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MOTU M2 loopback measurements

L5730

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How many folks are Windows users here?
It seems all too often that interfaces are problematic for Windows users. I understand that people just don't know how to setup things in their system, but I've also read posts where people have gone through all sensible steps and still can't get their devices to behave.

It's all well and swell a device performing admirably, especially for it's price, but if the thing is unstable when connected to a computer, then it kind of limits it's potential. Like have a spots car that can do 0-62 in 2s and top speed of 260mph, corners like a dream. The only problem being that it just flakes out and the engine turns off or brakes lock on for no reason and without warning. Actually the engine turning off has been a problem on some vehicles in recent years!
 

trl

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Hope that this is useful.
Things that I found on my MOTU M-2:

- AD AKM AK5552VN
- DA ESS ES9018S
- OpAmp TI 88 1AW7 (didn't find anything on Google)
- Microcontroller processor XMOS U11680C20

Started enjoying this forum today, so literally a noob here.
When you measure with the loopback you mean the TRS output - TRS input via TRS cable?
Because in this case if the DA conversion is better than AD you are limited by this one, which is recording.
Wrong?
I see ES9016S on the DAC side.
 

trl

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That's almost in line with MOTU specifications on their website.
I guess you measured -100dB THD+N, while MOTU specs are -110dB THD+N. However, you may retry measuring with ARTA as I found it having a better tone generator or just use audiocheck website and an ASIO player for playing 1KHz sines @0dBFS.
 

trl

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How many folks are Windows users here?
It seems all too often that interfaces are problematic for Windows users. I understand that people just don't know how to setup things in their system, but I've also read posts where people have gone through all sensible steps and still can't get their devices to behave.

It's all well and swell a device performing admirably, especially for it's price, but if the thing is unstable when connected to a computer, then it kind of limits it's potential. Like have a spots car that can do 0-62 in 2s and top speed of 260mph, corners like a dream. The only problem being that it just flakes out and the engine turns off or brakes lock on for no reason and without warning. Actually the engine turning off has been a problem on some vehicles in recent years!
Windows & MacOS user here. No problems so far on any system tried. Right now I have installed both Motu and Focusrite and I've no problem with any of the interfaces (although the Focusrite is picky on setting correctly the bitrate, otherwise it will start to distort and drop-out until you set again the bitrate from Focusrite panel).

Maybe you need to provide a bit more info on what exactly is happening with your Motu.
 

L5730

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Windows & MacOS user here. No problems so far on any system tried. Right now I have installed both Motu and Focusrite and I've no problem with any of the interfaces (although the Focusrite is picky on setting correctly the bitrate, otherwise it will start to distort and drop-out until you set again the bitrate from Focusrite panel).

Maybe you need to provide a bit more info on what exactly is happening with your Motu.
Thank you for your input.
I do not yet currently own a budget interface. Used to have an M-Audio 2496 PCI card, and read of folks having problems with that - was stable for me, but I never set Windows to use it as a default sound device (used onboard for that). I've just read quite a few posts of folks complaining about every USB interface stability on a Windows machine, with the exception of RME. As the internet forums go bad news will circulate whilst something working as it should doesn't get mentioned - I mean who logs into a forum to create a thread and say "Hi, I bought this, it works."
 

Blumlein 88

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Windows and interfaces are weird. Some people just can't get them work with their particular Win machine and most have no trouble. I purchased my best interface because the owner couldn't get it to work with two Win boxes. I used it with two Win laptops on Win 8.1 and 10. No problems. I've run into this sort of thing with Windows in general. I've had things I couldn't get to work, hook up to someone else's machine and bam good as gold. Sometimes you can configure your way around it and sometimes it is like a demon possessed situation.

Don't have that trouble with Mac or Linux.
 

lethocerus

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Hi Folks, please forgive a beginners question -- I'm trying to setup the MOTU M2 with REW, and cannot seem to approach the low noise and THD measurements in this thread. I'm seeing THD + N around .042%, when trying to mimic the screenshots (0dBFS, 1K signal, etc.). I'm most likely doing something wrong, can anyone advise proper setup and settings?
Thank you --
 

lethocerus

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Thank you! It was in Java. but now with the ASIO driver everything works swimmingly.
 
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