Which interface: Ultralite, Konnect, FW410, Firebox, Saffire

quadrant6 · Post by **quadrant6** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 6:05 am

A comparison post @ gearslutz
http://www.gearslutz.com/board/low-end- ... -uln2.html

dave999z · Post by **dave999z** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 1:50 pm

quadrant6 wrote:A comparison post @ gearslutz
http://www.gearslutz.com/board/low-end- ... -uln2.html

I think that's comparing the metric halo against the RME FF800, not the RME FF400. (That thread was before the FF400 was released?)

But I do think the take away point is... RME FF400 has more i/o options, whereas the ULN-2 has better preamps. Given that I work mostly alone and need only 1 mic in and three stereo outs (headphones, monitors, second pair of monitors), I think I'm better off spending my $ on the metric halo. (I also like that it has some dedicated knobs on the front, rather than just one universal control knob.)

If I need to record drums or a live band in the future, then I'll need something else. But even then a FF400 alone wouldn't cut it as it only has 2 mic pres (although the ADAT in would allow some more options on WHAT else to get on that front).

Is there anything I'm not realizing about the metric halo ULN-2?

Thanks so much everyone for your help. This has been a constructive post for me!

musick · Post by **musick** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 2:33 pm

FWIW: I just bough a FF400, am very happy with it. Very good sound quality, very good driver support and very flexible with it's internal mixer and all the IO configurations possible.

huffcw · Post by **huffcw** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 7:19 pm

snakes and ladders wrote:snakes and ladders wrote:
Dont get the saffire. It might as well be made by M-Audio.

"Umm. No. Focusrite is kinda known for their preamps or something."

Sorry - I wasn't shitting on focusrite as a company -they have some amazing pre's and other gear in their history - no argument there. I was a shopper at one point last year for a Sapphire but got put off by the huge amount of noise from forum users (the best way to judge a product in my book) who were getting clicking and popping - either from crap drivers or problems in the design itself no-one knows - buffer setting made no difference. But there were people that had no problem at all - Sounds like M-Audio huh?

Didn’t read the forums – so I can’t comment on what issues people seem to be having - but I can say that I have had nothing but a good experience with the Saffire and with their customer support providing answer and quick updates to address my pre-buy inquires. And the pres are fabulous – above and beyond what you would expect at this price. (By the way, the Saffire Pro is up for a 2007 TEC award.)

Another thing…I found that a lot of Firewire interfaces will not bus power properly off the new Macbook Pro. Focusrite has solved this issue with all new Saffires being sold (not sure if this was related to the issues in the forums, but if you do have a Macbook Pro and go with a Saffire, be sure to find out from Focusrite what serial number you need to be assured it will bus power without issues). Presonus and many others have never resolved the issue and shrugged it off as Apple’s issue.

The only negative in my mind is that it is a bit bulkier than some other interfaces.

quadrant6 · Post by **quadrant6** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 8:45 pm

Looking around, I think the consensus is that the metric halo beats the rme on converters and preamps

I meant to post:
http://www.gearslutz.com/board/remote-p ... n-2-a.html

If I need to record drums or a live band in the future, then I'll need something else"

I'm also wondering whether the number of inputs will be enough given that I plan to possibly purchase more hardware synths. Would the answer to both of these queries be to look at getting a good mixer when/if required?

Few interesting slightly more-recent posts here

http://community.sonikmatter.com/forums ... 93&hl=uln2

http://community.sonikmatter.com/forums ... 56&hl=uln2

http://community.sonikmatter.com/forums ... 05&hl=uln2

dave999z · Post by **dave999z** » Fri Aug 31, 2007 1:43 am

quadrant6 wrote:I'm also wondering whether the number of inputs will be enough given that I plan to possibly purchase more hardware synths. Would the answer to both of these queries be to look at getting a good mixer when/if required?

I don't think so. Unless you're talking purely about the convenience of not having plug/unplug different gear... a mixer would of course solve that (but would be a rather pricey solution, and would affect the signal path). For me, if I ever need more inputs I'll want them all routed into discsrete channels in my DAW. I'm not interested in mixing inputs prior to tracking and then recording the sum. If I record drums, I'll want each mic (or set of mics) feeding its own track.

I'm pretty much out of time - I have to make a decision - I'm going with the ULN-2. That's what I wanted in the first place - a small number of HIGH quality pres and converters, and a reasonable number of high quality outs for a basic setup. The FF400 is very cool, and all those i/o options are enticing, but the fact is I'll get it home and for at least a year or two and probably much longer will plug one mic into it, a set of headphones, and two sets of monitors. Meanwhile it'll depreciate and better stuff will come out. If down the road I need more flexible i/o, I'll cross that bridge. Right now I don't - and would rather put the money into a unit that offers fewer, higher quality channels. It's a lot of money for me - I've been saving a long time! (The mac pro in my signature just replaced, wait for it, a blue and white G3! Now that's some mileage.) But I'm ready to spend $5-6k for a setup (including the mac pro and display and some software I already bought). I have $2-3k left for an interface, monitors, a mic, and a tad more software. For the interface, it'll be the ULN-2. The monitors I'm going with blue sky pro desk. The only thing that'll be an imposter in this setup of what I consider upper midrange gear (for a project studio) will be my mic. (It's funny, over on gearsluts they'd consider this whole setup "low end." Whatever, most of the people there are talking about studios they work in, not equipment they purchase with their own money for their own use at their own dwelling.) I know jack about mics so for now am going with a studio projects C1, which I read is a damn good imposter. The mic is the only thing I'd consider upgrading in the near future if it turns out it is just obviously the weakest link in the chain, introducing noise and not capturing overtones, etc. Like I said at the beginning of the post, the friggin' room I'm in sucks and does not even justify high quality low noise gear. But I do have a laptop and could take this stuff somewhere treated if I ever (big if) get some stuff I'm working on to the point that I'd want to re-track.

That's my story.

Quadrant I can tell you're weighing this purchase similarly. Let me know what you go with and how you like it. Or if you have more thoughts / questions. Good luck!

D

quadrant6 · Post by **quadrant6** » Fri Aug 31, 2007 4:37 am

I don't think so. Unless you're talking purely about the convenience of not having plug/unplug different gear... a mixer would of course solve that (but would be a rather pricey solution, and would affect the signal path). For me, if I ever need more inputs I'll want them all routed into discsrete channels in my DAW. I'm not interested in mixing inputs prior to tracking and then recording the sum. If I record drums, I'll want each mic (or set of mics) feeding its own track. .

Thanks, that's actually clarified things for me a bit

At this point I'm probably going to grab the ULN2 as well. Even though I'm probably going to end up with a few hardware synths, I'm not going to be recording them all at the same time and I can connect at least one via the digital input. So hopefully it will be fine

btw: Re the mic, I don't know anything about the C1 mic, but have been looking at the SE electronics SE2200a as a highly recommended low cost general purpose condenser. More research needed on this one for me...

CWoodOne · Post by **CWoodOne** » Fri Aug 31, 2007 1:55 pm

I'm thinking of the Motu 8-pre since I don't need a lot of outputs, and its
cheaper than the Traveler... any opinions? What kind of latencies are folks getting with these? Thanks

dave999z · Post by **dave999z** » Sat Sep 01, 2007 4:21 am

You know the only thing that bugs me about the ULN-2 is that both pairs of analog outs are balanced TRS. (The RME FF400 can do unbalanced outs.) That makes it difficult to send to a home stereo receiver.

My NS10s are plugged into a crappy home stereo receiver. The only way I'd be able to connect the ULN-2 to the receiver is to use a line converter from +4 balanced to -10 unbalanced or use the digital out on the ULN-2 (but my current stereo receiver does not have a digital in, and most crappy 2-channel stereo receivers don't).

dave999z · Post by **dave999z** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 9:36 pm

Check out the signature.

Just went to Guitar Center (puke) today and ordered the ULN-2, Adams, and mic. Being Labor Day (I guess?) they matched audiomidi's prices (including tax and shipping) and even though this is a special order (of course, as they don't stock anything anybody would ever want) will allow me to exchange for 30 days with no restock fee. I'd rather have gone with audiomidi, but they insist on a 15% restock fee. I have no intention of returning this stuff, but if for some reason I was just totally unsatisfied with the interface or the monitors, I'd like the option of getting something else if I return these in pristine condition.

Stuff should arrive this week.

chrisedmo · Post by **chrisedmo** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 10:45 pm

if you're on a mac, stay away fom the saffire, our band just bought one as we were out of pres on our firebox and its just been a nightmare.. fine when powered with the psu but bus powered - forget it, its useless, its a shame asthe pres are good...

Dr Dub · Post by **Dr Dub** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 10:54 pm

i think you all know this, and it seems like it s no problem for you, but for me it would be a big minus of the metric halos that they have no drivers for windows... i m a windows user, but i think i would not buy an interface which i could not use with every new computer in the future.
Perhaps i will use the Computer of a friend or something...

Computers tend to change quick, more than interfaces, i mean, right now i think about getting a mac, before the intel change i did not

quadrant6 · Post by **quadrant6** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 12:49 am

Cool, let us know how it goes Dave, obviously I'm pretty interested

think you all know this, and it seems like it s no problem for you, but for me it would be a big minus of the metric halos that they have no drivers for windows... i m a windows user

Yeah fair point but for me I switched to mac when I started working with them and don't see it likely that I'll be heading back (never say never). In fact in some ways I look at it as a benefit - from a product development point of few, Metric Halo are putting all their efforts into one platform - the one I'm using

dave999z · Post by **dave999z** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 1:52 am

Would you all have gone with the A7s or the blue sky 2.1 system?

I'm having second thoughts on the Adams. I'm sure they're great, and I don't think the blue sky sub and satellites are the most accurate monitors out there, but they are supposed to be pretty detailed. I decided against them because the sub in that price range is probably not accurate enough to do surgical mixing on. But maybe that's not the point. Even if I can't nail every last detail down below 46 Hz, at least with the blue sky system I'd have some sense of what's going on down there. That has to be better than nothing. If I've got mush going on down there and don't know it, that'll ruin my mixes no matter how accurate Adam A7s are above 46 Hz. I'm thinking I might call in the AM and switch the order to the blue sky system instead of the Adams.

happygodavid · Post by **happygodavid** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 9:21 pm

I worked in Pro Audio at Guitar Center for 2 and a half years (not that I'm recommending buying from them), and based on my experience I learned this:

The more returns I got on a piece of gear, the less I'd recommend it, as it was usually a sign of poor quality.

I could rip into all the cheap interfaces, but I'm sure others will do/have done this, so let me just say:

Hands-down, without question, go for either the MOTU or the RME. As for anything less than $500, you'll basically be differentiating between which one sucks the least (two possible exceptions being the Edirol FA66 or FA101).

If you can afford RME, go for it. Otherwise, the Ultralite is built like a tank compared to other interfaces you mentioned.

Cheers