RME or Motu Audio Interface for upgrade?

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anomandaris1 wrote: Tue Feb 18, 2020 6:38 pm
FarleyCZ wrote: Mon Feb 17, 2020 11:22 am Everything people say about these drivers is true. Rock solid and with a bunchload of awesome features.
Not on Windows 10... unfortunately (check their forums, many people have various problems).
We must be looking at different RME forums, I don't see many people there having any problems that are due to Windows 10.
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I use a Babyface on Windows 10 and it's performance is as good, if not better than it was on Windows 7.

I did have a issue with the blue paint finish deteriorating very quickly.
RME replaced the top case twice and eventually supplied a silver one instead, which has been fine.

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+1 for RME, it just works.

[No experience with MOTU soundcards (but I have with two of their MIDI interfaces that were a disappointment because of the temperamental drivers). Yet, one of the most popular electronic artists in my country still uses a MOTU Audio Express soundcard for almost a decade now.]

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anomandaris1 wrote: Tue Feb 18, 2020 6:38 pm
FarleyCZ wrote: Mon Feb 17, 2020 11:22 am Everything people say about these drivers is true. Rock solid and with a bunchload of awesome features.
Not on Windows 10... unfortunately (check their forums, many people have various problems).
Seriously, their products are overpriced. You get something with the same specs of a product that costs like 1/3 of what you paid for and the driver can suck on Win10 (similar experience to what you get with other manufacturers; so, Windows audio is still a gamble whether you will get malfunctioning drivers).
Dunno. I am running Win10 and it has been rock solid here so far. Focusrite drivers were crashing my Win10 install when they fought over the ASIO control with Asio4aLL. RME doesn't have this problem at all. So far I haven't noticed any issues.
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Another for RME. I have the FF802, and it's been solid as a rock for me. I may not need another, if it lasts as long as the 400s, which still get driver updates. I had an Apogee Duet (firewire) before it, and Apogee didn't keep it tightly integrated with Logic over time, and at some point I kept having to reboot Core Audio because the sound would come out distorted and buzzy. No probs with the Fireface.
“The American fascist would prefer not to use violence. His method is to poison the channels of public information.”
-Henry A. Wallace

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I can only post this way. I've had motu and currently, for YEARS NOW I've had RME.

The babyface pro I've had has been a god-send. It's hard to describe on the internet.

The latency is FAR superior to anything I've had, it's as if it's not there. I think that is a compliment.................

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I was just debating between the two myself when finally upgrading from the NI KA6 I'd been using the last several years. MOTU offers more bang-for-buck purely in terms of the amount of I/O you get at a given price point. I noticed the DAW PC builder who built my current PC said on a forum that he felt the MOTU Ultralite AVB was a close second to RME in terms of solid performance now so I was tempted.

In the end, I opted to just go with the brand that seems to be all but guaranteed problem-free and get an RME. I managed to get a Fireface UCX for the same price the Babyface usually goes for though, so it was kind of a no-brainer. I was wondering how much of a PITA Totalmix would be to use, but once I found the "DAW mode" setting that just routes all hardware in's/out's to their software counterparts with no voodoo, piece of cake. Needless to say, it's very cool seeing lower latency numbers at a given buffer size than what I was getting with the NI. It will definitely make a difference on complex sessions where I'm having to bump up to 256.
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I can't give you an opinion about RME interfaces because I haven't used one yet, but my first and only audio interface is a MOTU 4pre and I have had a great experience with it, low latency and good quality hybrid pre-amps. I bought it in 2013 and still works fantastic, no noises, no problems, no nothing. The build quality is very solid too.

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I have and use both RME and MOTU interfaces. They've both been very solid and reliable in my experience.

I've been using my HDSPE Aio for a few years now and it's been working like a champ. However, last year I needed an interface with multiple ins/outs, so I almost went for UFX+ as it was on sale, but even being on sale it was still almost two and half times more expensive than MOTU 828es that I was also looking at as an option. In the end I decided to give MOTU 828es a try and have been with it for almost six months now without any issues at all. Its Windows Thunderbolt driver is just as solid (in my experience) as a driver of my HDSPE Aio. I don't have to mess around with it or deal with any kind of intermittent issues. It just works, so in that aspect it has been just as reliable as an RME interface. All I can say is, considering the price 828es goes for, I'm very pleased and impressed with its performance and converters quality. No regrets at all going with MOTU over RME.

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MOTU offers a bit more I/O's at same price point of RME; but RME is way ahead in performance.

I got a FFUC in 2012, it is still going strong, getting updates, worked on win7, 8 and 10, no problems with mac either (except for a time Apple took a long time to address a problem).

If you have the money go with RME, you won't regret it, unless you need more I/O it will be the last interface you will buy for a very long time.

Some wrote RME is overpriced, they are more expensive tha many others brands but they offer a product which is well supported, with the best performance in the market (on Win), that are built to last and the feature set is great, not only in I/O (people forget they also get ADAT to expand) but MIDI, ToTal mix is very flexible and can solve complicated recording set ups, double phone output in some models.

For overpriced brands: Universal Audio, Antelope, Lynx and Apogee. Those brands don't offer the same quality of support as RME and charge even more for the same feature set appealing only to their brand recognition and the money they spend on marketing.
dedication to flying

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MOTU has outstanding support for their gear in terms of drivers. I still have the original Traveler from 2003 or so and am still able to use it on Mac os 10.13. I imagine the 16A I currently have will also be supported for a long time to come.
In terms of audio quality the 16A is very transparent and I think the convertor quality of the current generation of MOTU interfaces is generally highly regarded.
I don't have a lot of personal experience with RME but have been impressed with the UFX II a friend has for remote recordings. The ability to have a backup recording on a thumb drive is a great feature.

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seasick wrote: Thu Mar 05, 2020 6:22 pm
I don't have a lot of personal experience with RME but have been impressed with the UFX II a friend has for remote recordings. The ability to have a backup recording on a thumb drive is a great feature.
fireface 800 from 2004 still works on 10.15 catalina :)
Image

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Ploki wrote: Thu Mar 05, 2020 6:47 pm fireface 800 from 2004 still works on 10.15 catalina :)
Great, good job RME! I'm so sick of the Avid/M-audio planned obsolescence model...

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I'm still using my RME Fireface 800 too! To the OP, if you're looking for low latency, RME is definitely the way to go. Here are some charts and graphs with actual, measured data from various interfaces:

https://www.gearslutz.com/board/music-c ... -base.html

Note: Antelope has an interface that looks like it performs well, but they've got a bad reputation for drivers and support. RME is definitely the way to go if you can afford it.

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if you can afford it get an RME. way better than the competition in my experience

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My FF802 is great. The strange and unexpected thing is, the latency is slightly better with USB 2 rather than FireWire. One of the best investments I've made, gear-wise. It will outlive this computer (late 2015 iMac) for sure. And isn't it amazing that they continue to support such 'obsolete' models?
“The American fascist would prefer not to use violence. His method is to poison the channels of public information.”
-Henry A. Wallace

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