MOTU Ultralite or RME firewire

highborn · Post by **highborn** » Tue May 13, 2008 5:53 pm

I am on MacBook pro, finally decided to upgrade from the built-in sounds card.

I am using B&W DM 603 speakers with an Onkyo amp.

I am mostly going to be using the interface for processing sounds and plug-ins, but I also record my live DJ set off my Allen & Heath.

Any suggestion for the 2008 upgrade?[/i]

channelite · Post by **channelite** » Tue May 13, 2008 6:21 pm

I just order the motu ultralite. Needed more analog outs.

If I could have afforded it, I would have went with the the RME. The RME 400 is twice as much.

The ultralite looks tough and Motu are known for there excellent OSX drivers.

highborn · Post by **highborn** » Tue May 13, 2008 7:26 pm

channelite wrote:I just order the motu ultralite. Needed more analog outs.

If I could have afforded it, I would have went with the the RME. The RME 400 is twice as much.

The ultralite looks tough and Motu are known for there excellent OSX drivers.

Thanx for review!

three · Post by **three** » Tue May 13, 2008 8:20 pm

A good friend of mine has both in his studio. The RME wins hands down.

I've been putting off going that route as the x34 card is 400€ alone, but the sound is absolutely worth it. As always the law of shit-in-shit-out applies, but the RME boxes will put whatever kind of sound is coming out of your computer right along on its way to the boxes without coloring it.

It's really quite astounding, I'm primarily using a Novation 2|4 at the moment, particularly for traveling, and put up head to head with the RME boxes the difference is subtle, but quite apparent.

HTH,

Chris

inmazevo · Post by **inmazevo** » Tue May 13, 2008 8:49 pm

I've had MOTU stuff for about 7 years now, and though I DO like their stuff, they cannot compete with RME where driver support is concerned.

Out of 15 or so driver releases by MOTU, only 3 of them didn't have issues of some sort on the audio interface side. The MIDI side has been a bit better, but even that's been 50/50.

At the end of the day, you have to have drivers that work well, and RME kicks them to the curb, frankly.

Get an RME.

- zevo
(that said, I still have my original 828, and though I don't use it much now, it's pretty good... when the drivers work)

divonic · Post by **divonic** » Tue May 13, 2008 9:11 pm

IMO get the RME if you can afford it. if you can't the Ultralite is a very good soundcard.

Dr. Zoiberg · Post by **Dr. Zoiberg** » Wed May 14, 2008 2:00 am

inmazevo wrote:Out of 15 or so driver releases by MOTU, only 3 of them didn't have issues of some sort on the audio interface side. The MIDI side has been a bit better, but even that's been 50/50.

I've never had any problem with Motu drivers on my macs.
Do you have a windows box?