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Post by gwlee7 on Feb 13, 2022 11:10:12 GMT -6
I am not mixing, only tracking. I have mentioned that I am hiring people to mix my stuff. And since I don’t track drums, I don’t need a ton of simultaneous I/O. I track vocals, and acoustic and electric guitars. I am only doing rough mixes for figuring out instrumentation and arrangements. @johnkenn ‘s thread about better AD got me thinking that maybe I should switch from the MOTU 828es and upgrade to something with less I/O but better conversion. I have been consolidating and selling stuff I haven’t been using so hopefully I will have some funds for a nice upgrade. I do need USB connectivity.
Recommendations?
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Post by plinker on Feb 13, 2022 11:15:38 GMT -6
Just to quickly cull the herd of options: are you in a Mac, Windoze, or Linux?
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Post by gwlee7 on Feb 13, 2022 11:48:55 GMT -6
Windoze.  |
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Post by srb on Feb 13, 2022 12:35:14 GMT -6
A Lynx Aurora (n) 8 could serve you well. I think they are "on sale" right now.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 13, 2022 15:13:19 GMT -6
Sheesh, I'd look at better strings, picks, treatment, placement or even nostril hair density before considering a converter "upgrade". If there isn't something intentionally funky going on a decent modern converter like the 828 ES will never be the limiting factor in an amazing recording.
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Post by enlav on Feb 13, 2022 15:29:52 GMT -6
A Lynx Aurora (n) 8 could serve you well. I think they are "on sale" right now. i could be wrong, but I'm kind of reading the "sale" as the units will soon be going up in price. |
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Post by gwlee7 on Feb 13, 2022 15:45:10 GMT -6
Sheesh, I'd look at better strings, picks, treatment, placement or even nostril hair density before considering a converter "upgrade". If there isn't something intentionally funky going on a decent modern converter like the 828 ES will never be the limiting factor in an amazing recording. My hair nostril density is fine (pun intended). There isn’t anything intentionally funky going on. Reckon I’ll just buy another guitar now. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 13, 2022 15:49:25 GMT -6
Sheesh, I'd look at better strings, picks, treatment, placement or even nostril hair density before considering a converter "upgrade". If there isn't something intentionally funky going on a decent modern converter like the 828 ES will never be the limiting factor in an amazing recording. My hair nostril density is fine (pun intended).  There isn’t anything intentionally funky going on. Reckon I’ll just buy another guitar now. Lol I meant with the converter, there's a select few that either embolden or colour the sound intentionally. Most are just flat / accurate / do the job and are generally the last thing that needs upgrading in the chain. |
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Post by reddirt on Feb 13, 2022 15:49:32 GMT -6
Lucky you worked that out Greg - for a minute there I thought you might burn a hole in your pockets!
Cheers, Ross
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Post by bossanova on Feb 13, 2022 15:51:09 GMT -6
I mentioned this in the other thread, but these days I think the analog tracking chain and accurate D/A monitoring have way more impact on the sound, especially with modern converters. I use an SSL-2 for most tracking, monitoring the direct analog signal on the way into 96/24, and listening back to the recorded digital tracks afterward, and the pre-conversion signal on the way in is virtually identical to what comes back out.
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Post by gwlee7 on Feb 13, 2022 15:58:58 GMT -6
Lucky you worked that out Greg - for a minute there I thought you might burn a hole in your pockets! Cheers, Ross yeah what was I thinking? |
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Post by kcatthedog on Feb 13, 2022 16:44:26 GMT -6
Hard to go wrong with Aurora N, but can you get by with 2 or do you need more channels of simultaneous converting ?
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Post by srb on Feb 13, 2022 19:44:59 GMT -6
A Lynx Aurora (n) 8 could serve you well. I think they are "on sale" right now. i could be wrong, but I'm kind of reading the "sale" as the units will soon be going up in price. Like most everything else, I reckon. |
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Post by notneeson on Feb 13, 2022 20:37:03 GMT -6
I am not mixing, only tracking. I have mentioned that I am hiring people to mix my stuff. And since I don’t track drums, I don’t need a ton of simultaneous I/O. I track vocals, and acoustic and electric guitars. I am only doing rough mixes for figuring out instrumentation and arrangements. @johnkenn ‘s thread about better AD got me thinking that maybe I should switch from the MOTU 828es and upgrade to something with less I/O but better conversion. I have been consolidating and selling stuff I haven’t been using so hopefully I will have some funds for a nice upgrade. I do need USB connectivity. Recommendations? I’m interested in the Symphony desktop, but haven’t used it. I believe it was kind of buggy when they launched it though. |
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Post by Guitar on Feb 13, 2022 21:22:03 GMT -6
Greg, man! 828ES is dream conversion for me! Either that or a MOTU 16A.
I'm so in love with my two MOTUs (M4, Ultralite MK 5 especially) that more of the modern MOTU/ESS sound is what I'm after, I think they're fantastic!
I've owned a ton of these things and, at least for my taste, the top of the line MOTU's are "up there."
now if they could only write some more reliable drivers with RME or Quantum level latency performance... that's another story
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Post by Deleted on Feb 13, 2022 21:22:06 GMT -6
Apogee is like MOTU but clearer with a color that doesn't upset the balance as much
Symphony Desktop rules. Just have to monitor off the interface mixer so no amp sims or VSTi synths
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Post by notneeson on Feb 13, 2022 21:47:03 GMT -6
Apogee is like MOTU but clearer with a color that doesn't upset the balance as much Symphony Desktop rules. Just have to monitor off the interface mixer so no amp sims or VSTi synths Ah, well. I like the Symphony Mk. II just fine sonically, and I’m sure I’d like the desktop, but those restrictions don’t work for me. |
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Post by Bat Lanyard on Feb 13, 2022 22:00:12 GMT -6
Do you have AES in now? Burl B2 ADC.
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Post by plinker on Feb 13, 2022 22:04:29 GMT -6
Greg -- I think you are just stirring the pot with this question. There is nothing more personal than audio interfaces: they combine A/D and D/A with pre/line amps and functionality. Well done! Now just get a Burl, rout it into your MOTU, and sleep well! |
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Post by Bat Lanyard on Feb 13, 2022 22:28:05 GMT -6
The point is when you're tracking one or two channels, you can go much larger on ADC. Agree that interface arguments are endless, but the one or two channel clarity going in makes very high quality attainable.
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Post by Blackdawg on Feb 13, 2022 22:45:22 GMT -6
The merging technologies Anubis is probably one of if not the best small format interfaces.
Tones of features. And also amazing converters.
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Post by gwlee7 on Feb 14, 2022 6:32:01 GMT -6
Maybe I am chasing something that doesn’t need chasing. I can’t deny that is a real possibility. I almost always track one channel at the time. I don’t record other bands/projects, just my own. Someone else tracks the drums. Maybe “conversion” isn’t what I am after. Maybe I just “need” to spend some money.
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Post by the other mark williams on Feb 14, 2022 8:41:41 GMT -6
Maybe I am chasing something that doesn’t need chasing. I can’t deny that is a real possibility. I almost always track one channel at the time. I don’t record other bands/projects, just my own. Someone else tracks the drums. Maybe “conversion” isn’t what I am after. Maybe I just “need” to spend some money. there’s no denying a more “boutique” A/D would sound different, maybe even subjectively “better,” but that 828es is no slouch. Given what I know of your situation, Greg, I would say whatever makes your workflow smooth, simple, and straightforward is the place to spend time/money. You’ve got songs to get out into the world, and hopefully fun to be had by creating them. That’s where I’d focus. What gets things recorded fast with the fewest hiccups or hangups? |
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Post by gwlee7 on Feb 14, 2022 8:49:03 GMT -6
Maybe I am chasing something that doesn’t need chasing. I can’t deny that is a real possibility. I almost always track one channel at the time. I don’t record other bands/projects, just my own. Someone else tracks the drums. Maybe “conversion” isn’t what I am after. Maybe I just “need” to spend some money. there’s no denying a more “boutique” A/D would sound different, maybe even subjectively “better,” but that 828es is no slouch. Given what I know of your situation, Greg, I would say whatever makes your workflow smooth, simple, and straightforward is the place to spend time/money. You’ve got songs to get out into the world, and hopefully fun to be had by creating them. That’s where I’d focus. What gets things recorded fast with the fewest hiccups or hangups?Leaving everything just like I have it now. Gefell mics, Daking mic pres, Silver Bullet for a taste of mojo if desired, Little Labs LL2a for a smidge of transient/volume smoothing into the 828es. My raw tracks have never sounded better. Like I said up thread, I should probably just buy a new guitar. 😂 |
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Post by drumsound on Feb 14, 2022 9:01:55 GMT -6
there’s no denying a more “boutique” A/D would sound different, maybe even subjectively “better,” but that 828es is no slouch. Given what I know of your situation, Greg, I would say whatever makes your workflow smooth, simple, and straightforward is the place to spend time/money. You’ve got songs to get out into the world, and hopefully fun to be had by creating them. That’s where I’d focus. What gets things recorded fast with the fewest hiccups or hangups?Leaving everything just like I have it now. Gefell mics, Daking mic pres, Silver Bullet for a taste of mojo if desired, Little Labs LL2a for a smidge of transient/volume smoothing into the 828es. My raw tracks have never sounded better. Like I said up thread, I should probably just buy a new guitar. 😂 Mark's post is (as usual) right on. I think YOU will both notice and be more satisfied with a new instrument. Your tracks sound great. You've got the important part covered in you playing, and the things you play. We talked about electric guitar/amp mic technique a bit, and I think you're probably pretty on track there for the future. What's your electric guitar situation? Something interesting and maybe off center like something from Eastwood might inspire you. That's the important thing, converters by and large aren't inspiring. Unless you feel yours are causing a bottle neck, don't worry about them. |
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