#143

Another solution in three steps.

  1. Buy an RME interface, so you do not compromise sound.
  2. Use any MIDI controller you want
  3. Map the controller to TotalMix.

Voila! Total control over any mix parameter you want.

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#144

seeking help for a new interface option.

requirements:
-min four inputs (i want to be able to set up a template in ableton to record/monitor my rytm, digitone, mwxt, and peak without fuss.

i need to be able to easily send midi from ableton to external instruments (i write a lot in ableton lately and want to be able to send, say, drum info out to the rytm to record audio back in) and do midi overdub like this

is the babyface pro suitable for these applications? apogee quartet? historically i’ve skimped on interfaces and while i don’t want to completely break the bank (read exceed $2K) i am committed to high quality conversion now.

any help would be appreciated!

#145

The MOTO Ultralite seems to check these boxes. For instance my mk4 is set-up with DX7, MS-20 mini, modular x2, Norns x2 on the rear inputs, leaving the two on the front for the odd guitar, mic, tape player input. I have MIDI out to my DX7 and MS-20 and in from a keyboard.

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#146

any recs for a specific mk? is there an advantage to getting their newest (and what is the newest?)

thanks :slight_smile:

#147

Are you looking for USB or Thunderbolt? Unless you find a good deal, I’d go for the latest gen models (mk4 or AVB) as they have improved converters

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#148

I got the mk4 which is I guess slightly older than the AVB? I needed the USB connectivity of the mk4. I think the AVB is only Thunderbolt?

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#149

the ultralite AVB has a USB interface (works on my USB2 ports.) It has some quirks but those are compensated for by the fact that RME’s Totalmix is unavailable to linux users.

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#150

not really sure! i’ve been using usb forever. but i’m upgrading my studio 2013 MBP to a 2019 this year and not sure what the best option is

#151

thinking i might hop on this with the memorial day sale https://www.perfectcircuit.com/motu-ultralite-avb-18x18-usb-avb-audio-interface.html

seems like a good fit - though i’m still questioning whether RME would yield better sound (but also don’t know how much i’d notice )

#152

They’re both great. RME is slightly better, but if you’re going to integrate with modular, I believe the MOTU have DC coupled outputs, which the RME only have on the headphone jack. I’m an RME user and absolutely love their gear (and TotalMix), it’s bulletproof and fantastically clean. But you won’t be making a bad decision with the MOTU either. Maybe slightly more transparency and definitely better mic preamps on the RME, but for line I/O, I wouldn’t sweat it unless you’re the kind of person who records primarily vocals and classical instruments on pristine mics through impeccable outboard preamps and also mixes on genelecs in a perfectly treated room - in other words the difference between them is likely to be obscured by the rest of your gear unless it’s all also up to the same par.

Between these options, consider what fits your budget and offers the features you need, first, then if all else is equal, I’d prefer the RME over the MOTU, but only then.

#153

I’ve been using an 828 mk3 firewire for years now and I haven’t found any reason to upgrade to something else. MOTU seems to upgrade their software quickly with every Apple OS and supports their old stuff pretty well, which is important to me. It’s not perfect, but it’s hard to beat an Ultralite for the feature set. The only downside I know of is that it needs to be powered by AC adapter.

If you want higher quality converters, then the Apogee or RME stuff is ‘supposed’ to be better. I know of a lot of electronic/experimental musicians who use MOTU though.

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#154

I misremembered and thought the AVB had thunderbolt, but it doesn’t, so it seems the main difference between the two is the audio over IP of the AVB vs the extra outs of the MK4: either would be a good choice for USB, then.

I’ve had a few RME soundcards before switching to MOTU: the main reason I did so was that the IO better fit my needs, (thunderbolt and DC coupled outs) but I haven’t noticed any difference in sound quality…

1 Like
#155

trying to decide between the 18x18 avb posted above and the mk4… is there any reason for me to choose the avb over the mk4 if i’m planning to use USB and using max 10 inputs?

#156

AVB is terrific for expansion, integration into a larger live sound or upgraded studio setup, or if you have a digital mixer that also speaks AVB. Since it only replaces some OUTPUTs you’ll need to consider if you want to use those to send CV to a modular or as an external effects send.

Honestly, unless you have a pressing need for those two channels, AVB seems a little more “future proof” to me as you can buy some used AVB gear in the future to get a LOT more channels or features to your setup without needing to part ways with what you’ve already bought. On the other hand, if that’s not your style or you really don’t forsee that happening, those extra two outs might have high value for you.

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#157

I have the AVB but I haven’t come across an expansion option that works for me, are there options other than the other motu devices? (Love the avb by the way, the only complaint I have is how long you have to hold the power button to turn it on or off)

#158

I’m using the Babyface Pro with Ableton Live in a similar setup:
• MacBook Pro with Babyface Pro
• Ableton Live & Push 2
• Peak
• two eurorack cases
• Digitakt
• Blofeld keyboard
• Mackie mixer
• MOTU MIDI hub
• a few FX pedals
• some rack synths and effects

Live and Digitakt sequence all synths through the MOTU MIDI hub, the modular has some internal sequencing too. The MIDI hub is super helpful in handling two way MIDI between all my devices.

I have two patch bays that are key to the audio side of this setup. They handle the I/O of the Mackie, the Babyface Pro, FX sends/returns and a Tascam four track. This workflow opened my mind a couple of years ago.

I love how versatile and reliable the RME is. On top of using it with Mac OS, I’m also using it with my iPad Pro directly through USB too and it works like a charm in class compliant mode. At first I thought I’d get an ADAT interface to expand its I/O but the patch bays offer more than enough expandability for my way of working.

On the Ableton Live side, I just created external instrument templates to be able to easily tap into them directly from Live. The same works from the iPad Pro under Modstep too.

Not sure if I answered your concerns at all but feel free to ask more.

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#159

AFAIK, Presonus, Avid and Waves make AVB devices, but they seem mostly geared towards live sound than studio use. Dante seems to be more common for the latter…

#160

To me the biggest benefit is that it’s very easy to stack additional MOTU AVB-equipped devices and gang them together to your system. There are also add-on cards for RME gear that speak AVB, and RME has an AVB interface/adapter to your system for gathering the channels (and even routing them via TotalMix which is pretty awesome!), the Digiface-AVB. Their M-32 high end converter frontend also speaks AVB.

AVB has two main uses: in live sound, as a digital snake for up to 256 channels, simple mixing/routing (just use an ethernet switch), and in complex studios that want to route audio from a variety of different places (again, the simplicity of ethernet means you can have A/D in each room and route anything to anything else via AVB). It’s also a useful way (like ADAT) to rapidly stack disparate interfaces together in clock-locked harmony.

It’s not perfect, and Dante has broader support right now (and MADI seems pretty cool too, but not nearly as convenient as the Ethernet protocol of AVB/Dante), but it works well.

1 Like
#161

I was wondering for live use, how common / feasible is it to just run all your channels to the sound engineer’s desk through AVB? It looks like such a tempting solution but I’m wondering if the time to setup your own ethernet rooting from stage to mixing desk wouldn’t ruin the whole “quick and easy” aspect of AVB if you’re not in a configuration where you’re bringing your own sound guy and front stage mixing desk (then you’re in control of everything and it does look easier). I would love to just plug my stuff in the Motu AVB and send the ethernet out to a MOTU 16a connected to the mixing desk that would then receive as many signals as needed with minimum hassle. But in “real life context” where most venus have their own set of tools, it doesn’t look like such an easy thing.

#162

Some flavour of Ethernet digital audio are used quite often in tours/live sound use (huge venues use this or sometimes MADI or even more exotic flavours). Ethernet snakes typically use some variant of this (check out Allen & Heath’s live stuff for instance). I don’t believe many (any?) pro tours route the audio in analogue form back to the mixing console anymore.

Usually in those configurations each device’s channels are preconfigured for that tour setup and it’s clear what’s where using naming and presets.

This allows the FOH and the monitoring/foldback engineer to both get a copy of, e.g. the guitarist’s signal and do what they need to with it, without having to daisy-chain the desks.

I think you’re mostly thinking about small clubs/venues where the venue’s desk and PA are utilized. In those cases the analogue route is, of course, most common, but that’s rapidly changing for the higher end locations - digital snakes are affordable now and it’s not uncommon to see the FOH engineer walking around mixing with an iPad in some places. This seems to be the major trend in live sound and I wouldn’t be suprised to see it become equally common with all-analogue setups in a few years, except for places that just don’t care about their sound or have zero budget.

Edit: To clarify, there are lots of “standards” for this right now - the market needs to sort this out before any of them will be really viable. AES50/67, GLD, Dante, AVB, etc. Multiple Ethernet standards, but not all use TCP/IP or UDP style protocols and not all are compatible with standard Ethernet routers/switches.

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