RELIABLE budget audio interface

[ef37a]

So i ended up picking up a motu m2 from thomann at a good price, then like Arpangel found a clarett 2pre usb at cex (ie second hand, but cost less than the motu)

have a month to decide which to return. Given that clarett was bought from a less reputable source, are there any issues i should look for? The one thing that stood out was how low the gain was, especially when comparing the two, but it seems to be a somewhat common complaint. only have one mic and my headphones

The motu seems to capture less dynamic range, with a warmer and more 'rounded' sound (that some might prefer?), but both are great really

Luurve to know how you are determining the dynamic range of those interfaces!

Not surprised that the M2 has a bit more gain it is easily good enough to use with a dynamic on speech. maybe even an SM7B?

The Clarett obviously has many more inputs than the MOTU. Might that be an issue in the future?

Dave.

[Drew Stephenson]

Others here have mentioned the 'gain bunching' (where a lot of the gain in in the last third/quarter of the dial) on the Clarett devices previously I think.

[James Perrett]

The one thing that stood out was how low the gain was, especially when comparing the two, but it seems to be a somewhat common complaint. only have one mic and my headphones

The gain is almost certainly there - but you have to be prepared to turn the gain control almost to max to find it. This is a very common problem with preamps that try to cover a wide gain range with one gain control while only using standard parts.

[sonics]

The motu seems to capture less dynamic range, with a warmer and more 'rounded' sound (that some might prefer?), but both are great really

How and what did you use for the comparison? Is that simply your impression, or do you have data to confirm that?

[tea for two]

I just make it up.

I wear makeup. Too much info for ere foruume

[tea for two]

I just purchased Audient iD4 mk2 today couldn't pass it up at the price it was in camden cash converters with 12months warranty. I had iD4 mk1 before, mk2 is supposed to be an improvement all round, it's stated specs read as pretty neat A-D 120dB, D-A 125dB, EIN -129dB.
https://support.audient.com/hc/en-us/ar ... ifications

To my surprise iD4 mk2 powers straight from
my android phone redmi note 10pro usbC port.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XmWPSq ... p=drivesdk
I can noodle Guitar Hi-Z input and use condenser phantom powered both at the same time thru iD4 mk2 into redmi note 10pro just as is, no external battery no powered usb hub.

[Qstick333]

I have a Motu M4 that has been bulletproof and great drivers, low latency.

As an added bonus, the company is quick with a response if needed.

[Arpangel]

…………….posted by BoB Bickerton on SoS foruume Bob as reputable as Hugh.

Just to be clear, I wouldn’t consider myself nearly as ‘reputable’ as Hugh……… the principal difference being that Hugh knows his stuff, whereas I just make it up. In fact a lot of what I do know has been gleaned from these forums, and much of that from Hugh himself!

Bob

On the contrary Bob, you just "don’t" make it up.
You make valuable observations based on experience, that I can certainly identify with, you do "know your stuff"

[Bob Bickerton]

Well maybe I was being too coy, but I do feel uncomfortable being put in the same category as Hugh.

Having said that, I did make the bit up about me making it up - so there's proof

Bob

[Arpangel]

Well maybe I was being too coy, but I do feel uncomfortable being put in the same category as Hugh.

Having said that, I did make the bit up about me making it up - so there's proof

Bob

No one is in the same category as Hugh, he probably thinks the same about me.

[tea for two]

Dear Bob you are World Class as a Classical Choral recording engineer.
Anybody that's been on SOS Forum a little while is aware of this.
I recall dear Hugh saying on ere foruume his dear wife thinks Hugh is always wrong.

[tea for two]

Audient iD4 mkII I purchased yesturday its stated claimed A-D 120dB places it in top 10, D-A 125.5dB places it in top 3 of Hugh's converter measurements list.
https://www.soundonsound.com/forum/view ... hp?t=86761

https://support.audient.com/hc/en-us/ar ... ifications
I don't have the gear to verify iD4 mkII A-D D-A. Still for an interface £120 new, £70 I paid it's quite something. Also stated claimed EIN -129dB.

[James Perrett]

Those figures look like they may not be measured using the standard measurements that are normally quoted around here. When looking at EIN specs, the termination resistance and bandwidth must also be quoted. If they don't quote those then the spec is meaningless - and I'm surprised that such a meaningless spec appears on an Audient page.

Also, Hugh's dynamic range measurements are done to the AES17 standard. Audient don't quote any standard on that page.

[Wonks]

Julian Kraus measured the more expensive iD44 Mk II inputs as having a 116dB dynamic range A-weighted with 20Hz-20kHz range and a termination of 0 ohms.

119dB if you used the return input to bypass the preamp with a line-level signal.

And once again I realise just how much I hate using the Audient web site. It is soooooooo slow. Too many fancy graphics, not enough basic info.

[hi53610]

How and what did you use for the comparison? Is that simply your impression

Just my impression. Both are totally fine for my needs, but I need to return one of them

Others here have mentioned the 'gain bunching' (where a lot of the gain in in the last third/quarter of the dial) on the Clarett devices previously I think.

The gain is almost certainly there - but you have to be prepared to turn the gain control almost to max to find it.

At max gain it's still quite a bit less than the motu, but given how gain bunching is common observation I guess it's unlikely there's an issue with my specific device. Was just worried cause it's used and from cex. Thanks!

Probably gonna return the motu, which was more expensive

[tea for two]

AES17 measurements missing for iD4 mkII so I put in a request to Audient.
AES17 measurements are included for iD44 mkII.
https://support.audient.com/hc/en-us/ar ... fications-

I'd rather trust Hugh's AES17 measurements than Audient's, still I wouldn't mind reading Audient's AES17 measurements for iD4 mkII.

[James Perrett]

And once again I realise just how much I hate using the Audient web site. It is soooooooo slow. Too many fancy graphics, not enough basic info.

Tea 4 two's support links are better - but the iD44 spec still doesn't give the termination, weighting and bandwidth for the EIN measurement.

[tea for two]

For pluggin in Electric Guitar : Hi-Z input impedance possibly worth considering.

Pluggin my BC Rich Warlock N.J. series into :
Audient iD4 mkII specs say 0.5MegΩ input impedance for Hi-Z the sound remains polite no matter how much I crank up Gain. Clarett 2pre specs say 0.6MegΩ input impedance for Hi-Z.
Zoom U44 specs say 1.1MegΩ input impedance for Hi-Z the sound I can get it to growl by cranking up Gain.
So I'd say if we are into playing heevee growly Guitar styles possibly worth checking whether the audio interface Hi-Z input impedance spec goes to 1MegΩ.

[Arpangel]

For pluggin in Electric Guitar : Hi-Z input impedance possibly worth considering.

Pluggin my BC Rich Warlock N.J. series into :
Audient iD4 mkII specs say 0.5MegΩ input impedance for Hi-Z the sound remains polite no matter how much I crank up Gain. Clarett 2pre specs say 0.6MegΩ input impedance for Hi-Z.
Zoom U44 specs say 1.1MegΩ input impedance for Hi-Z the sound I can get it to growl by cranking up Gain.
So I'd say if we are into playing heevee growly Guitar styles possibly worth checking whether the audio interface Hi-Z input impedance spec goes to 1MegΩ.

Totally irrational, and a personal thing, but Audient have always passed me by, most of it looks like a bit of tacky 80’s Sharp hi-fi, the spec's are good, but not spec-tacular
They aren’t an RME, or a Behringer, they inhabit that nether-land in between where choices are extremely hard to make, in that case, looks can be a deal breaker, as there's nothing else left to choose, apart from I/O etc.

[Sam Spoons]

That's a good point, I am definitely influenced by looks, hopefully not to the point where ot compromises function but, yes, looks do matter...

[Kwackman]

Totally irrational, and a personal thing, but Audient have always passed me by, most of it looks like a bit of tacky 80’s Sharp hi-fi, the spec's are good, but not spec-tacular
They aren’t an RME, or a Behringer, they inhabit that nether-land in between where choices are extremely hard to make, in that case, looks can be a deal breaker, as there's nothing else left to choose, apart from I/O etc.

To put the case for the defence, I think the iD22 looks fine, with nothing to upset the fashion police! The specs probably out perform anything else in my chain, and the combo of excellant mic pre-amps (other opinions are available ) and monitor controller have made this a great VFM box on my desktop, where it's been performing nicely for many years.

[Arpangel]

Totally irrational, and a personal thing, but Audient have always passed me by, most of it looks like a bit of tacky 80’s Sharp hi-fi, the spec's are good, but not spec-tacular
They aren’t an RME, or a Behringer, they inhabit that nether-land in between where choices are extremely hard to make, in that case, looks can be a deal breaker, as there's nothing else left to choose, apart from I/O etc.

To put the case for the defence, I think the iD22 looks fine, with nothing to upset the fashion police! The specs probably out perform anything else in my chain, and the combo of excellant mic pre-amps (other opinions are available ) and monitor controller have made this a great VFM box on my desktop, where it's been performing nicely for many years.

As I said, it's a personal thing, I like 80’s hi-fi!
But my tastes about certain things tend be utilitarian military/industrial no messing, very functional, or, totally OTT like 70’s hi-fi, some things just straddle an area in between, and their seems to be this trend that’s been with us for a long time to be very post-modern, trying to please everyone mixing styles that just go against rather than compliment each other, like furniture with a metal frame, but there’s a bit of wood in there , and some fabric, it's a messy compromise like a generic international hotel lobby, you could be anywhere, basically I hate post-modernism, it goes against all I believe in, and like.
Great style for me ended around the late 80’s, after that it was all about blending in, not standing out, and it all became very boring.

[James Perrett]

Totally irrational, and a personal thing, but Audient have always passed me by, most of it looks like a bit of tacky 80’s Sharp hi-fi, the spec's are good, but not spec-tacular
They aren’t an RME, or a Behringer, they inhabit that nether-land in between where choices are extremely hard to make,

The thing about Audient is that the iD line all have top class mic preamps - much closer to RME than Behringer. Audient's founder, Dave Dearden, had run DDA previously who had a good reputation for mid level professional mixing consoles.

[Kwackman]

As I said, it's a personal thing, I like 80’s hi-fi!
But my tastes about certain things tend be utilitarian military/industrial no messing....

That's fair enough, but this isn't the lounge, where our more irrational/rational/fanciful opinions can be aired and argued about, but not to the general public!
THIS forum, AFAIK, is readable by anyone. So, when someone with in excess of 15,500 posts is laying negative vibes about an item with not much actual evidence, it might sway someone not familiar with your ways ( )from buying a very decent bit of kit.
That's why I responded, just trying to balance things a bit, in case someone comes across this thread via a google search.

[ef37a]

"That's why I responded, just trying to balance things a bit, in case someone comes across this thread via a google search."
A very fair point Kwackman. I recall some years ago that the Mackie Big Knob (active) some how gained a bad reputation for having a "coloured" sound and yet Paul White IIRC, reviewed one and reported no such issue. He even bought one I understand? Therefore, for many years what seems to have been a perfectly decent piece of kit was damned by a chance remark that gained traction in forums (not SoS though I do not think?).

The weird thing is that the BK passive IS in some ways flawed, a fact you can discover with nothing more than a DMM on its Ohms range! Under certain circumstance the controller can cause distortion. It certainly 'unbalances' any source fed to it!

Dave.