Name: Audio Express
Brand: MOTU
SKU: 116650
Rating: 3.7 (8 reviews)

mrjason

Can be used as a mixer too!

Published on 03/06/13 at 22:30

I have used the MOTU Express a few times over the last few months while working a special project for a local band. It can be used as a standalone mixer as well as an interface, I feel that feature is great for a device in this price range. MOTU has made many great interfaces and I have use a lot of them but this one is suppose to be one of the lower end ones that they make but by the quality of it, you really cannot tell that it is not one of the better ones that they make.

UTILIZATION

I didn’t have to set this interface up because all of that was already taken care of but opening it up in Pro Tools and working with it was very quick and easy. All of the ins and outs are on the...…

I have used the MOTU Express a few times over the last few months while working a special project for a local band. It can be used as a standalone mixer as well as an interface, I feel that feature is great for a device in this price range. MOTU has made many great interfaces and I have use a lot of them but this one is suppose to be one of the lower end ones that they make but by the quality of it, you really cannot tell that it is not one of the better ones that they make.

UTILIZATION

I didn’t have to set this interface up because all of that was already taken care of but opening it up in Pro Tools and working with it was very quick and easy. All of the ins and outs are on the back of this interface which at the studio I was using it at was a hassle because I had to keep switching cables in and out. But the mixer that is built into it is very good and I feel it is the best feature that it has. Many other interfaces that are even close to this price range will not work as a standalone mixer.

GETTING STARTED

The preamps are not bad but they do add a little color to the sound. They also had a footswitch connected to it for punching in and punching out with. It was one of the first times that I have used a footswitch to control those functions and I have grown to love it. They also had another interface working with it for more ins and outs, so it is also expandable. There really isn’t anything not too like about this interface.

OVERALL OPINION

Also, like some of the other MOTU interfaces you can use this one with an iPad as well which was a pleasant surprise being that this is one of the “watered down” interfaces that they make. But really this interface feels just as good as some of the higher end ones that they make. The only main difference is that the preamps do not sound as clean as the higher end interfaces that they make.

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stompboxjon

MOTU is taking over

Published on 01/11/13 at 04:49

I was using the MOTU Audio Express back in 2011; it is a 6 by 6 USB interface that can also be used via Firewire. It is compatible with both Macs and PC’s and can be used as a standalone mixer. Setting up this interface was very easy and quick. It is pretty small and not rackable so it will just had to go on my table top which I was not a fan of but it was not that bad. The preamp is pretty clean for it to be in this price range, I would have actually kept this interface for a long time but I needed to have more inputs so I upgraded but still stayed with the same MOTU line just a bigger interface.

UTILIZATION

The built in mixer was something that I did not expect to get with an interface...…

I was using the MOTU Audio Express back in 2011; it is a 6 by 6 USB interface that can also be used via Firewire. It is compatible with both Macs and PC’s and can be used as a standalone mixer. Setting up this interface was very easy and quick. It is pretty small and not rackable so it will just had to go on my table top which I was not a fan of but it was not that bad. The preamp is pretty clean for it to be in this price range, I would have actually kept this interface for a long time but I needed to have more inputs so I upgraded but still stayed with the same MOTU line just a bigger interface.

UTILIZATION

The built in mixer was something that I did not expect to get with an interface of this price and size. Right after I purchased this interface that the controls on the front of the interface did not seemed to be built as well as I would like them to be which is pretty common in smaller interfaces because they tend to lack quality especially when they are at a low price.

GETTING STARTED

The manual do does come with this interface, and walked me through the set up process on both my PC and Macbook. I only had to refer to the manual for my MacBook though because I ran into some small driver issues. I have recorded vocals and guitar tracks with this interface and I was really impressed with the quality of it. I would have kept it but I needed more inputs and also wanted a rackable unit so basically I purchased the exact same unit but it is rackable and has more inputs.

OVERALL OPINION

MOTU has really changed the interfaces that they have come out with recently. They are much better than some of the other ones they have come out with and the preamps are probably the best thing about them. I have used many MOTU interfaces and some good and some bad, but these ones are awesome.

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lamouette/rck

Lousy

Published on 06/28/12 at 08:31

I needed a soundcard with a couple of inputs and MIDI. I wanted something simple and effective. I wanted an RME, but I preferred to save some money.
I use it to record synths, I also use it for MIDI, plus I use it as my every day soundcard for Internet, writing songs, a bit of everything.

UTILIZATION

Things start to go downhill when it comes to installation and use!

Even if you install the drivers supplied, the soundcard will make you deaf, forcing you to go to the Motu website to change that (but there is no indication of this anywhere, you must learn it the hard way...).

In terms of use, the software is pretty good, even if some parameters seem not to work. (volume control track...…

I needed a soundcard with a couple of inputs and MIDI. I wanted something simple and effective. I wanted an RME, but I preferred to save some money.
I use it to record synths, I also use it for MIDI, plus I use it as my every day soundcard for Internet, writing songs, a bit of everything.

UTILIZATION

Things start to go downhill when it comes to installation and use!

Even if you install the drivers supplied, the soundcard will make you deaf, forcing you to go to the Motu website to change that (but there is no indication of this anywhere, you must learn it the hard way...).

In terms of use, the software is pretty good, even if some parameters seem not to work. (volume control track by track?)

In terms of sound, I have loud crackles from time to time, which forces me to restart it...it's very frustrating!

GETTING STARTED

See above, but I don't think it's easy to use, no plug and play, even if the manual is pretty good.

OVERALL OPINION

I've been using it for six months.

I love the simplicity and the number of controls on the front panel. (the headphone/monitor volume management system is pretty cool). The sound is not too bad.

But I don't like the rest: It crashes, it crackles sometimes, you need to restart...

I had a focusrite saffire before which wasn't better, but at least it didn't crash. I could rely on it.

I don't recommend it. And I hope that MOTU makes some improvements in the future. In any case, they have lost a client for the time being. I'll switch to RME!

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Smouffy

I love it!

Published on 06/28/12 at 18:21

Before buying it I looked at protools, cubase and others, but I wanted something different, that was worth my money and so I bought this soundcard. I use it for the studio and also personally. I use it with a mac G5 powerpc 4 ddr ram.

UTILIZATION

The drivers are stable. Digital Performer is the software that comes included with Audio Express. I bought the Crossgrade to have the full version of Digital Performer 7. Currently I only use two tracks for recording, to record drums I use a Yamaha AW 1600. For certain projects I have up to 16 recording tracks that I can playback without any latency.

GETTING STARTED

The installation is problem-free, but I had to resort to the manual for the...…

Before buying it I looked at protools, cubase and others, but I wanted something different, that was worth my money and so I bought this soundcard. I use it for the studio and also personally. I use it with a mac G5 powerpc 4 ddr ram.

UTILIZATION

The drivers are stable. Digital Performer is the software that comes included with Audio Express. I bought the Crossgrade to have the full version of Digital Performer 7. Currently I only use two tracks for recording, to record drums I use a Yamaha AW 1600. For certain projects I have up to 16 recording tracks that I can playback without any latency.

GETTING STARTED

The installation is problem-free, but I had to resort to the manual for the configuration because there were some aspects I didn't quite understand. Working with it I have discovered certain features that are useful for what I do, so I'm very satisfied.

OVERALL OPINION

I've had it since December 2011 and it's my first soundcard ever. For $478.00, I got what I wanted. Yes, based on my experience, I would buy it again.

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