Least reliable firewire interface?

[theblue1]

I'm not so sure of the ranking methodology (they need to teach stats in school) but I just had to drop in to say that this is, for some odd reason, my favorite thread title in a while.


The only thing that could have made it better would have been if the title had been:

Recommend me the least reliable Firewire interface...



Anyhow... haven't read anything but the first post.

I do have a MOTU 828mkII and it's been entirely decent and reliable (using WDM-KS drivers; ASIO drivers for it just will not work reliably in my system; others report the opposite; go figure)...

EXCEPT for the fact that the mic preamps always sounded dull and veiled and after a couple years of non-use, the mic/instrument preamps started making periodic ticking and clicking noises when their gain is up (monitoring from any point).

Now, the pre's were an afterthought for me -- but it would have been nice to have a pair that sounded halfway decent. (I would easily have settled for even Behringer decent. It would be an improvement even if they weren't noisy to boot.)

For that reason, I really can't recommend a MOTU product. I mean... they can't make preamps that stay noise free? What's up with that...?

[Phrygian]

Originally Posted by Almy

I use an alesis 12 channel firewire mixer. It's always worked flawlessly for me.

My buddy uses the same and the results were surprising.

[bulls hit]

Originally Posted by theblue1

I'm not so sure of the ranking methodology (they need to teach stats in school)

Heh yeah it's been a while since I did stats. To keep it simple I decided to combine the '2' and '3' scores because after all an interface either works properly or it doesn't. An interface that pops & crackles is just as useless as one that won't power up. Granted a lot of driver conflicts are not entirely the manufacturers fault, but some manufacturers seem to be much better at building 'non conflicting' drivers than others. I'm not sure what my next interface will be, but from those rankings I know for certain what I Won't be buying

[spons]

looking at firewire interfaces myself and this thread is the dog's b*****ks. like the price and stability of the echo stuff but can someone talk about the sound quality?

[Ertunga]

Can we add T.C. Electronics?

T.C Studio Konnekt :3
RME Fireface 800: 1
M-Audio FW410: 3

[Terminus Est]

Originally Posted by ScottyD

Presonus Firestudio Project on PC running Reaper.

Rock solid, no problems.

-ScottyD

Same here and same here.

My roommate bought a firestudio and about the only problem we've had is when she almost returned it because she "had to turn the volume up higher on her keyboard than she ever had before" so she thought it was broken. Of course, my roommates are near caveman level when it comes to computers so I simply pointed out to her that she previously she was recording her keyboard first, so of course it would sound "louder" than when she was trying to record her keyboard with drums, bass, guitar and accordian in the mix.

I've been happy enough with the thing that I'm in the process of building my own music computer at which point I'll likely by a firestudio tube, myself.

[bulls hit]

OK rankings updated, RME back to 1st = with Echo

[spons]

check this article:
RME Tech Info - FireWire 800 Hardware - Compatibility Problems
good on RME for being so open about the issues!

[Pexx]

Using Fosucrite Saffire LE. Dropout ONLY if I surf the web and/or have several USB gadgets using resources.
But with DAW use (Ableton) only, no droupouts ever. Fujitsu-Siemens laptop with a TI chip. So, number 1 for Saffire LE.

[trunk79]

my mackie onyx1220 FW never had a prob, installed 1st go, rocksolid for 2 years, i cant make this thing crash deserves a 1, my motu 828mk3 tho only new has been pretty good, tho bugger to install on a pc, and it is possible to make things crash by doing silly things with the cuemixFX software and host software, tho that is when im really tring to make it crash, i would give a 1 also as it is alot more complex in its routing than the onyx, this is a great thread for anyone looking to buy an interface

[CharlieSFS]

I've never had an issue with my 002 but there are definitely interfaces with better pres and better converters. I have a friend with an 828 and he seems to like it a lot. I've owned the presonus stuff before and I've personally never had a problem with it. Maybe drop the $50, get it repaired, and see if it wasn't just a one time thing. If you like the interface than it might be worth it.

[bulls hit]

OK numbers updated, no change to the rankings

[rackdude]

Originally Posted by spons

If you read around the net you'll find that concensus is, the Phonic firewire mixers are the most stable interms of connection.

You'll read from someone whose used it say no. It will drop every once in awhile.

[junior]

Just picked up a Metric Halo 2882 a few weeks ago. So far, I gotta say it's become my new fave. Great software, drivers and sound.

Still, the Yamaha, RME and Echo stuff is pretty solid.

[tvanveen]

I've had the Echo AF12 for probably a couple of years...would very occasionally stutter with my old PC which was also my work and personal box and was totally bloated. I now have an audio only PC and I've not had a stutter or problem since.

I'm happy with the sound though I've not compared it to anything head to head.

[Bitfiend]

mackie onyx 1640 fw......biggest piece of shite i've ever laid hands on. drivers were awful, unstable, and "noisy".
M-audio i have to say have been the most stable, reliable and bulletproof i've worked with.

[truthnlife13]

Originally Posted by Bitfiend

mackie onyx 1640 fw......biggest piece of shite i've ever laid hands on. drivers were awful, unstable, and "noisy".
M-audio i have to say have been the most stable, reliable and bulletproof i've worked with.

I have yet to use anything from Maudio that did not disgust me in every way. However I dropped $1000 on a used onyx 1640 w FW card and I have never got more bang for my money on any piece of gear. Extremely reliable a breeze to set up and great sounds.

[Bitfiend]

Originally Posted by truthnlife13

... I dropped $1000 on a used onyx 1640 w FW card and I have never got more bang for my money on any piece of gear. Extremely reliable a breeze to set up and great sounds.

Damn! i woulda sold you mine! Exact opposite with me an m-audio....really loving my new 2626.

[gst]

What about the Apogee Duet?
Anyone had experience with this unit?

[JH4music]

M- audio is awful!

Put me in for #3 for my profire lightbridge... er.. amateur start-on-fire darkvoid.

What a TURD!

[Finnish]

I've had M-Audio FW1814 for two years, not a single hickup, dropout, crash, pop or crackle. I've recorded 10 simultanous tracks with it (on one album, 10 songs) and it was a pleasure to work with. Reliable! Well my XP is quite audio optimized, and I only use it for audio. Anyway, maybe it's not the most yber-alles best sounding interface, but it works and gives me a plenty of I/O. I'll keep it till the end.

[eccemusic]

I don't have anything to add yet, but I would like to thank this thread for helping me choose a firewire interface!

I ended up going for the Audiofire 8 - i'll report on it once I've had some experience with it.

[jeronimo]

Originally Posted by eccemusic

I don't have anything to add yet, but I would like to thank this thread for helping me choose a firewire interface!

I ended up going for the Audiofire 8 - i'll report on it once I've had some experience with it.

let us know

[dadumtish]

mackie 1620 fire here - rock solid , sounds good - worked great with cubase and reaper .
i wish i could bypass the preamps on the line ins for my external pres

but the onyx pres are niice

its been perfect so far on xp sp2 and TI firewire card

[theblotted]

let's see...


M-Audio: i've had a few. so 2 (410), 3 (1814), 2 (1814), 1 (Transit).

RME: 1 (FF800), 1 (FF800), 1 (FF800).

MOTU: 1 (UltraLite), 2 (828mkII), 1 (828mkII).

TASCAM: 1 (US122).

Digidesign (if anybody cares): 2 (MBox), 3 (MBox), 1 (002), 1 (MBox2Pro), 1 (003).


each # represents an interface i've used for at least a week. no repetition of exact same interface.

from my experience, M-Audio is THE worst. i'm on a Mac.

[tabiggs]

I've had my Echo AudioFire8 now for just over a year. It just works! The drivers are trouble-free and mechanics of the little unit are rock-solid. I just wish I could say the same about my recording software. But, that is another story.

[jeronimo]

Originally Posted by tabiggs

I've had my Echo AudioFire8 now for just over a year. It just works! The drivers are trouble-free and mechanics of the little unit are rock-solid. I just wish I could say the same about my recording software. But, that is another story.

what DAW are you using?

[mimp]

Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but my focusrite saffire pro 26 blew up unprovoked yesterday (complete with puff of white smoke)
No longer does anything useful.
Was one of the first retail units, so will be interesting to see if any more head that way over the coming months.
Have emailed focusrite, will have to see if it can be repaired.

Before then it had been rather well behaved once the initial adat issues were sorted out.

So +3 from me.

[latProd]

This is the most stabile one I've ever owned. Used to have an M-Audio 1814 and i have to say, it was largely unstable and obviously ridculously inferior to the RME.

[theblotted]

Originally Posted by latProd

This is the most stabile one I've ever owned. Used to have an M-Audio 1814 and i have to say, it was largely unstable and obviously ridculously inferior to the RME.

i concur. if only one can run PT on RME...