Hello all,
 
I am looking to replace my existing, aging, Echo Audio Layla 3g for a number of reasons and strongly considering the new Presonus Studio 1824 as its replacement.
 
My MAIN concern is that latency performance will be bad.  I have read a LOT of things on the internet about Presonus devices working really well and sounding good (and integrating tightly to Studio One, if that matters).  But I've also read a lot of reviews about the latency being "hidden", unreported, or just plain bad.
 
I have a few reasons I want to replace the Layla:
 
1. It is old. 
The last drivers that were made for it were for Windows 8 when it FIRST came out.  Echo doesn't make interfaces any more, hasn't updated the drivers since November 2011.
 
2.  It is old
The phantom power doesn't work on the two front inputs and hasn't for years.  I can't really get an answer from them except for "send it in and we'll see if we can find a B-stock hanging around".  So I've been using a little Behringer Mixer for Phantom.  So I know that the preamps are going to sound better in a new unit, since I am passing through TWO sets of inputs to get sound.
 
3.  The headphone output sounds bad to me.  It's like it's really MID heavy or something.  Just doesn't sound rich.  I can pass the output from the speaker outs to any other unit and then listen with headphones from there and it sounds great.  The seem compressed and scooped.  I don't like them, so I'm always having to make concessions when I record with phones on and especially when I record my Drums (electronic with Pearl Mimic Pro), where I have to pass the audio out to the drum module and use the audio input there so it sounds decent, then mute all the drums on the soundcard so that they aren't doubled - etc.  It's a PITA.
 
So.  I tried asking over in the hardware area of this forum, but I'm just not really getting much feedback.  I've had one official answer there but it took 3 months to get it and I'd like to make decisions faster.
 
My current options are leaning to the:
Presonus Studio 1824 - benefits: brand, good reviews of products in the same line, integration with Studio One (which I also use as I consider my path after the demise of Sonar).
 
Behringer UMC 1820 - benefits: decent reviews but mixed on latency <128, I have a Behringer ADA8200 for ADAT lightpipe so should pair well, price ($250 right now, so that's half of the 1824 above)
 
Staying with what I have - benefits: I know it, it costs nothing new, it's PCI, which I suppose has some benefit (?)
 
For whatever opinions you might share, please keep in mind that I do NOT use the low latency for drums, so while I like it low for vocals, Guitar amp sims, and playing VST instruments, none of these has been an issue with my Layla, so I imagine also won't be a problem with any of the newer breed either.
 
Any opinions are indeed appreciated.  I hope that since this relates to Studio One, it will be allowed in this area, but if it needs to move elsewhere, please migrate it as needed.
 
Thanks!

If lowest possible round-trip latency is important, I'd look toward RME or MOTU.
If you have a Thunderbolt-3 controller, you can achieve PCIe level low-latency performance with an external interface.
 
The newer MOTU USB audio interfaces allow you to set the ASIO and "Streaming" (safety) buffers down to 16-samples.

Lowest possible late cy is not the number 1. I want stable and with new drivers that aren't always a compromise.

I don't have thunderbolt. If I did, I'd be looking at the presonus quantum, but that and the tb interface together put me way over budget.

Thanks for the input.

If #1 is stability and good drivers than I'd say RME is the best choice. They're notorious for good drivers and stability.

You haven't listed your criteria except "stable drivers" and "decent latency".  Budget?  I/O? 
 
Better yet, I'd suggest you go to Sweetwater's site, narrow your list down to a few models, then come back here and ask about those specific models. 
 
Otherwise you will just get the standard responses (RME as the gold standard, or a listing of everyone's favorite interfaces).

Thanks for the responses.

My requirements for io are interfaces that have what the Layla and the other two that I am considering have.

I require 8 inputs on the card and adapt optical for 8 more from the behringer ada8200 I already have. The behringer umc1820 has those as doss the presonus studio 1824.

Budget is in that range as well. The umc is $250 and the 1824 is $500. I would be fine in either place. My original search was for the 500 range. The rme stuff is way outside if that for interfaces with that io so out of the running.

I hoped by giving examples of what I was looking for and what I have that suggestions would be related to the same.

Does that help hone it in a bit? Is either of my options GOOD? should I just keep the Layla?

I love my MOTU 828mk3 hybrid.
However, if I had the cash I would've gotten a comparable RMI.
What's nice about the MOTU is it has 2 8 channel a day ports which can be configured to handle 2 stereo opticals, which is exactly what I need. It also has spdif coax. Very very nice unit. The mk3 hybrid is at the lower part of this link page.
http://motu.com/products/motuaudio/828x#firewire

Post duplicated

I'am shopping for a new AI too, I have been waiting for the Focusrite Clarett 8pre USB and now it's available.
I know is over your budget ($799) but I hear very good things about it, stability, very good latency, great preamps and conversion.
May be some one here that has this unit can comment?
Thanks!!

Hmmm, that Focusrite Clarett 8pre USB looks nice, but I'm not sure that for the extra $300 I'd be getting something definitively better than the Presonus Studio 1824.  I am not STUCK to the budget, but I need to be compelled to purchase something more than that. 
 
I've considered the Presonus higher end Quantum units.  The one that I'd want in that line is the Quantum 26x32.  It supposedly sports 1ms latency (not at the hardware - at the DAW), but requires a Thunderbold interface, which I don't have on my PC and costs some amount near $100+ in addition to the interface (still less than the RME units that are similar in IO).  I'm not sure I understand why these have so much lower latency, since they use the same Universal Control driver.  I understand that Thunderbolt is faster than USB 2, but I understood that to be a bandwidth thing more than a latency thing.  Apparently, I don't know...
 
Does anyone here have any input on the Presonus Studio units or the Behringer UMC one?  I know Behringer has a bad name in some circles, but this one has received some decent reviews and the ADA8200 has been working well for me so far (though it might be a little noisy - can't tell if it's the ADA or the Pearl Mimic I have attached to it).
 
Thanks for playing along so far!