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MOTU 896HD
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MOTU 896HD

PCI/ISA + Rack Soundcard from MOTU belonging to the 896 series

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Pshaw Pshaw
Published on 06/27/04 at 18:57
First, it does not for ages I&#39;m actually in the home studio because it is the first card worthy of the name but I use what I know, this card is more than Honourable get started.

Despite having a lot nosed in Audiofanzine files and other sites dealing with the subject, I must admit I bought this card at random from the advice of one of my teachers.

I had recommended and I bought the 192 because I thought it would be time to have won 12 entries from the start but the problem with this card was the preamp nonexistent.
So, I turned on the HD 896 and I&#39;m not disappointed ...
I used "basically" because I only use the I / O analog and no AES / EBU, etc.

I used to overdub record groups: drums, guitars "clean" and saturated vocals, bass, synths, sampler, percussion ...

I have no external preamp, but it is doing just fine. With microphones requiring AP48 (switchable on each slice) or TLM type U87, the level is fine but when I record with dynamic knob of the preamp is almost fully controlled and becomes very end ... especially vis-à-vis the strength of the knobs.

This is one of the negative points of this card but I imagine that by using the preamp, there are ways to be more comfortable.

I use the machine runs great and together form a harmonious couple

UTILIZATION

Installation is a snap or so. They say to install the software first then plug in and it works but, in fact, the next (the power supply plug, lol) that the card is identified and installed by the OS.

This is a detail because once that is done, you go. I started recording group the following week.

So far, I have encountered no hardware or software incompatibility.

Overall, the config is easy. It is not cluttered with lots incomprehensible as settings in the software that use it ...
Among them, sample rate, choice of exits for buses, pedal (ability to assign two conditions: when you press the pedal and when the break. We can put any shortcut. gadget that can be useful for musicians who want to register only. No need to click the mouse and then sit back, take the instrument, miss, repeat ...)

Besides that, it has a virtual mixer consists of four tabs for the four buses. We can therefore assign any output to a bus and make four different mix together.
When using the ASIO driver, the mix of inputs is not taken into account when the registered if one of the DTD. It was not until the release of the bus, so the physical output that the mix is ​​like listening or external effects. One can for example be used for recording on MD, external drive, K7.

Please note: Once a mix is ​​done in the virtual console, it can be used without a computer because it saves the last used config ... Interesting to record a rehearsal with tjs mix that will be the same.
It is also possible, via the computer, save snapshots and recall them later

If we want to enjoy the mix of the console "synthetic" (maybe because it has no host software or the machine does not cash the multitrack) we can use the multimedia driver.

The grip and frankly it&#39;s going faster and more we want to make the most

Phones output is configurable on any bus or independently, the output Phones

The manual is in English for Mac and PC. It is sufficient for one who understands English. I threw it!

GETTING STARTED

The drivers seem stable. RAS far. So much so that I am still not gone to see if AJ was out.

I use Cubase Samplitude and sometimes

From input to output, the latency is completely imperceptible. It&#39;s live! With a good machine for use as via host software. I think with two or three cards in series, there are ways to do live, especially if it has external effects (reverb, compressor derière the L / R, delay, ...)

Since I only have a card I can not, of course, recording eight tracks at once.

Given the config of the computer, it runs ...

When to read at the same time, I disconnected the plug-ins because it couinçouille. Despite a defragmentation after each day of recording with a defragmenter worthy of the name, I feel like the weak link in my chain is the SCSI HD. J&#39;enviseage move to RAID

In short, the problem is not the MOTU

OVERALL OPINION

It is only a few months I use it but I do not regret the previous one is completely on the street -> Map general public

I really like ease of use. The breath I did so far not questioned at all ... The potential of four buses seem more than acceptable return for external effects or to a / the network headphone. And there are others such as digital outputs to MTK, etc ...

What I hate is that it makes you want to go buy a midi controller, compressors, effects above and paste it in the meantime, we must cry! lol
Apart from that, it&#39;s true that the preamp do not heat or the atypical and are difficult to quickly adjustable.

I rank this card (in fell in love with, I say) of a TLM comes out the sound as it entered it. To work after to give its values, but we can not blame him for the month as an Audigy! Nothing to do, I know .......

Apart from maps public, I have not tried other things but I do know is that there really means to own with super models. Subject, of course, what goes around ... an M149, for example .... What a shame !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Can not say that it is not expensive because "you still get the money but I think it is his job honorably.

Do not forget that even when samples 192 000 Khz !!!!!!! Thing does not manage or Cubase or Samplitude or our computer!!

I have no idea of ​​the quality of its converters but I think it is worth its price.
After reflection, I tell myself that I could have just the 826 which is about half the price. But there have been trade XLR cables against the TRS.

Now that I have, I do not regret it at all. The settings of the preamp, bus outputs, digital outputs, and analog phones in the facade are a real comfort as well as the peak-meters.

If I had my choice again, I think I will opt for a studio with a Neve 400 m², swimming pool, jacuzzi, talking clock, bike and VW combi !!!!!!!! lol

No, I love this card and I enjoy just as much to use it to watch it in all its forms.

Buy MOTU, you will not be disappointed .....