Re: WHAT SORTS OF FIREWIRE INTEFACES ARE PEOPLE USING THESE DAYS?

[Charles Zwicky <cazwicky@earthlink.net>]

Ted,

I'm glad that you have rediscovered the joy of playing directly into 
monitors..  but is this test even remotely scientific?  ( Have you 
isolated  all of the variables?  Have you documented you findings and 
are they repeatable?)

I've run tests of many converters ( I am a professional recording 
Engineer, etc..) and I become immediately skeptical of such broad 
pronouncements as you've made below.

My suspicion is that the additional latency of the converter has 
robbed you of the "immediacy" of going without, so playing directly 
just feels better.

You could record yourself  using the VG99's digital output, and then 
loop back through  the MOTU and re-record ... make sure the levels 
are *exactly* matched and then give a listen to the two files (there 
are some handy "A/B/X/" blind listening programs out there that will 
help.

-Chuck

>Bill,
>
>I was doing sort of a "scientific" A/B test with the MOTU on Saturday 
>morning.
>
>I played my Gibson and VG99 combination into the MOTU and listened 
>through external monitors.
>
>I did my best to get the sound levels all adjusted and dialed in so 
>it sounded good - then played and listened.
>
>After that, I simply plugged the VG99 into the same monitor speakers 
>themselves and adjusted them to similar volume levels and played and 
>listened.
>
>The difference was quite palpable.
>
>It was like the difference between being at a live gig and listening 
>to an MP3 recording of one.
>
>All the subtle details were gone and a lot of the dynamics.
>
>In fact the straight VG sounded so much better that I was inspired 
>to play it the entire rest of the day (about 5 hours) and completely 
>lost track of time until dinnertime.
>
>That hasn't happened in months and months.
>
>Now I might get a different result if I used the 2 main "preamped" 
>inputs of the MOTU - I will have to try that out.
>
>As it was I was only using a pair of the regular line-level inputs 
>on the back.
>
>But even if it does sound better to me on those inputs it will nag 
>me to no end that I am not getting as good of sound on the others if 
>I happen to use them (as I had planned).
>
>Any advice would be helpful Bill.
>
>Cheers,
>
>Ted
>
>On Dec 12, 2010, at 11:30 PM, William Walker wrote:
>
>>Hey Ted I'm curious are you running directly in to the MOTU and 
>>using amp sims and effects plug ins? or are you going stereo direct 
>>and using hardware effects and or amp simulators?
>>Before I would even recommend interfaces I'm curious why it sounds 
>>so lame to you and wonder if you would elaborate  in more specific 
>>detail.   Are you clipping your inputs, do you have anything acting 
>>as a buffer between your guitar and the interface, are  using any 
>>compression to smooth your transients?  does it sound harsh and or 
>>sterile? Even a higher end interface with better converters like 
>>the Apogee stuff can sound brittle if you are hitting it too hard. 
>>I've used a MOTU 2408 for several years now and its worked fine. 
>>I've never been bothered by its sound or latency.
>>Bill


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