MOTU 828 vs. DIGI 001 Options

I am looking to get a new system for audio recording. I am leaining towards the Motu 828, but I know the DIGI 001 is a hot seller. Will I sacrifice quaility by going with the Motu 828. Are the Preamps as good? And sound quality?

Mainly, we want to use it to create our first CD. So we'll be recording vocals, instruments etc. Will one lend itself to this application better than the other? What about quality? What about OS X support?

What about for a newbie to learn, is the documenation on the MOTU 828 good enough that anyone could learn it easily, even a newbie, or do I need a book? Do they have books?

I will also use it to sweeten some video work from Final Cut Pro. I here the Motu Digital Performer is great for this, especially since I could mix Surround sound with it. Any thoughts here.

I basically like the MOTU better, but don't want to get something that will lessen the quality of the CD.

In answer to your questions does the 828 suck. By no means no. I have a friend who uses one. He loves it and said the sound is great. Everyone I have talked to said the sound quality is equal if not better. And that the PreAmps are actually a little better. The 828 also has better monitoring to defeat latency, a nice plus. Also, all the connectors on the 828 are balanced, I don't think this is so with the Digi001.

Those who like the Digi 001 don't like it as much for the hardware, as the software they are married to ProTools. Those who aren't in the need of ProTools love the 828. As I will use it for Video work. The 828 is a much better option for me. It is very high quality, and offers what I need. And the Digital Performer software is no laky. Here's a quote from a Motu Sales rep.

'The 828 interface was on the cover of Recording magazine last month. You
might want to check that out.
Digital Performer was used to score Planet of The Apes, American Pie II, and
the Oscar nominated U-571 movies. It's a standard tool for sound for
picture. DP 3 also imports and exports OMF files for Avid and ProTools
compatibility.

The 828 interface is a Firewire unit. The 001 is PCI based. MOTU also
makes a PCI based audio system. I've enclosed a comparison of the 001 and
our 2408 audio interface. The 828 and 2408 have the same audio
specifications on their analog converters. The 828 also has two channels of
mic preamps.

I look forward to answering all your technical questions.

If I can be of further service, please let me know.

David Roberts - MOTU

MOTU Audio 2408mkII
-------------------
True 24-bit convertors provide an impressive 105dB dynamic range

Analog inputs and outputs use balanced/unbalanced connectors

PCI-324 card is 96kHz ready

Word clock I/O provided for synchronizing your 2408 with other gear in your
studio - master or slave

AudioDesk allows you to edit and spot to timecode

Track count depends host CPU - up to 72 tracks on a Power Macintosh G3

Extensive front panel metering for all analog and digital I/O including
clock

Broad 3rd party plug-in support from Antares, Arboretum, Audio Ease, Kind of
Loud, Metric Halo, Cycling O74, DUY, TC|Works, Waves and others

Sturdy steel rack mount chassis

24-channels of adat optical where you need them - on the rack, where your
adats are

24-channels of Tascam TDIF

Expandable to 72 channels of input and output - choose from a variety of I/O
expansion options to meet your specific requirements

24 inputs and outputs available at the same time using a single 2408

ADAT 9-pin sync on PCI-324 card

Sample accurate transfer with ADAT and sample accurate transfer with Tascam
via Digital Timepiece


Digi 001
--------
98dB typical dynamic range using their O24-bit¹ converters

Outputs on 001 are unbalanced and prone to hum and RF interference

No provisions for 96kHz upgrade

No word clock available

ProTools LE has no support for editing or spotting to timecode.

ProTools LE limits you to 24 tracks

No metering on the I/O box - not even a signal present or overload LED.

Minimal RTAS audio plug-in support

Rack mount ears bolted to desktop box

Only 8-channels of adat optical - with the optical connector on the PCI card

No Tascam TDIF support

Not expandable - no additional I/O options

A maximum of 18 inputs and outputs at the same time

No ADAT 9-pin sync

No sample accurate transfer ability