Solving The Compatibility Riddle
Posted April, 21st 2015
"Does this audio interface work with software X?"
Let me tell you this. The answer is almost always "I don't know"
This is because I often only physically have the interfaces that I review in my possession for a short time.
But even if I did have them, there are far too many options to choose from.
So I couldn't even try out all the combinations of interfaces and software packages if I wanted to... but the truth is I don't want to.
I'd rather show YOU how to do it yourselves so you can take back some control over your own purchasing decisions.
Luckily, the manufacturers of these devices WANT you to know which software packages they support.
The Sure Thing
The "Can't Miss" option is always to simply use what comes bundled with the interface itself.
Sometimes that will be a "trial" or "lite" version, but they often give discounts if you do decide to upgrade to the regular version later on.
The manufacturers work closely with the software companies to make sure everything plays nice together.
But what if you want to know about software that is does not come included?
title 2
The good news is that the answer to the original question of:
"Does this audio interface work with software X?" is almost always Yes!
But remember that:
Almost Always does not equal Always
So here's how you can check for yourself.
The first thing is to identify what operating system you are using (Windows, Mac OS, Linus, etc.)
Chances are you one of the first two, but no matter what you need to start there.
Next, go to the website of the audio interface you are thinking of using, like this:
As long as you stick to a major sofware brand this information should be easy to find.
If, however, you are determined to use one specific piece of obscure software then you have a few options:
- Try it and see for yourself
- Scour online music forums (beware this can be soul-crushingly-useless too)
- Ask me (perhaps the most useless option yet)
- Abandon ship and switch to a more well established option
Don't be so stubborn and limit yourself when starting out.
The included software will be more than adequate to get you rolling.
And, in fact, it can be even easier for a beginner to learn BECAUSE it doesn't offer every single bell and whistle.
Saving The Best For Last
The single, best, most bullet proof way to know for sure is to call the manufacturer directly and simply ask.
Trust me. They WANT to sell their devices, and they WANT to answer these types of questions.
Remember to have both your operating system and available device driver information handy.
Here's how this conversation might go:
