#432612 - 09/25/03 07:08 AM
Laptop Audio Interface (possibly 828 mkII)
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dimefreak
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Registered: 06/26/02
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Hi,
I want to get an audio interface for my laptop. I need some help deciding which one to get. I recently bought the M-Audio firewire 410. I really think I need to have more I/O so I want to exchange it for something else. I'm going to be using with a PC which has Win XP home edition. I was thinking of getting the MOTU 828 MK II. Some other ones that I saw in the same price range were the Presonus Firestation and the Echo Layla Laptop system.
Any experiences or advice with any of these interfaces would be greatly appreciated. Are there any other laptop interfaces in the same price range (within $800) that are better (better converters, more I/O options) than these?
The RME multiface seems to have similar specs but its about $300-$400 more with the cardbus adapter. Is it really that much better than these?
Thanks
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#432613 - 09/25/03 10:29 AM
Re: Laptop Audio Interface (possibly 828 mkII)
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Bill@Welcome Home Studios
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Registered: 08/23/03
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I can't tell you about any of the others that you mentioned. I suggest going to the newsgroups and seeing what current users are saying. Remember that newsgroups are where the disgruntled with problems are hanging out, so you have to take individual posts with a grain of salt. But if 75 people are bitching about the same thing, chances are good that it is a real problem, not user error.
I've had three RME interfaces, and all of them have been superior to the other options that I have had in the past. (MOTU, DAL, Frontier, etc) I started out with the original 9652, but it had somewhat limited monitoring. (The new HDSP 9652 does not have this limitation). I moved to the Digiface for the studio, and I liked it so much that I bought a Multiface for the laptop. Problem-free interfaces with a great (and free) 26x28 software mixer/router (18x20 in the Multiface) and a very responsive development team what hangs out and posts on the newsgroup.
You see a lot of discussion about the converter sound on these devices..... I have to think that within a given price range, there are limitations to what they -can- sound like, and I believe that they might each have a slightly different sound, but none of them are going to suck unless you compare them to something way out of their class.
For me the issues are features (as opposed to bells and whistles) that I can use in my work (which may differ from what you need in your work) and company responsiveness to issues that crop up. On that basis, I chose RME. The extra money was well spent, as instalation is flawless and I have had NO issues with either of the interfaces.
Bill
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"...it's easier than hitting the kids, and almost as much fun..."
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#432614 - 09/25/03 10:57 AM
Re: Laptop Audio Interface (possibly 828 mkII)
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Wow
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#432615 - 09/25/03 11:01 AM
Re: Laptop Audio Interface (possibly 828 mkII)
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Alndln
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Originally posted by dimefreak:
I'm going to be using with a PC which has Win XP home edition.
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"A Robot Playing Trumpet Blows"
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#432616 - 09/25/03 11:40 PM
Re: Laptop Audio Interface (possibly 828 mkII)
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Kaptain Karl
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Registered: 12/05/02
Posts: 257
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The 828 or Layla is your best bet if you need more I/O's. From what I understand, unless things have changed, the Firestation does not allow you to use all I/O simultaneously.
P.S. How is the 410? I'm looking at getting one as I don't need all that the others offer.
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#432617 - 09/26/03 04:03 AM
Re: Laptop Audio Interface (possibly 828 mkII)
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dimefreak
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Thanks a lot for the replies.
I'm planning on using either Nuendo or Cubase SX for my main recording and mixing software package. For my real time proccessing, I'm using Audiomulch.
The firewire 410 seems pretty good so far but I haven't really used it that much.
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#432618 - 09/26/03 04:30 AM
Re: Laptop Audio Interface (possibly 828 mkII)
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TinderArts
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Originally posted by dimefreak:
The RME multiface seems to have similar specs but its about $300-$400 more with the cardbus adapter. Is it really that much better than these?
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#432619 - 09/26/03 01:08 PM
Re: Laptop Audio Interface (possibly 828 mkII)
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edmann
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Registered: 08/26/03
Posts: 314
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Originally posted by TinderArts:
[/qb]
Ahh - Tinderarts -
we meet again. You have strong opinions and in general to me they have seemed headed in the right direction. Please expound on your experiences with the Multiface - i.e. sound quality and your setup with it.
thanks
Ed
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Ed Mann
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#432620 - 09/27/03 03:26 AM
Re: Laptop Audio Interface (possibly 828 mkII)
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Alndln
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Registered: 08/15/00
Posts: 6451
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Originally posted by dimefreak:
I'm planning on using either Nuendo or Cubase SX for my main recording and mixing software package. For my real time proccessing, I'm using Audiomulch.
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"A Robot Playing Trumpet Blows"
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