I am experiencing a little GAS. My AI is a 2i2 which has served me well over the last 6.5 years.
Now I am needing/wanting a third input for my AVOYP videos (I know, some may say what AVOYP videos) and Community OMs. I like to run a separate guitar and vocal source from the Play Acoustic into OBS. But now I also want to include bass and drums from the Trio into OBS.
I can get away with using a single combined output from the Play Acoustic but I wanted to use my electric in the next OM and to add some amp and fx to the dry DI signal I need separate inputs.
It’s an indulgence, sure, but hey ho.
So I’ve done some homework and can’t find any reviews or information that simplify the decision-making.
Biggest question mark hanging over this after all the reviews is that of drivers. 4i4 comes uses the Focusrite ASIO driver which I know works well with OBS so I assume (dangerous) that accessing the 4 channels in OBS would work fine. Not sure about the 404, it’s drivers.
So can anybody provide extra info via experience or reference to clarify situation re drivers for 404 and use of all 4 of the input channels in OBS (for both AIs).
Behringer dropped their bespoke “factory” drivers some years ago and the tech users ASIO4ALL. I have used that on all my Behringer AIs over the last 8 years (at least). The UMC404 should be a cut down version of 1820. I’ve not used the UMC as direct input to OBS but would imagine you would declare Outputs 1 and 2 as you would if setting as PC audio output. So you would get you 4 inputs into the AI and the stereo Lineout (2 ch) into OBS. PC fragility prevents me from testing it. But @Majik will certainly confirm, as another Behringer user - think he has a 404 as well.
I have a UMC204HD, although I have given it to my daughter to use at the moment. I’ve not used the 404 or others, but I suspect they are similar.
Behringer don’t do proprietary drivers because their stuff is largely standards compliment, and all of the drivers are built into most Operating Systems.
Apparently this isn’t quite true. There are UMC drivers for Windows listed on the Behringer website. No drivers are needed for Mac.
On Linux, which is what I used it on and for which there is no specific driver, it was plug and play.
Through my experiences with ALSA on Linux, I have come to realise that most “drivers” for USB audio devices are not drivers at all, but are a bunch of configuration files telling the built-in OS driver where the device has “quirks” which differ from the standard.
I can’t really tell you anything useful about the devices performance on Windows other than it seems to work well for my daughter, but she’s not doing any recording, and I’m pretty sure isn’t using ASIO. I never used in on Windows myself as I generally only use Windows when I have to.
But, as a general rule, If it has ASIO drivers then it should work well on any software which uses ASIO. I’m not aware of any specific combinations of devices, ASIO and application which work better or worse than others: the performance you get from USB devices tends to be a function of their hardware.
As far as I know the UCM range works very well on Windows. On Linux it works beautifully with OBS and Ardour.
The only issue I had with it was that I got a lot of noise from the USB from my laptop when it was running on mains power, but I get this with just about every USB audio input device I have used on this laptop; I think it’s due to the power supply.
I have recorded and Open Mic’d with both the UMC404HD and the Scarlett 4i4 3rd Gen (my current device). I found both good to use and felt the 404 was very flexible with it’s input/output options although my subjective feel was the 4i4 sounded better plus its software provides some good functionality. In saying that I think both are great AIs so can’t go wrong really.
From memory, I think I only went straight into OBS with the 404 without using ASIO at the time so all channels were combined. I was feeding in my guitar, vocals and a backing track (with all effects on my guitar and vocals prior to the 404) so really I just wanted everything to be simple and synced when captured by OBS.
However, now I’m using my 4i4 via Reaper to OBS as per Toby’s instructions here.
So I haven’t used either with all 4 channels accessible separately in OBS in a production situation. However, as a quick test, I have checked it now with the 404 and appears to work when using ASIO4ALL and the OBS-ASIO plugin, if this is what you are looking to confirm?
Yes actually quite right Keith, they dropped the Xenyx specific drivers.
Can’t say I have looked under the hood for a while, as not used the UMC in anger for a while and forgot about the separate UMC Control Panel “asio” interface (plug n play!!).
But like Jeff I get all the 1820’s 8 inputs and the 2 SPDIF inputs showing as available.
@nzmetal Jeff do you have to create an ASIO IC for each of the channels you are using ? Never used it directly into OBS its always been via Reaper Rearoute when I’ve tinkered in the past.
Thanks for the feedback, and especially for confirming the availability of drivers for the 404 (why didn’t I think to visit the website) and confirmation that all 4 channels are available in OBS. That is good news.
I do like the fact that the 404 has the 4 combo inputs. While right now I only need 2 XLR inputs I can imagine use-cases when maybe I’d want a third.
Add that to the similarity in specs/performance based on all the reviews plus the fact that a 4i4 is about 40% more expense than the 404 means I think the 404 is the way to go.
No exactly what I mean but I did direct to Jeff but thanks for clarifying. Have just done that in OBS. So yes 4 individual inputs to OBS - Mic, Trio, PodGo Line Out L & R. Something to play with later in the week.
A bass would work or a uke. Alternatively 2 instruments and 2 vocal mics. Those would all need me to persuade the missus to join me. Now musically that raises the quality of the production but while I am not concerned about displaying my limited capability the missus is more shy and tends to focus on her other interests.
Otherwise probably three it is: Trio (brings bass and drums), guitar and vocal when I’m live recording solo.
Have you tried connecting it to a USB C Gen 3.x port if your laptop has one? I solved my audio interference issues that way possibly due to the port being powered separately.
An interesting idea, Toby, but doesn’t immediately appeal to me.
I did do a live loop and lead outro at a Community OM, which took some nifty footwork as you say, plus the pressure of recording the loop in the moment. My biggest issue on that was the change in guitar level when record was engaged on the looper. It seemed to pick up the level while recording and dropped back when replaying the recorded loop.
I can imagine tones might be a challenge if looping rhythm to play a lead with live guitar plugged straight into OBS. It would need some careful planning to keep the rhythm tone consistent. I suspect for that there might be better mileage from using a DAW for the backing and being creative with the live guitar played over it, less tap-dancing.
(and Keith) but yes adding an ASIO Input Capture for each channel is way 
