rholt1
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$1000 - $1500 Firewire inteface purchase advice
So here's the thing - i've gone through 3 different Audio interfaces (more actually) - they have been, what i would call, lightweight... in the <= $500 arena:
Edirol FA-66 (Firewire)
E-Mu 1616M (PCI Card)
M-Audio FastTrack Ultra (USB and current)...
i had my friend come over the past weekend & we compared audio files (output) between my FastTrack Ultra and his MOTU 828Mk2 (a model behind the MK3).
the sound on the MOTU was about 30% better - (which to me is a LOT) i felt i have been listening through a boom box compared to the clarity (full spectrum) of his MOTU.
bear in mind that he also uses a Mac OS as opposed to my Windows OS - i have read some things about Firewire interface specs may be a bit different & therefore maybe more problems using a Windows OS...
So - i am now in the position to spend between $1k and $1.5k on a new interface.
i'm using Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit - with Sonar 8.5 64bit.
my OS Drive and my Sonar Program drive are both solid state (SSD)'s.
i'm not needing a qazillion inputs or outputs - i play guitar (Taylors & Strat) and have a very decent Mic (Peluso)...
my question is this... is MOTU the best sound for the buck, input & output? or does something else put it to shame - along the lines of maybe RME?...
I'm not going to be satisfied with anything less than the quality of sound i heard from the MOTU... so hopefully some of you will have experience with hearing the MOTU & others. don't get me wrong - i think i'll be happy with 828mkIII (the latest model)... I don't need the 896mkIII in that it seems like the same specs but more Pre-amped inputs... (i'm happy with 2)... but i'm also looking for something with a Word Clock interface, too so the MOTU Ultralite will not do. thing is - i'd rather look before i leap!
Thanks in advance for your help on this.
Russ from Coral Springs, Fl.
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gustabo
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Re:$1000 - $1500 Firewire inteface purchase advice
2010/12/19 22:24:17
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Cakewalk by Bandlab - Win10 Pro x64 - StudioCat Platinum Studio DAW - 32 GB Ram - MOTU UltraLite-mk3
M-Audio Keystation 88ES - Akai MPD26 (hot-rodded) - Alesis DM10 - a few guitars, a few amps
Novation Launch Control - Korg nanoKONTROL2 - PreSonus FaderPort - DAW Remote HD on iPad
Adam A7X - Behritone C50A
PreSonus Monitor Station v2 (controlling the mons)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/sonarusergroup/
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RogerS
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Re:$1000 - $1500 Firewire inteface purchase advice
2010/12/19 23:24:12
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I noticed that you didn't try the Focusrite Saffire Pro 40. That's still down in that $500 range, but might be worth trying before spending bigger bucks. The 64-bit drivers for Windows 7 are good, they can be stacked, includes loopback channels, and they can be used with the computer off (with last IO configuration).
PE 8.5.3, Windows 7 Pro 64-bit, i7 920, GA-EX58-UD4P, 6gb Corsair DDR3, 2 x Barracuda 500gb, HIS Radeon GS-4670 Fanless 1gb DDR3, dual 24" monitors, Axiom 61, Korg Triton Pro, Focusrite Saffire Pro 40, VG-99, Yamaha MSP5, Fostex PM0.5
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The Maillard Reaction
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Re:$1000 - $1500 Firewire inteface purchase advice
2010/12/20 07:42:53
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I have 3 MOTU boxes.
I'd like to try the RME stuff soon.
Doesn't the focusrite have the infamous dice chipset that doesn't always work right? I think it also has the slower real life round trip latency.
Good luck.
best regards,
mike
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mgh
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Re:$1000 - $1500 Firewire inteface purchase advice
2010/12/20 07:51:50
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AT
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Re:$1000 - $1500 Firewire inteface purchase advice
2010/12/20 10:07:29
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For a grand you can get a lynx pci card 4/4 and add an ADAT SMUX. they have a FW interface but only for their more expensive 8X8 ($2000). But if you then have a problem w/ sound you'll know it ain't the convertors.
I haven't used it but the Steinberg/Yama convertor is supposed to be great, too. For about $800.
And I'm very happy w/ the sound of my TC Konnekt - from $200-1000 (depending on the model). As good as the RME, tho the drivers were a problem until the last release.
I'd try to buy from a place that will let you return, so you can make up your own mind.
https://soundcloud.com/a-pleasure-dome
http://www.bnoir-film.com/ there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head. 24 And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the Lord. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them.
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Jim Roseberry
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Re:$1000 - $1500 Firewire inteface purchase advice
2010/12/20 12:06:52
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Russ from Coral Springs, Fl. Hi Russ, If you're wanting the best possible FW audio interface, go with RME. You can probably find the Fireface 800 close to the top end of your listed budget. I've measured the average noise-floor of the FF800 at -118dB. That's world-class territory. The Fireface 400 and UC would be close 2nd choices... The MOTU units are nice... but a notch below the RME On a tighter budget, go MOTU or Steinberg (which is really Yamaha) From what you describe, you're looking for the biggest fidelity bump you can get. That would be the Fireface 800. The new Fireface UFX would also be great... but it'll blow your budget ($2100).
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rumleymusic
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Re:$1000 - $1500 Firewire inteface purchase advice
2010/12/20 12:48:08
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I had an 828mk3 and thought it sounded rather muddy compared to some of my better stand alone converters. RME is the best way to go for PC right now. I plan on getting a UFX to replace my Steinberg MR816 (which has amazing sound, but horrible windows 7 drivers.)
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ohhey
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Re:$1000 - $1500 Firewire inteface purchase advice
2010/12/20 13:27:30
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rholt1
So here's the thing - i've gone through 3 different Audio interfaces (more actually) - they have been, what i would call, lightweight... in the <= $500 arena:
Edirol FA-66 (Firewire)
E-Mu 1616M (PCI Card)
M-Audio FastTrack Ultra (USB and current)...
i had my friend come over the past weekend & we compared audio files (output) between my FastTrack Ultra and his MOTU 828Mk2 (a model behind the MK3).
the sound on the MOTU was about 30% better - (which to me is a LOT) i felt i have been listening through a boom box compared to the clarity (full spectrum) of his MOTU.
bear in mind that he also uses a Mac OS as opposed to my Windows OS - i have read some things about Firewire interface specs may be a bit different & therefore maybe more problems using a Windows OS...
So - i am now in the position to spend between $1k and $1.5k on a new interface.
i'm using Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit - with Sonar 8.5 64bit.
my OS Drive and my Sonar Program drive are both solid state (SSD)'s.
i'm not needing a qazillion inputs or outputs - i play guitar (Taylors & Strat) and have a very decent Mic (Peluso)...
my question is this... is MOTU the best sound for the buck, input & output? or does something else put it to shame - along the lines of maybe RME?...
I'm not going to be satisfied with anything less than the quality of sound i heard from the MOTU... so hopefully some of you will have experience with hearing the MOTU & others. don't get me wrong - i think i'll be happy with 828mkIII (the latest model)... I don't need the 896mkIII in that it seems like the same specs but more Pre-amped inputs... (i'm happy with 2)... but i'm also looking for something with a Word Clock interface, too so the MOTU Ultralite will not do. thing is - i'd rather look before i leap!
Thanks in advance for your help on this.
Russ from Coral Springs, Fl.
RME Fireface 800, it's the known good thing in the industry.
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jcschild
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Re:$1000 - $1500 Firewire inteface purchase advice
2010/12/20 13:31:26
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sound quality the focusrites are very nice, love the pres..
not great low latency but very stable drivers
as Jim metioned Steinberg MR816x would be next.
great mic pres ad/da very low latency drivers
then RME Fireface 400/800/UC /UFX/babyface.
dont get any better than this..
i would pass on Motu at this point...
Scott ADK Home of the Kentucky Fried DAW!
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rholt1
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Re:$1000 - $1500 Firewire inteface purchase advice
2010/12/20 14:07:27
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First of all i'd like to say - this forum is GREAT- thank you for the EIGHT (Count 'em 8) replies in less than 12 hours! - The last few seem to be more towards what i'm getting at.
I've only physically heard the interfaces that I've heard (obviously) and have only had the opportunity to hear side by side, the M-Audio Fasttrack vs Motu 828mkii.
Let's just say that when i say $1,500 - that's my "delivered to m' door, price ceiling.
I'm doing my reading up on, would like to hear more about:
RME - Fireface 400 (800 went just slightly over my budget - but if the diff is THAT significant over 400)...?
Lynx - i'm not sure if i want to go the PCI route this time and all others are out of reach$
TC Konnekt - X32
Steinberg - MR816 CSX
ForcusRite Saffire Series - heard some good stuff - but no real positive comparisons to others.
Sooo - this is a VERY GOOD beginning - but i feel it would benefit us all (and of course right now ME - yes the universe IS rotating around me whilst this money is burning a hole in my pocket) if we had people out there who have had experiences with using more than one (two is fine) to start giving comparisons - this is not to denigrate anyone who gives a "here's why this one is great" to any one interface, but by giving first hand experience comparisons, we can, if we collect enough, start stacking ranking the qualities that these interfaces offer in some groupings in light of their Recording/Playback & other features. One thing my friend and i did NOT do in our comparison was to see if the RECORDING or PLAYBACK or a combination was the reason for the difference that we heard in quality. This would be something i'd be very interested in. (and i will get back to you when we get together to do this again in more depth) - so - i'd love it if you'd all keep adding your 2cents to all this - more knowledge is better than less knowledge. And thanks for all this so far!
Russ from Coral Springs, Fl.
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ohhey
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Re:$1000 - $1500 Firewire inteface purchase advice
2010/12/20 15:41:14
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rholt1
First of all i'd like to say - this forum is GREAT- thank you for the EIGHT (Count 'em 8) replies in less than 12 hours! - The last few seem to be more towards what i'm getting at.
I've only physically heard the interfaces that I've heard (obviously) and have only had the opportunity to hear side by side, the M-Audio Fasttrack vs Motu 828mkii.
Let's just say that when i say $1,500 - that's my "delivered to m' door, price ceiling.
I'm doing my reading up on, would like to hear more about:
RME - Fireface 400 (800 went just slightly over my budget - but if the diff is THAT significant over 400)...?
Lynx - i'm not sure if i want to go the PCI route this time and all others are out of reach$
TC Konnekt - X32
Steinberg - MR816 CSX
ForcusRite Saffire Series - heard some good stuff - but no real positive comparisons to others.
Sooo - this is a VERY GOOD beginning - but i feel it would benefit us all (and of course right now ME - yes the universe IS rotating around me whilst this money is burning a hole in my pocket) if we had people out there who have had experiences with using more than one (two is fine) to start giving comparisons - this is not to denigrate anyone who gives a "here's why this one is great" to any one interface, but by giving first hand experience comparisons, we can, if we collect enough, start stacking ranking the qualities that these interfaces offer in some groupings in light of their Recording/Playback & other features. One thing my friend and i did NOT do in our comparison was to see if the RECORDING or PLAYBACK or a combination was the reason for the difference that we heard in quality. This would be something i'd be very interested in. (and i will get back to you when we get together to do this again in more depth) - so - i'd love it if you'd all keep adding your 2cents to all this - more knowledge is better than less knowledge. And thanks for all this so far!
Russ from Coral Springs, Fl.
There are two RME fireface 800 on e-bay right now for less then 1,400 and free shipping.
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AT
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Re:$1000 - $1500 Firewire inteface purchase advice
2010/12/20 17:41:25
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The TCK 32 doesn't do conversion - it is a digital patchbay kinda of thing. ADAT or lightpipe in/out, so you would still need convertors. The TCK 48 has 12 analog inputs/10 outs plus ADAT i/o plus spdif. It sounds very good, both conversion and the 4 preamps. Sound wise, they are up there w/ RME. RME gets the nod for drivers. But because of the original drivers TCKs were like half-price at $800 (phantasic deal when they finally got the drivers sorted out last year). I see they have crept back up to $1000 or more. If you can find one cheaper you might want to try it out, w/ the proviso that you can send it back for a RME if the drivers or sound doesn't suite you.
RME also has their new USB interface, which a lot of people here and elsewhere like. USB has a longer lifespan at this point than FW.
@
https://soundcloud.com/a-pleasure-dome
http://www.bnoir-film.com/ there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head. 24 And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the Lord. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them.
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rholt1
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Re:$1000 - $1500 Firewire inteface purchase advice
2010/12/20 19:18:48
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AT - you are Korrekt - i was going back & forth with my references when i was creating the post and i MEANT to write TC Studio Konnekt 48.
Frank, looked @ ebay 'cause it sounded great. One was a Demo Model and the other "... item may be missing original packaging." - Wellll... I'm the kind of guy that is pretty good with software/hardware (in truth, i am an IT Director for a home health agency - although that may actually be a negative thing since i seem to, over the years, have less and less "hands on" work with the equipment than i used to), what I've come to feel over the years is that i like to have as many of the "unknowns" eliminated. If something weren't working correctly with this hardware, i don't want to have the "did someone already screw this up before i got a chance to" thing hanging in the air. To that end, i like to have things brand-new. The reading up i have done on the RME today seems to give their products high marks in both quality & dependability - lots of "devoted" owners. I feel myself being "tugged" but that being said, i have yet to start looking into the Steinberg, or TC Studio Konnekt.
Here's a question i have and it's related to my decision making - while i believe that output quality can vary and does make a difference in my evaluation -
Is there a big difference in the quality of the input to record onto the recording software? It would seem to me that the answer would be "Yes", yet i don't read hardly ANYTHING in people reviewing to compare what's important and what's not important on getting as "clean" a signal between input connector (from either a mic, guitar or whatever... to the wave or whatever file type is created on the hard drive.
Jim noted of the RME FF800 "I've measured the average noise-floor of the FF800 at -118dB. That's world-class territory."
now that sounds really sweet and to me, sort of the thing i want to read - and dynamic range & THD good stuff to read... but what is being recorded? Is the difference between a $1,500 interface and a $15,000 interface THAT discernible, and if so - where? i have never listened to a $15K audio interface so i don't have a clue. IS the difference because of the integrity of the recorded file? The playback integrity? Both? I'm thinking that for $13.5k you probably get other stuff rolled into the package - but in the end, those two things are what i'm looking for and what are the limits to where it's tough for the "practiced ear" to discern? <-- i know that sentence is very subjective, but my question is kinda for the people who work in the $1k to $2k interface arena. <-- again, i don't want to open up a discussion on "those kinda people", i'm just a normal guy, liking his music - trying to get the most for his money. sorta finding that the more he finds out, the more he finds out there is to know. i kinda goes to, "if i go for an interface costing between $1k - $1.5k, am i missing out on a HUGH quality difference than if i had gone from $1.6k to $2k?
Thanks for reading & i hope to get more feedback on this as i go through my "due diligence".
Russ from Coral Springs, Fl
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Jim Roseberry
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Re:$1000 - $1500 Firewire inteface purchase advice
2010/12/20 21:27:26
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Jim noted of the RME FF800 "I've measured the average noise-floor of the FF800 at -118dB. That's world-class territory." now that sounds really sweet and to me, sort of the thing i want to read - and dynamic range & THD good stuff to read... but what is being recorded? Is the difference between a $1,500 interface and a $15,000 interface THAT discernible, and if so - where? The farther upscale you go with audio gear, the more of a premium you're going to pay for what ammounts to very slight improvement. Just like with CPUs...  To give you some perspective, the Fireface 800 is without question good enough for recordings bound for major label release. The reason why I keep bringing up the FF800 is that it's noise-floor is just a little bit lower than the FF400/UC. Keep in mind that having a world-class interface is most beneficial if the rest of your gear is on-par. IOW, to take advantage of that low noise-floor, you'll need quiet mic preamps, etc... The whole chain matters. You might also hear that the difference between -112dB and -118dB isn't that noticeable. On a single track... that's true. But when you multiply that noise-floor by 48 tracks, I guarantee that you'll be able to hear the difference. On the flip side of this discussion, a friend of mine worked on many major label releases using Delta 1010s. All in just how picky you want (and can afford) to be... Once you get into higher end gear, most everything is "good"... just different subjective "flavors' of good. Just my opinion, but unless you're working professionally, anything more "boutique" than the Fireface units is overkill.
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AT
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Re:$1000 - $1500 Firewire inteface purchase advice
2010/12/21 01:04:07
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As per Jim, the last few percentage points of quality adds up to big dollars. Most modern interfaces will sound fine and on a $1000 montitors you might not hear the difference between a $500 interface and $1500. And most people couldn't anyway and don't care. But we do.
RME is usually the line crossing into "pro" sound, or at least pricing. Lynx is used by many pros. Apogge (not mentioned above) is used in many studios, probably by the most of any convertor. Most of them keep out of the subprime game w/ features - 8 convertors instead of stereo and other such extras. I sometimes wonder if the lack of stereo i/o units from them is too keep people from comparing them in their home studios where the rooms/monitoring chain are less then stellar and the small difference in quality couldn't be heard, thus hurting their reputation and bottom line.
@
https://soundcloud.com/a-pleasure-dome
http://www.bnoir-film.com/ there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head. 24 And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the Lord. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them.
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rholt1
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Re:$1000 - $1500 Firewire inteface purchase advice
2010/12/21 21:39:14
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Ok, then - as i look over the number of posts most of you have sent as members of this forum, i feel a sense of either "experience" or "downright crazy" at how much time you must have spent reading, replying & discussing with other members over what i'm hoping is years... All kidding aside - to me, it says a whole lot, in a positive way. I have gone thru a comparison of specs between the RME ff400 & the Konnekt 48 and to me, overall the RME sounds like a better system - again - not by much better numbers but consistently better in enough areas to give it the edge to me. I'm now going to do the same comparison between the FF400 & Steinberg MR816 CSX. please feel free to chime in. I'm not insisting that you try and talk me out of the FF400 over the FF800, but if it comes down to the RME's, I will also scrutinize the specs between the tow if needed - On my cursory look, it seemed that the engines were pretty much the same, just that the 800 has preamps on all inputs (which i don't need on all inputs) and the front panel seems to have a bit more "customization" when it comes to displays. so, off i go...
Jim & @, I'm on the same page as you both with what you're saying about quality. Again, in the end, it's me... looking for best bang for the buck, and what i, (and anyone shopping for that matter) define as "bang" - although going through this process of reading and then studying what you have written, has its effect of changing my definition of "bang", So, thank you all and my apologies for misspelling "interface" in the freakin' subject of this thread!
i will return with further comments.
Russ from Coral Springs, Fl.
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batsbrew
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Re:$1000 - $1500 Firewire inteface purchase advice
2010/12/22 11:27:34
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i did an entire album with one of these:  worked out quite well.
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rholt1
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Re:$1000 - $1500 Firewire inteface purchase advice
2010/12/22 16:19:43
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BatsBrew - that is a neat machine - around $1k - motorized pads... and the specs are quite good... i have no doubt that you have had good recording experiences with it. now, me... I've had good recording experiences, too, and with the interfaces that i've used over the past 10+ years, it's pretty much gotten better & better as the equipment & software have both improved and i've had a little more income to pour into their upgrades & new technologies. When it comes to my Audio Interface, now, though, I want to pour as much money into just that - the newest, cleanest technology that my money can buy - the M-Audio ProjectMix actually gives a lot more than i require. My faders, transport buttons are all taken care of thru software or other devices, so while this puppy here has so MUCH to offer for someone looking for all these features - I gotta say, it's VERY well organized, looks like the learning curve would be easy and the specs are, as I say - quite good. But in the end, the RME still (so far) has the better specs on paper. Wish i could do a "ears-on" eval of all these machines, but alas, I'm left to do a LOT of research reading up on much subjective & objective areas. Thanks for that, and you can be sure i'll do more reading up on this in order to have an opportunity to present it to people who might be looking for something like this. sweet.
Russ from Coral Springs
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rholt1
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Re:$1000 - $1500 Firewire inteface purchase advice
2011/01/01 13:45:53
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Happy New Year to you all. i totally think it's wrong when people start a thread like this and totally abandon it w/o a follow-up when they have gotten what they wanted out of all the help - so... i'll let you know that i did end up purchasing the RME Fireface 400. got it from SW. did the purchase @ 6:00pm on 12/23 (thursday) and it arrived @ 8:30am on Friday morning. (yes, it cost a lot to have that happen.) hooked it up during the day, but did not have that much time to fiddle with it - family sometimes does come first...
anyway - since my Really, really good mic (Peluso Tube) is over @ my co-musician's place for a few weeks, i was left to do my mic testing with a pretty low-end Shure SM58. but - have to tell ya - i found out a few things... remember, now, i'm currently comparing my M-Audio FastTrack Ultra against the RME FF400... and i have the opportunity to switch between the two interfaces (which i did).
1) playback - so far this is where i get the biggest impact. probably a 30-50% improvement, which is dramatic - it's a relative thing - but i felt much more bottom, much more top - and overall on a purely subjective note - a richer, more alive feeling from recordings i had already done.
2) record - i recorded speech using the Shure SM58 into both interfaces onto two different tracks (Sonar 8.5 pro). then i listened to them back using both interfaces. using either interface, i could tell that the recording using the RME did sound better, but maybe only about 10-20% better. my thought here is that the microphone's upper and lower frequency roll-offs probably have something to do with this. if i were using the Peluso - i feel that the Peluso's ability to supply a full freq spectrum of balanced audio would have made the difference between the recordings more prominent.
i will maybe go into the steep learning curve of the FF400 later - but just wanted to bring up one more point:
tomorrow, i go to my friend's house who has the Peluso right now and who has the MOTU 828mk2 that started all this crap to get me to this point! - i will bring my PC and i already have the 64bit MOTU drivers ready to install on this PC _ THEN - we (my friend & I) will pit the MOTU 828mk2 against the RME Fireface 400 using the Peluso Mic... should the MOTU win out sound-wise, the RME will go back and get exchanged for the MOTU even newer 868mk3.
i'll keep you apprised...
Russ from Coral Springs, Fl
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rholt1
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Re:$1000 - $1500 Firewire inteface purchase advice
2011/01/01 14:07:33
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ok - now that i've posted that - i'd like to say this about the learning curve for the RME Fireface 400 - i've had it fo a week now and have probably only been able to put about 20 hours into it between work being a bear and family visiting. but the learning curve seems steep - i feel like i've purchased something on a whole new level of audio technology. things before were intuitive - now i find myself studying the manual and moving very slowly ahead.
i think what is needed is an OVERVIEW of the functionality for the different parts of the system and what they do in the big picture and then drill down to what it does on it's own.
it probably took about 4 hours before i found that the single knob on the front does indeed change some faders on the mixer - but after another few hours tripped over the fact that there's a knob setting that will change the faders in Setup under Microphone Inputs. sure, it sounds intuitive when i write it up like that, but there are 4 or more important windows in both the Mixer and Setup and they all have a LOT of diversity of functionality packed into them.
now i've stated before that i'm a one horse show (for the most part) and that 90% of the time, i'm recording information on one input only onto one track only. - not much need for 8inputs, 8 outputs, etc... most everything goes through headphones. so my use for a software mixer with all the capabilities as the one RME gives us - not too necessary for my purposes. i don't need to stage mixdowns so they voice differently to the drummer than the vocalist...
for that reason - i'm still at a loss as to how the mixer's 3 tiers still work. i get that the top is input, and the bottom is output - i don't get the highlighting of things and using the faders on the input mixing channels. i'll probably get it sometime.
oh - then there's RME's Digicheck - pretty cool - took me 2 days to find out that if you upgrade the RME's interface drivers, you should then update the Digicheck's program in order for it to work. but nice features - i was able (at one time) to see the spectrum analyzer coming from the Sonar Playback - but have lost that ability. also - i find that when i drive the input channels on setup to 60db (yes i know that's pushing it) i get much more hiss out of the RME's channel #1 Mic input than i do from the RME's channel 2 Mic input - and all else being equal - that shouldn't happen. still - the system seems VERY quiet and my Taylor 816's expression system sound's EXCELLENT on recordings. a pleasure to just pluck & strum away.
Russ from Coral Springs
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gustabo
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Re:$1000 - $1500 Firewire inteface purchase advice
2011/01/01 15:56:06
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Thanks for the update.
I often wonder what people decide to do and how it works out for them after threads like this one.
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gospeltunes
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Re:$1000 - $1500 Firewire inteface purchase advice
2011/01/03 00:59:30
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rholt1
ok - now that i've posted that - i'd like to say this about the learning curve for the RME Fireface 400 - i've had it fo a week now and have probably only been able to put about 20 hours into it between work being a bear and family visiting. but the learning curve seems steep - i feel like i've purchased something on a whole new level of audio technology. things before were intuitive - now i find myself studying the manual and moving very slowly ahead.
i think what is needed is an OVERVIEW of the functionality for the different parts of the system and what they do in the big picture and then drill down to what it does on it's own.
it probably took about 4 hours before i found that the single knob on the front does indeed change some faders on the mixer - but after another few hours tripped over the fact that there's a knob setting that will change the faders in Setup under Microphone Inputs. sure, it sounds intuitive when i write it up like that, but there are 4 or more important windows in both the Mixer and Setup and they all have a LOT of diversity of functionality packed into them.
now i've stated before that i'm a one horse show (for the most part) and that 90% of the time, i'm recording information on one input only onto one track only. - not much need for 8inputs, 8 outputs, etc... most everything goes through headphones. so my use for a software mixer with all the capabilities as the one RME gives us - not too necessary for my purposes. i don't need to stage mixdowns so they voice differently to the drummer than the vocalist...
for that reason - i'm still at a loss as to how the mixer's 3 tiers still work. i get that the top is input, and the bottom is output - i don't get the highlighting of things and using the faders on the input mixing channels. i'll probably get it sometime.
oh - then there's RME's Digicheck - pretty cool - took me 2 days to find out that if you upgrade the RME's interface drivers, you should then update the Digicheck's program in order for it to work. but nice features - i was able (at one time) to see the spectrum analyzer coming from the Sonar Playback - but have lost that ability. also - i find that when i drive the input channels on setup to 60db (yes i know that's pushing it) i get much more hiss out of the RME's channel #1 Mic input than i do from the RME's channel 2 Mic input - and all else being equal - that shouldn't happen. still - the system seems VERY quiet and my Taylor 816's expression system sound's EXCELLENT on recordings. a pleasure to just pluck & strum away.
Russ from Coral Springs
Russ, Thanks for sharing. I've been following this thread because I am facing the same time of decisions. Any more updates on your experiences with the RME?
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