Real-world Latency of RME,Focusrite and MOTU Interfaces

[JSmith1234567]

Hi all.

I am thinking of getting a new audio interface for a portable setup.

I have been using a fully loaded MOTU 424 system with an HD192 and three 2408s.

I'm looking at getting either a Focusrite Saffire Pro 40 or an RME 800 for the portable setup (as I have some prior bad luck with the MOTU 828s).

Does anyone have any experience with the Focusrite and/or RME drivers and latency with OSX and also with DP?

I like to leave my latency super-low and not change it. I never use direct hardware play through. I use allot of VI's. Not too many audio tracks.

I know the RME drivers had the rap of being ultra-efficient with low latency, but I'm interested if that is still true in 2014, or whether the differences between different companies' drivers is more moot now.

Thanks!

[stubbsonic]

I have an RME Fireface 800 with DP8 and it runs well.

What I do when tracking is to turn disable playback on the record track (so it is not input monitoring) and go over to the total mix (RME) and enable the inputs for direct monitoring.

The only hassle with that is that I have to turn the track on & off for monitoring and tracking and punching in requires a different workflow.

[Michael Canavan]

RME over Focusrite. I never had any problems with my original 828, just that the converters on the pres were lame. You're going to get far more latency issues from a slow CPU than a driver, unless it's a badly written driver, so again RME win that one.

[JSmith1234567]

Thanks everyone! RME it is.

[stubbsonic]

Good call. I've been really happy with my RME interface. That's a good & safe choice.

Total Mix is super-flexible and powerful. The docs are a little advanced, so for me anyway, I had to re-read a few things.