Should I buy a 2408mkII/PCI-324 for DP/Surround or am I

[emulatorloo]

I'm getting more interesting in surround mixing.

For several reasons I've committed to keeping my G4 dual for a couple more years.

My current audio interface is a R-BUS card with a Roland VM3100Pro for R-Bus I/O out of DP and Logic under OS X. This works ok, 24 bit 44.1khz.

However, picking up a 2408mkII has crossed my mind several times because:

it would be so easy to set up for surround w DP.
it sounds like it would be relatively easy to set up w outboard gear as needed w DP
I am getting tired of having a phyical mixer, just got a pre-amp, and it appears that it is pretty easy to go mixerless w the 2408mkII
24bit 44.1 is good enough for me in the G4 future.

Or am I just being lazy? The VM is serviceable, and has flexible routing set-ups too. . .I could set up a preset for surround, but it will require a lot of futzing w the manual and little tiny flashing multifunction buttons and a little green lcd, and I will probably get a big headache.

And if I am going to do this, how much should I pay? (I thought also of a 1224, but figured level matching issues w synths would be a big problem) THNX!

<small>[ June 15, 2005, 04:10 PM: Message edited by: emulatorloo ]</small>

[sdfalk]

Though a few people have gotten the 2408mk2
to work in OSX, apparently it's a huge pain.
There's usually tons of kernel panics and the like.
That's assuming your referring to OSX and not OS9,
in which case (if it's cheap, go nuts.)

[emulatorloo]

Originally posted by sdfalk:
Though a few people have gotten the 2408mk2
to work in OSX, apparently it's a huge pain.

Oh I am so all about OS X - So thanks for the big warning.

. . . .I can't see going back to 9 and DP3 at this point. Unless I guess I dedicated an older machine to 9 and DP3 but it sounds so sordid (unless I find a 2408mkII really cheap).

. . .so that pretty much settles it. . .would have to be markIII or 828mkII or Traveler. . .since I have more time than money right now the Roland is looking good.

<small>[ June 15, 2005, 04:10 PM: Message edited by: emulatorloo ]</small>

[amplidood]

I'm in Tiger with a 324-2408 mkII and it works great with DP. The kernel panics happen when you try to use it for system level stuff, ie QuickTime, iTunes, etc.

[Morpheo]

Originally posted by sdfalk:
Though a few people have gotten the 2408mk2
to work in OSX, apparently it's a huge pain.

I guess it's a huge pain for people still trying to use a 324 in OS X, which simply doesn't work (only in DP for the lucky ones). I bought a 2408/324 from a friend last year, got the 424, and I have no problem whatsoever in X...

[edit] oops didn't see your msg amplidood

<small>[ June 15, 2005, 06:31 PM: Message edited by: Morpheo ]</small>

[emulatorloo]

Originally posted by amplidood:
The kernel panics happen when you try to use it for system level stuff, ie QuickTime, iTunes, etc.

OK then, I've got other options for iTunes and other system stuff, so it does look do-able since my needs are DP and surround mixing.

THNX. . .

[Ernest Buckley]

I`ve been the 2408MKII with my Dual G5 now for 2 months. No probs to report...and I have no mixer.

[sdfalk]

Yeah
with a 424 card a 2408mk2 is supposed to be fine.
With a 324 I'd read on OSXaudio (and actually gotten
an email from Motu tech support sayiing the 2408mk2 324
was problematic under OSX)
I used to own it under OS9.
I'm surprised people are getting it to work under OSX..
but that's great.
There was certainly nothing wrong with it when I had it.

[philbrown]

Though a few people have gotten the 2408mk2
to work in OSX, apparently it's a huge pain.
There's usually tons of kernel panics and the like.

I've used a mk1 2408/324 with my G4 DP1.25 day in and day out from 10.2 through 10.41. Works great, including I-Tunes, Peak, Live, Reason and Numerology. I don't use the audio ins or outs though only the lightpipe I/O to Ramsa DA-7. I would not recommend the 2408 mk1 for audio I/O though and I sure wouldn't want to be Surrounded by it.

I thought the problems you guys are talking about were mainly with the G5's working with the 324 card, not an OSX-324 issue.

Phil

[Morpheo]

Originally posted by Dr. Vague:

I thought the problems you guys are talking about were mainly with the G5's working with the 324 card, not an OSX-324 issue.

No I had nothing but problems with the 324/OS X combination, and I have an MDD G4. I've read/heard lots of reports of the same problems, it's really not concerning G5s only. But I know that the 324 does work for some people, go figure. Maybe it's specific to some mac models, I don't know. One thing for sure is that my KPs (which even started occuring in DP with the 324) disappeared once I installed the 424.

[gseibert]

emulatorloo,
If you want to go mixerless, you will need the 424 card in OS/X. Cuemix will not work on a 324 card in OS/X.

[lordtoranaga]

When I had the 2408mkII w/ pci 324 working in osx. It was fine in dp4, but caused kernal paniks on system level stuff

[markwayne]

I've had the opposite experience. I was not having any problems, however, everyone seemed to feel that I should or would have problems as I moved my work full-time to OSX. I bought the 424 as a precaution. I finally started to miss cue-mix so much that I broke down and stuck the 424 in my Mac even though I had not had any problems. The 424 caused kernel panics so severe my Mac would not boot. It may have well have been a conflict with my SCSI card, but my SCSI drives are not going away anytime soon, so I had to demote the 424 to one of my Giga PCs and put the 324 back in place. It is now almost a year later and I still have yet to experience any problems with OSX/G4/324.

[Ernest Buckley]

Sorry I was not clear...I had to get the 424 card to have the 2408II work with the G5.

[emulatorloo]

Just wanted to say "thanks" for all the info

All of if very useful and thought provoking as always.

I've decided to stick w the R-BUS/Roland and to get it sorted for surround. I'll still keep my eyes open for a MOTU solution if I can get it on the cheap.

In the meantime while I pour through the Roland manual, I remembered I had an eMagic Audiowerks8 in the closet. . .

I popped it in and had it set up w DP in OS X for surround in basically the time it took to wire it in and install the drivers. HOWEVER IT SOUNDS HORRIBLE -- muddy and big ugly hum. . .but enough to keep me going as I pursue the other options.

Thanks again.