Metic Halo, HMMMMMMMMMMM Options

[simmac]

Good morning

Just a question.
What do you know about the metric halo interfaces (ULN2 or 2882)?
I know the prize is little bit high,but it looks pretty good and really professional.

[bogh]

I have never tried one of the Metric Halo interfaces, but I have heard that the converters are extremely high quality.
The price was a bit too high for me, so I ended up going with a Motu 828mkII, but I did consider Metric Halo when buying my interface.

I have a friend who bought one about 2 years ageo. He had problems with latency and ended up returning the unit. But they have probably sorted out these problems, or you would have heard about it.

[Mark Tucker]

Hi

I own a Metric Halo Mobile I/O 2882. I have found it to be a fantastic unit. The price is a little high, but the AD/DA convertors are much better than other units of around the similar price range.

I have used it on field recordings around the world, recording small ensembles of ethnic musicians, running headphone feeds, monitor mixes to DAT,running speaker feeds and a phase meter all at the same time. I have also used it playing live in a band and writing electronic music. I found this unit to perform brilliantly and sounded good.

The only small complaint I have is the software that comes with it, which you use to control input and output assignment, I have found to be somewhat fiddly, but works well nonetheless.

I personnally did not buy into the Metric Halo plug-ins, I have used either Logic or other 3rd party software for that, but the unit itself is great.

Hope that helps

MT.

[simmac]

Thanks the fast answer.
I would like to know,what is the real difference beetwen the ULN2+DSP and the 2882+DSP?
I want to buy this interface because I would like to have something already what is a real quality and doesn't give me too much problems.I know with the DSP chip my computer will be almost just a control so I don't have to deal with the processor.

[Mark Tucker]

As far as I can tell, the ony real difference between the two units is the different number of inputs and outputs you get on the back. It's sort of down to which one best supports your needs.

The ULN 2 also has a level control pots on the front, where as the 2882 is completely software driven.

[legof]

hi,
I own a mobile 2882 (non dsp) and i can tell that there is a heavy difference between my unit and a ULN-2: the quality of the pre's.
The 2882 pre are software controlled, and this introduces a very audible hiss when you push the gain up to +15, wich is very normal for a lot of mics.
this thing doesn't happen with the ULN-2, a unit that was focused to the quality of the pres (Ultra Low Noise).

Beside that the Metric Halo has a really wonderful sound, a lot of headroom in the mix, and when OsTiger will be released I think we'll see some very nice features added.
But beware of the 2882 pres ...

[simmac]

Hi Legof

I understand,the pre's.
What's your experiences about the 2882 because I like if I can setup couple things manually.On the 2882 I have to do everything virtual.I think I just have to be so use to it but stil what I can touch,I like it better.But if the quality is much better in the 2882,really I don't know.

Thanks man

[simmac]

HI Mark

I know the numbers of inputs and outputs but the ULN2 with DSP has the same numbers of in and out.I asked already the Metric Halosupport but they didn't answer yet,when I have the answer I will be here.

[legof]

Hi everybody,
pardon my english, maybe I didn't clearly explained myself: the 2882 pre are very bad (lot of hiss if crank up the volume just a bit), the ULN-2 pres are said to be very very good, nearly oustanding for their price-range.
More than this, on the 2882 you have to control everything via software, and that's not the quickest thing when you're monitoring multiple ins.
the ULN-2 has only 2 analog i/o, plus 8 digital/adat
the 2882 has 8 analog i/o, plus adat



the ups of metric halo:

both 2882 and ULN-2 have *wonderful* AD-DA conversion, unrivalled in their price-range, sure better than *any* motu, I don't know about RME wich is rumored to be very good also.

the routing flexibility is another very nice point, i.e you can have a different mix for any output, and with the DSP option you can even add eq and dynamics to the single in-out channels.
Please note that the +dsp features don't integrate with DAWs (you can't have dsp effect loaded, say, in a logic project) you can process only incoming signals.


Conclusion: after my experience I think this products are very good if you buy it *in dollars*, the change rates are very convenient at the moment.
If you buy it in euro from european distro .... I don't know if I would do it again, it's very expensive.
The ULN-2 is a well-done product, the 2882 is, IMO, an unfinished product not worth the price.
You have to cosider even the fact that the firmware is upgradable, wich leaves room for something good for the future.
I'm a happy owner, but I need to buy a line of pre's for an already euro-expensive unit.

my 2 cents
legof

[simmac]

I know about the price.
I'm living in europe and I don't want to buy here.
It's really terribile how they make the prices here in europe for everything.For example apple computers,and other proffesionals stuff.Anyway....................
Another thing I don't understand why we have to pay the tax if we buy something from the net?In the US it's different.I think we can't change this,go to the US to do a shopping.

Good night everyone

[ohrkahn]

i own a 2882 +DSP,

beside the really nice converters and routing possibilties u can run 8 instances of the MIO Strip Plug In on the DSP giving u 8 highest quality channel strips (gate / compressor / 6 band parametric eq).

the size of the 2882 is also perfect for powerbook owners... it looks so great togehter

[Piergynt]

It's what I have doing,... go to the US.. and buy a ULN2.
it's a flexible device interface, because ou can use it without a computer, you can buy a battery ( not so expansive : 12V 7Ah = more than 4hours of autonomy = less than 30euros ! ! ! ) and in this way, you can use it as a very good miniature sound mixer. in this configuration the DSP are more important.
But there is no ADAT connection, only on the 2882...
it's realy a good product.

[absolishus]

I just had to speak up to the person who said the 2882 has "very bad mic pres". I own 2 of these that I use for my mobile recording business, and I completely disagree. I own several tube and solid state mic pres, as well as an Allen & Heath Mix Wizard that has good clean preamps, and loads of dynamic and condenser mics and I can honestly say the 2882 preamps are as good as anything else in my rig awesome for a $1000'ish unit. yeah, they aren't an avalon or a focusrite, but its not fair to say that they are 'very bad', cause this isn't a channel strip. I have nothing but great things to say about the product, and the support that i have gotten from Metric Halo.
Brian

[legof]

HI,
I'm the guy that says, again, that the MH 2882 are very bad.
Have you ever tried to us a ribbon mic with those pre ?
What happens when you crank up the channel gain to +15 > very normal > I have a lot of hiss, wich is a pain to get rid of.
The problem, in my humble opinion, is that if the converters are good (i.e. if you can track a sound and have rich sonic results ) that doesn't mean that the pre-ampification stadium is good as well.
This problem has been recognised even by MH, as they admit that the software controlled channel gains are a minor problem of the 2882 tech-design.
that's why they made ULN-2, wich has basically a hardware control for the chan-gain.
I had great results with the 2882 pre: of course the converters sound way better than any MOTU, but the pre are very noisy, confronted to many and little cheaper others.
And what about the drivers ?
what about mix 7/8 ?
If anybody wants to take a look at the MH forums - you'll see I'm not the only one ranting.
Again: good unit, euroexpensive price, unfinished features by 3 years.
Again: just my opinion.

bye