Looking for audio interface.

Im currently lookin to purchase a audio interface for my PowerPc G5. I was lookin to spend 500$ to 600$. I have a MPC a midi controller, Mackie 1604 mixer and will be using Pro-tools. I did research on the site and other forums. I was lookin at Apogee Duet, the Motu 828 MkII and the Presonus Firestuio Project. Can you help me make a decent decision as i have never personally used these units. Pros and Cons. I know the duet as a lot less inputs but are the pre-amps worth it. Plus it has no midi.
Thanks for the help.

I have a presonus firepod and firebox. I love em. I find the pres to be quite clean and detailed for the price, and I need the MIDI in/out for the type of production I do. For my money, these win in the bang/buck department.

I've bought fancier pres and not been blown away by the difference. Frankly I think pres are probably the most over-rated and unexciting pieces of a studio setup. Dull, noisy, and undetailed pres will make for weak recordings but the difference between a really good pre and a world-class pre is very subtle.

The MOTUs have a nice clean sound as well, but I have less experience there.

If you found a great deal on an apogee ensemble that would probably be really nice, but the duet will limit you severly with only two channels.

Yeah, I mentioned just a week or two ago that my buddy purchased a new apogee ensemble and a new imac. I will admit, the ensemble ain't nothing but the truth.

Featurewise & sonically, it's worth its weight in gold. But then there's other interfaces that can sound close to what's going on with the ensemble, but you'll have to pay to play.

JaxMusik wrote: I was lookin to spend 500$ to 600$.

minimum of 500 huh? prolly find something im sure below even 400 or 300 even...

Jax,

If I was you I'd get a MOTU 828mkII and send it over to Matt at Black Lion Audio. I did that and I have no desire to ever buy another soundcard ever.

DJ Plan A wrote:I've bought fancier pres and not been blown away by the difference. Frankly I think pres are probably the most over-rated and unexciting pieces of a studio setup. Dull, noisy, and undetailed pres will make for weak recordings but the difference between a really good pre and a world-class pre is very subtle.

Yeah, subtle indeed, but the difference between a really good recording and a world class recording isn't...

In isolation, its hard to differentiate between a good preamp and a great one. But when you have several tracks stacked on top of each other, the great preamp makes itself known... At the end of the day though, I have to agree that it makes more sense to go with the 'really good' one over the great one, unless you're making a living doing this. The difference in quality is clear (to me), but the difference in price may not be justifiable.

What will sending a Motu 828mkII to Matt at Black Lion Audio will do for me( what to they do with the gear?)
Thanks for the help guys

mp3 wrote:Jax,

If I was you I'd get a MOTU 828mkII and send it over to Matt at Black Lion Audio. I did that and I have no desire to ever buy another soundcard ever.

DJ Plan A wrote:I've bought fancier pres and not been blown away by the difference. Frankly I think pres are probably the most over-rated and unexciting pieces of a studio setup. Dull, noisy, and undetailed pres will make for weak recordings but the difference between a really good pre and a world-class pre is very subtle.

Yeah, subtle indeed, but the difference between a really good recording and a world class recording isn't...

In isolation, its hard to differentiate between a good preamp and a great one. But when you have several tracks stacked on top of each other, the great preamp makes itself known... At the end of the day though, I have to agree that it makes more sense to go with the 'really good' one over the great one, unless you're making a living doing this. The difference in quality is clear (to me), but the difference in price may not be justifiable.

JaxMusik wrote:What will sending a Motu 828mkII to Matt at Black Lion Audio will do for me( what to they do with the gear?)
Thanks for the help guys

They'll upgrade AD/DA converters.

dabmeister wrote:

JaxMusik wrote:What will sending a Motu 828mkII to Matt at Black Lion Audio will do for me( what to they do with the gear?)
Thanks for the help guys

They'll upgrade AD/DA converters.

Not exactly. They upgrade the analog components (opamps and capacitors, and maybe resistors I'm not sure) that feed the AD/DA chips. Most modern gear has good AD/DA converters but suffer from cheap opamps and caps and poor clocking. They also upgrade the mic preamps and DI circuits, which turns them into 'very good' preamps... They used to upgrade the internal clock (mine has the internal clock upgrade), but now they sell a clock separately (highly recommended) and they'll give you a discount if you purchase the mod and the clock together.

Its over your stated budget, but there's nothing available at a comparable total price that's better sound-wise and feature-wise (MOTU has very stable drivers and a built in mixer - ditch the mackie too). You would have to triple up your funds and go with that Apogee that dab mentioned to get in the same ballpark as the modded 828.

Jim Williams over at audioupgrades.com also does the same sort of stuff. I think oldworldaudio.com does too.

Yep! you're right about the op amps and analog staging components mp. The converters stay the same but the components around them get upgraded so that you get better performance all around which equates to better sound.

the black lion mods sound good to me. Im already cool on my interfaces but Ive used someone elses modded motu on a project before, and it could hang.

As for the choices you layed out I would go with motu if you need more inputs, but Duet would be my choice if I didnt do much or any multitracking and did mostly vocal recording.