Motu's PCIe-424: Experiences?

[Bill Ruys]

Due to a recent disaster, I need to replace my pair of Delta 1010's. I need
at least 16 inputs in total. One thing that concerns me is the impending
disappearance of the PCI slot within the next couple of years. To mitigate
this risk, I'm looking at Firewire and the very few PCIe options.

It seems that the only real PCIe option out there right now is the Motu
PCIe-424, which supports the 2408mk3, HD192 or 24I/O rack modules.

I'm interested in hearing from anyone whose using a PCIe-424 based Motu
audio interface. Is it solid? Any pop/click problems or compatibility
issues? I like the idea of being future proof, but have been seriously
burnt before with generation 1 products.

Bill.



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[Mike]

In article >,
"Bill Ruys" > wrote:


> I'm interested in hearing from anyone whose using a PCIe-424 based Motu
> audio interface. Is it solid? Any pop/click problems or compatibility
> issues? I like the idea of being future proof, but have been seriously
> burnt before with generation 1 products.
>
> Bill.

Been solid here for 5 months..... no pops/clicks on a Mac Pro under OS
10.4.8 (now 10.4.9) running DP. FYI, legacy MOTU interfaces e.g. 1224
still work with the 424.

Mike

[John L Rice]

"Bill Ruys" > wrote in message
.. .
> Due to a recent disaster, I need to replace my pair of Delta 1010's. I
> need at least 16 inputs in total. One thing that concerns me is the
> impending disappearance of the PCI slot within the next couple of years.
> To mitigate this risk, I'm looking at Firewire and the very few PCIe
> options.
>
> It seems that the only real PCIe option out there right now is the Motu
> PCIe-424, which supports the 2408mk3, HD192 or 24I/O rack modules.
>
> I'm interested in hearing from anyone whose using a PCIe-424 based Motu
> audio interface. Is it solid? Any pop/click problems or compatibility
> issues? I like the idea of being future proof, but have been seriously
> burnt before with generation 1 products.
>
> Bill.


Hi Bill,

You may not be able to wait since it may be weeks or possibly months before
it ships but Lynx is coming out with a PCIe version of their AES16 card.
That coupled with their Aurora 16 would be a nice setup.

http://www.lynxstudio.com/aes16.html

http://www.lynxstudio.com/aurora/index.html

John L Rice

[Bill Ruys]

"John L Rice" > wrote in message
...
>
> Hi Bill,
>
> You may not be able to wait since it may be weeks or possibly months
> before it ships but Lynx is coming out with a PCIe version of their AES16
> card. That coupled with their Aurora 16 would be a nice setup.
>
> http://www.lynxstudio.com/aes16.html
>
> http://www.lynxstudio.com/aurora/index.html
>
> John L Rice
Hi John.

That is indeed a sexy piece of kit, but would be way out of my budget. More
than twice the price of a Motu 24I/O core system. As much as I'd like to
say that recording is my profession, it's my passion, but not my day job.
So I can't quite justify the expense.

Thanks for the heads up though.



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[Ken Winokur]

I'm still using the PCI 324 card with older Motu 2408 (Mark 1). Motu
has made a big effort to support older versions of their gear. I can
still get drivers for OSX to work with the 324. And the older card
works with any of the new equipment. This system has worked perfectly
for me (after they finally got their **** together with DP3). I know
quite a few people using the PCI 324 and everybody's very satisfied.

I haven't heard that PCI is going away. All the new Macs have a
version. It's pretty much standard for lots of 3rd party equipment
from monitors to video capture cards (like Avid) and the like (but I'm
no expert on this).

Ken Winokur

[Ken Winokur]

I know
> quite a few people using the PCI 324 and everybody's very satisfied.

> Ken Winokur


Sorry, I meant to say that I know lots of people using the PCI 424
card ... This is a tried and true system - millions sold (kind of
like hamburgers).

Ken

[John L Rice]

"Ken Winokur" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> I know
>> quite a few people using the PCI 324 and everybody's very satisfied.
>
>> Ken Winokur
>
>
> Sorry, I meant to say that I know lots of people using the PCI 424
> card ... This is a tried and true system - millions sold (kind of
> like hamburgers).
>
> Ken

That's what I hear from Mac users. On the PC platform it can be hit or miss
though.

I was a MOTU user for years on a PC with Cubase. I started with the original
2408/PCI-324, added a 308 and later jumped up to a 2408 MkIII/PCI-424 and a
HD192. I thought all of the hardware sounded great, especially the HD192,
and was made really well, except for the noisy fan in the HD192 (ggrrrr).
Unfortunately I was constantly plagued with driver problems and I had
finally had enough (the last time I called tech support the script reading
noob was the straw that broke this camel's back!).

I sold it all and got a Lynx AES16 card and some Lavry Blue converters. Yes,
a massive pile of cash but it sounds awesome and the Lynx card installed in
about 15 minutes (that includes the time it took to open up the computer
install the card, install the drivers and close the computer back up) and it
has worked ever since without a problem! :-)

At least up though the time I was still using MOTU, they seemed to have a
bad attitude towards PC users and just supported them begrudgingly because
they wanted to sell more product. They didn't even seem to care enough to
design their drivers to work the way drivers work in the PC world. (to
install the drivers FIRST, THEN install the physical card was dumb IMHO!)

For PC users Lynx and RME seem to really know and care about what they are
doing.

John L Rice

[John L Rice]

"Bill Ruys" > wrote in message
.. .
> "John L Rice" > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>> Hi Bill,
>>
>> You may not be able to wait since it may be weeks or possibly months
>> before it ships but Lynx is coming out with a PCIe version of their AES16
>> card. That coupled with their Aurora 16 would be a nice setup.
>>
>> http://www.lynxstudio.com/aes16.html
>>
>> http://www.lynxstudio.com/aurora/index.html
>>
>> John L Rice
> Hi John.
>
> That is indeed a sexy piece of kit, but would be way out of my budget.
> More than twice the price of a Motu 24I/O core system. As much as I'd
> like to say that recording is my profession, it's my passion, but not my
> day job. So I can't quite justify the expense.
>
> Thanks for the heads up though.

hi Bill,

Yeah, I know what you mean. I don't operate a commercial studio (maybe
someday) and just have this stuff to record myself and projects I'm involved
in. I used MOTU for years (see my other post) but ended up getting a Lynx
AES-16 card and Lavry Blue converters. (talk about ex_pen_sive! ;-) I often
think about how I'd like to quit my computer programming job and just be a
musician / recording engineer (and photographer) BUT, the chains of debt
from all of my constant 'toy' buying keeps me where I'm at! ;-(

Best of luck Bill!

John L Rice

[Bill Ruys]

"Mike" > wrote in message
...
>
> Been solid here for 5 months..... no pops/clicks on a Mac Pro under OS
> 10.4.8 (now 10.4.9) running DP. FYI, legacy MOTU interfaces e.g. 1224
> still work with the 424.
>
> Mike

That's exactly the type on info that will help, thanks Mike. I'll actually
be running on a PC platform, but experience tells me that if it's solid on
the Mac platform, it should be good on PC too. Particularly as the PC
drivers are already very mature.

Thanks,
Bill.



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Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

[John L Rice]

"Bill Ruys" > wrote in message
.. .
> "Mike" > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>> Been solid here for 5 months..... no pops/clicks on a Mac Pro under OS
>> 10.4.8 (now 10.4.9) running DP. FYI, legacy MOTU interfaces e.g. 1224
>> still work with the 424.
>>
>> Mike
>
> That's exactly the type on info that will help, thanks Mike. I'll
> actually be running on a PC platform, but experience tells me that if it's
> solid on the Mac platform, it should be good on PC too. Particularly as
> the PC drivers are already very mature.
>
> Thanks,
> Bill.

Don't count on that, especially with MOTU drivers on a PC! Do a LOT of
research first and make sure there are no issues with the motherboard and
other cards and devices you plan to use!

best of luck!

John