Best Firewire interface for $800 or below

Best Firewire interface for $800 or below

  • MOTU 828mkII

    Votes: 30 23.8%

  • Presonus Firepod

    Votes: 55 43.7%

  • Echo AudioFire 12

    Votes: 22 17.5%

  • Mackie Onyx 400F

    Votes: 19 15.1%
  • Total voters
    126
maurolin said:
i HAVE A motu 828II to sell... anyone have a clue where??? I don't do ebay.

I guess $400 WITH logic6 IS A GOOD DEAL. 813 377 5707 i AM IN florida> WILL SHIP COD
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get better rep and i may buy it off you to add to my other one :D
 
The Firestudio seems like a pretty darned good deal... haven't actually used it, but features-wise, it's got lots.
 
I'm a bit puzzled with this poll. I own a Firepod and a Onyx 400F. There is simply no comparison IMHO. The Onyx sounds much better to my ears. The 400F convertors are quite a bit better than any of the other choices listed and in fact are the same as used in the RME FF800. There is nothing wrong with the Firepod but anyone who has heard the difference between the 400F and the FP in an A/B comparison knows what I speak of. Quite frankly, I think the Onyx 400F is the best FW interface including the more expensive RME stuff. The pre's in the Mackie are actually pretty good. Very clear and uncolored to my ears. They remind me of the Grace pre's. The only reason I keep the Firepod is that it is good for doing a drum kit mix, having 8 pre's. I'm anxiously awaiting the 1200F, which is 400F's big brother x 3! Of course this is just my opinion and your mileage may vary... Happy tracks!
 
man...i don't know what to think about polls.

i mean...has everyone that voted used all four (or 2 even) in the same control room/system?

and think about price....firepod=500, onyx=700, motu=700, audiofire12=700.

it makes sense that more people will have the firepod and they will vote for it.

i have an onyx. i like it...but i honestly can't vote for it. i've used the firepod...in someone else's place...on a different system, strange and weirdly colored listening area, and with a mic that i don't even have.
 
Doubt anybody has used more than maybe two of those. I've used the FIREPOD and the MOTU 8Pre, which is similar to the 828MKII in a lot of ways, so I'd definitely vote for the 828 based on my experiences with fairly similar gear, but...
 
I've used 3 of the four interfaces you've listed.

The MOTU, the Echo, and the Presonus. I liked the MOTU. In fact I first heard in a studio I was was in and was fairly impressed. Enough that I went out and bought one. Problem with the MOTU is the drivers either work really good with a system or they don't. Then I heard about the Echo audiofire.

I purchased it blindly after listening to the guys over at GS and have never regretted the purchase. I have an Apogee Rosettta that I've compared the Echo to. IMHO I either can't tell the differance or the Echo sounded better.

I won't comment on the Presonus because I was told if you don't have anything good to say... well you get the picture.

Will
 
So for a solo guy recording only 1 track at a time, what would be a good option? I'm looking to upgrade from the 1/4" outputs adapted down to a stereo line-in connection I use now. Thanks!
 
im even happy with my motu828 (mk1)
too bad the routing isnt as good as in the MK2

i do have mini issues with drivers on windows, few years ago bad problems but they did update the drivers and now its all working better,
sometimes my pc just doesn't recognize my motu and then i gotto reboot (and yell real loud....)
besides that i'm happy with it!

maybe i should just get me a firewire card with a texas instruments chip on it...who knows this might help me
 
I've used a Firepod and various Onyx pres...The Mackies ARE better if you can afford it. The Firepod is still very useful...I'd wager to bet, however, that the MOTU 8pre sounds more open than the Firepod just based on all their other stuff.
 
mrhotapples said:
I've used a Firepod and various Onyx pres...The Mackies ARE better if you can afford it. The Firepod is still very useful...I'd wager to bet, however, that the MOTU 8pre sounds more open than the Firepod just based on all their other stuff.
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I'm hoping you're right. My expreiences with MOTU have been that they sound warm and transparent. The buzz on the Firepod I've heard is "great, but pres could be better"... It was a $50 difference between the Firepod and the 8pre, so I figured $50 worth of better preamps and D/A converters would be worth it...
 
Well, I finally picked up my MOTU 8pre today, and just got it hooked up. HOLY COW. I'm coming from an M-Audio Audiophile 192 with a Mackie 1202VLZ as the input, which sounded brilliant; and this is like an order of magnitude smoother. It just sounds, well, expensive. I had no idea; I really though my system sounded pristine. This is just amazing. The noise floor is 30dB lower too. I have a little ground loop somewhere, that ran about -50dB on the 192, and it's about -80dB on this. I presume that it was the Mackie, which I'd ground lifted to help it out already. Think I should ground lift the MOTU?
 
Firestudio should be in there for sure it has bnc sync up. The Firepod does not.

I to am looking at the 8 pre as a additional interface that I can use with my layla 24 and I can use it solo with a laptop for mobile recording.
Price beats the firestudio too.

so in other words none of the above.
If I was not concerned about mobile recording I might go with the audiofire.
Love my layla.

F.S.
 
Freudian Slip said:
I to am looking at the 8 pre as a additional interface that I can use with my layla 24 and I can use it solo with a laptop for mobile recording.
Price beats the firestudio too.

F.S.
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As I learn more about it, I'll let you know. Apparently, you can slave 3 more of them through ADAT. I can't even envision myself needing more than 8 simultaneous tracks though, I got the thing so I could record acoustic drums and be able to edit at the track level rather then being stuck with an early mixdown choice.
 
Llarion said:
As I learn more about it, I'll let you know. Apparently, you can slave 3 more of them through ADAT. I can't even envision myself needing more than 8 simultaneous tracks though, I got the thing so I could record acoustic drums and be able to edit at the track level rather then being stuck with an early mixdown choice.
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It's definitely a good deal, but if you want to use any external preamps you're not going to get directly into those converters. The 1/4" TRS inputs in the center of the XLRs still go through the 8pre's mic preamps. It's probably a good option for someone who would have gone with a firepod.
 
trdn1 said:
So for a solo guy recording only 1 track at a time, what would be a good option? I'm looking to upgrade from the 1/4" outputs adapted down to a stereo line-in connection I use now. Thanks!
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There are many excellent options for you. The best choice will depend on if you EVER forsee recording more than one track at a time.

If nay to that question, there are good, easy-to-get-started options starting at around 150 (tascam US122).

Best,

JD
 
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