2010 896mk3 vs. current model?

[Gravity Jim]

I'm getting ready to buy a MOTU interface. Are there any changes or advantages to a current model, new in the box 896mk3 compared to a five year old unit at half the price?

Other than the non-hybrid status, that is. (I know the older ones are FireWire only, but that's okay because that's how I'd use it, most likely.)

[mikehalloran]

As far as I know, the age of the components and the firmware.

We don't seem to hear about age issues with these – not like the 828mkII / mkIII.

These have updateable firmware:

http://www.motu.com/techsupport/technotes/firmware

[Gravity Jim]

I had not heard of issues with the 828mk3. What kinds of problems. And is the firmware not updatable on the 828?

[mikehalloran]

There was a firmware update in 2012 for the Hybrid only.

http://www.motu.com/techsupport/technot ... echangelog

Many threads on heat/age issues with older 828 models.

I don't know if the 896mkIII FW is still eligible for the refurb program were you to have problems with it. A call to MOTU should let you know.

[Gravity Jim]

Truth is, the only reason I'm considering this used one is that it used to belong to Roger Nichols.

[mikehalloran]

Uhhhh.... If you pass, let me know.

I only did one session with Roger, a vocal session with John Denver. It was one of those right place, right time moments... Anyway, I had fun recounting it to Paul Williams a few years ago.

[Gravity Jim]

A bit more research to see if there are any real advantages to a new one. I never met Roger, but we corresponded a couple times when we were both writing monthly columns for EQ... when it was good, and the back-of-the-book columnists were Roger, Al Kooper, Eddie Cilletti, The Fez Guys and me. He was generous with his staggering knowledge of digital audio... truly The Immortal.

I also got a lot of long-distance rig-specific advice from Eddie C. via e-mail: that guy knew everything about signal flow. And I did meet Al Kooper once via the magazine He was kind of a jerk.

[mikehalloran]

I was a charter subscriber to EQ and read those columns religiously. It was because of EQ that I knew who Roger Nichols was.

I was in Sounds West working on the surround mix for a film. When the session wrapped for the evening, I looked out into the common area and saw Roger standing there so I went out to say 'hi'. As we were talking, John Denver came up, the bass singer had car trouble, the vocal contractor knew me... Long story short, I wound up being a background singer on the session. Being AFM instead of AGMA, I made le$$ but, all in all, it was a great night.

Al Kooper. I sat next to him on a coast to coast flight once. He made it pretty clear that he didn't wish to be disturbed — so I didn't.

[Gravity Jim]

Maybe you remember my column! Guest Room Warrior was about the nitty gritty of running a small studio business... legal, accounting, handling clients, etc., from the perspective of audio creative.

Anyway, Magic D. gave me all the answers I was hoping to hear about the older, Firewire-only 896mk3, so I bought it. It will be pretty cool to have a small memento of one of my heroes in the room. That session story is awesome. You were a lucky man that day!

I'm pairing it with a Raven MTi2 as a control surface and going in the box for the first time ever (I've always had a console, usually a digital one). Time to start watching those CueMix vids.

[mikehalloran]

Glad that worked out for you.

Yes, I remember your column, too. That was a great magazine back in the day. The one that I read cover to cover.

You're right about being lucky that day. I remember looking out and thinking, "That looks like Roger Nichols, just like his picture in EQ... Hell, this is Sounds West — that's gotta be him!" I had learned not to be shy about such things a long time ago.