I've been a MOTU guy since the 90s. People smirk, but I don't care. Avid can kick rocks. Digidesign/Avid screwed me over multiple times and I was done with their shenanigans 25 years ago. I'm very happy with my 1248s and the AVB stuff.
Yeah, i've been burned before too, and have learned that often the component/design side isn't anything remarkable. MOTU on the other hand is just killing it. Glad you like the video!
Ive Always loved MOTU... First had a DIGI 001, then Had a Few 828's / MkII previously.... NOW Running 2 x Apogee ensemble FW (since release..Great sounding kit) .. But, Due to OSX 12 dropping Core Audio system wide support, Ive been looking into new i/o's....RME etc... Guess, Ill becoming back home to MOTU. Im actually excited. (Oh yeh.. just landed on your channel... Subbed.. Happy New Year!))
Oh awesome!! Welcome in! Happy New Year! Yes, I'm kinda sold on buying one of the 828's myself. This whole teardown made me realize how good it is for the price. I am interested at trying to get my hands on some other audio interfaces out there to see what they are, and compare.
Despite the relatively low price, this is not a prosumer interface, this is a pro interface. The Ethernet port supports the AVB protocol and you can receive/transmit through a cat6 cable up to 128 digital output channels at up to 24bit@192kHz and can receive up to 128 digital inputs at up to 24bit 192kHz. If you use it in a live setup, you have an internal mixer with some plugins that you can control with an iPad ( these plugins are not studio quality like those running on UA Apollo but can be useful for some people). This interface has a Thunderbolt interface so you can use it to connect to your host computer and have hundreds of channels going through it while being low latency.
Great video very intersting!! MOTU have always been known to use the best in class chips at the time of taking a product to market. They were literally the 2nd company ever to make mass market audio/midi interfaces in the 1980s. MOTU also never hide in product materials what converters they use. The advertise they use the ESS Sabre and AKM While other companies will go to great lengths to hide what D/A or A/D chips they use (like UA, Lavry, and even Focusrite) MOTU have never been shy about what they use. They also have pretty good build quality and I still have a couple traveler units from 2000 that would still work today in class compliant mode with an adapter of course LOL.
@@SydHeresy There is a newest version of the 828 with the next GEN Sabre 32 chips but lacks the thunderbolt and AVB options of the last generation. But its a good one for the price!
Audio engineer over here as well (live events)! Glad you liked it! The response to this video has been really great, and I’m thinking I should do more of these.
@@SydHeresy Also live concerts here, FOH. You definitely should do some teardowns of live gear. This one triggered me because I'm building my own Audio Interface. It is a 2CH, channel strip (PreAmp, Compressor and EQ. And then can go analog out or 2CH Interface. Mainly because I do not need more. But my dream is to build like.8in/8out. With DSP of course.
@@rjb7569 I’m kinda curious about that myself. I would guess they didn’t make massive changes to the architecture since they kept the name, but I guess I’ll need to find out. All those chips are still available on Mouser; so it shouldn’t have to change over availability.
@@SydHeresy It's good to have a knowledgeable guy able to review the innards of the tech. It's beyond me. The current 828 appears to be my finalist but I'm suffering from information paralyzation. Your dissection helps solidify what I've been thinking about interfaces 1K and under. Some of the other companies (Audient, Presonus, for example), are not that forthcoming in what chips, etc., that they use. Thanks for your presentation! Very helpful, and thorough.
@ I’m glad you found it helpful. I’m in a similar boat as you when it comes to audio interfaces, and opening this up pretty much sold me on getting one.
They drop the AVB port on the new 828 which is a major let down IMO. The AVB lets you add other AVB interfaces and is not limited like the ADAT protocol.
I've been a MOTU guy since the 90s. People smirk, but I don't care. Avid can kick rocks. Digidesign/Avid screwed me over multiple times and I was done with their shenanigans 25 years ago. I'm very happy with my 1248s and the AVB stuff.
Yeah, i've been burned before too, and have learned that often the component/design side isn't anything remarkable. MOTU on the other hand is just killing it. Glad you like the video!
Ive Always loved MOTU... First had a DIGI 001, then Had a Few 828's / MkII previously.... NOW Running 2 x Apogee ensemble FW (since release..Great sounding kit) .. But, Due to OSX 12 dropping Core Audio system wide support, Ive been looking into new i/o's....RME etc...
Guess, Ill becoming back home to MOTU. Im actually excited.
(Oh yeh.. just landed on your channel... Subbed.. Happy New Year!))
Oh awesome!! Welcome in! Happy New Year! Yes, I'm kinda sold on buying one of the 828's myself. This whole teardown made me realize how good it is for the price. I am interested at trying to get my hands on some other audio interfaces out there to see what they are, and compare.
Despite the relatively low price, this is not a prosumer interface, this is a pro interface. The Ethernet port supports the AVB protocol and you can receive/transmit through a cat6 cable up to 128 digital output channels at up to 24bit@192kHz and can receive up to 128 digital inputs at up to 24bit 192kHz. If you use it in a live setup, you have an internal mixer with some plugins that you can control with an iPad ( these plugins are not studio quality like those running on UA Apollo but can be useful for some people). This interface has a Thunderbolt interface so you can use it to connect to your host computer and have hundreds of channels going through it while being low latency.
Agreed, it's a real bargain for what all you get.
Great video very intersting!! MOTU have always been known to use the best in class chips at the time of taking a product to market. They were literally the 2nd company ever to make mass market audio/midi interfaces in the 1980s. MOTU also never hide in product materials what converters they use. The advertise they use the ESS Sabre and AKM While other companies will go to great lengths to hide what D/A or A/D chips they use (like UA, Lavry, and even Focusrite) MOTU have never been shy about what they use. They also have pretty good build quality and I still have a couple traveler units from 2000 that would still work today in class compliant mode with an adapter of course LOL.
Yeah, they are definitely a great value for the quality that you're getting. I'm sold as a customer. Just need to go buy one lol
@@SydHeresy There is a newest version of the 828 with the next GEN Sabre 32 chips but lacks the thunderbolt and AVB options of the last generation. But its a good one for the price!
I was looking at that one. I want to go with USB-C option for future proofing.
MOTU *GEIL!*
@@wolfgangmerx TURBO MOTU GEIL!!!!
I'm sure Tom Evans would have something to say about this!
Oh man, i hope I don't cross paths with that crap! 🤣
@@SydHeresy Me too! Cheers and enjoy the holidays. :)
@marstedt... Beer through Nose....... (Yes its Midday here , Jan 1st..... So beers incoming and outgoing ;) )
As an audio engineer, tearing down audio equipment triggers my button! Thanks for the video
Audio engineer over here as well (live events)! Glad you liked it! The response to this video has been really great, and I’m thinking I should do more of these.
@@SydHeresy Also live concerts here, FOH. You definitely should do some teardowns of live gear. This one triggered me because I'm building my own Audio Interface. It is a 2CH, channel strip (PreAmp, Compressor and EQ. And then can go analog out or 2CH Interface. Mainly because I do not need more. But my dream is to build like.8in/8out. With DSP of course.
The channels in question to/from the DAC and ADC connect to the 2 headphones outputs and the integrated talkback mic
Ahhh the headpohnes! I forgot about those!
I took a shot every time you said "Thunderbolt" ... or was it "Firewire?"
Good thing it wasn't "uh". You'd be dead!
🤣
The 828es has a Thunderbolt interface, no firewire. It also has a USB 2.0 for those who don’t have thunderbolt.
What about the newest 828?
Same chips, etc.?
@@rjb7569 I’m kinda curious about that myself. I would guess they didn’t make massive changes to the architecture since they kept the name, but I guess I’ll need to find out. All those chips are still available on Mouser; so it shouldn’t have to change over availability.
@@SydHeresy
It's good to have a knowledgeable guy able to review the innards of the tech. It's beyond me.
The current 828 appears to be my finalist but I'm suffering from information paralyzation.
Your dissection helps solidify what I've been thinking about interfaces 1K and under. Some of the other companies (Audient, Presonus, for example), are not that forthcoming in what chips, etc., that they use.
Thanks for your presentation! Very helpful, and thorough.
@ I’m glad you found it helpful. I’m in a similar boat as you when it comes to audio interfaces, and opening this up pretty much sold me on getting one.
They drop the AVB port on the new 828 which is a major let down IMO. The AVB lets you add other AVB interfaces and is not limited like the ADAT protocol.
very cool thank you. would love to see the UAD Apollo! :)
oh that's a good idea! I wonder if I could fine one to borrow....