Does a reliable audio interface really exist?

[Emanresu0891]

I ordered a RME fireface UCX based on everyones recommendations for RME
I will see how this turns out. I ordered it with the expectations of it lasting me a very long time.

[lapieuvre]

I bought my fireface 800 in 2009 and I don't regret it at all.

[channelite]

Are RME interfaces made in China?

[login]

Are RME interfaces made in China?

Some parts, sometimes, but mostly made in Germany.


I use a Fireface UC since 2011, very happy with it, best interface (m-audio and focusrite previously).

My only issue is the USB cable has become lousy so I am looking for one with a locking mecanism.

In the budget category the Steinberg UR line is the best, far better drivers than Focusrite and the rest of the pack at their price point, specially for windows.

[F34TH3R]

i`m more than happy with my apogee Symphony I/O

Yes apogee is awesome and very stable. The sound quality is also top notch.

[kitekrazy]

I have 3 of those M-Audio APs. 2 2496, 1 192. Still work great in Windows systems.
If I could do it over again I would not have bought a Yamaha SW1000XG. For the price I could have bought an RME HF9632. M-Audio, Yamaha, Tascam are on my no buy list. Some companies make too many doorstops.

This is where RME is the best buy one could make. There stuff is expensive but like the OP when you forked out money for a lot of interfaces, an RME unit will pay for itself.

The problem isn't the hardware so much it's the manufacturer's driver support.

Those M-Audio AP2496 cards were hard to beat for $99-$149.

As for those still using FW untis you will still be in good shape if they are RME. With firewire phased out it's a crap shoot with both Apple and MS recent OS.

[Machinesworking]

The problem isn't the hardware so much it's the manufacturer's driver support.

This is a big one.

I've had an RME Fireface 800 since about 2005 and it never has issues. RME update the driver for any hiccup in OSX and are just as reliable for Windows.

M-Audio and even Apogee are not interested in keeping their "legacy" hardware up to date with modern OS's and pretty much abandon them at some point, so you'll be left without your audio card having proper drivers when a new OS rolls out past their sales of said hardware. If they do update it's never when the OS role out but much later.

Metric Halo and RME are expensive, but you get what you pay for, quality components and legacy support. Metric Halo are even offering Thunderbolt conversion for their 20 year old interfaces. Compare that to the list of audio interfaces from M-Audio that do not work anymore.

[Rationalizer]

+1 for RME. Have had Fireface 400 over 5 years now. I've had zero problems with it at any point. Great drivers, very good sound quality. I mean it just works like it is supposed to.

Before that I had Edirol FA-66 and some budget version Mbox (2 I think). There were always something wrong with the drivers with both of the devices. So if you want to make music without hassle: consider RME.

[Razzkazz]

RME or MOTU, that's all I will say

[Jbvdb]

Yup all issues solved since I got my 828 and Thunderbolt cable! Never getting any other interface.

[SuburbanThug]

Been having driver support issues with my RME Babyface. I'm on a Macbook. Yosemite 10.10.3.

[joeyfivecents]

I love my Scope interfaces (Sonic Core), both PCI and external box types. It's a lot more than an interface, it's a complete DSP studio with mixers, synths, modular, fx, samplers,... Very good sound quality, and although very reliable, it gave me a BSOD occasionally in the past.

However, for my mac laptops through the years, I've always had RMEs, first the Multiface I still have lying around somewhere, then the Fireface800.
100% reliability, never a glitch or drop or crash or whatever, again 100% reliable during 10+ years!
In between the RMEs I've had a M-Audio firewire interface, but within a month I ditched it and got the Fireface. Occasional bursts of noise, harsh sounding, drop outs, but a nice blue LED.

Some (pro) people I know rave about the Focusrite Saffire Pro40 for sound quality and reliability, and at a considerably lower price tag, might be interesting.

I've had a few issues with the Saffire Pro 40 on Windows because of drivers. In OSX, I've never had any problems with it.

[cyclicAMP]

I've been using a Focusrite Clarett4 with thunderbolt on a 2015 MBP and El Capitan. Its been flawless so far. Before that I used M-audio interfaces which evoked a lot of frustration, especially the older they got.

[headquest]

The interfaces we've heard the fewest complaints about are:

- Anything made by Metric Halo
- Anything made by RME
- The Focusrite Saffire series
- The Roland Quad capture and Octa capture
- Dante DVS

The interfaces we've heard the most complaints about are:

- Anything made by Behringer
- Anything made by Echo
- Anything made by M-Audio
- Anything made by Avid (due to lame drivers)
- Anything made by Presonus
- The Focusrite Scarlett series

Obviously this list is not comprehensive, nor is it intended to be completely authoritative. Some folks have had good success with, for example, M-Audio, but we have the benefit of being able to aggregate thousands of users’ experiences.

I’m about to upgrade to a new interface, and am considering the UA Apollo Twin Duo…

Any ideas how these rate in terms of reliability? Are they up there with Apogee and RME, or lower down?

[hacktheplanet]

I've used MOTU interfaces for almost a decade. The only problem I ever had was with a shitty firewire card in the computer I was using at the time.