M-audio 2626 vs. Motu 828mk3 {which is better}

[JHolla006]

Looking to purchase one of the two... I wanted to know everyone's experience with their's if they have either of the two?

[RTR]

Originally Posted by JHolla006

Looking to purchase one of the two... I wanted to know everyone's experience with their's if they have either of the two?

I have the 610 (same as the 2626 with less inputs) and all I can tell you is that I think it is great..My digi 003 is no longer in use..

[JHolla006]

Are the converters pretty good.. i know their aren't "high end'.. but how's the clarity for the price?

[RTR]

Originally Posted by JHolla006

Are the converters pretty good.. i know their aren't "high end'.. but how's the clarity for the price?

Do some research, the converters in the 610 and 2626 were compaired to some pretty high end gear and kept up with it!!!! It made my music sound like a blanket was lifted off the speakers..very clear!!

[bradley]

I have owned some maudio and some motu gear. Motu great build quality. Maudio less so. The 828mkIII has the really nice zero latency effects.

Given the choice I would go with the maudio simply due to the price. Save the money for other gear as I don't think the actually audio quality will be much different.

[Sugarnutz]

Unlike some of M-audio's previous offerings, the 2626 is solidly built. Comes with it's own "Zero Latency" DSP mixer built into the unit and tons of routing possiblities. It's really a step forward for M-Audio and I imagine since the 610 is from the same tree I'll give it a DITTO.

One point I need to make with all the pro-sumer converters is to watch your levels closely, keep the peaks at -12 to -15 and you will get a lot more mileage from 'em (Don't worry about noise, with 24 bits you'll never see it). You can avoid stressing out the analog components/circuit which where these manufacturers save money and also avoid illegal signal levels in your DAW/PlugIns at the same time. Lot's of info on the net about this. YMMV

[Gordon]

2626 by far, I returned my POS Motu for this and don't recret it.

[bexarametric]

I've used both. Went with the Profire 2626. Th converters are great for the money.

[Gordon]

Originally Posted by bradley

I have owned some maudio and some motu gear. Motu great build quality. Maudio less so. The 828mkIII has the really nice zero latency effects.

Given the choice I would go with the maudio simply due to the price. Save the money for other gear as I don't think the actually audio quality will be much different.

zero latency my ass. There was more delay in it's internal mixer than I feel on the Profire playing through the DAW at a 64-sample buffer. Slap-bass or shred-guitar makes it obvious.

[Fran Guidry]

On the Profire 2626, there's an issue with the pot taper, at least there is for me. I only record solo acoustic guitar, and the useful gain adjustment is all in the last 1/16th of the pot travel. It's a pain.

The rest of the system is pretty darned sweet, and my issue may not impact you if you record loud sources.

Fran

[Scrybe]

Originally Posted by Fran Guidry

On the Profire 2626, there's an issue with the pot taper, at least there is for me. I only record solo acoustic guitar, and the useful gain adjustment is all in the last 1/16th of the pot travel. It's a pain.

The rest of the system is pretty darned sweet, and my issue may not impact you if you record loud sources.

Fran

Couldn't you get around this easily by adding an external hardware preamp to the chain before the signal reaches the 2626? I'm not suggesting, just curious, as I'm gonna be getting a 2626 myself and will be recording acoustic guitar (among other things). My old interface sucked, so I got into the habit of running everything through a preamp before it hit the interface and the results were much better.

[Fran Guidry]

Originally Posted by Scrybe

Couldn't you get around this easily by adding an external hardware preamp to the chain before the signal reaches the 2626? I'm not suggesting, just curious, as I'm gonna be getting a 2626 myself and will be recording acoustic guitar (among other things). My old interface sucked, so I got into the habit of running everything through a preamp before it hit the interface and the results were much better.

I have a couple of external preamps, and yes, that would be a workaround, but the preamps in the Profire are actually quite good, just a pain to use with the current problem. And as you might imagine, it drives many users crazy because they think something must be wrong when they have to go past 3 o`clock to get any volume.

Fran

[Scrybe]

Cheers for the response Fran, as you can tell, I'm still learning lots about recording, so it's good to get clear on what the problem you had specifically was.

[DeeDrive]

The 2626 is awesome, couldn't be happier. Solid unit, great converters for the money.

[androgine]

I hope my question is not off topic, i just didn't want to start another very similar thread... So here i go: How would does interfaces compare de the focusrite liquid saffire 56? I'm thinking of buying one interface of that cost range and the new focusrite took my notice. Has anybody had any experience with it? How are the liquid pres? Would you prefer it over the motu 828??

Thanks!

[Bristol Posse]

Originally Posted by Fran Guidry

On the Profire 2626, there's an issue with the pot taper, at least there is for me. I only record solo acoustic guitar, and the useful gain adjustment is all in the last 1/16th of the pot travel. It's a pain.

The rest of the system is pretty darned sweet, and my issue may not impact you if you record loud sources.

Fran

I'm using the 610 and agree that with a dynamic mic (especially a 57 or 58) the gain needs to be pretty much all the way up. However that has been true on every other AI I have used on quiet sources so I don't see it as an issue and I try not to record hot anyway (peaks around -10 to -12 dbfs)
I'm pretty happy with both converters and pres on the unit
With a condensor there is no gain problem on quiet sources

[RTR]

Originally Posted by Gordon

zero latency my ass. There was more delay in it's internal mixer than I feel on the Profire playing through the DAW at a 64-sample buffer. Slap-bass or shred-guitar makes it obvious.

I have the 610 and just today was recording at 96k and sent a kick out to a dbx compressor and back into PT and had "0" latency..worked great!!

[JHolla006]

Originally Posted by RTR

I have the 610 and just today was recording at 96k and sent a kick out to a dbx compressor and back into PT and had "0" latency..worked great!!

How exactly did your kick out to the compr? and run it back into PT.. ii was also thinking about when I get either interface .. I am going to dive into Summing with some analog gear but not exactly.. grasping the concept on how to wire all the components "hardware" to do so? and suggestions..????????????

main set up will be .. Mic > out board Preamp via XLR > moto/m-audio interface via firewire > computer...

From there Im okay.. now when I plan on diving into summing my music and adding "hardware" pieces to do so now thats going to be a challenge? ??????????? Help please

[bradley]

Originally Posted by androgine

I hope my question is not off topic, i just didn't want to start another very similar thread... So here i go: How would does interfaces compare de the focusrite liquid saffire 56? I'm thinking of buying one interface of that cost range and the new focusrite took my notice. Has anybody had any experience with it? How are the liquid pres? Would you prefer it over the motu 828??

Thanks!

I can highly rcommend the liquid 56. Great interface, sounds very good, it is stable and the mix software flexible and once you understand it, easy to use. Liquid pres offer some nice sounds. Love the neve emulation. The u610 and vt737 are good too.

I am quite tempted to get a profire 2626 to use as an Adat unit and for ocasional protools mpowered use.

[JHolla006]

any more feed back

[Sugarnutz]

Originally Posted by JHolla006

How exactly did your kick out to the compr? and run it back into PT..

Plug the mic into one of the pres of the 610/2626, using the DSP mixer route to a line output which goes into the compressor then back into a line input on the 610/2626, record this line input. Heck, record both, mix & match later.

[RTR]

Originally Posted by JHolla006

How exactly did your kick out to the compr? and run it back into PT.. ii was also thinking about when I get either interface .. I am going to dive into Summing with some analog gear but not exactly.. grasping the concept on how to wire all the components "hardware" to do so? and suggestions..????????????

main set up will be .. Mic > out board Preamp via XLR > moto/m-audio interface via firewire > computer...

From there Im okay.. now when I plan on diving into summing my music and adding "hardware" pieces to do so now thats going to be a challenge? ??????????? Help please

I just set the output of the kick in PT to go out channel 7..7 into my comp. input..comp output to daw in 3..in PT I set up a AUX. track and set it to input3..then I get it sounding how I want it..then I create a audio track to record it to!!! I never use the maudio mixer...I make sure I can not here any audio inputs if there is no record enable track..I leave it set and never touch it! IF you want to parallel comp. just use a send on the kick track instead of using the output!

[JHolla006]

Originally Posted by RTR

I just set the output of the kick in PT to go out channel 7..7 into my comp. input..comp output to daw in 3..in PT I set up a AUX. track and set it to input3..then I get it sounding how I want it..then I create a audio track to record it to!!! I never use the maudio mixer...I make sure I can not here any audio inputs if there is no record enable track..I leave it set and never touch it! IF you want to parallel comp. just use a send on the kick track instead of using the output!

Ahhhh.. That adds a bit of clarity on things.. thanks..


any more feed back from these two units?

[joeydego]

how do the pres in the 2626 compare to an 002? anyone?

[byrd62au]

I just tracked my first session with my brand new 2626 and it's a significant improvement over my 002. Apart from the issue with the gain on the pre's which has been noted earlier in the thread it's a nice box. My speakers sound much clearer than using the Digi. Haven't done any A/B's yet but I think it sounds nicer than my ULN2 which is a big call.

[RTR]

I think they kill my 003 pre's..if that help's any!!

[Iggy Poop]

Originally Posted by joeydego

how do the pres in the 2626 compare to an 002? anyone?

Just about any preamp is better than the 002's (with some exceptions).

[JHolla006]

I see many are using The M-Audio with M-powered .. is it compatible with other daw software such as Cubase, Sonar, etc

[space2012]

Originally Posted by Iggy Poop

Just about any preamp is better than the 002's (with some exceptions).

the preamps are good, its the converters and the clock.
http://www.gearslutz.com/board/gear-...s-audio-tests/

[Groberts]

Originally Posted by space2012

the preamps are good, its the converters and the clock.
http://www.gearslutz.com/board/gear-...s-audio-tests/

Aren't the preamps in the Digi 002 basic Focusrite preamps? or similar? I'm not saying that's a bad thing, but from what I gather, they're not all that special either.