Hi there,

Long time subscriber to SOS but just getting re-interested(!) in the music side of things after a good few years.

Things seem to have moved on since I used Music-X & Dr. T's on the Amiga and then various flavours of VST (did the version numbers go round again ) along with Cakewalk etc. on the PC!

Still have all the discs/manuals kicking round here somewhere

Back in the day I used a Yamaha DS2416 as my Audio I/O but my main interest was MIDI for which I used the SW1000XG/PLG100-DX combo, Steinberg MIDEX8 as my MIDI interface for M1, S-760, D550, TX81Z along with a Creamware PowerSampler & Pulsar II

Still have the M1 & S-760 and all of the PCI cards in the loft but now using a 2011 iMac so it looks like the cards will have to stay in their boxes...shame.

The MIDI setup currently looks like this; Trinity Plus, JV-2080, M1R, S5000 & 01V into pair of HR624's

Well I guess first & foremost I am looking for a good MIDI interface as I can't sing or play guitar (can't play keyboards either but that's another story ) and would prefer that it be a 19" rack mount as I'm guessing the MIDEX8 is far too long in the tooth by now?

Tied into that same box if possible I would need a half-decent audio interface for those times when friends stop by who can sing & play.

Now I have seen some nice audio interfaces out there that would probably fit the bill but little mention of MIDI unless I consider older boxes such as Unitor or AMT8...I'm guessing everyone uses plug-ins these days?

Can somebody recommend a decent Audio/MIDI interface that I might take a look at please?

Would prefer firewire as that leaves one more USB port free but not essential.

I have just downloaded Logic onto the Mac and gutted to discover I can't use Sounddiver in this day & age...I remember being up in arms that Apple dropped PC support for Sounddiver when they bought Emagic and now they don't even support their own customers any more?

Love their gear but hate their arrogance & walled garden approach

Once I have the interface covered I'm gonna be posting help type threads to get it all set up so maybe it would be in your interests to recommend something simple to use!

Thanks & kind regards,
-=Glyn=-

Hi GlynH,

There are lots of quality interfaces available that will work. With that said, what are your needs (input/output count, rack mountable, desktop, portable , etc..) and what is your price point? I'm sure any of us could suggest an interface ranging for $150 to well over $2000.

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http://jaebordley.com

The Midex 8 is still fine. I'm using mine without issue and there are updated drivers available for OSX and x64 versions of Windows.

http://www.steinberg.net/en/support/unsupported_products/mid...

I'm using a MOTU Ultralight Mk3 with my Macbook (and also a Windows 7 desktop) which is a great bit of kit if you only want 8/10 inputs and outputs: rugged and portable if that's what you need. I don't record anything with mics so I can't speak to the quality of the pre-amps, though.

Edited by Rowboffin (01/11/12 05:44 PM)

Thanks for the reply Jae B,

Can't read my original post while replying but I thought I mentioned wanting a 1U device? If I didn't...well then I do!

I will need enough inputs for the devices I mentioned along with a couple of mic pre's...that should do it.

MIDI would be needed also.

Have been looking at devices such as MOTU 828 MKIII (or possibly 8-pre?) along with Presonus FireStudio / AudioBox, Mackie Onyx Blackbird etc.

On the MIDI side of things the only device that looks to be currently supported is the MOTU Express 128 and being the type of guy I am would rather have the Audio interface from the same manufacturer if possible?

Would the MOTU 828 MKIII/Express 128 be a good combo?

What other devices may I have missed on my searching?

Thanks & kind regards,
-=Glyn=-

Thanks for the reply Rowboffin,

The MIDEX 8 is still supported?

Wow...and here was me thinking it was being forgotten about while I was still using it some years ago now!

I take it you rate MOTU products then?

Are you using Mountain Lion?

Thanks & kind regards,
-=Glyn=-

Quote GlynH:

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The MIDEX 8 is still supported?

Wow...and here was me thinking it was being forgotten about

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Steinberg abandoned it 10+ years ago, and all support stopped.

It still worked, to a fashion on some older computer systems, but no new drivers were available for newer systems.

Then out of the blue, in the last year or so, a newer driver was made available, which worked on Intel Macs (I tried it on 10.6).

Nevertheless, this was not officially supported.

If you have a MIDEX, then may as well give it a try. But if buying something, don't bother buying one.

About the only 8-port rack mount MIDI interface I'm aware of still both made and supported is the MOTU.

Hi Glyn,

As Chris mentions, although they're provided by Steinberg, the latest drivers aren't officially supported but I've certainly found them to work without issue. I'm guessing that the "unsupported" status of the drivers doesn't necessarily mean anything about their current suitability, it just indicates that Steinberg don't want to take on the burden of supporting queries from people should they have problems and aren't making any promises to provide further updates should things like future OS changes make that necessary. Pretty understandable, really, since it's a discontinued product.

Since you've already got the Midex 8 it'll cost you nothing to try it with the new drivers and if it gives you no issues then you'll have saved yourself more than a few quid. I've found it to be solid on OSX Lion (and on Windows for that matter).

I should disclose that the first Ultralight Mk3 I received had a fault (which I suppose could happen with any manufacturer's kit) and I had to exchange it, but the replacement has been faultless and well-suited to my needs, at least. I'm guessing I'm in a similar situation to you in that I'm primarily using hardware synths triggered via MIDI together with some software synths and samplers, and I'm mixing externally, so the number of inputs and outputs suits me fine for what I want to do, which is why I suggested it. As I said, although the MOTU offers a couple of instrument/mic inputs I can't speak to the quality or otherwise of the pre-amps on those channels, but I would guess that you'd want to be spending significantly more for an audio interface if you're doing a lot of recording with good mics etc.

HTH.

Thanks for your input guys...I thought I would update this thread just to say I have purchased the MOTU UltraLite MKIII and although it is early days yet but it looks ot be shaping up into a superb box of tricks!

I like the idea that a single Firewire cable will handle both audio & MIDI and in addition power the box...great stuff.

Also as I will still be looking to expand the MIDI side of things I can add a MOTU MIDI Express and join both boxes together to make a single 19" rack mount unit. Pity there is no way of daisy-chaining the power between boxes though. Still I guess I can't have everything!

I can now get sound into & out of the Mac and it sounds great to my ears.

I would be interested to know what fault your first UltraLite developed Rowboffin as I have had one instance of a very noisy S/PDIF input showing on the front panel & CueMix software that appeared after powering the box off overnight but seems to have cleared up now it has been powered up for a few hours.

I will keep my eye on this because it is not right and would prefer to swap it out now while it is only a matter of days old rather than have the fault come back a day outside the warranty period!

Just to get grips with using the UltraLite with Logic so expect a flurry of posts asking for help in the near future!

Any hints/tips/gotchas in using the UltraLite with Logic Pro 9 would be much appreciated.

Thanks & kind regards,
-=Glyn=-

Edited by GlynH (04/01/13 12:55 AM)