Firewire Audio Interfaces - or getting a Saffire Pro 24 DSP

[MIDI Life Crisis]

I'm about to retire my crappy M-Audio FW410 and looking at a few options. I hope some of you might offer suggestions based on your experience using interfaces with DP.

Ideally, I'd like to also retire my Yamaha O1V mixer and replace both devices with a device that is both a mixer and an interface.

I do like the Yamaha n series and would be really interested in any experiences you guys and gals might have.

A member here warned me against the Focusrite combo devices and there are a few posts around here that make me worry about them. I don't want to go with another M-Audio device. If push came to shove, I can keep the O1V and just go with a better FW audio interface if that is a better path - again, your views are most welcome.

A good solid clock would be very nice to have as well.

Thanks.

[kgdrum]

Happy RME user here,great drivers and Totalmix(virtual mixer/ routing) is amazing!
I have the FF but if I was buying now I'd look @ their newer UFX unit.
Support in the USA is handled by SynthAx , they are very good.
If budget isn't a consideration the line I'd look at is Metric Halo (2882,ULN 8 etc...) , pretty much the same as I stated for RME but better convertors etc....but they are a bit pricey but in my opinion their products are the cream of the crop.

[MIDI Life Crisis]

Thanks for that. Price is always a consideration but lost time on a crappy interface is also money!

Still looking for more options and really would like a combo mixer if possible.

Maybe some others will jump in. Much obliged.

[BKK-OZ]

I have a Mackie 1640i, do you want to hear (sic) about that?

[MIDI Life Crisis]

All ears!

[BKK-OZ]

awright, {censored} up yer ears then...
( sorry, couldn't help myself )

Well, you can read the specs on Mackie's site, so I won't bother with any of that.

Physically:
It is a solidly built device, everything, knobs, faders, connectors, etc., all feel solid, travel nicely, etc. The layout is typical, but logical, and though I ain't no mixing engineer, I have been able to use everything it offers, (sends, aux returns, etc.) with no trouble at all.

...still waiting on my local music guy to get one of those mixing desk lights powered through a BNC connector, but that is another story altogether.

I have had this approx. a year now, and I have had only one problem. At some point, for no known reason, it blew a circuit. Literally. I took it to a nice local man who has a soldering iron and several electronics phds or something, and he fixed it. Cost $80, and works perfectly now. He said it was a mystery as to why that particular component failed.

Audio:
I monitor with a couple of HS80m's and the pres seem clean, transparent, no color (that my hearing can detect anyway). I have run my guitars, motif rack, vox, etc. through it and it really seems to stay out of the way. I don't see the point of EQing things I'm recording, so I never use the EQ, so I can't tell you whether it is good or bad. It is good that it can be bypassed though.

Interface:
I'm glad I spent the extra $ to get the 1640i instead of one of the smaller form-factors they sell. This one allows me to send 16 full channels back from the computer through the interface, which is useful for monitoring/mixing, etc.

So far, I have been pleased with its performance. There was/is no drama between DP and the Mackie, and my Mac and the Mackie seem to get along fine too. (Quicktime, iTunes, etc. all happily drive the Mackie, though, of course, they should.)

what else can I say??? uhm... dunno...
Oh yeah! I noticed one night on the Dave Letterman show that Paul Scaheffer (sp?) is using what is either a 1620, or a 1640 Mackie desk as his keys sub-mixing desk.

[kgdrum]

awright, {censored} up yer ears then...
.

I have never wanted a new piece of gear that bad.......

MLC the things you will do for your art!
kudos

[waterstrum]

FWIW, the Tascam DM4800 works great as a mixer and FW interface.
It is large and heavy, but it is a workhorse.
Integrates with DP7 very well.
Nice to have all of those faders too.
Maybe not your cup of tea, but it is working well for me.

[BKK-OZ]

...and I should have added, that when I bought my Mackie, I had wished I had the money for an Allen & Heath Z24 (I think that was the model). My research, such as it was, led me to that one as being preferred, but it just cost too much for my meager needs.

[Klaus]

OK
you maybe have read about me using 896mk3 and ADAT inputs for live show mixing and recording...( and also in the studio )
Since I got the 896mk3s, I'm mixerless... > I use Cuemix FX and DP to mix...

The new 896mk3H have that 1k65Hz whining ( 8 dB more than the original 896mk3 (FW ) ) but Motu is aware and is checking that out...
When they have a fix, I'll get 896mk3Hs.
I had one here to test, and it sounded 'more definition' to me, there must be at least new preamps inside, since the analog section includes a software gain...

Why not go that route ?

Also NAMM could bring up some new stuff in that department..

Best

Klaus

[MIDI Life Crisis]

Thanks Klaus & you other guys.

I could stay with my mixer for sure. I need the interface for studio recordings (mostly me and maybe a few players at most). I was thinking I could get something I could take to live gigs as well to send to the house and my recorder but that dream is fading fast.

So I'm down to something with good clocking, converters, and plays well with DP and my Mac. The software should allow attenuating the Mac audio as channel in the overall mix.

Focusrite is looking like it might be the way to go.

Thanks again. If I have observations after tests and research I'll post them here for future reference. Oh yeah, waiting for NAMM is a great idea. Beats waiting for Guffman!

[Gravity Jim]

I almost bought the Focusrite, but the Tascam DM3200 finally got my vote... excellent performance for a much, much lower price.

With one FireWire card and one USB connection, the DM 3200 gives me:

* 32 channels of 24-bit 96khz audio with dynamics, EQ, and Tascam and TC effects on every channels
* The most flexible routing options I have ever seen (route anything to anywhere)
* On-board automation with touch-sensitive faders
* Seamless Mackie Control integration of DP on its own fader layer
* A really, really good sound.

I could go on for days, but checking it out at Tascam.com is easier. Best of all is the current price: I got the setup in this pic - the console, interface and meter bridge - for about $3,200. (That's from Full Compass Systems, lowest price anywhere.) It streamlined my room and workflow, and I couldn't be more pleased with it.

[kgdrum]

MLC ,
fwiw : I have heard mixed reviews about the Focusrite.
I know I'm biased but the RME UFX is getting raves all over the place and you would have the choice of FW or USB & once you get a handle on Totalmix , I expect you'd be very happy!

[MIDI Life Crisis]

Thanks Jim. I'll check that out for sure!

This was a nice find today:

http://tweakheadz.com/audio_interface_f ... _chart.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[kgdrum]

Saw the chart , yes it's useful but as you said in your 1st post, I am going to choose an interface partially based on the features but a big part of the equation that I will base most of my decision on IMO is the drivers, many companies make comparable hardware but only a handful keep getting praised for their drivers.
I'd try to be careful about looking at the feature set and overlooking the software side of the I/O.