody asked them to do it)
I only wish that it had multiple sample rates etc…
would be nice to pair with an mpc one
Ask the dev. I am sure it can live switch if needed. He probably chose 48khz cause of the iPad connection as the main DAW/hook up use case.
UPDATE: it looks like the dev is on the Audiobus Forum, so I asked him there for you and others
(Marf is the name being used):
Amazing. Thanks for the update. It’s a great project and something we need
The „primary source“ where the developer is most active is this german forum btw: Mini USB Audio Interface 16 In, 8 Out und MIDI DIY Projekt | Sequencer & Synthesizer-Forum