Roland Octa-Capture vs Saffire Pro 40

Anyone using Motu 8 Pre?

I had a Saffire Pro 40. It was my first real audio interface unit and I started using it with Sonar 8.   It died out of warranty and the estimate cost to repair it was within $50 of what it cost new and it was dumped.  The Saffire Pro 40 is sensitive to what Firewire chipset is in the PC and works best (maybe only) with a T.I. chipset as it has a DICE II chipset in the Saffire Pro 40 and DICE/DICE II want a T.I. chipset in the PC.
 
I liked the preamps in the Saffire Pro 40 but best (reliable) latency I could get was 11ms.  With the Octa-Capture (and now Studio-Capture) I'm in the 4 to 6ms range.
 
I replaced the Saffire Pro 40 with a Roland Octa-Capture.  The preamps were different but after using it for a while, I now have to say the Saffire Pro 40's preamps tended to slightly "color" the signal, where the Octa-Capture does not alter the input sounds.  For example, my Pedal Steel guitar signal (which is a "clean" signal - no effects or overdrive) tended to have a slight high freq roll off (like the Treble control on an amp was turned down) with the Saffire Pro 40.  With the Octa-Capture, what is recorded is exactly how the guitar sounds.  I also like the built in (user selectable) limiters and compressors in the Octa-Capture.  Also the Octa-Capture has reverb available for the monitor (not for recording) that the Saffire Pro 40 did not have.
 
I just bought a Roland Studio-Capture as some times I need more than 8 channels and the preamps are supposed to be the same as the Octa-Capture.  I did some tracking for the first time yesterday with the Studio-Capture and the recorded sound is exactly like the Octa-Capture.  

I replaced a MOTU 24 I/O with 2 Studio Captures and have never been happier. I understand that there is little difference in the Quads and the Studios other than the number of ins and outs. I loved my little MOTU but it was really cramping me when it came to syncing. It only had word clock and no midi. I have been running the two Studios with a sync cable for 32 ins and 20 outs flawlessly for almost 2 years now. I have a Saffire as well for my mobile laptop work and I have to say the Studios audio blows it away. I would not pretend to be a diehard Roland fan but I am completely sold on the Studios.

The Octa-Capture has 8 mic preamps (and XLR inputs).  The Studio-Capture has 12 mic preamps (XLR).  The Studio-Capture has separate front panel level display (LED's) for each channel, along with the LCD display, where the Octa-Capture only has the LCD display.  The Studio-Capture has a feature where you can set the Limiter on all the channels you are using at one time, where the Octa-Capture can only set the limiter in one channel at a time.
 
I just got the Studio-Capture, Tuesday, so I'm still learning the differences and extra features. 
 
I looked at RME and several other $1500 class interface units but they do not have the needed mic preamps.  Some only had two and although they had analog  inputs, they would require external mic preamps for each input.  The Octa-Capture and Studio-Capture have 8 or 12 mic preamps.  
 
 

CakeAlexS
Saffires are great. Driver support excellent. Ta.

Would you consider the Saffire and upgrade to the Octa-Capture?

fireberd
Having had and used both for several years, I would not consider the Saffire Pro 40 an upgrade.  I would consider it a mostly backward step.  Its like having a basic model of a car and a deluxe model.  Both will get you from point a to point b, but the deluxe model has extra features that make getting there better. 
 
Read guru Craig Anderton's (who is a forum staff member) evaluation of the Octa-Capture.  Its the "next best thing to girls" (LOL) 
 
 
 
 

Just curious what would you consider an upgrade to the Octa-Capture besides the Studio Capture

I've been using my OC for almost 4 years and have had great success. You really can't go wrong with either device. It really comes down to what you want for features and price. I will say that no matter which choice you do make, Sweetwater has a 2 year return policy. Mine died just before the two years and they fixed it FOC! Looking back, It was my fault but they fixed it anyway.

In my use, noise level has not been an issue.  For me its non existent and I've never given it a thought.

 I am really trying to decide on what to go for. The Roland Captures sound pretty good. I was wondering about  just one thing when I am getting a new audio interface that's rarely ever stated on the Focusrites or the Rolands. I have an LA610 and Twin Finity 710 Universal Audio Mic Pres, and do any of these audio interfaces have line inputs.  I am so stumped, I just don't know what to go for, 96 24 samples withe high end mic pres or 192 24 samples with just Roland mic pres. If any one knows about the line inputs on these units, please let me know. Thank you and rock on.
 

 
 Well I was looking at the Roland Octa    capture or the Focusrite Safire 26/40 pro, so my range is in between 500 or 600 dollors.  Thanks for the reply.

 I am  getting a new audio interface and would like to get the  focusrite safire pro 26 or 40. The Roland Opcta capture is very impressive with the 192 HD sampling. I just want to know which of these units have a good line in for better mic pres to be used. I'm sure that the mic pres provided are good, but I can be a perfectionist half the time and would prefere to have that option with my next audio interface. I use my La610 for lead vocals and heavy electric guitars and my 710 twin finity for acoustic guitars and some lead vocals but mostly backing vocals.  I am getting my new computer very soon, my rig is a custom bild AMD FX Inforcer.  With an Asus Crosshair V formula z AM3, 8370 8 core processor properly clocked at 5.1 GHz, a corsair H80 cooling hydro unit, 8 GB of 2133 MGz ram, a AMD r7260x quad head video/audio card, 1000 wot coollermaster pro gold ultra quiet power supply, 2 10000 rpm  western digital velociRaptors with there own cooling silent fan units, and windows 7 pro 64 bit. I chose  the HDD velociRaptors because sdd's for me won't be as useful, when your recording and riting and deleating tracks the rite memory  on sdd drives won't last 2 years with me. I don't use any vocal pich correction and just have to get vocal or guitar takes perfect. I mean even vertual takes have to be perfect, so yeah, I do a lot of takes and ssd drives stop riting after a while and hdd drives don't have that flaw. I think 10000 rpm's is fast enough for me anyway, I also saw a DAW demo  with these hdd drives and calling/playing  100 tracks at a time is no problem with the velociRaptors. So that's more then I need.