13 replies to this topic

[Jay Parker]

Ok heres the scenario.

I am able to purchase a RME FIreface 400 for around the same price as a MOTU 828 MKII, and a bit more than an ultralite.
Plus there is these new interfaces by Tc Electronic that look mighty tasty with onboard DSP verb and Dynamics for a very reasonable sum of cash

Now, i know a little about the MOTU gear and i know its good reliable stuff.

My question to the Soundpunks is for the money is the RME worth it? or would i be better off putting the money to better use elsewhere in my studio?

And what of these TC Electronic interfaces??

help!!!!!


http://www.novamusik...el&keyword=2435

http://www.rme-audio...ireface_400.php

[ajay]

Urgh, im facing nearly the same dilemma, add a focusrite saffire pro26 to the mix...

While having never used an RME card, I know a few people who do... they cant say enough good things about em. Pricey, but in many peoples opinions, its well worth it. Having said that, there are many who sware by motu or *insert your brand here*.

Which brings us back to square one... :bang:

[Jester_Fu]

Pfft... your missus get's a pay rise, and you're already out spending the cash ;D Where's uncy Spectrum - master of the wifey cash flow??

Anyway... let's start with the obvious. Inputs. The Fireface and Motu Ultralite both have the same. The TC has less. 2 less. Do the math and read the blurb carefully - 2 mic/hi-z inputs, 4 line inputs. Then we move on to the descrete - you're paying for a lot of higher level features on the RME (like ADAT) that you'll not use for oooh... maybe another 5 years, IF you get a pro studio. Then, we'll move on to the price difference - which you don't list. Given that an 828 gets you 1.5 Ultralites at current retail pricing... i'd say you're forking out a couple hundred bucks extra on the RME for something you'll not appreciate the difference with. Yep, the pre's and AD/DA stages in the RME are good. Are they so good you'll pick the difference when you A/B them with an 828 through the Tannoys? Nup.

Onboard DSP effects - great, you get a verb and a channel strip with the TC. Fuckin' useless. You're better off with plugins. If you were going to do some live vocal work and use it as a mixer... maybe the DSP effects would be something more than a gimic. IMO, the TC gear is nice entry level stuff, it wont disappoint... but they should stay focused on what they do well... and stop trying to cash in on brand recognition. I haven't heard one, but i can't see how at the price either the pre's or the AD/DA will be any better than an Ultralite.

Look, if you have cash to burn - buy the RME, and you can wank along with your Mac and be all like "ooh - i have a Mac and an RME". ;D Nah, you wont hate the RME... it's a nice interface. Will you pick the difference over the couple of hundred you could put toward some decent new VSTi's or a copy of Ableton for the Mac? Fuck no. You know how much love i have for my 828. You know how much love Ultralite users seem to have. You know how much a legit copy of Ableton would be on the Mac, or a couple of VSTi's (if the budget already covers Alertron) would far exceed any small increase in AD/DA conversion you'll get from an RME. You also know that for about the same cash you'd spend on the RME, you can send the Ultralite to USA and get it doctored to sound better than an RME.

Choice is easy, IMO.

[Captain Terrific]

jay, mate im about to step into the same boat as you...

things on my list include -

RME Fireface 800
Motu Ultralite
Focusrite Saffire Pro26
Mackie Onyx 800R

This last one specs out quite nicely, and sits at the same price point (ish) - could be a dark horse perhaps?

could be a heap of shit too, i'll have a play with one first and get back to ya's

[Spectrum]

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Mackie Onyx 800R

This last one specs out quite nicely, and sits at the same price point (ish) - could be a dark horse perhaps?

could be a heap of shit too, i'll have a play with one first and get back to ya's

Isn't the 800R a pre only?

That is, there's no audio interfacing with the computer (USB/FireWire), so to get sound from it into the computer, one must run it via the ADAT, S/PDIF, or the analogue outs and into another audio interface.

Not that I need any more inputs right now, I've checked it out as an expansion option for me (to take advantage of my empty ADAT port). RME do a similar product (though that may be line level only - not mic pre?).

[Spectrum]

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Pfft... your missus get's a pay rise, and you're already out spending the cash ;D Where's uncy Spectrum - master of the wifey cash flow??

Mr Parker has just taken the lead, I think. I'm gonna have to do some hard sell tactics this weekend, me thinks! ;D

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Look, if you have cash to burn - buy the RME, and you can wank along with your Mac and be all like "ooh - i have a Mac and an RME". ;D Nah, you wont hate the RME... it's a nice interface. Will you pick the difference over the couple of hundred you could put toward some decent new VSTi's or a copy of Ableton for the Mac? Fuck no. You know how much love i have for my 828. You know how much love Ultralite users seem to have. You know how much a legit copy of Ableton would be on the Mac, or a couple of VSTi's (if the budget already covers Alertron) would far exceed any small increase in AD/DA conversion you'll get from an RME. You also know that for about the same cash you'd spend on the RME, you can send the Ultralite to USA and get it doctored to sound better than an RME.

Choice is easy, IMO.

Some great points in there. On-board DSP ain't a biggie for me either, unless there's enough DSP to run half the effects rack, it's a gimmick as you say.

Though I've not used one, I'm a real fan of the Ultralite. Lovin' the portability, capability incl. bus-powered potential. And now we've moved into the age of laptops, soft synths and controllers, the idea of having something not rack-mountable is less of a drama these days.

I can appreciate the dillema though.

[Jay Parker]

This is why i posed the question. To get some decent answers with out the wankery... cept for the Fu - He cant help it. Its a medical thing.

I just wish this groupbuy on the ultralites had progressed enough so i know what $$$ i would be looking at.

I can get one for $645 to my door at the moment, so the ultralite wins every day of the week in the price stakes, plus they are a bloody nice bit of gear.

Ehsan, tell us the price son! Well email me when you know, i just hope its soon

[Jester_Fu]

$645?? Is that from the states?

PS: :pissingmonkey:

[Jester_Fu]

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Though I've not used one, I'm a real fan of the Ultralite. Lovin' the portability, capability incl. bus-powered potential. And now we've moved into the age of laptops, soft synths and controllers, the idea of having something not rack-mountable is less of a drama these days.

Jay has made the choice harder - all of the interfaces he's listed can be buss powered. All of them are half RU. They all basically have the same number of I/O. The only real difference between them is the bucks, and some of the higher level features like SPIDF and ADAT. There's no doubtthe RME gear has class leading A/D stages right out of the box... but all reports are that US mod for the Motu's has them as good and better than an RME for about the same money. I mean, it's not like many UL users will ever bother with it, because the quality is kick arse anyway... but it's always an option in the future.

I found out, by quizing some ultralite owners, that it does in fact come with a racking kit, and it's designed to fit 2 Ultralites in that kit. That was my only prolem with the half RU stuff... and damn it... Motu already fixed it! What a great way to get 20 I/O in a single rack space for reasonable cash!!! Personally, i don't know how they're still selling the 828MkII. I love mine, but i got it pre-UL arriving. I could have had 2 UL's for not much more than the 828, and not miss any of the high level stuff on the 828 i don't currently use. They've got the same AD/DA stages, and the same pres... same cuemix. It's insane how they've priced it and set the little bugger up.

[Jay Parker]

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PS: :pissingmonkey:

But i said it was a medical thing...

[Spectrum]

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Jay has made the choice harder - all of the interfaces he's listed can be buss powered. All of them are half RU. They all basically have the same number of I/O. The only real difference between them is the bucks, and some of the higher level features like SPIDF and ADAT.

At risk of a "SEARCH n00b!!!" here, do all those offer at least S/PDIF?

I couldn't live without S/PDIF for my MPX 500 (effects box) permanently running as a digital insert. Becomes just another plug-in that way.

'Course it's pointless if one never has a need for S/PDIF (though quite a few things utilise it). What I really need is a ADAT->S/PDIF converter with 8 in / 4 out so I can run more S/PDIF devices into my rig... thinking a TC M-One XL for starters).

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There's no doubtthe RME gear has class leading A/D stages right out of the box... but all reports are that US mod for the Motu's has them as good and better than an RME for about the same money. I mean, it's not like many UL users will ever bother with it, because the quality is kick arse anyway... but it's always an option in the future.

Who's doing that mod? Is it Black Lion? They're also doing Digi002/003 mods. I remember something about needing to source some of the parts oneself, though maybe they're onto that now. I'm in no hurry to mod, but it's something I've thought of.

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Personally, i don't know how they're still selling the 828MkII. I love mine, but i got it pre-UL arriving. I could have had 2 UL's for not much more than the 828, and not miss any of the high level stuff on the 828 i don't currently use. They've got the same AD/DA stages, and the same pres... same cuemix. It's insane how they've priced it and set the little bugger up.

I wonder if they are selling any? Perhaps it's more to maintain the impression of a product range, rather than to shift 828 boxes. ie. flood the market with their solutions, get people interested in the options, even if it means people still walk out with an UltraLite.

[Spectrum]

re Black Lion Audio mods:

http://www.blacklionaudio.com/

Modification Products:
- Alesis AI-3
- Black Lion Audio Microclock
- Digidesign 002
- Digidesign 001
- Digidesign Mbox Series
- M-Audio Delta 1010
- M-Audio FW1814
- Motu Audio Interface
- SM Pro MKI MKII PR8E

[Captain Terrific]

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Isn't the 800R a pre only?

yeah, meant the 400f - my brain hurts...

and as for the 828mkII - i haven't sold one since the ultralite came out

[Jester_Fu]

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At risk of a "SEARCH n00b!!!" here, do all those offer at least S/PDIF?

I couldn't live without S/PDIF for my MPX 500 (effects box) permanently running as a digital insert. Becomes just another plug-in that way.

Well, from memory... without doing a search n00b for ya... the ultralite is the only one without ADAT. It's got S/PIDF, though.

And yeah... it was the BlackLion mod of which i was speaking

I'm totally not surprised about the 828's not being such a big mover any more. The 828 offers very little over the Ultralite at first glance. I'd love to spend a day doing a session in the studio with one of each to see if there really is any other difference - but my understanding is with the same DSP and the same AD/DA stages... i ain't gonna hear it