RME Fireface 800 Vs. Digi 002/w Black Lion Audio

S

Spdrman288

New member
I am going back and forth between getting a Digi002 and getting the Black Lion Audio upgrade.
OR
Getting a RME Fireface 800.
I currently run a Firepod with Logic Pro. I want something with more expandability for outboard gear. i.e. Pre's, compressors, ect. As well as the better quality in sound. After the black lion upgrade the price is about the same.
Is it true that I can still run Logic with the Digi 002?
Thanks ahead of time for the help.
 
I'm 99% sure, that even with the black lion mod, a 002 will never compare with a FireFace800. Some time ago, black lion had a mod for updating the converters. ( but not anymore ), so you're out of luck.

The upgrade, is just for the Clock of the 002. It will improve, but not that much.

If you need ProTools, you have no option but a 002. think about this:
m-audio gear, are just toys, crappy converters, crappy A/Ds.
all the mbox are 48khz, except the PRO version, but you'll be stocked with Ptools 7.3 ( That's not a good idea )

The 002 is the only unit that will allow you to use 96khz, plus+ all the versions from PT6.X, in case you need it.
The other units, are just to NEW, and they force you to use NEW software. I hate that.

------- The only unit that compares to a 002, is the FW1814, (i have that one). can't choose "64 samples" in hardware buffer with that unit. It just sucks. 002 has "low latency monitoring", 1814 don't.

so, if you need Ptools, 002 is your only option, m-audio gear sucks.

----------------------------------------

I'm really having trouble trying to decide what's the unit that best fits my needs.

I'll probably sell my 1814, and buy a 002. ( clients EAT with the EYES ), if you show them PT, you're the GOD in town. That's how it works.

--------

If i could make money with a fireface, i'll probably will pick that one. ( but my clients are not listening to my converters, they are watching my PC monitor and watching my plugins ).


So.... you're options:

IF PT is needed:
Stick with the 002, forget about the mod, and buy something like a rosetta800 ( that's what i call expandibility for a 002 ). If you need 96khz, buy a Mytek Stereo96 for making overdubs in Ptools at suberb quality over SPDIF.

If you don't need PT:
Buy something like a FireFace800. Sell that digi s#it, and buy some really cool preamps.
 
The Black Lion mod is much more than just a clock.

It is a revamp of all analog internals and 4 new preamps as well as a clock.

The difference between a non modded 002 and the BLA modded 002 is night and day. The preamps are pristine and clear and the unit has what can only be described as more punch, less noise and more whole sounding. The mixes are also much less crowded and sound like they sit much nicer.

I have the 002 with the BLA mod. Previous to getting this I was about to jump ship and change because the quality just wasn't what I expected. After the BLA mod I'm not only NOT jumping ship but I have a piece of gear I think sounds friggin great.

The OP problem is he want's to keep using Logic and with the 002 it's not going to work. If you get the 002 and BLA mod your going to be using PT which for me is a good thing but might not be yours.

As far as sound quality goes the 002 with BLA mod would be the winner without question.
 
Although I agree the BLA mode is a great upgrade to an existing product, I still think the RME would be the way to go if you want to buy something new.

I have the Fireface 800 and a friend has upgraded his soundcard with the Black Lion mod and we both agree my system still sounds better.

Now take that with a grain of salt b/c we never a/b'd the systems in the same room and no two engineers are alike. But he heard my stuff and decided to mod his system b/c he heard the mod would make his sound more like the RME. So if RME is the benchmark, why not just get that and call it a day?
 
Thanks for the help. one of the reasons I was going to go with PT is because they have in at my college. And that is the degree program I am in. So Maybe i will just get a mbox so i can edit at home, but the get a Fireface for my actual studio. I have heard that the difference between an unmodded 002 and BLA modded 002 is "night and day" I was wondering if it compared to the fireface. it is obvisous that the factory 002 doesn't even compare to the fireface. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to figurer that out. Again thanks for the help, you've made my desicion easy.
 
Don't forget that if you go with an MBOX for mixing at home, you'll have to convert all you audio to 44.1 or 48Khz.

Otherwise, you won't be able to open 96khz+ WAV files on PT with the MBOX.


I wanted to do that too. But it was a pain seriously. USB1.1 and latency, just don't go with Professional works. Keep that in mind.



-----
I'm in the same boat right now. It's not an easy decision.

Choose with the heart, and GOD will give you the peace you need, for making music like you want.

Choose with you eyes, and i garantee, you'll se something new tomorrow, and the peace will never come.
 
if you look now you can get 002's for cheap cause 003 was just released, and plenty of assholes are gonna sell their 002's so they can upgrade to the 'newest' yet almost exactly the same thing..

thanks to digi, the resale value on 002's just turned to shit. the 003 was not needed. nothing has changed except the colors and the addition of another headphone output, but come on, most of use a set of outputs for a headphone amp anyway...

oh well. you can prolly pick up a 002 rack for like $600 or better now, i think musicians friend is closing out on them at $999 new.
 
TragikRemix said:
thanks to digi, the resale value on 002's just turned to shit.
Click to expand...
Yeah... but think about how bad it would have been if the 003 was actually worth upgrading to. Resale prices will go back up after the venders have dumped all their old stock... long term, the 002 used market should hold it's value better...
 
...

I have been told by someone I know and trust at Digidesign that the 003 is more than a new clock and headphone out.

They rebuilt the pres from the ground up, plus the converters are new (and nicer)

You have to do a "little" research to find out all of the upgrades (like going to their site)
 
I bought my Fireface 800 from these guys,

http://www.studiodsp.com/

but indirectly via Ebay, brand new in the box for several hundred dollars less than they list on the website. My first reaction is that compatibility-wise, the thing is a no-brainer. RME's firewire technology is superior to most everyone else's because they engineer their own internal processor while most other manufacturers by an off-the-shelf from Texas Instruments or whomever and thus compatibility problems arise. This to me has always been the issue with stuff I need to hook up to a PC....Windows/CPU/MOBO, etc can all be quirky, so what you don't need is one more thing in that system to wig out. The other system, the signal chain is another thing, but as far as that goes, so far, I'm not hearing a mega-discernable leap in sound quality from my Delta 1010. I'm sure it's there, but ease of use and expandability is why I got it.
 
f you want Pro Tools, then you need to get one of the Digidesign interfaces or one of the M-Audio interfaces that's a dongle for Pro Tools. I will say that if I were going Digi then I'd go with the Digi 002 or the Digi 003. I'd lean heavily toward the 003.

RME makes the most stable audio interfaces. These are good choices unless you're in the crowd that wants to run Prisms.
 
002 paired with Fireface 800

This may be the wrong thread, but is it possible to track with Pro Tools on the 002 at 96khz with 2 channels of audio coming in via spdif for a total of 10 tracks (8+2)? if so HOW?? I dont seem to be able to configure my system to accept the spdif (or the light pipe at 48khz); from the RME has anyone been successfull?
 
I just picked up a used fireface 800 at a great price.

I am very happy with it. I can also borrow the RME octa8 D if i need more channels.

What i like is the total mix software for it.

I run Tracktion which I find works well for me.

My 2 Watts
 
Now with Pro Tools 9 you can use the RME UFX!!!! or any interface that is. Finally! I'm thinking of picking up a RME UFX. I already have the signature BLA modded digi002 and love it. Just not as nice i/o options as the RME UFX. Anyone have thoughts on which would be better?
 
mhbmusic said:
Now with Pro Tools 9 you can use the RME UFX!!!! or any interface that is. Finally! I'm thinking of picking up a RME UFX. I already have the signature BLA modded digi002 and love it. Just not as nice i/o options as the RME UFX. Anyone have thoughts on which would be better?
Click to expand...

Any further news with this? What did you go for in the end? Looking to go for BLA002, Apollo Quad, RME UFX or MBox 3 Pro! In 2015...what would you say still wins?
 
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