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UNPLANNED DOWNTIME: 12th Oct 23:45

Rackmount Audio Interface Recommendations

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mo6020mo6020 Frets: 117
in Studio & Recording
Hi all,

I'm in the market for a new rack mount audio interface, does anyone have any particular recommendations? I'm mostly interested in low latency, low noise floor, and as transparent sounding as possible. I have outboard mic pres so literally just need the interface for ADC. I need a fair amount of IO but don't have a requirement for DSP on the interface, which would seem to be the UA Apollo's USP... 

I've been considering the Clarett+ Pre8 because it seems like you get a lot of IO for a low price, but is there anything else I should be looking at? RME and UA are the names I see most frequently thrown around, but there's a considerable price jump and this is just for my home studio. Budget-wise I'm not adverse to spending money, but also not knowledgable enough when it comes to studio gear to know where diminishing returns starts seriously kicking in...

Thanks in advance for any recommendations!

Ed
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Comments

  • brucegillbrucegill Frets: 643
    RME! Great support, even when the unit is out of production. Great latency. Great converters. 

     
    Feedback here: https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/61319/brucegill#latest
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  • mo6020mo6020 Frets: 117
    brucegill said:
    RME! Great support, even when the unit is out of production. Great latency. Great converters. 

     
    Yeh, you're not the first person that's said that to me. I'll take a look at their stuff, thanks dude. 
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  • StuckfastStuckfast Frets: 2124
    RME are great but their kit has been hard to buy lately. I think they've been badly hit by parts shortages.

    Depending on how many I/O you need, the larger MOTU interfaces are very good. Also consider the PreSonus Quantum 4848.



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  • Dave8Dave8 Frets: 210
    You can’t really go too far wrong with the Clarett 8pre USB, but the RME is a “better” unit as far as I know. Depends how much cash you want to spend. 
    Trading feedback
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  • goldtopgoldtop Frets: 5625
    Stuckfast said:
    RME are great but their kit has been hard to buy lately. I think they've been badly hit by parts shortages.

    I think you are right, as the Fireface UFX I was looking at had become far more expensive.

    Luckily for me, the Fireface 800 is affordable (£280 s/h) and while lacking the DSP of the UFX, has that great low latency and plenty of inputs. And drivers for old Mac OSs are still available and super solid.
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  • yorkioyorkio Frets: 173
    goldtop said:
    Stuckfast said:
    RME are great but their kit has been hard to buy lately. I think they've been badly hit by parts shortages.

    I think you are right, as the Fireface UFX I was looking at had become far more expensive.

    Luckily for me, the Fireface 800 is affordable (£280 s/h) and while lacking the DSP of the UFX, has that great low latency and plenty of inputs. And drivers for old Mac OSs are still available and super solid.
    Are you running it on an old G5 or something? I've spotted a few of those over the years going for next to nothing but every time I've tried to work out how to convert FireWire to USB, it's seemed like you'd need half a dozen adapters, including a Thunderbolt one IIRC, all connected together. 

    I still miss my old Multiface. RME make some great gear.
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  • swillerswiller Frets: 662
    I have a clarett+ 8 pre USBC version going in classifieds if interested. Or PM me. 
    Selling as its an inheritance from my best mate who passed away a couple of weeks ago. He "downgraded" from a more expensive RME UFX2 rack due to funds (on benefits)  and he was very happy with everything. Id keep it but i have an RME UCX mk1 so duplicated and £ is needed to cover some funeral costs.
    Dont worry, be silly.
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  • WazmeisterWazmeister Frets: 8918
    RME seem unobtainable at the moment...
    Feedback here - http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/57555/
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  • goldtopgoldtop Frets: 5625
    yorkio said:
    goldtop said:
    Stuckfast said:
    RME are great but their kit has been hard to buy lately. I think they've been badly hit by parts shortages.

    I think you are right, as the Fireface UFX I was looking at had become far more expensive.

    Luckily for me, the Fireface 800 is affordable (£280 s/h) and while lacking the DSP of the UFX, has that great low latency and plenty of inputs. And drivers for old Mac OSs are still available and super solid.
    Are you running it on an old G5 or something? I've spotted a few of those over the years going for next to nothing but every time I've tried to work out how to convert FireWire to USB, it's seemed like you'd need half a dozen adapters, including a Thunderbolt one IIRC, all connected together. 

    I still miss my old Multiface. RME make some great gear.
    My current one is a 2012 iMac on Mojave, using a single TB2->FW clagnut. But I've previously plugged directly into a 2008 iMac's FW port. 

    This same FF800 also works with modern M1 Macs using the extra TB3-TB2 adapter from Apple. But it's annoyingly inelegant. 

    I love that RME support forums are full of "we can't do that" and "it is not possible" followed a few months later by "we did it, you can now download the driver here". I love that they don't just walk away from their older gear.

    (The FF800 has built in analogue overdrive, limiter and a cabinet sim on Input 1, too. I should check those out sometime.)
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  • octatonicoctatonic Frets: 33263
    A lot of stock is constrained right now.

    UA are mostly fine but a lot of other companies are really struggling.
    Even AVID- their flagship audio interfaces (MTRX and MTRX Studio) are extremely hard to find right now.
    I've been waiting for a DAD AX64 for 6 months and have just been told it is coming next week.

    I will have a Universal Audio Apollo X8 and a Focusrite Red 16 Line up for sale quite soon.
    Might be out of the budget the OP is looking at but they are both great devices.
    James Richmond

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  • mo6020mo6020 Frets: 117
    Thanks everyone for the comments, this is good info.

    @octatonic - I may be interested in the X8 if everything else is upobtainium, I was going to go all in on Apollo before I bought some outboard gear and decided to do a bit more digging on the interface front.
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  • octatonicoctatonic Frets: 33263
    mo6020 said:
    Thanks everyone for the comments, this is good info.

    @octatonic - I may be interested in the X8 if everything else is upobtainium, I was going to go all in on Apollo before I bought some outboard gear and decided to do a bit more digging on the interface front.
    Sure thing- message me when it suits you.
    James Richmond

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