How Does The MOTU 2408 Rate?

  • Thread starter Thread starter crawdad
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crawdad

crawdad

Dammit, Jim, Shut Up!
Its what I'm using now. Is there any consensus on the quality of this unit (converters, etc)? Would I be better served, sonically speaking, by something better? Any thoughts and advice would be appreciated.
 
There were some threads on this on the Unicornation BBS but unfortunately it's been down for over a week now. Wonder what's up with that?

I seem to remember someone posting that the quality pecking order of the MOTU stuff was:

1.1224/1296
2.2408
3.896
4.828

There was also a very interesting thread on the benefits of using an external clock, even with a single interface.

Hope they get the site back up soon. Even though I don't have a MOTU setup I like reading the discussions.
 
I use a 2408 mkII and I like it just fine. I have mine clocked with a GenX6 so I feel it's just a little better. The converters are decent enough. Granted, something like a an Apogee or a Lucid stand alone converter would be better but I think it would be a quantum leap in quality.
I will say that adding the GenX6 clock was a noticable improvement in sound quality.
 
Track Rat--What is this GenX clock? What does it do, exactly, and how would I interface it with the 2408? I'm interested but I have no knowledge of this at all! Thanks!
 
It's an EXTREMLY stable, accurate word clock generator which replaces the internal clock in the HD24 (or any other device that has an external wordclock input). This makes the A/D converters more stable and lowers their jitter. Lower jitter=better audio performance. Check it out.
http://mercenaryaudio.com/lucgenworclo.html
 
Ah! I see, said ther blind man! Thanks, Track Rat. I appreciate the information!
 
Would the clock on a MOTU MTP AV or Digital Time Piece be just as good? I am looking into an MTP AV pretty seriously. It has MTC, Wordclock, Superclock, ADAT and probably some others that I can't think of right now. not to mention I get 8 midi interface I/O.

Is any clock unit an improvement to the 2408? I haven't had many problems with it at all in hte 8 months I have owned mine.

--MIKE
 
mastahnke said:
Is any clock unit an improvement to the 2408? I haven't had many problems with it at all in hte 8 months I have owned mine.

--MIKE

It's not that the internal clock causes problems so much as it's the external clocks are better quality. In the thread on clocks I mentioned above the Lucid clock made a subtle but noticeable improvement in the sound quality. The difference would probably be greater the more stuff you have to sync. The general consensus was that it was the best bang-for-the-buck.
 
Mr. Brane is correct. The MOTU clocks aren't bad at all, the Lucid clocks (or Apogee or Ardsync) are just better.
 
I have a Motu MTP AV also. I'm going to try using it as an external word clock and see if it helps. I figure it won't be any worse and maybe better.

I am looking for any way I can find to get better performance out of digital. I've been A/b ing my DP stuff to the tracks I cut a few years ago on ADAT. I'm starting to think that the ADATS actually sounded better. If anybody has any suggestions or ideas in addition to the word clock, I'd love to hear them. Right now I'm saving up for a Great River pre as well. Damn, the quest never ends...sigh. :D
 
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