Topping e2x2 vs Motu m2
Hello everyone,
This is my first message on this forum, but I've been visiting it for a long time to get information, so thank you for that.
I own a MOTU M2, and I'm very happy with it since, for the way I use it, I don’t think I needed much more (I only use it for production and mixing, but I never record).
The thing is, I started reading about this interface and decided to buy it just in case I might need its features in the future (on paper, it’s a better product than the MOTU).
So, I’ve been testing it for 3-4 days, and everything works as it should. The device runs very well, and all the good things people say about it are true.
But then came the moment to compare the audio output with the MOTU, and that’s when I started noticing some things.
First, I leveled the output levels, both the main output (the MOTU has more) and the headphone output. Once I did that, I started to notice that in the low end, the sound of the Topping is different and the more information there is, the more noticeable it becomes.
It’s as if the sound is flatter, a bit thinner in that area, which makes the higher bass frequencies stand out a little more. It’s hard to explain, but compared to the MOTU, the MOTU seems to have more information in the low end, more body—it just sounds richer.
It’s not a dramatic difference or something you’d immediately notice on a first listen, but if you do an A/B comparison, the differences become clear. I produce electronic music, and that frequency range is critical for me. I feel like the MOTU gives me more in that area, whereas with the Topping, I feel like I’m losing something.
of course I’m not saying things have to sound like the MOTU, but at this point, I prefer it over the Topping.
So, im going to return it
I really wanted to keep it because it looks excellent and has a lot of possibilities, but for the way I use it, that slight difference in perception makes me have to return it.
I’m probably being a bit drastic because, as I said, it’s not something dramatic, and no one would notice it unless they could compare it with another interface. But since I did compare them, I’m sticking with the MOTU.
That being said, I would still recommend the Topping to anyone thinking about getting it because, beside from that aspect in the low end, I didn’t notice anything strange in the rest of the spectrum. Plus, in other aspects, it offers way more possibilities than the MOTU