Ableton Forum

The problem is far more likely to be Live 8.1.1 than the fireface UC (or FF400 whichever it is), unless you set it up wrong.
Properly set up it is just about the lowest latency interface around, next to an Apogee Symphony system or Protools HD TDM.
I would try another DAW with it first and if you have further issues, contact RME.

If you have another DAW you can try, see how it works out with that. Or download Reaper or something for free and try it.

if you were willing to pony up for the Rme fireface 800 I'd highly recommend going the extra few inches and picking up the metric halo 2882 + 2d dsp expansion card
http://www.mhsecure.com/v5mm/2882_2dExpanded.html
http://www.thomann.de/gb/metric_halo_mo ... ded_2d.htm

But if you're thinking fireface 400, it's like twice the price so probably not attractive to you no matter how utterly fantastic it is.

Not only is it ultra low latency with absolutely superb converters but it's dsp section is off the hook. Lots of internal routing options, and the included (dsp) processing/fx are high-end. The native channel strip alone goes for close to 300 euros. The dsp section is insane value for money.

Also the company metric halo are pretty much saints in my experience, the most responsive support crew I've ever dealt with - software or hardware. Meaningful/useful response in quick time rather than just useless niceties that still leave you hanging. They are dedicated to their existing user base as their cards are future proof. For example, instead of releasing a metric halo 2882 MII , they just released an expansion card so you can have your existing unit upgraded. And are still promising to future-proof the cards. Hmm, what else. Oh ya - the proof is in the pudding anyways, I've been blown away time after time when testing it side-by-side with other cards like the rme. It's pure, pure cream and if you want to recreate the input signals faithfully with tonnes of routing options and premium processing - this is the ONLY box to go for. I don't work for metric halo, but it would be the last piece of audio tech in my studio that I'd sell.

if you haven't bought a card yet - I'd urge you to do some extensive internet research on the 2882, if you bought with thomann I think you have a 30 days money back guarantee as well - you should double check that, maybe phone them. I guarantee you wouldn't be returning it though.

if someone has the meanings, huge metric halo fan here. they are my personal fave.

Welp... as long as Apple stalls on the i7 MacBook Pro, then I will continue to question my next interface choice.

I wrote this product description for the ULN-8:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/6 ... l#features

That thing is badass. I'm not crazy about the idea of running around with a bunch of DB-25 snakes, but it doesn't matter because I can't shell out $6000 for a FireWire interface.

The Mobile I/O you say? Hmmmm...

^^^ the ULN-2 and the mobile I/O are killer, with or without the DSP, whereby the dsp is extremely good, unbelievable in fact.

metric halo is really my absolute fave, i think they totally nailed it.

if i would built a studio with a serious budget then the ULN-8 all the way, and some sexy extra pres.

but be aware that the mobile I/O is not a true mobile card (it is to powerful and needs real juice), i mean it can't be bus powered,
but there are special battery sets available.

from the MHlabs site:

Flexible Powering Options
The 4-pin XLR power port on the ULN-2 allows you to power the unit with a variety of readily available broadcast battery systems. The 4-pin power port is compatible with power sources having the following characteristics: 9-30V DC, Pin 4 Hot, 15 Watts.

the only minor weak point is that stoopid mediocre wall mart power connex for a high end card like that, but well that is typcally foreign engineering for us germans

Sub Foo... are you sure about the bus powered thing for the Mobile I/O?

MH website copy wrote:The 2882 was the first Mac-only FireWire interface on the market and was the first bus-powerable FireWire interface ever — 7 years and counting!

I dunno. One thing I've found that I like to have is a dedicated Hi-Z instrument input. I want to get a Countryman Type-85 DI soon to cover that need, but still, I'd rather have an interface with a built-in instrument input. The Mobile I/O isn't proving to be as tempting for my needs...

the 2882 is bus powered.

Hidden Driveways wrote:Sub Foo... are you sure about the bus powered thing for the Mobile I/O?

MH website copy wrote:The 2882 was the first Mac-only FireWire interface on the market and was the first bus-powerable FireWire interface ever — 7 years and counting!

I dunno. One thing I've found that I like to have is a dedicated Hi-Z instrument input. I want to get a Countryman Type-85 DI soon to cover that need, but still, I'd rather have an interface with a built-in instrument input. The Mobile I/O isn't proving to be as tempting for my needs...

well, fair enough... i just said i love this card and i know you are into seriously good stuff / high end even... shoeps mics, etc.

i mean an RME is an RME and has a more then fantastic quality / price ratio... the next level is giving you maybe 40%-50% more sound quality for a 100%-200% higher price... (including things like DI box, etc.)

i was referring to the ULN-2 sorry,

i am not sure about the bus power, the card needs some serious juice, and since apple changed the firewire power output slightly on the laptops (somewhere during the pre-unibody models) many cards have problems now to start up and be powered real sufficient, and MHlabs claims on the website you need special batteries???

i only ever used the card stationary in studios built in and in racks for touring with proper mains power supply, never via bus power..., so i am not sure about the UNL-2... still i love this card, but it is not cheap at all... to really get a kick out of it you still need good DI boxes (that is right if you need real proper hi-z, something like klark teknik, etc.) and some different pres, even the built in pres are absolute great, but the card is on a higher level... it is a bit like if you can afford an ferrari, but you don't have the money for the special racing tires that makes it 300mph fast... you get me?

p.s. they do can take instrument levels, but a good DI box is a good DI box.

Its worth considering keeping an eye on the second hand market for RME cards. They age very well imo.

SubFunk wrote:i mean an RME is an RME and has a more then fantastic quality / price ratio... the next level is giving you maybe 40%-50% more sound quality for a 100%-200% higher price... (including things like DI box, etc.)

Sure you mean 4-5% more sound quality for 100-200% higher price? Heard a lot of really nice convertors out there that cost a lot more than the RME/Apogee price point, and while the difference is sometimes easily audible, it's VERY slight in a lot of cases.

I think once you get above the $1500-2000 price range, the curve on the law of diminishing returns takes a huge spike upwards.

the 2882 is a complete package. insane dsp power, insane routing/fx-chain capabilities (without taxing your cpu), and excellent implementation of those features. the converters were also clearly superior to the RME as far as I was concerned. But my love for the 2882, and justifying the extra ~33% in cost, is for the whole feature set - not just the converters.

and the type of customer support that really sets standards in the industry.

So it would be solid with my MBP snow leopard? no problems?
Looks like it only has firwire 400 on it. would that cause any problems.

I am really looking for low latency and with the extra dsp thats looking amazing.

Is this a good price?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/METRIC-HALO-MOBIL ... 2a0136a6a7

Cryptic UK wrote:So it would be solid with my MBP snow leopard? no problems?
Looks like it only has firwire 400 on it. would that cause any problems.

I am really looking for low latency and with the extra dsp thats looking amazing.

Is this a good price?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/METRIC-HALO-MOBIL ... 2a0136a6a7

the firewire400 won't cause you any problems, it's 24bit/96hz max.
I'm not on snow leopard, but I can tell you from past experience that they are very very quick to update drivers - as I remember from my ppc -> intel mac experience. Email them first to double check. I'm 99.99999% sure you'll have no issues.

btw, that's a bad price man. that's almost 200euro more than thomann, who also provide a 3 yr warranty.

http://www.thomann.de/gb/metric_halo_mo ... ded_2d.htm

dum wrote:

Cryptic UK wrote:So it would be solid with my MBP snow leopard? no problems?
Looks like it only has firwire 400 on it. would that cause any problems.

I am really looking for low latency and with the extra dsp thats looking amazing.

Is this a good price?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/METRIC-HALO-MOBIL ... 2a0136a6a7

the firewire400 won't cause you any problems, it's 24bit/96hz max.
I'm not on snow leopard, but I can tell you from past experience that they are very very quick to update drivers - as I remember from my ppc -> intel mac experience. Email them first to double check. I'm 99.99999% sure you'll have no issues.

btw, that's a bad price man. that's almost 200euro more than thomann, who also provide a 3 yr warranty.

http://www.thomann.de/gb/metric_halo_mo ... ded_2d.htm

That price is doable
Going to email mhlab and check about Snow leopard.

thanks

de nada