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I'm looking to get a good clean sounding mobile firewire recording unit. I mostly record acoustic instruments and classical music and I only need a stereo pair, so 2 mic pres are enough.

Is the RME Fireface 400 that much better then the Focusrite Saffire, to justify spending more than twice as much?

You might also want to consider a used Metric Halo ULN-2. The mic preamps, clock and converters are all exceptional. The biggest downside to the ULN-2 is its lack of i/o, but it doesn't sound like that would be a concern for your particular applications. They are getting ready to release a newer version of the ULN-2 as well as the 2882, so the pricing on used units seems to be dropping. Metric Halo is still supporting the older units, and the older units can actually be end-user upgraded to be the same as the new models...although the upgrade is pricey.

+1 for the MIO ULN-2. If you record acoustic music (incl. classical) there is no reason to look at anything else. You won't find a better sounding pre/clock/converter for less than 3X the price.

So you think the Metric Halo ULN2 is far better than the RME Fireface 400?

I don't think they are anywhere in the same category. The ULN-2 is being used for audiophile classical recording worldwide. The FF400 is a decidedly "home studio" (I avoid the term "pro-sumer") piece of gear.

Metric-Halo also just introduced the 2d card upgrade for their interfaces, which add ADAT in /out to the ULN-2 (only had AES/SPDIF before) and improves the clocking.

sdemott wrote:I don't think they are anywhere in the same category. The ULN-2 is being used for audiophile classical recording worldwide. The FF400 is a decidedly "home studio" (I avoid the term "pro-sumer") piece of gear.

Metric-Halo also just introduced the 2d card upgrade for their interfaces, which add ADAT in /out to the ULN-2 (only had AES/SPDIF before) and improves the clocking.

I have to respectfully disagree. The MH is very good, maybe it is even a little better than the Fireface, but it is certainly not a night and day difference. The Fireface is a dramatic step up from what I consider the "true pro-sumer" pieces such as the MOTU 828, and there are plenty of pro studios using the Fireface and other RME gear - just take a look over at Gearslutz and you'll see a lot of praise for the FF (and a lot of praise for the MH as well).....

I wish I could comment on the RME boxes, but I've got no first hand experience with them. I do however own an 828mkII and used to own a ULN-2 (sold it due to lack of i/o). I can tell you that the ULN-2 is night and day better than the 828mkII. The general concencus seems to be that the RME FireFace boxes fall somewhere in between the 828 and the ULN-2. Do note that the Metric Halo 2882's mic pre's are not the same (or as good) as the ULN-2's. That is by Metric Halo's own admission. That being said, I understand that they are still generally considered to be better than the FireFace pre's. Basically speaking, I'm sure you can make some great sounding recordings with any of these boxes, but for your application, it sure sounds like the ULN-2 is the way to go.

Sorry - I guess I should clarify my response. I was talking only about the Fireface in the context of a AD/DA interface only - I was not commenting on the mic pres. I have a 500 series rack with a few pres, so I really don't use the FF pres very much, and have never really given them a good listen, so

It looks like the Metric Halo ULN2 is the way to go for my application.

Since I'm using it to record a stereo pair of live classical/jazz gigs, and then all mixing and processing is done back at my studio, do I need the DSP version or will the non-DSP version work well for me?

Is there any other advantage other than being able to run plug-ins, which I don't do?

you could also check out the apogee duet...wonderful sounding, clean, compact. i'm not sure how it stands up to the metric halo 2-channel unit (which by all accounts is superb), though.

i don't know what other kind of I/O you might need, but it would seem to fit the bill...

kell

westla wrote:It looks like the Metric Halo ULN2 is the way to go for my application.

Since I'm using it to record a stereo pair of live classical/jazz gigs, and then all mixing and processing is done back at my studio, do I need the DSP version or will the non-DSP version work well for me?

Is there any other advantage other than being able to run plug-ins, which I don't do?

the +DSP is for the hosted plugins/processing. If you don;t have a need for it, then don't spend the money.

If you ever decided you needed it, it is an upgrade option (the Metric-Halo folks take *very* good care of their customers).

Resonant Alien wrote:Sorry - I guess I should clarify my response. I was talking only about the Fireface in the context of a AD/DA interface only - I was not commenting on the mic pres. I have a 500 series rack with a few pres, so I really don't use the FF pres very much, and have never really given them a good listen, so

Have to say that was not my experience when A/Bing a ULN-2 with a FF400 (and a 828mkII & Lunatec V2). The FF400 was cloudy/vieled in the mids a flatter/more 2-dimensional when compared to the ULN-2. All 4 of the musicians in the quartet I used to test these chose the ULN-2 recording as their favorite.

kelldammit wrote:you could also check out the apogee duet...

I agree. I just sold my stock MOTU 828mk2 for a Duet (which arrives tomorrow!!!) because like the original poster, I needed a small footprint Firewire recording interface that I can throw in my laptop bag with a few mics and achieve amazing quality remote recording capabilities. I'm a little tired of carrying around a rack with my BLA 828mk2 and a few other preamps when I want to record some guitar overdubs or cello parts at a friend's house. I no longer have to pull stuff out of my studio rack or haul around that same 8-space rack.

The initial reports of the Duet are screaming great quality conversion and really nice mic preamps. Of course, you can switch the inputs from mic/line and use any preamps that you want with this thing, as well as go direct with your keyboards, or high-Z instruments. It also doubles as a ReAmp box, though it seems a little convoluted to use it like this.

The weak point of this box is monitoring and the use of only one stereo mix that can't be separated between the unbalanced main outs and the headphone outputs. The easy way around this is to purchase a A Designs ATTY to attenuate the unbalanced outs volume level, and run the headphone out into a dedicated headphone amp if you need to use both the headphones and main outs at the same time (which I do all of the time). I'll be splitting this duty between a Mackie 1202 (I know I know) and a Behringer headphone amp until I pick up an ATTY and a smaller footprint headphone amp that can, once again, fit in my computer bag.

But again, for $500 this is fine by me, as I can definitely get by with just headphones for a lot of remote stuff like I always have.

Jeff

Duet is the bee's knees!!! Thanks, Brad!!

Gearboy, how does the sound of the duet compare to the sound of your BLA modded 828mkII?