Metric Halo Mobile I/O 2882

What motivated my choice:
- 8 analog preamp and 8 out of very high quality, one AES to ADAT in / out, the Worldclock in / out, 8 in 8 Vu Vu out and all in 1 U!
The clock is a remarkable stability of 44.1k to 96k and converters are of excellent quality.

I use it live and in the studio, I'm the manager and technician.
I use all the connectors as needed (I do the record, mix, spectral analysis in real time, stamping, ...) I use a Macbook Pro i7 with Protools, Mainstage, Smaart (often all at the same time to live), logic and sometimes die broadcast.

UTILIZATION

I never had a crash due to the Console (IMU) that can manage the configuration of the 2882 and never had any problem with the card (not firewire or stand alone).
I have not been recorded in more than 16 tracks simultaneously, but it is perfectly possible to use several 2882 cascade to go well beyond!

The drivers are updated regularly, the dsp too.

Latency is very low, close to zero if the MIO console and dps, about 2 ms with protools (Native, not HD) is used and I am a little less than 5ms with Mainstage (latency is related to software used and not the card.

GETTING STARTED

Installation could not be easier, the configuration also can be the routing we want to configure the I / O is complete (line 4, line -10, TD, mic, mic / pad for each analog input and 4 or -10 for each analog output).

The manual and the forums are very good and they are very reactive with Metric Halo in case of problems.

The only inconsistency of this brand ... PC world

OVERALL OPINION

I have a 2882 for almost 4 years, it was not the original 2d Card and I did the mod after a year to use it with dsp (high quality audio too) .

Before I had really cheap then map Digidesign (mBox and 002R) and Motu when I went to protools and Focusrite, RME and Metric Halo and finally there's no picture, except RME else is really the m ****. In any case there's that RME and Metric Halo I consider professional quality equipment.

Of course I do not know all the cards, so there certainly has other products as well (such as Apollo Apogee but here it is on the higher end and more expensive as ULN8) ... I only speak of what I used.

What I like most:
- Sound course
- The range of possible applications (both standalone use with MIO Console with other software) with a 1U card.

What I like least:
- The headphone output, which is not a buss monitor factory but must be configured as such (although it can, hence, be used for other which can be a thing ...) .
- To have only

Certe is a bit more expensive than the MOTU or Focusrite, or other configurations that provide I / O more or less equivalent, but the difference is really in the quality. So I would say that 2882 is a 2d quality / hard batable money.

I remake that choice without hesitation ... unless I have the budget for a ULN8!

- What characteristics have motivated your choice?
8 preamp, adat, WC, huge potential for routing

- For what purpose?
Converter and summation in the studio
Mobile recording
Preamp for live

- What is your config (Motherboard / CPU / Ram / Hard ,...)?
Powerbook G3 450 MHz, 2GB, 80GB
PowerMac G4 MDD 867MHz * 2

- Which instruments and systems (console, preamp, DTD ...) you use it and how connections? ...
Output of ProTools via ADAT and SPDIF from a profire lightbrige, M4000 analog

I do not put maximum rating because I find a shame not to use 8-channel ADAT SMUX 96K (limited to 4)

UTILIZATION

- The installation is done it without problems?
No problem on the two stations

- Have you experienced any incompatibilities?
No

- The general configuration is easy?
A newcomer to the world of the studio will probably have some trouble with the routing and some settings but the interface I think is quite readable and especially ergonomic. The configuration is fairly simple, no unnecessary options.

- The manual is clear and sufficient? ...
Not used so no opinion on it.

GETTING STARTED

- The drivers are stable?
Perfectly

- Are they often updated?
Yes and the app is in full development so full of new features in the future ... (Well I hope, especially on the management of control surfaces pm)

- What software do you use most often?
Protools software and the MIO

- How many tracks you get to record / play time? ...
Record: 18 48K/24 in the powerbook (I have not tested more), 18 in 96/24 with the powermac
Reading: same

OVERALL OPINION

- How long have you use it?
8 months

- What is so special that you like most and least?
The best: the routing and the ability to record via the soft, great converters, connectivity options, very stable clock, chaining up to 8 fully functional units and especially on low-powered machine.
The least: the ADAT SMUX and management of MIDI controllers, the management of all digital preamps

- Have you tried many other models before buying it?
Motu, RME

- How would you rate the quality / price?
Excellent

- With experience, you do again this choice? ...
Without hesitation, I intend to buy a DSP and a second with UL2.