Arturia Forums

Audio => MiniFuse => Topic started by: Hochmann on March 23, 2022, 04:10:12 pm

Title: Minifuse 1 or Minifuse 2, which to get?
Post by: Hochmann on March 23, 2022, 04:10:12 pm
Hello, everyone!

I'm a big fan of Arturia. I have the Collection 7 and just got a Minilab. Now I'm wondering which Minifuse to get in order to update my interface and stay with Arturia, too. I'll be recording rock pop songs, have no problem whatsoever with recording voice and then guitars or bass separately, would not be using the MIDI in and out ports, but am still wondering if the other thing that the Minifuse has over the 2 would pull me in that direction: the Mix knob for monitoring.

Does anyone have any thoughts on that? Is the monitoring mix knob on the Minifuse 2 worth the extra money?

Btw, and just in case this is important, I'll also be starting a YouTube channel and might use the interface when doing the videos but not sure yet.

Thanks for any thoughts and help making up my mind!

Sergio
Title: Re: Minifuse 1 or Minifuse 2, which to get?
Post by: Raikro Scorp on April 01, 2022, 04:35:40 am
Dear Sergio,

I my honest opinion, it really depends on how, and what for, you are planning to use the interface and what are your current and maybe future requirements.

One of the main diferencies between the MiniFuse 1 and MiniFuse 2 is in fact that the MiniFuse 1 only has 1 Microphone/Instrument XLR/Jack combo input while the MiniFuse 2 has 2 Microphone/Instrument XLR/Jack combo inputs.

If you are only planning to use the interface with solely one Microphone or Instrument, let's say a guitar, you probably will be fine with the MiniFuse 1. But in the case you ever wanted to add another microphone or instrument in the near future, let's say to make a duo performance, you will be in the trouble of needing a new interface with more I/O options.

Please, note that computers and music production software in general doesn't take so well working with more than one audio interface at the same time. You can connect an additional audio interface to your system with the intention to have additional I/O options, but the majority of systems will requiere to have only one main audio interface and depending on it's settings, drivers and specs it will work in exclusive mode, meaning that you will only be able to work with the audio that the main interface is processing and only with the software that is using it in exclusive mode.

An example of what I was trying to explain in the last paragraph is that, let's say you are working on Cubase and have your MiniFuse 1 as your main audio interface. You have your Microphone, your Headphones and your Studio Monitors, all working flawlessly. But, a friend of yours just came home with his/her guitar and you want to make a duo. But, your MiniFuse 1 only has one input.

Then you remember that old interface you have collecting dust in a shelf and say "Why not just to connect it and voilą? We have another input!" and it would be a great solution, but then you connect it and you are not able to make it sing it back to you, and that is because your MiniFuse 1 is working in exclusive mode in your system.

That said, in my honest opinion, it's always better to have an additional input. You never know when your pal will come home and you will make the new "Despacito" hit.

The other pro is, as you already noted, the direct monitor feature. This is pretty helpful to monitor your input sound before it gets into the system, and therefore processed. It will give you an exact feedback on how are you sounding before your sound even touches your DAW, and will give you the capability to make corrections or adjustments of your signal before it gets processed, and then more probabilities of having a great recording.

After all this "enormous X short" explaination I'm trying to help you with, do I believe that the MiniFuse 2 worth the 50 more bucks? Absolutely yes! Do I believe is the best solution for you? That is up to you.

As I said in the beginning, it depends on your current and possible future requeriments.

Hope this helps you someway somehow.

If you have any questions, please, don't hesitate to get in touch.

Best regards from Barcelona,


P.S.: Sorry for the long answer. It was the better way I could handle it to give you the best advise possible. :)