PreSonus USB audio interfaces

The presonus audio box usb works great with a Mac, just plug it in, select the Audiobox in the sound preferences, and then you are ready to record and monitor in full stereo. UTILIZATION Two downsides: 1) it does not have a line-level input, so you can only do instrument / midi / mic, and 2) USB + CPU under 1.5Ghz = noticeable latency. The faster your computer, the less problems you'll have with latency. To get around latency, you would have to monitor your input from the Audiobox rather than from the program you are recording with. For instance, if you plug in a guitar to distort with a software plug-in, you'll be monitoring the guitar's clean signal via the Audiobox before it reaches the plugin running on the computer. That is the only way to get zero latency monitoring, right at the source. Of course what gets recorded and played back is the guitar with full effects. GETTING STARTED getting started was easy and the manual was very to the point. Construction and looks are fantastic, though. No cheap plastic cases or dials. All metal and a nice blue brushed aluminum faceplate. For the price, I recommend it. It works as advertised on a Mac (haven't tried it on a PC yet) and the mic preamps are pretty darn good. Meaning, good sound ... better than cheap mixers and way better than your stock computer sound car OVERALL OPINION Because it is bus-powered, the mic preamp gain is mediocre. Condensers are best for vocals with this, while for louder signals like a guitar amp you can get away with dynamic mics. If you are on a budget but need a good sounding interface and have a decent computer, I recommend this Audiobox. Otherwise I recommend the next step up, the Presonus Firebox at double the price. So to get the best bang for your buck, try this one and you wont be unhappy. What more could you ask for .