MOTU users...how stable is your device?

[Tadpui]

Any MOTU interface users around here? Just striking up a bit of conversation because I just got an Ultralite Mk3 Hybrid, running it USB into a Windows 7 x64 machine.

So far it's been a roller coaster ride in the first 24 hours with this thing. I've never met a more finicky piece of equipment. In a fit of rage, I boxed it back up and called Sweetwater for a return. The guy actually talked me off of the ledge and convinced me to wait until I can talk to Sweetwater's techs. In the meantime, I unboxed it again and fiddled around some more. I think my issue was my electronic drum kit was causing trouble by sharing the same USB stack on the motherboard. Something about that was causing the MOTU to go haywire, emit a screaming high-frequency sine wave, and disappear from my system. Dozens of uninstall/reinstall/reboot/unplug/replug/reset to factory settings/etc. later, I finally caught on that it would only misbehave while my e-kit was plugged in. I moved the e-kit to an open USB3.0 port, and since then it's actually been behaving itself rather well (fingers crossed).

Are all USB interfaces so sensitive to sharing a USB stack with other devices? Or is this just an MOTU thing?

This is my first USB interface after a 12-year relationship with an M-Audio Delta 44 PCI card that was always rock-solid, stable, and as dependable as they come. I actually got a little sad while boxing that thing up. I only upgraded because it developed a nasty high-pitched whine in the output stage once I put it in my new DAW workstation computer. Something about either my motherboard or my power supply was interfering with it, and it became unbearable when I had the volume cranked loud enough to work on mixes at around -18 dB RMS.

 

[Tadpui]

I know that you're just on the edge of your seats wondering how this is going...

I figured that I'd try the FireWire output to see if I could get around my issues with the Mk3's USB output. It was an unmitigated disaster. I bought a PCIe Firewire 800/400 card (Texas Instruments chipset) and installed it. Totally uninstalled and factory reset the MOTU. Reinstalled everything, and in the hour that it was plugged in via FW, my machine had 3 seperate BSODs. Do you know how long it's been since I've seen a Windows machine blue-screen? A very long time. Yet they were nearly constant as long as the MOTU was plugged in. I tried the legacy FW drivers in Windows, and that just caused random disconnects of the MOTU.

I ditched the FW card and managed to get back up and running on USB again, and it's been running all weekend with no hiccups. But I'd much rather use the bus-powered FW connection because my power outlets are at a premium in my studio.

So far, MOTU has proven to be more trouble than they're worth for a Windows user. I'll spend some time with tech support just to make sure I'm not doing anything dumb, but as it stands now, I've got my eye on an RME and their renowned driver stability.

 

[TimOBrien]

I ran my 828 mkII for 5 years on my XP laptop (built in TI FireWire) with zero problems.
Now it's on my iMac, still running fine.

The combo USB/FireWire models were a bit iffy on Windows from what I heard.
The basic problem is all the build variations in the windows machines, some are iffy-ir than others.

Generally tho, Motus are solid.

 

[Tadpui]

Yeah Tim, apparently what you heard about the hybrid models is true. I gave that thing every opportunity to work on my system, and it's still a no-go. Even over USB with an external power supply, it wasn't 100% stable. AFter a weekend of working admirably, it started to get flaky on me again last night. I tried the FireWire dance again today, but it just drops from my system without warning or explanation. Sending it back and getting an RME Fireface UCX. Big leap in price, but at this point I'm willing to pay a premium for stability, compatibility, and rock-solid dependability.

I have a feeling that if I were a Mac user, MOTU would be near the top of the list for price vs. features. But as a Windows guy, I just can't endorse the Ultralite Mk3 Hybrid. That thing simply tanked on my system, and damn near took my system with it a couple of times.

 

[Steenamaroo]

I have a feeling that if I were a Mac user, MOTU would be near the top of the list for price vs. features. But as a Windows guy, I just can't endorse the Ultralite Mk3 Hybrid. That thing simply tanked on my system, and damn near took my system with it a couple of times.

I get the feeling that may be true.
I've used my 828mk2 flawlessly for a couple of years now across two macs and...I don't know...maybe 3 or 4 versions of OSX?
It is the straight firewire model, though.

Sorry for your bad luck man. Hope you get sorted with something nice.

 

[Tadpui]

Thanks Steen. I'm bummed because the input/output options on this thing are perfect for me. As far as the hardware goes, it's an excellent unit. But those damn Windows drivers...argh!

It doesn't help that Win7 x64 treats FireWire like a red-headed stepchild. The Texas Instruments drivers for it won't even install, the regular Windows drivers install but won't start (error code 10), and the legacy drivers install and start but won't allow the MOTU to stay connected. I've read that both MOTU and RME have asked MS to make changes, but they refuse. What a mess.

 

[Tadpui]

Again, I know that everyone was losing sleep the past couple of nights wondering "how is Tadpui doing with his interface? I wish he would give us an update!".

An RME FireFace UXC showed up in the mail yesterday. I plugged it in, installed drivers, updated firmware, made some routing adjustments in TotalMix...and it works flawlessly. No install/reinstall/reset to factory defaults/swap out cables/hours of research online....it worked flawlessly the first time. I was up and running in a matter of minutes. On the exact same system that the Ultralite just couldn't get along with.

MOTU, you should be ashamed of yourselves, calling the Ultralite Mk3 Hybrid "Windows 7 compatible". RME just showed me how it's done! (and it only cost me an entire mortgage payment )