Hey, is there a list or even synths where you can simply record audio into the DAW via USB, so really only with the USB cable like with the electrons …
well, at least all roland aira/boutique can do this.
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Teenage engineering op-1 and op-z can also do this.
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dirtywave m8
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I do this with an MC-707 quite often.
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I know you asked for a list, and we’re giving you single items. Perhaps we can put a list together at the end.
The Yamaha MODX, and their MX series. The Refaces are not i’m pretty sure.
The other half of this is class compliant MIDI interfaces too. Do you mean that too ?
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Novation ultranova
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Correct. The refaces are midi over usb but not audio.
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The Novation X Station and Xiosynth are class compliant. Doesn’t the Ultranova require drivers ?
Which then brings up what sort of device is the OP trying to connect with ?
Waldorf Kyra.
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Yeah you’re right, surely need a driver but you can plug it to the computer and have the audio by USB
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Here’s a weird one, the Artiphon Orba !
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While the usefulness of the actual synth is debatable, the M-Audio Venom can do audio-over-USB as well as act as an interface for (itself and) a few other audio-in connections it has.
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Perhaps a distinction to be made…
For me, on Mac, Roland audio-over-USB devices need to appear as an interface themselves and so need an ‘aggregate device’ set up, which comes at the expense of issues in latency and sync.
I’m not even sure that’s possible at all on PC(?)… IIRC those can only support one interface at a time.
Conversely, Overbridge works in parallel to interfaces, so my Mac thinks it only has one interface connected, despite me enjoying DN & Heat audio over USB.
I now run my Roland devices to analog ins, even where they support audio over USB.
Well latency can be a mysterious issue sometimes, and you do what you need to do to keep it low.
But consider two paths from a digital hardware synth to a DAW in a computer.
The first is:
Digital signal in synth to
USB encoding to
Physical movement on USB to
USB decode to
Data at the DAW
Versus:
Digital signal in synth to
Digital to analog converter (some signal loss) to
Analog signal transmission to audio interface (some analog distortion ) to
Analog to digital converter (some signal loss ) to
USB encoding on audio interface to
Physical movement on USB to
USB decode to
Data at the DAW
Pretty clear in my book which I’d prefer if i can make it work.
The distortions caused by the d-to-a, transmission, and then a-to-d step can be minimized, and accepted, or a direct digital path can be used instead if available.
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Any other suggestions on this? Ultranova works well as do the Virus Ti and snow. I had issues with the Modx so much that I returned it. Foolishly sold my Snow and other gear to buy the Modx, loved sounds but I couldn’t get USB audio to work for me. Have lots of soft synths which are great but feeling the need to add a Virus Ti2 as interfaces brilliantly, has a few knows to twiddle and has thousands of fantastic sounds. I have an issue spending £1200 on a used keyboard that is several years old. New prices are to much for me to justify.