Re: Mac compatible 5.1 audio sound cards
Re: Mac compatible 5.1 audio sound cards
- Subject: Re: Mac compatible 5.1 audio sound cards
- From: Richard Burnett <email@hidden>
- Date: Thu, 31 Jul 2008 13:03:11 -0400
Regarding FW, I've actually done some research with people working with the MOTU FW versus PCI cards and I find the performance from what I have gathered from the MOTU user base online is that the performance is similar. I use 2 MOTU 896HDs giving me 36 inputs and have absolutely no problem on a Mac Pro 4x2.6Ghz system.
I recommend Firewire to everyone who needs less or equal to 36 ins/outs because you are not tied to a PCI card incase the bus technology changes and the performance of the Firewire works great. I also use 4 external drives and no extra FireWire card. In Logic8 and DP6 I can consistently work on projects using multiple live inputs (I've tested all 36 in at once) with 40+ audio and instrument tracks in addition and the system has worked wonderfully.
I do time everything in my studio with a Lucid GenX6 and get no pops or clicks ever.
At a time, I have used MOTU's PCI interface, as I have owned a few of them. Word of warning, NEVER accidentally pop out the connection to it from the PCI card or you will hear a scream from your speakers like no other!
:)
And the cost to upgrade a registered interface right now is $300 for the new card, that's something you can avoid with FW.
Rick Burnett
Asylum Studio Productions
On Thursday, July 31, 2008, at 12:42PM, "Cyril Blanc" <email@hidden> wrote:
>Hello Mike,
>
>Motu PCI card is one format. You buy either a PCI 424 a PCI 424 X or
>a PCI 424 E
>
>The Motu solution is great as if the PCI bus changes, you replace for
>a reasonable price only the card, not the input/output units, you have
>a great choice of input/output units and they are compatible since
>Motu started this line 10 years ago
>
>I have moved from PCI to PCI X to PCI E ;)
>
>Using a USB audio is ok if you dont have too much tracks, same as FW
>audio
>
>If you use a FW audio and a FW disk it is better to have two FW bus
>(you can have clicks and pops if you dont)
>
>If you have PCI card, it's the best solution as you can expand your
>system, my Motu system has started with one Motu 2048 MK II and now
>has 84 ins/ 48 outs (see more details after)
>
>you can find second hand nits for reasonable price ;)
>
>On Jul 31, 2008, at 5:35 PM, Mike Stoddard wrote:
>
>> Bob, if you consider a PCI-buss card solution, be
>> very careful about buss compatibility. Apple's PCI
>> designs evolved through many hybrid versions of the
>> PCI standard, starting with old 5-volt V.2.0 in G4's,
>> then evolving to 3-volt PCI-X, and then on to PCI-E.
>> Many card manufacturers (M-Audio being one) failed
>> to design correctly for this evolution, and their
>> cards will work in some Macs and not others. MOTU
>> by comparison seems to have done the right things,
>> and their PCI card (I think they have only one)
>> adapts itself to all the various voltages, etc.,
>> and works across all PCI and PCI-X busses. Sadly,
>> my G5 PM is one of the weird Macs that most PCI
>> cards will not work in.
>>
>> My solution was to stick with FireWire interfaces.
>>
>> Good luck,
>> -Mike Stoddard
>>
>>
>>
>> Bob Lang wrote:
>>> Hi everyone
>>> Sorry if this question is a bit off-topic but I'm sure that the
>>> people here will know the answer.
>>> I'm considering a project which will require a Mac compatible 5.1
>>> sound card for output. Currently I own a Griffin FireWave but I'm
>>> sad to say that this great piece of kit is being discontinued.
>>> I've done some web searching and found that there are a number of
>>> 5.1 sound cards available: internal cards using PCI, and external
>>> interfaces mainly using USB but some with FireWire, plus a
>>> collection of higher spec interfaces offering 8, 10 or more
>>> channels. Some of these cards claim to be OS X compatible, but
>>> most are silent on this issue; however, in my searching I've found
>>> some comments stating that you can plug any USB 5.1 sound card into
>>> a Mac and it work (despite the manufacturer's silence) whilst other
>>> comments complain that some of these cards some don't work
>>> correctly despite appearing as 5.1 devices in Audio/Midi Setup
>>> (e.g. Creative SB XFi Surround 5.1 is allegedly one such culprit).
>>> I'm completely confused. What is the state of play with Macs and
>>> the range of surround cards etc now on the market? Can I plug in
>>> any PCI and expect the Mac to use it? Likewise for any USB or
>>> FireWire device? Clearly there's no point embarking on a project
>>> which inherently requires a 5.1 card/interface if there are no
>>> longer any usable purchase options for prospective users! Can
>>> anyone shed any light on this confused situation?
>>> Perhaps I should mention that my project is output only - there's
>>> no sound capture required.
>>> Many thanks in advance.
>>> Bob
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>
>
>Best
>
>Cyril
>
>IChat/AIM : cyrillindablanc
>Skype : cyrillinda
>MSN : email@hidden
>
>
>-------------------------------------------------------
>Audio and Video Configuration :
>
>Macpro 8 core 3 ghz 13 GB, 2 X 1Tb + 74 WD Raptor
>Raid 0 for the libraries made with Rocket Raid and 6 x 36 gb raptor
>10 000 rmp
>+ 160+250 GB + FW 800 Lacie + 2x22" Iiyama
>
>Motu system including : PCI 424 E + 24i + 2408 MKII + 1296 + 2408
>MKIII (84 ins 40 outs)
>Logic Control + 4 Logic Control XT
>Midi interfaces : Stealth + OPCODE STUDIO 4 + MOTU MTP I ; USB
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>
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