hi everyone,

I’m about to purchas an interface wich i need for home use and “outdoor” preformances,

what is the recommand interface or the most use one with YAMAHA/motif equipments?

thanks for you’r help!

I’m about to purchas an interface wich i need for home use and “outdoor” preformances,

what is the recommand interface or the most use one with YAMAHA/motif equipments?

Forgive me but the answer to the recommended interface is going to be determined by what you, personally, need it to do. And the answer to the most used interface is really only a guess without an in depth market survey.

We are assuming you mean an audio interface that you can use with a computer. You don’t specifically say that, but we are going to assume that because what other type of interface could you possibly need? The XS7 comes with built-in analog audio outputs which, typically, is all you need for “‘outdoor’ performances”.

So you have to give us more details about what you need this audio interface to do. Here are some examples of what just Yamaha offers - it will give you an idea of the many options available:

The Yamaha AudioGram 3 - is a three channel USB-Audio interface that will allow you to take a stereo feed from your XS and at the same time plug in a microphone (it even provides power for a condenser microphone, if necessary). Don’t laugh but, 3 inputs is better than two - alot of very popular interfaces just give a 2 inputs - forgetting that stereo is better than mono and that you will probably want to keep your keyboard in stereo! and add a mic for singing.

The Yamaha AudioGram 6 - is a 6 input device (USB-Audio interface) with 2 mono mic/instrument channels that feature Yamaha’s one-knob compressor. They have combination jacks that can accept either an XLR or 1/4” input, and these first 2 channels can be paired for use as a stereo input. The other 4 inputs are setup in stereo pairs - which can be used stereo (because the 3/4 and 5/6 channels are left/right inputs) or by using just the left input, they can be used as two mono channels. Again it provides +48V phantom power for a condenser microphone via CH1. Includes a separate volume for DAW audio return.

Both the AudioGram3 and AudioGram6 units deliver a stereo audio signal to your computer and are powered by the USB bus of our computer.

For a little more money you have something like the Steinberg CI2 which is 2 channels (combo XLR/1/4” jacks), can be used separately mono or paired in stereo, 2 channels of phantom power, mix control for live/DAW, and offers real time remote control functions for Cubase AI. You simply your mouse over a parameter in Cubase that you want to control and the AI knob (advanced integration knob) is ready to control that parameter… It also include a slick transport control RECORD, STOP, PLAY feature… which means you can control your software from where you sit.

There are the MW-series line of mixers that are also in the stereo OUT USB-audio class but feature more inputs. There are an 8, a 10 and a 12 channel version of these mixer/interfaces.

Next you graduate up to the digital audio interfaces that feature firewire connectivity and offer more flexibility in individual simultaneous outputs. The n-series digital mixing consoles come in an 8-channel (12 outputs via firewire) and a 12-channel (16 outputs via firewire). The n12 has options to do 5.1 surround sound because it gives you up 6 outputs (which you can configure as 3 stereo pairs or in true 5.1 surround). Built-in SweetSpot morphing Compressors, Rev-X reverb and 3-band EQ…

Then there are the MR816X and MR816CSX from Steinberg - which are 16in/16out rack mounted firewire audio interfaces. These are really cool if you want to do no-compromise recording at home and/or on the road. They simply have top-shelf mic-preamps (8), ADAT (8) and SPDIF Input/output and connect to your computer via firewire delivering 16 separate audio buses. These feature many innovations in terms of integration with software and feature (Yamaha Rev-X reverb) the “X” is for Rev-X and the “CS” is Yamaha’s Channel Strip which is the VCM EQ and the SweetSpot morphing Compressor .

So you get the idea that the device you get will very much depend on what else you need to plug in, what results you want to get, and how you want to go about getting them.

We have ranged in price here from just over $100 all the way up to about $1300… of course, Yamaha makes digital console options up into the $trato$phere price-wise - but these are the very popular ones in the musician-friendly price points.

You want to sit down and think about just how you would like to record and what else you need to plug in and record, and when. Do you want to simply document a band playing (then direct to stereo out is fine), do you want to multi-track simultaneously, do you want to multi-track where you are adding a track a time ... basically when buying any interface or any mixer...The RULE IS: decide how many INPUTS and how many OUTPUT you need at once.

Then buy the best one you can afford. You mention outdoors - which is curious - are you planning on taking a computer outdoors? That is something that even computer manufacturers don’t consider (in most cases) Not saying you can’t but just curious about what you intend to do outside (?)

Anyway there is some reading material so you can get an idea of what is available and the different situations in which you can use them. Take your time read through the links and this will give you an idea - asking what someone else does, well, may be helpful but only if you knkow for certain they are thinking about doing just what you are thinking about doing (which at this point, ONLY YOU really know!!!)

Hope that is helpful.