I'm planning to upgrade my audio interface to at least 8 inputs, with future expansion in mind, to be capable of having more inputs via ADAT Lightpipe (or other possible way).

The 2 ADAT Lightpipe candidates I had in mind are :
- Behringer ADA8000 or
- PreSonus DIGIMAX D8
(any other suitable unit ?)
..but the ADAT unit is not going to be with this upgrade. It will be added only when required.

While my DAW PC have both (TI) firewire and USB, I may want to use the interface on notebook/USB too, so firewire is just an option, while USB is a requirement.

I've narrowed down to 2 models based on info I've collected from the forum. 

Just to have a more complete picture, I started with 4 units in my research. I want to use it with soft synt, so the following units are ordered by low latency first :

* RME Fireface UCX - 4.9ms @48-sample ASIO buffer size 
* Presonus 1818 VSL - 4.9ms @ 64-sample ASIO buffer size
* MOTU 896mk3 hybrid - 5.5ms @ 64-sample ASIO buffer size
* OctaCapture - 7.4ms @48-sample ASIO buffer size

? Focusrite unit is not in the list, as I do not have it's latency reading.. someone know ?)


From the above list, I have to cross out the following :

** RME Fireface UCX - due to budget constrain.

** OctaCapture
- by itself, it should be fine - but with the idea of expansion, even it seems possible (says on the manual / user posting) no one actually posted they have done it successfully.

- I read one forum member here had 2 unit linked up and worked - but after a current firmware upgrade, the linked units failed to function together.


Now for the units I'm considering :

** PreSonus 1818 VSL seems like the best choice (low cost, low latency)

- until I read at the PreSonus forum that some users are having difficulty with it's current driver / stability issue / have to set buffer high up to 2048!

- Another issue I've read in a review, the low latency is only good on Studio One DAW / Audio / VSL software? Is the reading above (4.9ms) good for use with Sonar / soft synt ?

http://www.musicradar.com.../audiobox-22vsl-533991

"but unfortunately the low latency is not available if you're using the AudioBox 22VSL with your regular DAW"


** MOTU 896mk3 hybrid

- My only issue is the cost is higher and I would really have to stretch out for this one (cannot get it immediately)

- But the plus side is this unit has 2 ADAT connection. Does this means you can have up to 8(internal) + 8 (ADAT A) + 8 (ADAT B) = 24 inputs running at once ?


How many PreSonus VSL users are having problem here / and those that is not having any issue ?

Please do offer suggestion I may have missed.

Thanks!

You're going through the exact same questions I had back in early summer (sans the 8 input requirement).
Much like you, I spent hours upon hours researching all the ones you've listed ...and my questions/conclusion were very similar to yours.

I didn't need 8 ins, but if I did, I would have chosen the MOTU 896mk3 (as opposed to something + an additional adat or s/pdif box ...your future state).
 
My primary reqs were (in order) very low latency (MIDI/soft synth), solid drivers, da/ad conversion, good+ preamps.
I bit the bullet and went with the RME UCX (well $$ over what I had planned), but I felt all my concerns would be resolved if I went that route.

I made the right choice ...even if I have to have to wash dishes, take out the trash, rake the leaves and weed the flower gardens (ugg hate that).

Wife demands suk  

Jeff, 
Thanks for the reply. As much as I like, I really cannot afford the RME.

I'm eyeing more towards the MOTU.. still pretty expensive to me after the exchange rate conversion / dealer markup. Just have to go on saving mode for a while.

PreSonus users out there.. anyone with similar hardware spec (as in my signature) and running your VSL unit successfully ? What is your latency setting for soft synt ?

Cheers!

I own several MOTUs because they seem affordable the drivers are great, but the RME has even better drivers.

Presonus hardware drivers are slow... and Presonus has stated that they have no plans to make them faster.

IIRC the minimum sample buffer for Presonus gear is 128 samples... MOTU and RME can get down to 32.


best regards,
mike

I am retiring my old Emu 1820m.. not because it stopped working or gave me trouble... but because looking forward to Win8 and moving forward I was afraid of it not being compatible. heck, Emu still only have "beta" drivers for Win7 on their site. LOL!! Luckily I've had NO TROUBLE with it on Win7 64 bit.. but decided to move on... I don't play in a band, or record other people.. it's just me.. my guitars and everything else is either a VSTi/midi that I do myself. So I don't need tons of i/o.. BUT wanted something to at least give me surround mixing IF I ever felt the need for it... I looked at Presonus and Focusrite.. mainly at FW.. but USB2.0 too... A Presonus Firestudio was my first try... and sadly I had glitches with it on my system.. so I had to return it.. But their Tech Support was great... they saw my post on twitter and offered help and directed me to their support page. Called them up.. and even did some email. After trying all I could to fix with their suggestions.. I was still having issues... So I wanted to get their Audiobox 1818VSL with is a USB2.0 but my local store didn't have any... and not being one to wait.. I picked up a Saffire Pro 40 from Focusrite. It's been great so far.. setup was simple.. Once I updated to the latest drivers and adjusted the buffer settings.. I'm getting about 2ms input latency.. about 6ms overall.. and I'll use the interface to run/record Guitar Rig 5 in HI quality mode.. and have NO ISSUES. It's been rock solid for me. Even did a 15+ recording with it for a YouTube video I uploaded. All guitar was done thru the Saffire Pro 40. And my salesman really made it simple and easy for me.. basically I returned the Firestudio and picked up the Saffire Pro 40 as an "even swap." I tried to talk him out of it.. but oh well. =) Note: my FW chipset is the RECOMMENDED chipset for Focusrite's FW line.. and for Presonus.. it's "approved" BUT they do caution that my chipset when pushed to 16 streams i/o may not be able to hold up (i.e. I probably couldn't daisy chain another Firestudio to the first one).. but the first shouldn't be a problem. Sadly, that wasn't the case. Hope this offers some "insight."

If you are OK w/ firewire it is hard to beat the TC Konnekt series.  The 48 (which I have) is a great sounding unit, 12 analog in, 10 analog out with outstanding DACs.  8 channels of ADAT (SMUX), SPdif, wordclock.  Only 4 preamps, but they are good, too.  You can also chain units together if you don't go the ADAT route. And a handy (pun intended) remote unit that feels good.  And high quality buit-in effects, including reverb from TC's 4000 unit.  All this, and you can find it for $800 or so.

The drivers aren't the fastet, but they have new (beta) drivers so that is coming.  Won't swear it will get latency down, but even w/ the 2010 drivers I get - 10 ms.

They have lower-cost units that use the same drivers and components.

There were a lot of problems w/ the 48 when it was introduced which is why it is half-priced.  But mine has been a workhorse and a pro solution for home use.

@

Did basically the same move as Studio343 a month ago. From Vista with an EMU1212m to a Win8 with a Focusrite Saffire Pro40. It's running (very) happily with the Focusrite Windows 8 beta drivers. Really pleased with this interface, very good sound to my ears and same latency figures as Studio343 has. Had some worries on the Firewire but if that gets obsolete this unit can still work as an eight channel standalone mic preamp if I'm not misunderstanding something. Using it with an Alesis AI3 (same ADAT-device that I had with the EMU as well). 

when I eventually upgrade from my MOTU I will go with an RME.

I'm going to have a look at RME Babyface in a week or two.

I went kinda low end for my latest setup as my laptops for live use didn't have FireWire.  I used to run MOTU Ultralites, three of them.  Now, I've gone to Tascam US-1800. I have 16 inputs plus midi and 6 separate outs.  I've been using them for about a year and no complaints.