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Interface recommendation since i can't get my hands on Motu M4

madDog

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Since the motu m4 is pretty much out of stock everywhere and i really don't want to wait 1+month to get an interface, what do you guys recommend. I need something with loopback functionality, and 2 monitor/speaker outs. It needs to be under 300€. The only thing that comes to mind is the id14 mk2.

I do know the motu measures very well on here, but i don't know about the performance of the id14 mk2. Any of you guys/girls have it and can comment ? I'll be running on PC. I want to use the second monitor out to connect to my headphone amp. I do know that the motu has fixed line outputs 3/4, so its perfect for this, i don't know about the id14 mk2 tho.
If you guys can recommend anything else in this price range that is in stock and also has this features, please let me know.
 

Blumlein 88

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Look at the SSL 2+
I don't have one, but I think it has what you need.
 

chris719

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No loopback i'm afraid. A nice thing to have for livestreams and such.

By loopback, do you mean direct monitoring of inputs?

Oh l, I see now, it’s a virtual input made from an output.
 

umbral

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Since the motu m4 is pretty much out of stock everywhere and i really don't want to wait 1+month to get an interface, what do you guys recommend. I need something with loopback functionality, and 2 monitor/speaker outs. It needs to be under 300€. The only thing that comes to mind is the id14 mk2.

I do know the motu measures very well on here, but i don't know about the performance of the id14 mk2. Any of you guys/girls have it and can comment ? I'll be running on PC. I want to use the second monitor out to connect to my headphone amp. I do know that the motu has fixed line outputs 3/4, so its perfect for this, i don't know about the id14 mk2 tho.
If you guys can recommend anything else in this price range that is in stock and also has this features, please let me know.

Same dilemma here.

You can find more info on last pages about ID4 & 14 MKII : https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...audient-updated-their-audio-interfaces.19219/ including a real review.

Presonus 68C can do lots of things and has many options : https://www.thomann.de/ro/presonus_studio_68c.htm
https://www.presonus.com/products/Studio-68c/tech-specs
https://www.presonus.com/products/Studio-68c
 
OP
madDog

madDog

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Ordered the id14 mk2. Julian Krause released a video yesterday and that did it for me. Great measurements.
 

umbral

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Ordered the id14 mk2. Julian Krause released a video yesterday and that did it for me. Great measurements.

Not to mentions the 500 round-trip test, which show the converters quality on the first generation at least that used ID 14 = same Burr Brown converters as = ASP800 they claim.


Just Terrible.
 

Blumlein 88

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Wow! Having done 8gen loopback testing, the idea of doing 500 is crazy! Much less doing it twice.

So not all that much to it after 50x, but big difference in 500x.
 
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madDog

madDog

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I'm gonna let you guys now, how the headphone out port is. I'm gonna be connecting them via usb a, since i don't have usb c on my PC. So i do know i'm gonna loose some volume because its not straight usb-c to usb-c and i'm kinda curious if the interface will still be able to power my hd700 to ear piercing levels. Just got the interface now, will be switching to it later today.
 
OP
madDog

madDog

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Even with reduced volume (not usb c to usb c) the headphone output is still plenty loud enough. Keep in minds there is also an aditional reduction of about 5 db because of eq(preamp gain). This is on 150 ohm hd700. I could easily run 250-300 ohm headphones and wouldn't max out the volume pot. If i had the option to run direct to usb c there would be even more headroom. So headphone out is definetely powerfull enough for a lot of headphones. But you don't want to be plugging in low impedence headphones(20 ohm output impedance on the headphone out)
 

MrC

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I am refloating this thread as the Motu (M2 and M4) are still unobtainable, some stores saying in a few weeks but more trustworthy stores saying mid January 2022.

I am looking for an interface for using with REW (iem/headphone FR measurements and impedance curve measurements) and also for recording voice only with dynamic mics.

I am not bothered about headphone amplification as I will be using an external HP amp. However, the balanced + unbalanced outputs of the Motu line were a bonus.

I only currently own a UMC204HD.

Any suggestions around the same price as the Motu line?
 

JeffGB

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I'm not sure about the lack of availability of the M4. I had an M4 but my wife now has it. I got an Audient iD14 Mkii and used it for a few months but was not sure about the sound vs the M4 so I bought a second M4 a couple of months ago. It was in stock at a local music store. The second one I got was the newer version manufactured in China. It is at least as good as the first one and perhaps has better converters. Anyway, my point is the newer version that is produced in China MAY be much more available than the first version, which I had to order and wait a couple of months for.
Good luck with your decision. I just updated the Audient's driver and firmware, fixing a few issues, so it is also a good choice.
 

MrC

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I'm not sure about the lack of availability of the M4. I had an M4 but my wife now has it. I got an Audient iD14 Mkii and used it for a few months but was not sure about the sound vs the M4 so I bought a second M4 a couple of months ago. It was in stock at a local music store. The second one I got was the newer version manufactured in China. It is at least as good as the first one and perhaps has better converters. Anyway, my point is the newer version that is produced in China MAY be much more available than the first version, which I had to order and wait a couple of months for.
Good luck with your decision. I just updated the Audient's driver and firmware, fixing a few issues, so it is also a good choice.

Thanks for the input, I am not having much luck finding any M4 (or M2) in-stock here in Europe.

Based on some searching and reading, including the reviews by @Julian Krause (thank you for the reviews you do Julian), the ones that are easily available and seem to be possibly worth it are the iD14, the 2i2, the US 2x2hr and the SS2.

I think at this point I am leaning towards the US 2x2hr, although I don't need the midi.
 
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