FIREFACE VS DIGI 002 RACK

Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2006 8:59 am

I am very new to DAW.

I know this might start a flamewar, but I like the rack cause it uses protools (more classes/books/videos), but I like Fireface since I hear that it might have better AD/DA.

Does fireface have that much of a better AD/DA?

The main reason for my needs is to record my wife's, and I need to have the best converter for the money. I dont need 8 ins, or 4 in, just 1 is enough for me. So I'm looking for a solution (1000-1500$) range and wanted to see what you guys/gals think

Thanks.

Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2006 10:52 am

Greetings mazyar,

Consider one of these.

Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2006 11:27 am

Yo Mayzar,

How many wife's do you have?? You dog.

Its my opinion the Fireface is a better option, but not cos of the convertors, which I think are as good if not better, you just get so much more....

The pres are perfectly acceptable as extras, I think the Digi pres might be a bit better (same as the Emus/HD? anyone?), but the fact you get up to 56 ins and outs, the steadyclock, adat, lightpipe, and the fact you can match a whole bundle of preamps to it - it just gives you so much, its a control centre forever.

I haven't compared it head-to-head with the Digi002 my 2nd engineer uses most of the time, but I'd say for flexibility, its a winner.

For the A/Ds if thats all you are concerned about, Spy is right, both are overkill, stay away from Digi and get a really good single or 2-channel A/D unit. I think Apogee have one thats in budget. I think its called a MiniMe.

For top quality spend same money on less features so your investment in concentrated in what you need. The RME was perfect for me, especially as I can easily cable 8-channel units in by lightpipe when I temporarily need more than 10 channels at a time.

Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2006 4:08 pm

LOL just one wife for now ;P

I was leaning at first toward digi cause I keep hearning its better to learn protools etc etc. If I'm making a CD and down mixing to 16 bit 44.1khz, then I guess either fireface of the rack should be ok, dont you think?

Would I still be able to hear a difference between the two, or even the apogee mini min (I was thinking rosetta 200 for a while...)

Keep going back and forth. The protools is awefully enticing though. Maybe I can get the digi, and get better preamp vs spedning more money on ad converter with a not so great preamp...

Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2006 9:04 pm

Howabout using the below:

Mice to preamp to Apogee min me (for AD), to firwire 410 mpower to PC?

Is it possible?? Would it be similar in audio quality vs fireface??? I guess I can use protools this way

Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2006 8:12 am

I dunno....seems a bit pointless to me......does the Protools software come free with the 410? If so, then maybe you can mentally allocate the money to the software, but my opinion is that you are wasting money on the 410. I used to own one and its a great little unit for lugging about in a laptop bag and going round to friends to work on demos, but if you care about quality like you say, then I would ditch it.

Unfortunately it does sound like you are determined to go the ProTools route and I can't see the sense in advising you against it when you would clearly be more comfortable doing so.

I understand that for 2 channels Sequoia is much better quality DAW software but I have no idea on cost. I am a Cubase man.

You don't mention what mic/pre you own, I would suggest saving the money on the 410 and using it for those instead. If you are still gonna have to buy software, it makes it more difficult decision.

My suggestion - something like - ATM40xx, Grace 101, Apogee, DAW of your choice.

I personally don't think protools is a consideration if you are doing this for your own pleasure. My 2nd engineer learnt on it for 4 years, transferred to cubase when he came to work for me, and hasn't looked back. We aren't compatible with anybody but we don't need to be, and its not much effort to bounce out WAVs if we have to......

Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2006 8:20 am

Mic is Neumann 103.
Preamp, thinking of Manley mono
Both being used to record a female voice

For AD/DA, I'm thinking of resetta 200 vs fireface.

Now I'm thinking of getting Audiophile 192, since both audiophile and rosetta are 192khz.

Reason for protools is there are more resources out there for us to learn it. I realy don't care eitherway about which software, just don't have the time to try to research an answer if come across an stumbling block. I feel with pro tools, there are more instrunctions out there.

I tried picking cubase up a few years back and it was painful (granted I didn't go at it full force)..

What do you think about the above setup?

Thanks

BTW, once the signal has gone digital from analoge in the rosetta 200, does the audiophile 192 card do anything to it besided being able to lock on the 192khz signal? I don't want to spend all this money to get good sound and realize that the audiophile card is somehow degrading the sound...

Thanks again

Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2006 11:04 pm

So, is there a difference in sound quality, EVERYTHING else being equal, from a digi002 vs fireface800 or even apogee??

Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2006 9:46 am

FIREFACE AD/DA def sounds better than the DIGI002 IMO.

I think my MOTU 828MKII sounds better than my DIGI002 Rack FWIW. My partner has the FW800 and it sounds SWEET. BUt, if your only doing two channels at a time, then it would be overkill IMO, get a two channel APGOGEE ro the Lynkx card or something like that.

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