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Ang & I were in chat for hours last night.
He went into the MOTU sight while we were chatting, and told me about a new product he was looking-at that he hadn't seen before, something brand new. As he read it, he gave me the highlights. We were amazed. It appears as though MOTU decided to make the 001 the way it should have been done in the first place...it's the MOTU 828, for Firewire, at only $800 list!
Are you considering buying 001? Are you looking to upgrade from 001? Well, this is definitely worth your time to check-out, and might just be a possibility for you. Since it's new, it may be a while before we can get any users' reviews on it, but from all practical first appearances, it looks like we may have a winner here!
If anyone has any useful imformation to share with us on the MOTU 828, please do so.
If you have purchased one and are using it,
PLEASE give us a review!

Comments

Ang1970 Wed, 02/21/2001 - 03:43

The 828 will sport a lightpipe input. So you could stick a RME into it and have 16 ins for $2250. 8 (supposedly) as good as apogee, 8 (supposedly) as good as the 1224. You could do some serious tracks if it sounds that good (and actually works).

Did I mention the software supports SMPTE?

Digi better get their act together.

SonOfSmawg Wed, 02/21/2001 - 07:51

Yeah, Ang, I remember our discussion about the RME. 16 i/o...YES!!! The SMPTE feature has been a major topic of "begging" on the DUC regarding 001. Too bad digi doesn't listen. At least someone did!

Chris,
When you wrote, "I know a couple of guys high on the 828... but thier lips are sealed :-)", I was a little confused. Are you saying that you know guys who designed it, or guys who are using it? And, why are their lips sealed? If you have info on it, or know someone who does, please help us out, here! The basic product info is out...no need for sealed lips! Let's be the ones to have the "scoop" on this hot, new product! PLEEEEEEEEZZZZ...

anonymous Fri, 02/23/2001 - 05:24

alphajerk
Yes, I've seen this comparison thang a while ago.
Aside from the RME's extra bells and whistles (which I'm sure are of great quality) the 1224's specs are very close, when you look at it for what it's main function is designed, that being a box that an analog signal goes into to become a digital signal. Like I said, it would not be easy to tell the difference “with your ears”. You'd have to go to the next level of converters to really HEAR more audio information.The rule of thumb for audio quality, once you've reached a basic industry standard level, seems to be this:
For a little more quality or audio resolution you have to pay A LOT more money. In this case, for example, converters from epogee (the Rosetta), Mytek, Euphonix..... Here you will definitely hear a little more/better of a difference. But first, you’ll have to break the bank!
The thing I like about MOTU stuff is that they seem to undercut their competitors without undercutting the quality of their product...... Peace

alphajerk Fri, 02/23/2001 - 10:53

i dont know about that. i can hear differences. and the RME isnt that much $$$ [$1400], but i AM looking at the 1296 from motu. specs are one thing [which dont really mean a helluva lot in the real world] and i dont think a rosetta will stand up against an RME [especially 2 channels costing as much as 8 WITH DA] the RME doesnt really have many bells and whistles, i guess why their price is lower.

and it depends on what you are running into it in the first place... you wont hear a difference witha 57 into a mackie pre into whoevers ADAC, but you will hear a difference with better more revealing equipment beforehand.

Opus2000 Sun, 04/08/2001 - 08:04

Well...the 828 is out and running amuck..here we go with issues allready at hand..watch out for any Firewire cards that have the NEC chipsets on them..they dont work with the 828 and have audio drop outs and other strange anomolies(I love that word!!) If you are going to get a Firewire card make sure it has the T1(texas Insturments chips)
Cards with NEC---> Orange Micro ..there's one other I forget allready..how the mind slips..
Cards with T1---> ADS Pyro and Keyspan
Also MOTU has tested the 828 with Firewire hard drives and they "say" it works fine..if anyone here as other reports let it be known!!

Opus :)

anonymous Wed, 04/11/2001 - 19:40

I had the first 828 in Seattle (by accident). I was returning the us428 for the third time. Thanks TASCAM. I want (828) to work with PT but have not had luck yet, but packaged AD works great with my PB-FW. Here I am learning a forth app. trying to find the right fit. Sheesh! I still need a C.Surf. to fit in a small rack drawer to make it fully mobile. I haven't challanged the unit yet though, but will let ya'll know what I find out.
Hollywood
"Make margaritas not war"!

Opus2000 Wed, 05/02/2001 - 13:32

Hollywood....get a USB Midi!!
Stay away from Midiman on a mac..bad drivers...go with MOTU if you are on DP and stay with FreeMidi..

Just a warning to all that get the 828's....they have SPDIF issues with clocking from external devices...I tested over THIRTY of these and only 8 or so actually clocked !!! ouch!!!! Just a little FYI all
Opus :roll:

anonymous Mon, 05/07/2001 - 22:03

Tempted to have this notebook based very portable studio but seems this one won't break the limit of 48 KHz. Also have seen other MOTU devices got the same limit (but still expandable for extra money). I currently own an Echo Mona card and do feel big difference at 96 KHz. Wish 828 could offer this. What do you guys think about it?

Capi

anonymous Tue, 05/08/2001 - 07:32

Go to MHLabs.com and check out there Mobile I/O. It's a 24/96 firewire interface that ships at the end of this month. It's powerable from the firewire bus and has 8 mic pres/A2Ds, 8 D2As, lightpipe I/O, AES/EBU and S/PDIF I/O, and a separate headphone D2A/amp. $1500. There's a user list at yahoogroups.com for the box and it isn't even out yet, search on Metric Halo...

anonymous Tue, 05/08/2001 - 11:30

It has lightpipe I/O added now. Check out that user group, it's pretty unique. Everybody on there said it would be the perfect interface if it had multiple digital I/Os so a week later they added it. Half the posts on there are from the designer asking for more feature suggestions...a little different from your average "buy this weeks interface" business model...
Latency is unavoidable from tracks passing through the CPU, they handle it by including DSP built right into the interface that allows you to do monitor mixing before the signal is sent out to the computer. You run a background cue mix application that uses the dedicated DSP rather than the computers CPU for mix processing. There's a host of deep features that come along with it but you can read about them at yahoogroups...I read all 333 posts this weekend and am still trying to get a handle on the scope of this box. For example, it does real-time SRC on the digital I/O, allows you to record directly to firewire drives with your computer off (or crashed...), run included plug-ins on the DSP version...as it's not shipping I'll leave it at that but I can't wait to get the field reports from the early adopters, it's a real good time to wait and see...

anonymous Wed, 05/09/2001 - 07:58

Got to the list and suscribed, but nobody answered to this very basic question: Is the Mobile I/O upgradeable to the +DSP version later? The site doesn't include specific system requirements for PC and Mac either. I'm planning to buy a Mac notebook and would like to know about specific requirements. I know, sorry, maybe we should have a Mobile forum. :D

anonymous Wed, 05/09/2001 - 19:03

Don't know if it's upgradeable from a 2882 to a 2882+DSP. I'm guessing they aren't gonna say to encourage DSP sales, but it might be offered after product release. The DSP was a free upgrade for anybody who ordered before April 15th. Oh well...
Metric Halo is a pretty Mac-centric company and the Mobile-IO is designed with firewire PowerBooks in mind, check all the pictures!