Motu M4 Audio Interface Review

[JimmyBuckets]

https://www.adorama.com/brands/MOTU?origterm=motu&searchredirect=true
I got mine here last month. Not sure what inventory looks like now.

 

[DomieMic65]

guys sorry for the OT ...
I want to ask ... the loopback feature it's a driver thing or it needs hardware support too?
I have the SSL2+ and I think that it's the only thing that I find missing!
It's used mainly for Zoom/Webex ect and music listening.
If it's a driver feature I can hope that SSL will implement it at a point!
Thnx!

 

[Adahn]

guys sorry for the OT ...
I want to ask ... the loopback feature it's a driver thing or it needs hardware support too?
I have the SSL2+ and I think that it's the only thing that I find missing!
It's used mainly for Zoom/Webex ect and music listening.
If it's a driver feature I can hope that SSL will implement it at a point!
Thnx!

Just get Voicemeeter

 

[DomieMic65]

wow... thank you!!!!!!

any idea about the same thing in linux? I am a Linux Mint quite new user
SSL works fine with pulse or jack (for Zoom it's essential)

again sorry for the OT to all!

 

[Blumlein 88]

wow... thank you!!!!!!

any idea about the same thing in linux? I am a Linux Mint quite new user
SSL works fine with pulse or jack (for Zoom it's essential)

again sorry for the OT to all!

What is your problem using it in loopback? If it is a feedback type problem, just feed left to right and right to left.

 

[DomieMic65]

What is your problem using it in loopback? If it is a feedback type problem, just feed left to right and right to left.

I don't know how to do it on linux!
Is there a loopback setup on linux?
thnx

 

[Blumlein 88]

I don't know how to do it on linux!
Is there a loopback setup on linux?
thnx

By loopback are you referring to taking the output and feeding it back to the input? Is that what you wish to do and if not what is it you are trying to accomplish?

 

[Adahn]

I don't know how to do it on linux!
Is there a loopback setup on linux?
thnx

Of course you can do anything you want in linux. Depends how dirty you're willing to get your hands.

The best course would be through jack. I'll give you some pointers but you're gonna have to fiddle with it a bit obviously.

- Go to https//kx.studio and grab the repo for your distribution and optionally carla
- Install qjackctl and pulseaudio-module-jack from the new repo
- Make a script that creates an extra virtual in/out device
- Patch your mic and main sink to the virtual source
- Set zoom input/output to the virtual source/sink

That's the main idea. Gonna take a bit of reading to get it all sorted, but it's totally doable. I have it setup like this on a couple old laptops running mint 19. No problems whatsoever.

 

[bennetng]

By loopback are you referring to taking the output and feeding it back to the input? Is that what you wish to do and if not what is it you are trying to accomplish?

I think it means the digital loopback feature, ideally done with a hardware mixer to ensure minimum latency without relying on a DAW, virtual cables and such, in order to route different sources from different software that produce sound, like this:

 

[DomieMic65]

Of course you can do anything you want in linux. Depends how dirty you're willing to get your hands.

The best course would be through jack. I'll give you some pointers but you're gonna have to fiddle with it a bit obviously.

- Go to https//kx.studio and grab the repo for your distribution and optionally carla
- Install qjackctl and pulseaudio-module-jack from the new repo
- Make a script that creates an extra virtual in/out device
- Patch your mic and main sink to the virtual source
- Set zoom input/output to the virtual source/sink

That's the main idea. Gonna take a bit of reading to get it all sorted, but it's totally doable. I have it setup like this on a couple old laptops running mint 19. No problems whatsoever.

thank you so much for your reply but I'm quite new to linux (Mint) and I do not think I'm able to implement all these things.
I have installed qjackctl and doing my zoom meetings but after this all the steps you mention will require very deep reading from me and even more without having the ability to understand all the things I read... so I suppose no luck!

Well the main goal I want to achieve is to sync my audio (playing piano and/or singing or sound from a music player) realtime from me with the audio (singing) from my students!
I don't know if it's doable at all...

 

[Adahn]

Well the main goal I want to achieve is to sync my audio (playing piano and/or singing or sound from a music player) realtime from me with the audio (singing) from my students!
I don't know if it's doable at all...

A fellow piano teacher. I'd like to help but I'm afraid you're way over your head with what you're trying to achieve if you're new to all this. Syncing with a remote singer is an exercise in frustration generally speaking. There's a couple (paid) services like jamkazam for that. You could trial it, but I wouldn't expect miracles.

Anyway, don't wanna derail the thread. Feel free to pm me if you need help with jack and scripts.

 

[DomieMic65]

A fellow piano teacher. I'd like to help but I'm afraid you're way over your head with what you're trying to achieve if you're new to all this. Syncing with a remote singer is an exercise in frustration generally speaking. There's a couple (paid) services like jamkazam for that. You could trial it, but I wouldn't expect miracles.

Anyway, don't wanna derail the thread. Feel free to pm me if you need help with jack and scripts.

yes of course ... the OT posts are way too much already
Thank you!!!!!

 

[adg]

I have a Schiit Modius (XLR to RCA adapter) -> JDS El Amp II (used as a preamp and headphone amp) -> Power Monitors. I have the RCA output of the Modius going to a Bottlehead Crack -> HD650.

I am considering streamlining my setup and getting some ADC inputs I'd like to have by replacing the Modius and JDS El Amp II with a Motu M4. That will mean I'll lose my coveted large desktop volume knob (I previously used an Emotiva Control Freak) and the ability to power headphones with the El Amp II, but I can use my monitors with proper XLR cables, and this Motu is designed to work with powered monitors.

Does the Motu 4 have a decent headphone amp compared to my JDS El Amp II if I don't want to use the Bottlehead? I currently only use the Bottlehead with my HD650, but I’m guessing I could use the Motu M4 with my Shure SE535, which would be nice. I’m guessing the measurements from Amir’s reviews of both products can be compared, but I’m an ASR/audio science newbie and the technical measurements are above me for the time being.

Also, I've recently started using Amir's HD650 equalizer presets and would like to try setting up some presets for a pair of Genelec 8020B's I have coming tomorrow. If I use the Motu M4 monitor out to my speakers, and line out RCA to my Bottlehead, is there any way to configure Peace or Equalizer APO to use one preset for the monitor out, and another for line out? Are both outputs addressable in Windows?

I'm hoping to avoid having to remember to switch my equalizers when going between my Bottlehead and monitors. Speaking of which, I'm curious if it would be possible to not apply equalizers to the headphone out on the Motu. I'm new to Peace and Equalizer APO and don't own a Motu, so I don't know what’s possible.

Thanks!

 

[Adahn]

Question for M4 owners. How many playback and recording devices you get in windows sound control panel? Do you get playback/recording 1/2 and 3/4 for wdm access to all ins/outs or just 1 device?

 

[JimmyBuckets]

It shows 1/2 and 3/4 but depends on your software how you can use them. In ARTA measurement software I can only use 1/2 or 3/4.

 

[Adahn]

It shows 1/2 and 3/4 but depends on your software how you can use them. In ARTA measurement software I can only use 1/2 or 3/4.

Ok, that's great. And what about recording devices? Do you get an extra device for the loopback or it's looping back on 1/2?

 

[artburda]

Ok, that's great. And what about recording devices? Do you get an extra device for the loopback or it's looping back on 1/2?

You get 1/2 front inputs, 3/4 back inputs, 5/6 loopback, 7/8 loopback mix (1/2 + 5/6)

 

[Adahn]

You get 1/2 front inputs, 3/4 back inputs, 5/6 loopback, 7/8 loopback mix (1/2 + 5/6)

Perfect. Was under the impression they only did 2 in 2 out, but these are some proper wdm drivers for a change.

Thanks.

 

[Sentenza]

Installed the driver on my windows 8.1 machine, restarted it and tried to listen to some music in musicbee and foobar. At first with the asio driver. When playing the first track after powering on the M4 there is no music for about 3 seconds. When I change to tracks with different sample rates (44.1->96, 96->44.1) it takes the device a few seconds to start playing after the track is already running. I started to hear the music, but it was heavily distorted. Only after I double clicked on the tracks for a second time, then the music would start to play like it should. And in foobar the wasapi driver was unable to play any music without clicks and pops in the first 2-3 seconds of playback.

Similar story on my girlfriend's mac machine (high sierra) when using the VOX player. When changing to tracks with a different sample rate than the one before, there is no music for about 3 seconds.

Any ideas why that is?

Edit: Spotify and Youtube work flawlessly

I had a similar situation with the Motu M2, described here in post#9. What I did was to add delay when changing the sample rate, explained it post#12. It still takes a while before the music plays though.

Is this normal behaviour when using the Motu M2/M4 to playback music? Are all units like that? I mean, you found a workaround but that can't be the long-term solution. It's unusable like that.

All units are like that. I say that because I have had more than one M2 units. I asked an expert/manufacturer about this, he said the M2 basically "restarted" whenever it has to change the sample rate. This is a USB-powered device, which has limited power allocated to its DSP. All the other DACs with a switch power supply that I had did not have such issue.

By any chance, has this issue been fixed by a driver update?

 

[JimmyBuckets]

I'm using ASIO4ALL drivers and it seems to fix my Windows issues.