MOTU 896HD

[h'biki]

We're thinking of purchasing a MOTU 896HD to supplement our existing Protools setups. We apprecaite that the MOTU isn't supported by PT, that's fine. We can either run it as an ADAT style interface, or into MOTUs own software.

Anyone used the MOTU interfaces? Any comments?

Thanks.

[JFreak]

sound quality is not on par with digidesign gear.

[logicat2001]

JFreak,

Not comparable to what Digi gear? Digidesign has sold many interfaces over the years, with varying degrees of quality.

h'biki,

What's your Digi rig at the moment? I assume you're interested in picking up the MOTU box for the preamps? Please explain because I bet you've got many more options than you realize.

Best,
Logicat

[h'biki]

FWIW, we're a video production company.

Our currently main ProTools setup is a 002 (though we also have an M-Box and a AM3). We're pretty happy with the 002. We mainly do voiceovers and some (very basic) foley in terms of recording. We mostly use it for its interface for mixes.

We're not really in the market for a 192 interface (ie not PT HD). We are very happy with 96/24. We are looking for a firewire interface with more than 4 mic preamps, so we can shoot panel discussions and the like, with each presenter on a different track. Any other options would be most appreciated -- I can't seem to find many interfaces with 8 preamps! We are also liking the idea of a non digi solution, just so we don't have vendor lock in.

[Crikey]

Does the 002 have an ADAT input? You could get one of the boxes with 8 mic pre's, A/D, and an ADAT output and run that into your 002. I've seen such boxes from Behringer and Presonus. Or, if you don't need 192KHz, you could get a MOTU 828mkII (24/96, two mic pres, and ADAT I/O) and one of the boxes above, maybe for less than the 192HD costs. The 828mkII also has eight or so audio line ins, so you could use a box that just has mic pres and run the outputs into the 828mkII.

I have an 828mkII and like it. Great bang for the buck. A buddy of mine records his jazz big band with his 828mkII and the Behringer 8-pre/ADAT box.

Cheers,


Crikey

[cpjakes]

The biggest thing you have to ask yourself with the MOTU gear (aside from what was already mentioned) is FireWire or not. Only the 828 and the 896 are FireWire, the others are PCI based. If you want to be mobile with eight mic preamps built in, then the 896 would be a great deal.

Also, as you said, it's a versatile box - you can set up routing internally, so it could be your eight channel analog mic pre out the ADAT to your 002 while still using the four mic preamps on that, giving you twelve. It all depends on your needs.

It's also pretty easy to move the audio from the MOTU software over to Pro Tools, everything is more or less AIFF.

[Grimace]

Get some nice preamps from a small mixer and check out the MOTU 828mkII - it is really badass. Portable - firewire - can't beat that.

[h'biki]

Does the 002 have an ADAT input? You could get one of the boxes with 8 mic pre's, A/D, and an ADAT output and run that into your 002. I've seen such boxes from Behringer and Presonus. Or, if you don't need 192KHz, you could get a MOTU 828mkII (24/96, two mic pres, and ADAT I/O) and one of the boxes above, maybe for less than the 192HD costs. The 828mkII also has eight or so audio line ins, so you could use a box that just has mic pres and run the outputs into the 828mkII.

We discussd the idea of using a pre-amp box and the 828 back when the 828 was first introduced. We decided against it.

We'd rather keep everything streamlined in terms of boxes, simply because its just more things to lug. The unit will be combined with a laptop for field recording.

Thanks for the suggestions thus far -- I see PreSonus is introducing an 8 pre-amp firewire IO box. Anyone have any comments about their gear?