Dave Rowles wrote:I've got a Clarett 4pre, and it's great. I use it with Logic and use a combination of Slate Digital plugins and Logic's own. Sound quality and build are great, it's a solid bit of kit, and has even gigged and had some rather significant flight hours too. Gigging it takes the place of outboard reverbs and FX when lower quality units are supplied, or are non-existent.
That said, it's hard to argue with the guys who've been in the game a little longer. I don't expect this to be the last interface I ever buy, so I'm not as worried about the longer term support than maybe others are. As it's USB C and class compliant, I expect it'll last quite a while though.
UAD is a great platform, and has some amazing plugins. So at the end of the day I suspect it all boils down to...what do you want to use it for?
I use my 4pre for location and small recordings. I've also got an X32 Rack married with a Midas DL32 stage box which I use for larger channel counts. The Clarett has the edge on the pre-amp quality, though the Midas ones aren't that far behind.
Hi Dave, and thanks everyone - basically the goal here is to record my music mostly at home (including bass, vocals, drums via sample, and hopefully some live drums). UAD does have some amazing plugins, but I still feel like I can hear the difference between their Softube Marshall Jubilee (which DOES rule) and a real amp.
Don't think I'll be using it in any live setting, but will likely bring it to various friends houses to record with. A whole rack unit is too much for what I'm trying to do, though I like the OctoPre as an option.
But lon story short, I've never really looked into RME. As IAA said, I was also looking at Apogee stuff but it's also way over my price range and again doesn't have MIDI I/O as I saw.
My best friend has become popular in the subgenre of "alternative metal" (think Jesu meets something doomy meets really pretty parts) and he just yells at me that all I need is something like a Tascam like he uses. But I'm pretty set on investing a little bit into this for features that would help any part of my process.
Going on RME's site now, will report back. Thanks, all!