Motu 828mkII or 896

[DomitianX]

Hey guys, Logic newbie here. Moving to Logic from Cakewalk. I am looking at either the 828mkII or the 896. I can get either for the same price.

 

Any significant differences? I am running Logic 9 Pro on a MacBook Pro with 10.5.8

 

Thanks,

--Mike

[chrisrnps]

If you're choosing between a used 828mkII or a used original-version 896, I'd just go by features, as they both sound "like an early-2000's MOTU interface". The selling point of the 896 when it first came out was that it was 24/96, which is commonplace nowadays.

 

The one "yikes" that came up when I Googled the original "Mark 1" version 896 just now was one of the "cons" bullet points in the original Sound on Sound review:

 

cons:

* Zero-latency monitoring only on one input pair at a time.

 

That would be a dealbreaker for me, but if you plan to use your audio interface exclusively through a mixing console, it wouldn't matter.

[DomitianX]

I am not planning on using a mixer at all really. I am looking at a control surface and the Motu as separate pieces. Motu just for bringing the info in, the control surface for mixing, etc. Unless someone has some better advice.

 

With the 896 I can only monitor one pair of inputs? Like channel 1 & 2? That would not be cool. Thats all I need 80% of the time, but I would like to have the ability to monitor everything at zero latency.

 

Does the 828mkII have zero latency monitoring on all channels?

 

The only thing I dont like about the 828 is it only has 2 XLR inputs. Again, not a huge deal 80% of the time, but I want to have the ability to bring in 8 XLRs inputs if I need to.

 

The other options I was looking at was a Presonus or a Saffire. Budget and all.

[chrisrnps]

The "zero" latency input monitoring in the 828mk2 works on all of the inputs, not just two at a time like the 896 ("mark 1").

 

The 896mk2 has the same kind of "CueMix DSP" onboard input mixing/monitoring capability as the 828mk2 - "zero" latency input monitoring on all channels.

 

Thats all I need 80% of the time, but I would like to have the ability to monitor everything at zero latency.

 

Then you want a MOTU interface that has a "mk2" or "mk3" after the name.

 

 

Again, not a huge deal 80% of the time, but I want to have the ability to bring in 8 XLRs inputs if I need to.

 

Then you want something other than the 828mk2...or an 828mk2 plus some external preamps, or an analog mixer with at least eight preamps and at least eight direct outs, insert jacks, or subgroup/bus outs - or, if your other six inputs are already line-level, some XLR-to-TRS adaptor cables - or one of the many eight-XLR-preamps-in-one-ADAT-out single-rackspace units on the market, and/or an AD/DA or preamp with S/PDIF i/o, or...

 

The reason I'm using an 828mk2 is 1) it was really cheap used, but still good, and 2) with the analog (10 channels), ADAT (8 channels), and S/PDIF (two more channels) ins, you can keep expanding your available inputs as your needs, budget, and spending-too-much-time-reading-about-converters-on-Gearslutz dictate.

[DomitianX]

Is there a firewire mixer that has motorized faders and everything? Like a control surface/mixer/audio interface in one?

 

I can probably get by with (2) XLR and converting the others with XLR to 1/4" converters, but I dont know if there is a quality difference with 1/4" TRS compared to XLR, etc.

 

I only need (2) XLR for 80% of the time because its mostly going to be me recording guitars over loops/samples. BUt I would like the ability to record a rehearsal the my band, church functions, etc.

 

I suppose my question is, will a 828MKII limit me in any way sonically if I use the XLR to 1/4" adapters or should I could with a unit that has 8 XLRs like a MOTU 8Pre, or Presonus.

 

I am new to the whole firewire interface thing. I've been recording for a long time with Cakewalk.