MOTU UltraLite-mk5 Review (Audio Interface)

[sarieri]

Did anyone ever figure out how to connect Ultralite mk5 through ip in Cuemix 5? Seems odd that in the setting menu of Ultralite mk5, the ip there is something like "169.254.xxx.xxx". Doesn't this mean the device is not assigned with an ip address by the DHCP server?

Hey guys, I figured that someone had found a way to connect UltralIte mk5 through ethernet. Here is a very detailed tutorial: https://github.com/jpcarrascal/motu-ultralite-mk5-bridge
I tried it on a raspberry pi4B and it worked out.

 

[somebodyelse]

I was expecting a tutorial on configuring a network bridge interface, but it's a very simple proxy in node.js. I'd guess nginx can probably do it in a few lines of config too. Good to have a documented working example rather than speculation though.

 

[Evgenioni]

Hi! It can be done much easier. You need:
1. Forward the card port to the ethernet IP.
2. Distribute the application via http

You can use the standard tools of your OS.

I did it with nginx, it is an http-server and it can port mapping.
The archive has a configured nginx-server for Windows. I think that it can be configured similarly for other systems. nginx is cross-platform.
Just replace in file "conf\nginx.conf" on line 18 "xxx..." with the network address of your sound card. The network address is written in the About menu:

In Windows, you need to give permissions to the application:

Now you can manage your sound card remotely on your network.

The sound card supports only one network connection, so it can only be controlled remotely or only in Cuemix

 

[Davide]

Hey guys, I figured that someone had found a way to connect UltralIte mk5 through ethernet. Here is a very detailed tutorial: https://github.com/jpcarrascal/motu-ultralite-mk5-bridge
I tried it on a raspberry pi4B and it worked out.

If I understand correctly, this should allow you to control the parameters of the Mk5 but not to send audio like real network interfaces. It's correct?

 

[sarieri]

If I understand correctly, this should allow you to control the parameters of the Mk5 but not to send audio like real network interfaces. It's correct?

That’s right

 

[sarieri]

Hi! It can be done much easier. You need:
1. Forward the card port to the ethernet IP.
2. Distribute the application via http

You can use the standard tools of your OS.

I did it with nginx, it is an http-server and it can port mapping.
The archive has a configured nginx-server for Windows. I think that it can be configured similarly for other systems. nginx is cross-platform.
Just replace in file "conf\nginx.conf" on line 18 "xxx..." with the network address of your sound card. The network address is written in the About menu:
View attachment 273024
In Windows, you need to give permissions to the application:
View attachment 273027
Now you can manage your sound card remotely on your network.

The sound card supports only one network connection, so it can only be controlled remotely or only in Cuemix

Should we add this as a module of nginx in raspi?

Edit:I figured this way works just as well. Just need to make sure you install usbip on your raspi otherwise upstream will always be in timed out status.

 

[sarieri]

Can someone check if the method post in #463 works for them on rpi4? It seems like usbip is not the only driver needed. Nginx has been complaining about upstream timed out in its log.

 

[Evgenioni]

if the sound card has created a network interface and it responds, then the task of ngins is to redirect to this interface. I met this error in the work of a proxy or fastCGI. does the card respond to a ping at its ip address? if the sound card is not connected, then such errors still do not occur. I checked in Ubuntu, everything worked =) please send log and config =)

 

[sarieri]

if the sound card has created a network interface and it responds, then the task of ngins is to redirect to this interface. I met this error in the work of a proxy or fastCGI. does the card respond to a ping at its ip address? if the sound card is not connected, then such errors still do not occur. I checked in Ubuntu, everything worked =) please send log and config =)

I cannot ping the ip address of the sound card (169.254.243.89) from raspi. I think that's why the upstream is timed out in log. Log is here:

Edit: Somehow it works again. The only thing I did was install network-manager and lsusb. Weird.

 

[Evgenioni]

Apparently, the cause of the error is a problem with the network connection. I was able to reproduce the issue. I don’t have rpi, I don’t know how to set up a network there. In Ubuntu, everything worked out of the box.

 

[Music1969]

Input impedance for line input is 1 million ohms ??

 

[Trell]

Input impedance for line input is 1 million ohms ??

View attachment 274888

You’ll have to check in the manual if the input impedance changes when set to line or instrument.

 

[redeyes]

There is no change from line to instrument that I know of.

 

[mdsimon2]

As mentioned by @Trell input impedance is well defined in the back of the user guide. It depends on input used and on the mic inputs it depends on whether you use XLR or TRS in combo jack.

Mic inputs (1-2)
XLR: 2.8K
TRS: 2M balanced / 1M unbalanced

Line inputs (3-8)
TRS: 20K balanced

Michael

 

[yungmatsu]

Which of the MOTU UltraLite-mk5 and RME Babyface PRO FS interfaces has the best mic preamps and inputs, please? I want the loudest mic preamp, and I want the greatest gain attainable. I continue to read online that the MK5 has a gain of +74db. However, I'm a little confused about the Babyface Pro FS because some websites claim that the microphone inputs have a gain of 65 dB, while RME's websites claim that it has a gain range of +76 dB. What is the truth?

I will be using Lewitt LCT 540 s condenser mic and i need to know which interface has cleaner/high quality mic preamps.

 

[pos]

You don’t need that much gain with a condenser mic.
Your mic has a sensitivity of -28dBV/Pa, compared to for example -59dBV/Pa for an sm7b.
That is a whopping 30dB difference.

 

[redeyes]

The MK5 has insane and I mean INSANE levels of gain on the mic inputs. Very low noise as well. Check julian krause on youtube to find out.

 

[yungmatsu]

You don’t need that much gain with a condenser mic.
Your mic has a sensitivity of -28dBV/Pa, compared to for example -59dBV/Pa for an sm7b.
That is a whopping 30dB difference.

The MK5 has insane and I mean INSANE levels of gain on the mic inputs. Very low noise as well. Check julian krause on youtube to find out.

I did see that julian krause video and i'm confused about the graphs cause it's hard to find correct info about the mic preamps of babyface pro fs online, every website says it has either 65db or 76db, it's weird

i don't need that much i guess but are the RME Babyface pro FS preamps less good than the MK5? Would i hear a difference?

 

[redeyes]

It seems the MK5 has near the top level preamps you can buy. There is only a hair of roll off in the sub-subs.

 

[Trell]

I did see that julian krause video and i'm confused about the graphs cause it's hard to find correct info about the mic preamps of babyface pro fs online, every website says it has either 65db or 76db, it's weird

i don't need that much i guess but are the RME Babyface pro FS preamps less good than the MK5? Would i hear a difference?

The RME Babyface Pro FS has a PAD that can be activated for loud sound sources.