Tabnetic Posted May 24, 2006 Share Posted May 24, 2006 Is this a reliable interface ...and most importantly...a good sounding interface to use with logic pro 7.0? http://www.motu.com/products/motuaudio/896/ i've been thinking, and though i want to wait on the ensemble, it's too expensive for my production to really benefit, and i just want to get back to "making music." i need good i/o for employing some of my outboard gear, and something that i can grow with. the reviews i've found online are great, but i'd like to hear from people who've used on as to how good/clean the pres are and how the AD/DA stacks up against other things in that price range. thoughts? thanks so much! Tab Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briandelizza Posted May 24, 2006 Share Posted May 24, 2006 Personally I would go with the Ensemble, they have the same converters that the Rosetta uses, and who doesn't like the sound of those! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Nahmani Posted May 24, 2006 Share Posted May 24, 2006 Not exactly the same converters, although they have the same clock. I would go with RME Fireface or Metric Halo interfaces. Those have very good converters and circuitry, are flexible and have robust drivers. The MOTU has very robust drivers as well, but a little cheaper design and don't sound as good to my ears. If that's all you can afford however, then definitely go for it and you won't look back (until you can afford something better obviously). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tabnetic Posted May 25, 2006 Author Share Posted May 25, 2006 thanks for the input guys. yeah i would rather save the few hundred bucks and invest in a nice preamp. if i ever need "apogee" conversion, i could always get a 16ada or something and go into the motu lightpipe or aes. i'm not making music that's going to suffer (IMHO) from the difference between motu and metric halo, rme, etc. but i think a lack of a pre/crappy pre would make more of a difference to my ears. my goal is to record a nice sounding demo to shop to labels, so i think i'll go with motu so long as the drivers are reliable. thanks again t Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briandelizza Posted May 25, 2006 Share Posted May 25, 2006 thanks for the correction. I heard that through word of mouth, and we all know how reliable that is... Either way I'm sure they are pretty quality... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
halfshark Posted May 27, 2006 Share Posted May 27, 2006 This looks really good, but if I were to get something like this how easy would it be to expand the amount of I/O, and what would use to expand it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tabnetic Posted June 1, 2006 Author Share Posted June 1, 2006 ok, well i hate to go round and round about this but i want to make sure i get something solid. i'm under the impression (from posts here and elsewhere) that RME is a great interface for logic and that MOTU is good, but not great sounding. the one thing i don't like about the RME ff800 is that it doesn't have main outs, so you lose a pair for your monitors....or is this not true? i'm just assuming by looking at the back of the box. also, there doesn't appear to be a dedicated monitor knob, and i think it might be cumbersome to have to change mix SPL's through software when proofing a mix. again, i might have mis-judged RME here, but if i have can someone who uses the FF800 correct me? i'm thinking about the MOTU 828 MKII now b/c it's got MIDI, and S/Pdif so that i can still go into my m-box in pro tools through the motu and use that as the A/D not the mbox...right? i hear that MOTU 828 MKII is a good bang for your buck option...are there other comparable options in that price range? i'm seeing them as low as $550 on ebay.... thanks again for your advice...i'm trying to really stretch my dollars here... Tab Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tabnetic Posted June 8, 2006 Author Share Posted June 8, 2006 bump... anyone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Nahmani Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 Yes, you would have to use two of the outputs for your monitors on the RME. And yes, the lack of a monitor knob is a pain. I cannot understand why such a great interface doesn't have a monitor knob. It's not really practical to always have to Command-Tab to the RME mixer and use the mouse to adjust your level. I love the volume knob on my Metric Halo. Seems like such a basic feature that pretty much all interfaces should have. I still use the FF800 a lot and love it (aside from those limitations - the output thing is not an issue for me). The MOTU 828 MkII is great bang for the buck. It's not as plug-and-play as the RME (sometimes needs a little troubleshooting, although overall it's very stable). The RME just works. I've never had to call RME, I've had to call MOTU on several occasions. However, MOTU tech support is amazing. Fast answer, and they take the time to make your unit work. So as much as I prefer the RME over the MOTU, maybe for you the 828 would be a great choice, and you could always get its analog circuitry and clock (its weak points) modded by Black Lion: http://www.blacklionaudio.com/motu_firewire_mod.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tabnetic Posted June 8, 2006 Author Share Posted June 8, 2006 thanks so much for your response, David; i'm losing count now on your helpful answers. i think i am going to go for the 828 mkii, see if i can find it used on ebay or craigslist, and look into the black lion upgrade. it's reasonably cheap for what it is...and it will certainly hold me over until i can afford a nice pre. T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Nahmani Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 I think you're making a wise decision. And who knows, when you get the 828MkII you might think it sounds just fine for your use/taste. Keep in mind I haven't heard any of the Black Lion mods, so do your research! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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