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Post by indiehouse on Jul 14, 2018 13:24:17 GMT -6
I know that comparing these by listening through iTunes is not ideal, but it's the only way I could get to A/B both through the switcher. I wish I could blind A/B. I think I could reliably tell the difference. The vocal seems a tad more forward in the Motu. Just a bit more relaxed and a bit more space in the Symphony. But I stick by my assertion that it's an extremely small amount. If I sat someone down and switched back and forth, and even if they said they preferred the Symphony, I really doubt that they'd fork over the extra cash for the difference. And that's what it's seems to be coming down to. I think the Motu is good enough for rock and roll. I'm just not hearing a difference that's worth thousands of dollars.
I mean, there is great work being done on both, right? I don't think this is a make it or break it move.
I still gotta compare the AD. That might tell a different story. Also, I wonder if small differences heard on one listen through a finished track would be magnified as tracks in a mix begin to stack?
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Post by Guitar on Jul 14, 2018 14:16:37 GMT -6
There was a blind converter shootout on the "purple site" and it was kind of interesting that none of them really made any significant difference to the impact of the music. Sound quality was arguable, I gravitated toward the Symphony, but there were some really expensive things, competing with some low end stuff and it really didn't seem to matter, in absolute terms.
Sure, they sound different. But it really didn't help or hinder the music either way, for the most part.
It's kind of like every sports team has a specific collection of players, but any two of them can end up in the final game.
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Post by kcatthedog on Jul 14, 2018 14:28:17 GMT -6
Well I listen to and really enjoy everything Wiz posts, for some odd reason, I don't think I have ever thought, if only he used a symphony mk ii, (interface x), then I could really enjoy this great song !
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Post by bigbone on Jul 14, 2018 14:47:57 GMT -6
I still gotta compare the AD. That might tell a different story. Also, I wonder if small differences heard on one listen through a finished track would be magnified as tracks in a mix begin to stack? Arrangement and musician will have a much greater impact then converter at the end. !!!!!
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Post by indiehouse on Jul 14, 2018 15:00:37 GMT -6
Well I listen to and really enjoy everything Wiz posts, for some odd reason, I don't think I have ever thought, if only he used a symphony mk ii, (interface x), then I could really enjoy this great song ! But ironic isn’t it, that you had that same discriminatory thought because a mastering engineer was using an Apollo?
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Post by kcatthedog on Jul 14, 2018 15:07:56 GMT -6
Not exactly, as I know what I like and don't like about the apollo and I also know what I like about the Burl and the Apogee symphony. So, after spending all this money, why would I chose to spend more more to send my signal through a last box when I prefer others and when I have other options ? To me, that didn't seem ironic : just illogical or at best inconsistent Discrimination in the worst sense is wrong: being discriminating, not necessarily !
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Post by Martin John Butler on Jul 14, 2018 15:48:11 GMT -6
The losing of two outputs and the awkward workflow has been mentioned a lot regarding the Symphony, enough for me to think it's a design flaw, even though I haven't used one myself. That said, I prefer the sound of the Symphony to the Apollo. Now, if a different company's A/D -D/A made the Apollo sound as good, I'd sure like to know, because the Apollo work perfectly otherwise.
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Post by kcatthedog on Jul 14, 2018 16:10:23 GMT -6
Well like anything it depends how you use stuff ? . Like I hardly ever tracked with plugs with my apollo so tracking with plugs with symph is a non issue for me . Having 2+8 converters with the apollo was nice, now I have 16 with my Symph mkii, another mostly non issue. I thought about the motu cus of the good reviews here but then bumped into a good deal on the used Symph mkii so bought that and then sold it to get the refurb 16x16 from apogee with warranty. I think danderloo has the motu 16a but of course he modded it:) I think he would modify his genetic code if he had half a chance !
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Post by ragan on Jul 14, 2018 16:52:23 GMT -6
For whatever it's worth, I've never really had any issues with Apogee Control. I mute and unmute tracks depending on what I'm doing. That's about it. Exactly like UAD Console.
Losing two line outs for monitoring isn't a design flaw, but it is a limitation that I wish it didn't have.
Symphony sounds really great and Apogee bets on people being willing to pay a lot for that sound. So far seems to be working out for them.
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Post by kcatthedog on Jul 14, 2018 17:09:48 GMT -6
R u muting in console or your daw?
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Post by ragan on Jul 14, 2018 18:51:00 GMT -6
R u muting in console or your daw? You mean Control? Either way, same workflow for me. When tracking, DAW channels are muted, Control/Console channel is unmuted. When listening back, DAW channel is unmuted. Since I’m using the headphone out of the Symphony, I leave the Control channel unmuted all the time but have it only outputting to headphones.
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Post by wiz on Jul 14, 2018 22:20:37 GMT -6
R u muting in console or your daw? You mean Control? Either way, same workflow for me. When tracking, DAW channels are muted, Control/Console channel is unmuted. When listening back, DAW channel is unmuted. Since I’m using the headphone out of the Symphony, I leave the Control channel unmuted all the time but have it only outpouring to headphones. This is how I work with the 16a cheers Wiz
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Post by popmann on Jul 14, 2018 23:41:36 GMT -6
Imagine a world where you hit input monitor in your DAW and it flips to your hardware loop behind the scenes!, always giving you a latncy free singal! Your DAW fader and pan would simply control the hardware mixer of the interface....What kind of space aged technology that would be!!
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