Help which audio interface do I use

Hannan28

New member
Hello this is my first post and I’m kinda a newbie at this stuff. so I own a MOTU 896HD and a focusrite Scarlett 18i8 which would be better for home recording and why btw I am using 5 Shure SM57s for most of my recordings Please help :) thank you
 
I haven't used either, but I'd guess there's not a huge difference in the quality of the microphone preamps, at least in most home recording circumstances. Maybe someone else can chime in. (I have a Saffire Pro 26, which is kind of a predecessor to the 18i8 - it's been fine for me.)

However, if you plan to use all 5 mics at the same time you can't use the 18i8 as your only interface, since it has just 4 mic preamps. You'd either have to use the MOTO, only, or you could use the Focusrite, but expand it with the MOTO's ADAT output into the Focusrite for 12 mic pres total. Might be worth a try if you've got space to set that up.

If you have both, and are already recording, what are you using now, and why are you asking?
 
I’m using the focusrite and am yet to figure out how to use the motu there seems to be a lot about it that I have to learn still. Actually I’m tinkering with it right now. My pc recognizes it but I can’t seem to get it to record
 
I’m using the focusrite and am yet to figure out how to use the motu there seems to be a lot about it that I have to learn still. Actually I’m tinkering with it right now. My pc recognizes it but I can’t seem to get it to record
You might try using the MOTO via the ADAT route then. Just need an optical cable, and configure it with Focusrite Mix Control (or whatever it's called for Scarlett). Make it the master clock and set everything to whatever sample rate the MOTO is driving (44.1 or 48 it looks like if you want to use all 8 channels).
 
I had no idea I could connect the two, just so I have this right I would use the optical cable out from the motu into the focusrite and using the mix software make the MOTO master clock with that sample rate ? (I’m pretty new to all this)
 
I had no idea I could connect the two, just so I have this right I would use the optical cable out from the motu into the focusrite and using the mix software make the MOTO master clock with that sample rate ? (I’m pretty new to all this)
Yes, at least "on paper" that's how you'd do it.

Like I said, I haven't used those two pieces of equipment, but do have a Behri ADA8200 connected to my Focusrite Pro 26 and it works as expected. Might be worth investing $10 in a cable (I got one like this), assuming you don't have one, to give it a whirl.
 
Okay so I did this but when I match the clocking it makes this awful noise and has been crashing my pc so I think I’m just gonna stick with the focusrite for time being thank you so much tho for all the help
 
Connecting the MOTO via ADAT only adds inputs for channels that are, essentially, already there, so this sounds like a configuration problem. The MOTU defaults may not be correct, or have been set to something that doesn't match up with what the Focusrite is expecting. You'd have to use the MOTO software or the unit's front panel controls to inspect and set right anything that wasn't. http://cdn-data.motu.com/manuals/firewire-usb-audio/896mk3_Hybrid_Manual_Mac.pdf

And, once you've got the MOTU configured to operate essentially standalone (not connected to the PC), it should show up properly in the Focusrite software, and you can check to make sure the DAW project sample rate matches what is being set by the MOTU device (master clock).
 
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