Anyone got a MOTU 2408mkII system?

[pisces7378]

Anyone out there got this system running on a PC? If so then please tell me what you DO NOT like about it.

For example, I have the Delta-66/OMNI Studio Card System and so far it has been a damn good card for a first card beginning level system. But as far as the OMNI is concerned... there is a list as long as my arm about the thing I do not like. Most of the features I hate about the OMNI are not ones that are there but rather ones that are NOT there. Like INPUTS!!!!! The pre-amps sound good, the features like a pad button and phantom power EFX sends et cetera... these are all fucking great... but ´the input count is pathetic.

Now with the MOTU 2408mkII the analog input count is bumped up to 8. Now i have read the MOTU marketing spill about this 2408mkII and it sound impressive but I am looking for some real world, no bullshit, tests. Anyone that has it please tell me what you think.


Thanks guys,

Mike

 

[Track Rat]

I've been running a 2408mkII on a 700MHz PIII for a couple of years now with two 20 bit ADATs and really have no complaints. I clock the whole system with a Lucid GenX6 and it sounds pretty damn good. Obviously since I'm running it on a PC I can't run Digital Performer software so I've been using both Cakewalk9 and Vegas with no problems. This week I'll be retiring the ADATs for a HD24 and I'm sure I'm gonna love it even more.

 

[pisces7378]

Thanks

Hey Track Rat,

Thanks for answering my question. Now I wanted to ask you a few things about ADATs and Stand Alone Digital Recorders. What is the point of a stand alone HDR or ADAT when you have a PC? I am not trying to argue, I honestly do not know. I have been at the digital recording game for a little less than 2 years, and I have just always used a PC running Logi Audio for digital multi-tracking. I have always known that ADAT and HDRs like the Mackie HDR24 existed... but I never really saw how they fit into my set up, or anyone's set up for that matter. I have seen that this MOTU 2408mkII along with tons of other interfaces etc. have ADAT optical links... and I just always thought that, they were there for people that already had an ADAT that they wanted to incorperate into the set up. I could never imagine why shomeone would buy an ADAT or stand alone HDR like the Mackie, if they already had a Mac/PC DAW.
This thread probably shows my ignorance embarassingly... but my friend back home in the states is trying to outfit a bad ass studio. He has like $12,000 to spend on gear alone. And he asked me what was the best direction to go. I of course told him what I know about PC/Mac recording, and I told him that I saw no point in a Stand alone HDR or ADAT set up now that PC/Mac set ups are so solid. (and keep getting more solid). But I am afraid that I might have done him an injustice, simply because I know jack shit about what I am saying when it comes to HDRs and ADATS. I assumed that a Stand Alone DHR was simply a computer without a monitor. And ADAT seems to me to be just like old analog portastudio except with excellent sound quality and the flexibility and non-destructiveness of digital tape.

Correct me if I am wrong. And I probably am. There seem to be a lot of ADATS out there still being sold and I have seen TASCAM's and Mackie's Stand Alone HDRs. And they are like $4,000 so there must be something to them. What do the PRO's use? I just can't imagine some guy in a $200/hour studio in New York sitting down at a PC with only a 32 channel mixer and a Pro Tools sound card/software. What are the industry pros using? Stand alone, ADAT, or PC/Mac?

Thanks man,

Mike

 

[Track Rat]

Pro studios are using ProTools Mix24+ systems as well as 2" tape for the most part. Not exclusively, but for the most part.
I started with ADATs and the MOTU was the next step for me to get those tracks into a computer for editing purposes only. Then I'd send them back to the ADATs for mixing through an analog console. Now if I was starting from scratch, I'd just have the HD24 and the MOTU wouldn't be so important as you can transfer tracks via a network connection to edit or mixing inside a computer. I already had the MOTU so it integrates with the HD24 nicely.
For me, the way I have my system set up is the best of both worlds; I can track to the HD24 and it behaves like an analog tape deck in its operation which is very intuitive and straight forward and I don't have to fight the computer or use a mouse to arm tracks and operate the transport, no latentcy issues, etc. And when all is tracked it's a small matter to transfer the tracks for tweaking and such.

 

[mastahnke]

If you don't have adats or tascam machine and just want inputs, you might check out the 24i instead. It has 24 analog inputs. That's a ton.

I have hte 2408 and I love it. My biggest complaint would have to be installing the thing. I reformat kind of often and sometimes it is easy to reinstall, other times it sucks.

I also would say use the latest ASIO driver in any app that supports that.

External clock sources are good to have too, if you are using ADATS or tascams and the like.

MIKE

 

[kristian]

i will indulge myself.

Stand alone hard disks are for tracking. You sit there and can communicate with the people you are recording because you aren't busy staring at a computer screen. This is VERY important if you are charing people money, you need to be involved with whats going on.

If you are planning on tracking on the computer becuase you can't afford to have ADATs or stand alone HDs or you only record yourself and friends than a card with 8 ins like the MOTU is what you would want. But i have to say the MOTU's A/D falls short of the delta you own.

So if you are transfering tracks via ADAT lightpipe than get the MOTU, if you are recording straight to your computer the Delta 1010 will be a better card for you. I have both and they will not run at the same time together what-so-ever.

 

[Angie]

>>Anyone out there got this system running on a PC? If so then please tell me what you DO NOT like about it. <<

Tech Support !!!!

 

[pisces7378]

24i or the 2408mkII

Hey thanks guys,

This has already been a quite informative thread. Now... since some of you have the 2408mkII from MOTU... maybe you guys are the best to ask.

I have posted before, with little luck, questions about syncronizing video with audio, so that I can add music to movies, commercials, coorperate videos et cetera. Plus sound effects. I am not trying to tackle Star Wars type applications yet. I am just trying to get my feet wet. Without going broke.

When some independent film (i.e. low budget) company makes a movie, they have to go through post production steps just like the big boys in Hollywood. I am sure they do not go to $1,000,000 post production studios with wall to wall Pro tools with $300,000 worth of Dolby Surround 5.1 plug ins and THX Digital this and that.

I have a Pent 4 2.0GHz PC w/ 512 MB of 400MHz RDRAM running Logic Audio Platinum. Two 7200 rpm hard discs, and a dual head graphics card for dual monitor use.

I need to know what else I will need to set up a (oppening level) post prodution workstation? I assume that the 2408mkII from MOTU is a better choice than the 24i from MOTU for this kind of stuff due to the fact that you can interface so many protocols. But what else would I need? I have seen the MOTU "Digital Timepiece". I know that it works to lock together video and audio. But can it work with Logic Audio Platinum? What type of video do I have to have to lock it all together?

And my final questions is one that most anyone on a BBS can identify with. Where can I read more about Post Production? I have searched and searched the web and all the sites are from Univerities and recording arts schools. And they are all written way over my head. I do not have the time to stop my life and enroll at Full Sail (www.fullsail.com) recording arts school or any other school to learn this stuff propperly. It is basically a really expensive hobby. Any websites, books, and especially magazine suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks guys for really helping me out.

Mike

 

[pisces7378]

Double Post

It is too late for me to Edit/Delete this post from this thread... and I am really interested in getting as much feedback as possible on this questions. So I am going to go post this last post as a new thread. Just disregard the previous post from this thread.

Thanks guys,

Mike

 

[mastahnke]

I would recommend that you ge the TimePiece. it is a cool unit and will sync you up nicely. Outside of that, you need go hardware to get video in and out of a computer, I am no expert on that...so some research might be required.
Other options are software. I don't use Logic so I don't know what it can do, but Vegas Video, Premeire, After Effects and Nuendo Video all have their pluses. I can't really tell which is best other than most guys I know use Premeire due to cost.

MIKE

 

[PapillonIrl]

I've had major crackling issues since I installed two UAD-1 cards with my Mk. II.

RME !

 

[xstatic]

Hopefully you are actually looking at the newer MOTU 2408 mk3 and not the mk2. The problem with the mk2's is system compatibility. When it works it works great, when it isn't happy with your software, you will want to kick it off a building. It seems the mk3 card is much more stable concerning a larger range of hardware.

As far as the MOTU converters sounding worse than the M-Audio's? This is the first time I have EVER heard that. I personally use an RME card with a stand alone hard disc recorder. The HD recorder is great for remote tracking sessions, and is a tightly integrated 24 channels of AD/DA. I don't even record on my HD recorder. I put the converters in input monitor mode and record straight off the ADAT optical jacks into Cubase. I do however use the analog outputs at the same time to feed my console which gives me absolutely latency free monitoring without having to configure all sorts of crazy internal mixers. I also like that I can always have meters on the HD recorder so I don't have to keep certain windows open in Cubase. When I am tracking I operate Cubase much like you would an analog tape deck so that I can produce and maintain constant communication with the band.