TASCAM US-144MKII USB 2.0 4-channel Audio/MIDI Interface  

Easy to understand inputs, cubase software is easy to work with. While it has four inputs you can only use two simultaneously. I figured this when buying it but did not read that explicitly until I got the manual.

As others have said, the knobs feel a little delicate. It does work and function as intended thus far.

It is affordable and easy to use. There are others in the same price range which may provide more features and inputs. I feel that I got exactly what I paid for, though.

It is a nice simple unit. Because it runs off of the USB it is more portable and useful than some of the other devices in its segment. It is a very efficient portable digital music recorder.

Two inputs are nice, it also has phantom power, of course.  It has an output for headphones and RCA.

When I describe quality I'm talking about the build/durability. It is built nicely and seems strong and easily portible.  Slim knobs that don't get stuck ot pulled off.

Please, spend you money more wisely. Get a Shure pre-amp or other interface, Firewire if possible. This one has quite a lot of issues.

Alright, so overall: I've used this with the Cubase software it came with and let me just say, it's a very hard program to understand and is poor quality. I upgraded to a MacBook and use garageband now. I've tried some really expensive mics as well as cheaper ones, and the quality seems to be bad no matter what. So, the only conclusion I have is that I must have a bad interface. This is the second one I've gone through. The guitar inputs are horrible and are scratchy and buzz whether it is VIA an amp or direct from a guitar. The XLR inputs are not very much better. They are either too quiet or you can bump up the imput volume all the way and get a buzzed scratched noise. I would NOT reccommend, seeing as I've tried all the variables and two different interfaces of this same model. You make the choice, but consider something else.

Its hard to describe this item,

First off the install software  that came with the interface wouldnt install right, it wouldnt recognize  the drivers, so you have to install the new drivers and firmware from  tascam.com. And i dont know if it the interface or the audio recording  software supplied but you cant record in stereo. Ok so now the about the  audio recording software, it comes with Cubase LE 5, so when it works  it well, and makes sence, but just about everytime i close the program  you have to mess with the inputs and outputs (vst's) but just like every  other program that lets you change and tweak most aspects its going to  take a considerable time investment to get it all figured out. just to  make the interface communicate with Cubase it took about 2 days.

I own this unit and have used it successfully on Windows XP Pro (SP2) 32 bit,  and Windows Vista Ultimate 64 bit with no problems. As with any interface be sure to download the latest drivers for your OS.  Because of the high speed data transfer required, be sure you plug the USB into it's own bus. Don't share that bus with another USB product . Most computers including laptops have more than one bus with two or more inputs each. For a more pro setup, get an external hard drive for your audio data files. Keeping your DAW program files and data files on separate drives will provide better performance and eliminate dropouts while recording. Great unit! Highly recommended!

This little gem provides a total of 4 inputs which can be used simultaneously. I currently use it as 2 stereo inputs rather than 4 mono inputs. It has a MIDI in and out which is very useful to compose an arrangement using a keyboard input and a sound module. Comes with CuBase LE 5 which also supports virtual instruments. Phantom power is adequate for most condenser mics, but the preamp on the input channels are weak. I recommend you use a small powered mixer or something similar to get a good signal, otherwise you could have some issues with noise on the gain by using the interface alone.

My current setup uses outputs from a small mixer into the XLR inputs on the interface. Every instrument gets connected to the mixer to adjust levels before it goes into the interface. MIDI in has a keyboard connected to it, and the MIDI out has a sound module connected to it. the stereo outputs on the sound module goes into the 1/4 inch inputs on the interface.

Nice sturdy construction, USB powered. Since the interface sits on its flat side, it takes up more room than I would care for. Nice and light, so it is very portable. I use a generic low-end PC with Win7 (64bit) and I can easily take them with me anywhere I go. It is not built to take much punishment, so I clean it for dust often and make sure I wrap it in a towel or something when I transport it.

For the price, it's hard to beat. The included software has a slight learning curve, but works well with the interface. If you have a DAW you are using already, the interface will work with most other software as well. Headphones work well. The line outs are adequate. Overall I was pleased that this worked well with my setup.

If you are on a budget, or just starting out, this interface will work well for you. Just keep in mind that the preamp is weak so it needs to be compensated.