jaz Posted May 10, 2007 Share Posted May 10, 2007 Hi Logic Pro Heads! Any feedback on the Motu Traveler interface? I need to be very portable. jaz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yoink Posted May 11, 2007 Share Posted May 11, 2007 RME FireFace 400. Give it a look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djstory Posted May 11, 2007 Share Posted May 11, 2007 Bleh.. I have an 828MkII and I hate it. I wouldn't go with MOTU if I were you. I've had all kinds of qwerky driver issues. I want to get rid of my 828 as soon as I can afford to. The Fireface is a great interface but the Pre's in it kind of blow. If your on a budget and want something hot, check out the new Firestudio from Presonus. It has 8 discreet class A mic Pre's and it has a super low jitter spec. (The lowest on the market right now, at 20 Pico seconds. The MX002 has like a 600 pico second jitter spec.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
triplets Posted May 11, 2007 Share Posted May 11, 2007 Depends on your needs and also how many inputs at the same time you'll need. I'm using the MOTU Ultralite after 2 years with the M-Audio 410 and the MOTU has waaaayyyy better drivers and its mic pres are very clean. Its size is also very convenient. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Logic Pro Posted May 14, 2007 Share Posted May 14, 2007 Depends on your needs and also how many inputs at the same time you'll need. I'm using the MOTU Ultralite after 2 years with the M-Audio 410 and the MOTU has waaaayyyy better drivers and its mic pres are very clean. Its size is also very convenient. Ide go for 196k period Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrofani Posted May 14, 2007 Share Posted May 14, 2007 I have no experience with that particular MOTU piece but I've used a MOTU 828MKII for two years and it is ROCK SOLID. Ok, for $2K I am told that I could get better sound from an Apogee system but there comes a point where you have to know your limits. The only thing I can say negative about my MOTU piece is that it seems to generate a lot of RF interference which is only an issue if I'm tracking an electric bass or guitar near it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaz Posted May 15, 2007 Author Share Posted May 15, 2007 I once used a 2408 MK2 and I was pretty decent but all my equipment has beeen sold since then. Four years later after a horrid divorce I'm now starting from scratch again. I'm just trying figure out what's going on in the recording world these days. You're input helps a great deal. jaz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
editbrain Posted May 15, 2007 Share Posted May 15, 2007 The Fireface is a great interface but the Pre's in it kind of blow i totally disagree. i think that the presonus pre's blow. this is from total experience. i think that the presonus gear is lower end than motu. i do not think you will get the mileage from them as you will motu. as far as RME devices go... it goes way farther than just the device. there support is superb! there clocking is superb! the pres are great for vocal or instruments. the total mix application is very, very advanced. allows for infinite configurations pretty much inside the device. i wouldn't think twice unless the 300 dollars was the deal breaker, but 300 dollars is a small amount when it comes to your audio. at least to me. i wouldn't go apogee. unless you went symphony. which is costs more than RME. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy.lowson Posted May 15, 2007 Share Posted May 15, 2007 I've got a motu traveler, and it works fine. Good preamps, easy of use. No problem. Better than m-audio !! I recorded the traveler with the 8pre at the same time on my old powerbook 1,33 and I got a great result (12 mic preamp by take without problem) !! - Any feedback about the Focusrite SAFFIRE PRO ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcel72 Posted May 15, 2007 Share Posted May 15, 2007 The Fireface is a great interface but the Pre's in it kind of blow i totally disagree. i think that the presonus pre's blow. this is from total experience. Most audio interfaces come equipped with pre's that 'blow'. Those that don't blow, usually suck... This, however, does neither: http://www.apiaudio.com/a2d.html I don't think you can expect much in the way of preamplifier design from companies that have made their name mass-producing mid-grade digital gear. The design parameters are just so different. I use MOTU gear but I wouldn't touch their preamps, and prefer not to use their converters. Best, Marcel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
editbrain Posted May 15, 2007 Share Posted May 15, 2007 (edited) nice to know you have an opinion too, Marcel. you must own a fireface, and have used it extensively in every application. I use MOTU gear but I wouldn't touch their preamps, and prefer not to use their converters. why do you own it then? Edited May 15, 2007 by editbrain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Nahmani Posted May 15, 2007 Share Posted May 15, 2007 Well you can't really compare a $2,000 2 input preamp-converter with a $1,500 full fledged 18 i/o firewire interface. I don't know that API rack but I'm sure those are incredible preamps. The fireface, or the Metric Halo (I use both) are audio interfaces including converters, preamp and interface. Their preamp are high quality, but very neutral. You don't turn to those preamp for their sound, you turn to them for their transparency. If you want a thick, warm, velvety vocal sound, then you still need to get a nice preamp in front. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcel72 Posted May 15, 2007 Share Posted May 15, 2007 nice to know you have an opinion too, Marcel. you must own a fireface, and have used it extensively in every application. I use MOTU gear but I wouldn't touch their preamps, and prefer not to use their converters. why do you own it then? I own a MOTU 2408 because it is a flexible, reliable, and reasonably priced digital interface, and I like it. I do use its D/A converters for secondary channels when mixing (FX, BGs, etc.) but I do not like the results I get when recording through them on the A/D side - lacking in depth, narrow image, poor low end, kinda brittle. I have not used a Fireface before, although I did have an RME 9632 Hammerfall card for a while, and liked that also. None of the stuff mentioned in this thread is junk, and that was not my point... Digital audio interfaces and mic preamps are very different parts of a signal chain, and do not play well together in the same box, IMHO. SMC designs are necessary and efficient for digital interfaces, and such designs can be very tolerant of different component grades and compact packaging. None of these things are true of microphone preamps without very, very careful design. Not saying it does not exist, it's just not common... Trying to find a do-everything piece of gear can be a real trap, unless you are prepared to spend a whole lot of money. IME, I have been consistently more satisfied when buying even modest quality mic pres from dedicated manufacturers, as opposed to using the pres that come with interfaces (that are equally good quality when used as interfaces), just as I have had much more satisfaction spending my money on a few other pieces of quality gear, rather than on boxes that tried to do everything at once (the digital mixer I owned for a while, say). As David pointed out, there may be an element of 'you get what you pay for' in this, but it seems to have held true in every recording environment I have ever worked in. Best, Marcel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Nahmani Posted May 15, 2007 Share Posted May 15, 2007 At our last user group, Blumpy said he used a MOTU 896 as a converter, but clocked with an Apogee clocked. He still said he preferred the RME Fireface, but at least clocking the MOTU gave better results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
editbrain Posted May 15, 2007 Share Posted May 15, 2007 i would like to go back to the OP topic. Motu Traveler. Marcel, do you think that your comment about the motu and having to buy $2000 stereo/digital preamps go together. it is kinda obvious that an All-In-One is the point here. The Motu is fine. I have used an 828 mkll extensively at a partners studio. it has never failed. I also think that there is about a mile in difference between an RME device and a Motu device. the traveler is around $875 and the RME FF400 is $900 maybe a little more. To the OP i would go for the RME FF400 hands down for the quality. later buy your $2000 stereo/digital preamp. If you get the RME now everything you buy later will just be that much better going into your computer.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeDunn Posted May 16, 2007 Share Posted May 16, 2007 I use a Traveler with my 17inch macbook pro and love it. I got it for the portability and I found it worth every penny. It's bus powered (with the option of using an external battery), has 4 verry clean pre amps, and a midi interface.... plus the expandability through the digital I/O, or daisy chaining other travelers. I find the motu converters way better than any of the m-audio stuff I tried, not as good as the Apogee though. And I've also heard that if you clock them to a rock solid clock... they do get way better. As far as I'm concerned.... the Traveler has all the bang for your buck hopt this helps Luke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ras-D Posted May 16, 2007 Share Posted May 16, 2007 I use the traveler. Its great. Its light and works great. I havent had a problem with it yet. I would deffinatly recomend getting it, especially if you plan to do alot of moble recording. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcel72 Posted May 16, 2007 Share Posted May 16, 2007 i would like to go back to the OP topic. Motu Traveler. Marcel, do you think that your comment about the motu and having to buy $2000 stereo/digital preamps go together. it is kinda obvious that an All-In-One is the point here. The Motu is fine. I have used an 828 mkll extensively at a partners studio. it has never failed. I also think that there is about a mile in difference between an RME device and a Motu device. the traveler is around $875 and the RME FF400 is $900 maybe a little more. To the OP i would go for the RME FF400 hands down for the quality. later buy your $2000 stereo/digital preamp. If you get the RME now everything you buy later will just be that much better going into your computer.. I hear what you're saying, and I don't really pretend to have an opinion about the MOTU vs RME thing. I have used both companies' stuff, and it all did exactly what I wanted it to do very well. And maybe the APIs were a bad example, given the original topic... Here's a better one: You can buy an 8 channel version of the Soundcraft Delta DLX I have for about $400 - 500. They have great pres, very good 4-band EQs, and insert points and direct outs on every channel. Obviously at 15 - 20 years old, they need a little TLC, but when you're done you have a great front end for any system this size. You can't put it in your laptop bag and go to a friend's house, but you can get really solid results on a wide variety of material. All I'm saying is that given the realities of circuit design and marketplace economics, expecting a small, compact digital interface to have 'great' pres is a bit unrealistic. Apologies for hijacking. Best, Marcel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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