Motu M2 Review (Audio Interface)

[bennetng]

MOTU has rather powerful DSP FPGA already so we can guess that low pass filter is done on FPGA side instead using filters build-in DAC chip.

M2/4 only use XMOS. Only the higher end ones like UltraLite and 624 have dedicated processors.

MOTU M2 — двухканальный интерфейс с качественным ЦАП ESS Sabre 32 | ProSound

prosound.ixbt.com

 

[jae]

Can the M2 serve as a USB DAC (connected to my PC) and output a mono signal (summed L+R) from the headphone jack? That’s what I need – a device that can let me play music from Qobuz and MusicBee on my PC and drive my (fairly sensitive) headphones with a summed mono signal. (Why? Because I only have hearing in one ear.) Thanks for any guidance.

May try Equalizer APO + PEACE? Foobar+plugins are also a great option, both can sum to mono. How is your hearing in your good ear? When summing mono, you might benefit in better detail retrieval from some kind of broad bump ups in the midrange.

 

[jae]

Also as a paid option, SoundID Reference has the feature of one-touch mono sum and channel swapping, as well as auto-eq profiles for various headphone models (might want to check if yours is supported). They have their own proprietary target curve for these, not flat but not harman either, but it's pretty decent compromise. The visual EQ/UI is great and it also has one of my favourite features of a wet/dry knob so you can easily tone down on the flatness correction or do an intermediate correction if you feel the preset profiles for your headphones alters the tone too much. Or you can simply make your own profiles or edit the default flat correction from scratch.

 

[gstephens]

Hi guys.

Do any of you have access to an M2 you could do a graph of noise on the output of the unit up to 192KHz? I'm interested to see how much noise there is up around 50KHz and what the frequency roll-off is like in 192KHz up there. I use interfaces for special purposes but utilise the output right up to 57-60KHz (in 192KHz sampling). At the moment I have PreSonus 26c's that work okay, but they have quite a roll off at 53-57KHz. My old Behringer UMC202HD (noisy input with also very quiet output level) is pretty flat frequency response wise. The PreSonus is much cleaner but higher roll-off. I'm hoping the Motu might be up to the task I want them for. Does anyone also know if the unbalanced outputs are DC Coupled or only the TRS balanced jacks? I'd like a square wave to come out like a square wave on the RCA outputs too, but not sure. I've contacted Motu as well.

Cheers,
Gavin.

 

[Dreyfus]

Can someone confirm that the M2 rolls off the bass on the XLR input with increasing gain?

Output: RME Babyface Pro, XLR Out
Input: Motu M2, XLR In, -3 dBFS

 

[phoenixsong]

Can someone confirm that the M2 rolls off the bass on the XLR input with increasing gain?

View attachment 202387

Output: RME Babyface Pro, XLR Out
Input: Motu M2, XLR In, -3 dBFS

According to Julian Krause there is a slight roll off, but unlike other interfaces it does not vary with gain changes. However, the video of his review was published at the beginning of Jan 2020 so it could have very well been a different revision

 

[jschwender]

A look to the 6263 gain amp shows that there is an AC coupling capacitor, which has a value of 470µF (C93, C100 on the PCB) which is in series with the gain setting resistor inside the chip, which varies from 250 K down to 45 Ohm with gain setting. The corner frequency from this varies from 0.001Hz to 7.5 Hz with the gain setting. Therefore it is clear that there must be a change in frequency response.

 

[jschwender]

Hi guys.

Do any of you have access to an M2 you could do a graph of noise on the output of the unit up to 192KHz? I'm interested to see how much noise there is up around 50KHz and what the frequency roll-off is like in 192KHz up there. I use interfaces for special purposes but utilise the output right up to 57-60KHz (in 192KHz sampling). At the moment I have PreSonus 26c's that work okay, but they have quite a roll off at 53-57KHz. My old Behringer UMC202HD (noisy input with also very quiet output level) is pretty flat frequency response wise. The PreSonus is much cleaner but higher roll-off. I'm hoping the Motu might be up to the task I want them for. Does anyone also know if the unbalanced outputs are DC Coupled or only the TRS balanced jacks? I'd like a square wave to come out like a square wave on the RCA outputs too, but not sure. I've contacted Motu as well.

Cheers,
Gavin.

This is a asymmetric loopback from line out to input. Sampling is 1M, Spectrum is 96 kHz. The 50 Hz peak is caused environmentally. Input oise is RMS 25,1 uV, the same input shortened gives the same value.

 

[Dreyfus]

A look to the 6263 gain amp shows that there is an AC coupling capacitor, which has a value of 470µF (C93, C100 on the PCB) which is in series with the gain setting resistor inside the chip, which varies from 250 K down to 45 Ohm with gain setting. The corner frequency from this varies from 0.001Hz to 7.5 Hz with the gain setting. Therefore it is clear that there must be a change in frequency response.

Thank you for the thorough explination!

 

[yllanos]

Will the Motu M2 work with a Bluesound NODE (2021) via USB?

 

[infinitesymphony]

Will the Motu M2 work with a Bluesound NODE (2021) via USB?

Maybe. I would recommend contacting Bluesound about specific compatibility questions. From the Bluesound NODE manual:

Officially, the Motu M2 supports Windows, Mac, and iOS devices.

 

[Trell]

Maybe. I would recommend contacting Bluesound about specific compatibility questions. From the Bluesound NODE manual:

View attachment 214436

Officially, the Motu M2 supports Windows, Mac, and iOS devices.

It does need a proprietary driver, though, as it is class compliant only on Mac and iOS.

 

[spnc]

An update to my ID4 vs Motu 2 decision over the headphone output. I ended up keeping the M2 over the ID4 even though the ID4 has a slightly more powerful headphone out. I really liked the sound signature on the M2 plus everything else- meters, mic monitoring etc , but the headphone out wasn't enough for me. So i grabbed a Monoprice Liquid Spark headphone amp on sale ($80 here in the states) . I decided there is no way i can drive my beloved K702s without an amp so now with a Motu M2 running RCA stereo out as a DAC to the Liquid Spark , the headphone output is amazing lol - no more "compressed" audio, no more distortion, just clear powerful sound. Very happy with the combo so far.
So the moment Motu builds a solid amp in their interfaces ill be all over that but until then i'm happy with the liquid spark + M2 combo. Just as a frame of reference for how frigging power hungry the K702s are, i have the liquid spark at like 80% volume (100% on Motu and windows volume) where the headphones are starting to get uncomfortably loud.

Same here, the external headphone amp made a world of difference vs. the 'compressed' 'distorted' USB-driven headphone amp of the Motu lacking power. Clear and powerful sound with 880/990 Pros 250 ohm finally.

Other than that, this Motu series really is a treat and def the best in its price category.

 

[spnc]

here this guy explains this a bit (minute 3:40). I am experiencing the same when using the front headphone jack and i would agree that using the rear ones are much better but they are not amplified so they would sound worse lol without an amp but better with a (balanced) amp. Unfortunately i dont have a balanced amp (not yet anyway) i just used the magni 3 amp
(24) MOTU M2 Audio Interface Review for Gamers, Streamers and Artists! - YouTube

For multiplayer gaming sessions which is my main use, the motu is fine. Its just to bad that the K702s are so darn hard to drive they are fantastic for gaming though. But with any other easier to drive HP , the motu is probably more than enough. the sound compression though is real , i can't really explain whats going on and its probably not noticeable unless u start doing some a/b testing with another amp or something

Nice video thank you, on point.

 

[spnc]

Found this on the internet :

The Motu M2 seems to distort (why ? is this normal on all headphone amplifiers from all other brands?) as you crank it up with a Beyerdynamic DT-770 Pro 80 Ohm.

The 32/80/250 ohm all claim you need 100mv.

My question is can you use for the Motu M2 a separate amplifier like the way it is described above ?

Can the Motu M2 support 250 ohm at all ? Or better stick with 80 ohm ?

What external amp do you recommend ?

Is there any good headphone that can be used with this interface ?

View attachment 123597

Very useful thanks.

 

[Evgeniy]

Anyone tested new version of M2 / M4 (with dedicated Cortex chip instead of Xmos in old version, same chip Motu use in mk5) with USB Audio Recorder Pro ?

 

[sai]

I recently purchased the new version M2 to use as ADC for my headphone measurement system, only to find out the bass roll-off is more severe comparing to other interfaces at the price and is also dependent to mic gain level. Guess I'll have to go for another product.

 

[bequietjk]

Has anyone been able to check the channel balance?

 

[companyja]

Has anyone been able to check the channel balance?

I'm late but the MOTU series uses digital volume attenuation. The channel balance is perfect on the stereo outputs.

 

[umbral]

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