MOTU 828 mkII vs Presonus Firepod vs. ?

noncon

New member
Anyone using these have any insights on strengths, weaknesses, or other alternatives? I'm looking for a firewire interface with at least two preamps for around this price range. Also, the MOTU doesn't come with software for PC, has anyone used with Vegas5? Thanks.
 
It's going to be a tough comparison between the two. A lot depends on your budget. I've been using an 828mkII for a couple of months and I've been extremely happy both with its quality and usability. It also seems that Motu is very committed to the product. I didn't have any problems with the drivers shipped with the unit, but since I purchased it, Motu has twice released updated drivers and control panel software for it, fixing bugs and adding new features. The latest update adds support for assigning inputs and outputs to be used as talkback/listenback channels.

Ultimately, the Motu unit will be more flexible and extensible. It only has 2 onboard mic preamps, with its remaining inputs being line level inputs. This requires an extra 8 channel offboard preamp (or several single-channel or stereo preamps) to have access to the extra channels, but this also allows you to use preamps of your choice. The Motu also supports 8 additional inputs via ADAT LightPipe. This can be supplied from a preamp like the Presonus Digimax series (I use a Digimax LT). Adding in the SPDIF inputs, the grand total comes to 20 inputs and 22 outputs, far beyond the FirePod.

The FirePod allows separate main and cue mixes while the Motu has 4 separate mix busses that can be assigned to any purpose (recorded mix, headphone mix, main mix, etc). The Motu also has level meters on the front panel, which the FirePod lacks, and (while a lot of changes can be a pain in the ass) all of the Motu's settings can be accessed from the front panel.

In the short run, the FirePod would be cheaper, because it has 8 mic preamps onboard, but those come at the expense of expandability. If you'll never need more than 8 channels, you would probably be fine with it.

Just my $0.02
 
I was wrestling with the decision between these units until this past Sunday when I ended up picking up the MOTU over the Firepod.

In my case, I already have a Central Station so the monitoring capabilities of the Firepod would have been redundant. So I went with the 828 MKII. The CueMix in the MOTU is a bit redundant as well but the MOTU has MIDI in/out which I can use for my Mackie Control Universal.

And the 828MKII has much more expansion capability as stated previously.

Also, I have the Remote Control for the Central Station and it's a really neat little helper.

My 2¢...
 
Another very happy MOTU828 mkII user here. I use Sonar 3 Producer with it on a laptop with great results.

H2H
 
just to confuse the discussion; ther is the fireface by RMe. More expensive but you get more tooo.. LOL I'm confused... anyone?
 
Well, the thing about the RME is this. I think that's RME's first entry into the Firewire market. Their stuff has all been pretty good, but this is a whole new thing for them. In contrast, MOTU practicaly invented firewire audio recording. Their old 2408 systems were pretty much a firewire card (though they called it "Audio Wire" back then, before firewire was being used much) with a breakout unit. The 828 mkII is second generation of this specific unit, from a company who really knows how to take advantage of firewire and has been doing it for several years.

As with any new product, I would have to guess things will pop up on the RME unit. They will probably have to correct several things for their next firewire product is released. It could be great, but I NEVER buy a brand thing from a manufacturer...I let others pay their good $$ to be the guinea pigs and testers!:)

H2H
 
But the sluttiest slutz of the gearslutz get stuff like that for free!! :) I wonder if it's working well for the joe nobodys who don't get company hands to set everything up? It may, they do make good stuff...I'm not going to dispute that one bit. But new stuff always creeps me out a little. I've learned that lesson...it has cost me tens of thousands of dollars but I finally learned it.

H2H
 
i just don't buy until i see end user reviews (people that have payed for their stuff :rolleyes: )

This is hard... but hey I'm down to four units now so that's a start! (metric halo 2882 is still on my list..)
 
i got the older MOTU 828 (without midi and stuff)

its the best soundcard i used until now, but who am i?
i worked with a Delta1010 and i'm happier with the motu

it records nicely, but i noticed some flaws in playback when more than one app is running, heh, i just shouldn't wanna play songs in cubase AND windows media player 2.0 at the same time...

as far as i heard,,,people say nice things about the MK2,
but its just a little too expensive for me

next week i got the oppurtunity to test vegas production suite,
thats version 5.0, right?
i hope there won't be any problems or the cameraman is gonna kill me :eek:
 
The 828MKII is a feature-loaded value...
I use mine as a FW interface... with Apogee Rosetta 800 though.
 
i like the not having to add preamps feat of th4e mertic halo and the presonus. Metric halo can be fw powered + has really nice leds LOL. But MOUT defibately has the most end users.. however; are you people using mac or PC?

G.
 
what do you guys think about the sound quality between the 002 and 828 II? i've always used the 001, and i have a laptop, and i'm thinking about getting a firewire interface to use with it. i've used cubase SX a lot, so i was thinking about using it with the 828 MK II.
 
I use my Motu with a PC.....I have had several interfaces from them and have had ZERO problems.
 
I'm a PC user, too..mostly. I use it with Sonar with PC and sometimes with Digital Performer on Mac. Another great thing about it, I can go from computer to computer really really easily.

H2H
 
willovercome said:
what do you guys think about the sound quality between the 002 and 828 II? i've always used the 001, and i have a laptop, and i'm thinking about getting a firewire interface to use with it. i've used cubase SX a lot, so i was thinking about using it with the 828 MK II.

I don't have a hard comparison between them, but from what I've been hearing, they're darn near equal in quality.

Someone before mentioned not having to add your own preamps. It really kinda depends on how serious you are in your multitracking. You could reword it to say that rather than being limited to the onboard preamps, you can use whatever offboard preamps you want. It's all a matter of perspective.

I got a Presonus Digimax LT 8 channel preamp & A/D converter to use with mine. It feeds in through the 8 ADAT Lightpipe channels, so I still have the two preamped channels and the 8 line in channels available for whatever special preamps I want to use.

The setup is really versatile. I can bring drums in on the Digimax, then run vocals through whatever tube preamps I want, and I still have a few inputs for direct line-ins.
 
Motu 828 MKII vs Presonus Firepod

Hey guys, I have recently sold my Motu 828, great interface, but the lack of built in pre amps meant that I couldn't record my drums as I thought I may have been able to!

So I am looking at replacing it with the Presonus Firepod - What do you all think? I will use the Firepod for mostly studio, but will occasionally take it out on the road to run backing tracks on it.

Will there be much of a difference in the two interface's?

Thanks,

Sam
 
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