Metric Halo | Mini-Me pre-amps?

[C Heat]

I'm in the process of deciding between an ULN-2 and a Mini-me. I'd be using either unit as a 2ch front end for vocals and guitar (ac + elec) for pop-rock demos.

My theory is I can kill two birds with one stone, ie get some decent stero AD conversion (better than my 002) AND the benefit of the pre-amps offered in each.

Anyone have a comment on the pre-amps of either unit?

Thanks.

[astronmr20]

I know that the ULN-2 preamps are very very good.. but Ive heard great things about the mini-me as well.

Many will also argue that the converters in both are pretty much on par with each other.

If you are using as front end.. I THINK the mini me has word clock out? (correct me if I'm wrong).

EIther unit would be a significant improvement over the Digi.

[astronmr20]

You may also want to check into the Black Lion modification for your digi, although I hear that guy is pretty backed up.

[henryrobinett]

The pres in the ULN- are great. They're clean. Lot of gain. I use them all the time side by side with my Millennias. Don't know anything about the Mini-Me.

[feyshay]

The Mini-me is great. Don't know about that ULN-2. The Mini-me has to be the Master. It has no wordclock input.

[C Heat]

Whoa.

Pretty even contest

[RickCording]

I would say there's a lot more going on with the ULN2. 2 mic pres plus 2 channels of either AES or S/PIDF in and out. Inserts, full size plug for headphones, monitor outs, MIO software mixer, Firewire so you can chain more devices & Word Clock IN and Out. Rackmountable or stand alone. Can link your gain controls...can you do that on the Mini? I have two of them and love them. Great sound and flexibility!

[rodrigo]

I used to have a Mini-Me. Sold it and got a Metric Halo 2882. The reason I sold it is because I have had many performance issues with the clocking to my DAW. If I used the S/PDIF output and convert to optical into the G5, my audio driver would pop quite too many times during playback/recording. If I went with the USB connection, I got a high pitched noise.


Metric Halo stuff is pretty solid. Haven't had any issues with its MIO console. The converters are great. (Mini-me converters are the lowest ranked converters made by Apogee). I haven't heard the preamps on the ULN but people speak highly of them.


Good luck!

Cheers,

Rodrigo

PS. If you're able to, try them both and see for yourself

[C Heat]

Some great responses here.

Thank you.

[James Lehmann]

To limit this hackneyed comparison (see also Fireface vs 2882 ad nauseam) to only the pre-amps I think misses the point.

My feeling is these two products are not really competing since the Apogee Mini-Me is essentially designed only as a compact stereo field-recording device whereas the slightly larger Metric Halo ULN-2 can do everything the Apogee can do AND function extremely well as the hub of a small studio rig, taking the place of what might otherwise require several dedicated boxes (pre-amps, A-D converter, D-A converter, I/O Peak meter, SRC and Monitor controller).

So features-wise it's no contest - the Metric Halo box is far superior in every way, the Mini-Me (even combined with a Mini-DAC!) doesn't come close to doing even half of what the ULN-2 is capable of and was never intended to. All other things being equal or not important to you (reliability, size, customer support etc, all of which you should also investigate) given that the Mini-Me is actually more expensive than the ULN-2, I think you'd need to conduct your own tests in your own studio and conclude that the former sounds at least 50% better than the latter before reducing this to a pure sound-quality shoot-out.