Major confusion over Motu M2 - a lot of conflicting reviews

[xeizo]

Quite impossible as the only real test is blind A-B with perfectly matched levels and you and me would need to be present in the same room and someone to conduct it for us. Unless we do that ALL is anecdotal.

 

[Trell]

Quite impossible as the only real test is blind A-B with perfectly matched levels and you and me would need to be present in the same room and someone to conduct it for us. Unless we do that ALL is anecdotal.

You’re the one making the claims.

 

[dshreter]

@malp @xeizo

So let me do the work for you this once.... it´s all there and that is what we want to see here - not stories and speculation (... percievably....).

1) No one said there arent any better interfaces

2) The most obvious difference in the measurements of the M2 vs the other interfaces (next to SINAD) is this (roll off of ca. 0.4dB from ca. 80 to 20Hz).

So now... is that audible? I dont know, you dont know and we can speculate all day long - only facts (controlled listening tests) as @BDWoody already indicated would tell.

For what it’s worth, OP said output sound quality and sometimes recording vocals is primarily what matters. I don’t think that minor roll off in the ADC will matter for that and I believe the DAC is flat.

 

[HarmonicTHD]

For what it’s worth, OP said output sound quality and sometimes recording vocals is primarily what matters. I don’t think that minor roll off in the ADC will matter for that and I believe the DAC is flat.

Agreed.

 

[Mnyb]

Can latency be an issue if you do video work and need lip sync to work ?

 

[jae]

Not sure what all this commotion about the MOTU M2/M4 is. It is practically the best overall interface when considering the features it comes with, specs, and pricing. As mentioned by others the biggest downside is that for some it may lack power for the headphone output, but it will be more than adequate for 95%+ of headphones and you can determine ahead of time with a simple calculation if this will be a problem since all of the specs are public and verified. All these claims about it sounding such and such or not as good as another interface is simply nonsense, and probably a result of someone's bad mood that day.

If one wants quibble about a 0.3 dB rolloff at 20hz, well then I don't know what to tell you. One can easily AB this infinitesimal "droop" with EQ on any system and you will not notice any difference. Also, I think some of these minor "issues" with the measured specs are not even present in newer revisions of these products since they changed the chipset and specs improved marginally across the board, but I don't have any measurements for you in that capacity. The issues with a loose USB-C connection might simply be factory defects since I nor anyone I convinced to buy this device has had that problem.

ASR does not have many ADC's measured so it looks like the MOTU M2/M4 is perhaps a "mid tier" performer in terms of SINAD to all the others measured, but when you consider all the commonly available interfaces out there in this product category with 3rd party measurement available,it would easily be in the top quartile ("light blue bars" on the ASR comparisons) and probably even in the top 5%+ of interfaces at least. Consider YouTuber/interface reviewer Julian Krause's measurements for dozens of interfaces:

When comparing to actual similar products the MOTU's budget category is obviously a diamond in the rough and outperforms most interfaces in many regards. You have big brands and well known interfaces here with problems like THD+N in the -40s, crosstalk at -38 and monitoring output impedance in the 20's (which in some cases may have the potential to change the frequency response of a headphone more than -0.3dB mind you, perhaps one reason not to get an Audient interface?). These are potentially bigger problems that one should be worried about, and I'm sure if many of these other interfaces were measured with the standard ASR uses there would be even more problems to be found. Better to deal with the devil you know than the devil you do not. MOTU M2 is still VERIFIED excellence as far as the entire market is concerned, if you want better pay another $50 for an M4 or pay many hundreds more for an RME Babyface or similar, unless you can deal or work around the flaws many other interfaces have.

Can latency be an issue if you do video work and need lip sync to work ?

The latency is quite low, don't think it would be an issue.

 

[eyekaiser]

M2 owner over here. What are you using it for? I have the M2 hooked up to studio monitors for audio/video production. I do voice-overs, netcasts, and video/audio documentaries. The M2 is fine for my needs.

 

[Chrispy]

Love these guys who hear differences in dacs and post here, or used subjective reviews as a basis for "proof"....

 

[xeizo]

Love these guys who hear differences in dacs and post here, or used subjective reviews as a basis for "proof"....

However, if you read closely you can see no-one ever claimed to have proof for anything, no need to exaggerate.

 

[Chrispy]

However, if you read closely you can see no-one ever claimed to have proof for anything, no need to exaggerate.

I read close enough, you were the one who assumed there was a sound quality difference (even to bold that part of your post as well as # 3), on what did you base such on if not subjective claims without proof?

 

[dshreter]

Should I be concerned with these things, or should I just order it and don't think?

You should order it and not worry about these things. The measurements show in an almost indisputable way it will sound transparent. It’s also only $200. If it has the features you need, there is nothing you should be worrying about.

 

[xeizo]

I read close enough, you were the one who assumed there was a sound quality difference (even to bold that part of your post as well as # 3), on what did you base such on if not subjective claims without proof?

Oh, I still think so, but I sure have no proof and never claimed so.

 

[malp]

They all sound different imo.

 

[Chrispy]

They all sound different imo.

Uh huh.

 

[HarmonicTHD]

They all sound different imo.

… and the Earth is flat.

 

[malp]

… and the Earth is flat.

if you say so

 

[Chrispy]

if you say so

So its just if you say so that counts? LOL.

 

[eyekaiser]

Maybe if you have REALLY high end equipment you may be able to tell the difference, but this is entry level stuff. If I had the funds, I would buy RME or better and nicer, high end Genelec studio monitors, but we work with the budget we have. Some do amazing things with modest equipment and some produce mediocrity with high end stuff. Great lesson in point are producers like Lee Scratch Perry, King Tubby and Pablo Augustus who could not afford the high end studio gear but produced albums that studios both rich and poor are trying to emulate to this day.

 

[HarmonicTHD]

Maybe if you have REALLY high end equipment you may be able to tell the difference, but this is entry level stuff. If I had the funds, I would buy RME or better and nicer, high end Genelec studio monitors, but we work with the budget we have. Some do amazing things with modest equipment and some produce mediocrity with high end stuff. Great lesson in point are producers like Lee Scratch Perry, King Tubby and Pablo Augustus who could not afford the high end studio gear but produced albums that studios both rich and poor are trying to emulate to this day.

No you wouldn’t … it is very very very very unlikely unless you are super duber gifted listener which many claim but hardly ever proofed. Specifically can one detect a drop of ca 0.3dB between 40 and 20Hz or the ca 95dB SINAD or pick any other of the performance parameters?

This is the more likely explanation why differences are perceived

Audio Blind Testing - You Are Doing It Wrong! (Video)

Just uploaded a video on the basics of performing controlled tests in audio. It was motivated by saving myself text in having to write all of this down when telling someone who to do these tests right. And as a counter to a few online personalities to keep saying they do "blind" tests yet when...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Or the recording was not done with enough headroom to prevent clipping. We simply don’t know without proof from the claimant.

@pkane provides software where you can test your ability of detecting audible differences and see if you are the chosen one with the bat ears. For most it is very humbling.

 

[malp]

So its just if you say so that counts? LOL.

yap. I´m the master!