I really hate changing gear that I am happy with due to lack of drivers because the manufacturer does not support the hardware with up to date software.

It’s totally fine if I change computer and my new computer can’t support the old hardware, like wrong bus, no ISA or PCI, correct FireWire or whatever comes in the future.

Do you feel the same way?

If we have an interface with good preamps, great A/D and it’s possible to connect it to the computer, why shouldn’t there be a supported driver?

Let’s gather all the manufacturers that support their hardware for a long time so we now where to place our money the next time we have to fork over the dough.
This could mean driver support but also class compliant interfaces.

I have added a few.
Some missing? Let me know and I’ll add them to the top post.
Don’t agree? Tell me why and we’ll figure it out.

Audio Interfaces:
RME
Metric Halo
Lynx
MOTU


Midi interfaces:
iConnectivity
ESI
MOTU

MOTU seem to have given up on keeping their MIDI interfaces drivers up to date for Apple computers:-(

Starts with R ends with E

Lynx, RME.

Which ones aren’t updated anymore but could be?

Like, could you tell me more? How about for Windows?

AFAIK no current or past MOTU MIDI interface is supported on Apple M1 or Big Sur.

My 2006 Motu Traveler works on my 2018 Macbook Pro with Catalina. Although with a series of adapters, converting firewire 400 to thunderbolt 3. :D
Don´t think it ever will work with M1 macs though. :D

I agree. So ...for audio, not midi. Microsoft, not Apple.....

Echo....devices released circa early 21st century and then later...currently running drivers on computers as of May 2021 .....win98, xp, vista, 7, 10....check, check, check, check, check. Some caveats for win98 systems for some of the interface models, but all "go" on current systems. Drivers work great on even the older echo hardware coupled with win systems built a minute ago.

Tascam us366....nice little swiss army knife interface that's sorta/kinda/sometimes out of production.....xp, vista, 7, 10.....check check check check. Drivers work fine.

Motu winxp, vista, 7, 10......check check check check

1996 Digital audio labs cards....well. Sorta/kinda.

I like the experience of decades of interface use (if wanted) with no insurmountable surprises occurring as the win os evolves. Which imo, bodes for a well-written driver by the interface maker that doesn't necessarily require constant reinvention.

My vote is also RME at the top of the heap for windows for basic day to day use.

RME for sure.

Which Apple computers? The ones with new M1 chips? If so, I'm sure they'll be along. Those chips are new.

They might have dropped PCI support for older interfaces for Apple's lack of PCI slots until the new towers showed up. I moved away from PCI years ago so not sure if expansion chassis would work or what the current state is driver wise.

I had some MOTU gear for over 10 years and the drivers always kept them working with new versions of DP and MacOS and new Macs, especially MIDI interfaces. I only upgraded to MIDI Express XT because I needed more MIDI I/O, not because of lack of driver support. Their MIDI drivers also include lots of vintage MIDI gear patches making it easy to use those things and pull the patches up in DP. I use a 1248 interface now over Thunderbolt 3 with a TB2-3 adapter. They also support USB but you get more latency.

Here's a link to check drivers.

All Apple computers running Big Sur ie all new Apple computers M1 or intel.

Sure, but it seems MOTU is still working on drivers.
So even though there are no drivers, yet, there probably will be.

But longevity is hard to decide. RME still supports all their products. For how long as the bare minimum support you think?

https://motu.com/en-us/news/motu-and-macos-big-sur/

What is your definition of "a long time"?

Standard depreciation on computer equipment is five years. This means that computer equipment is expected to last five years before it is carted off to salvage. It stands to reason that five years from the date an interface is sold new is a reasonable amount of time to expect it to stay current. Audio interfaces are tools, not jewels, and digital technology is a constantly moving target.

I personally don't want an company to support an audio interface longer than five years. I would rather they devote their resources to the next generation of products. Every dollar, hour, and employee put toward products that are past their lifecycle is a dollar, hour, and employee taken away from current and future products. After an interface has given me five years of reliable service, it owes me nothing.

Probably be along sooner than later. I doubt they're ignoring it. Their Mac base is probably far larger than PC since it was Mac only for most of the company's history. I'll drop them an email and see what they say as I'm in store for a new machine sooner than later.

I personally try to never upgrade an OS or use a brand new CPU on version 1 or a major revision. This is OS X - 11 after 20 years. Doing both at once? I'd try to avoid it like the plague. Too many problems arise with existing software and certain plug-ins or hardware might not work. I stick with a stable system a few years and only change when it's safe and the bugs have been worked out.

If someone uses a MOTU MIDI device, just hold off a bit. If you don't, or simply can't wait, and really want a major revision OS and chip in their first iteration, buy something else. I wish you the best of luck.

Oh?

My RME Digiface is now close to 20 (!) years old, I believe it was released in 2001. I still use it every day in conjunction with the RME PCIe card inside a Sonnet TB enclosure. Works like a dream with latencies rivalling the latest and greatest.

In fact, I know of no other interface with this amount of connectivity: 2X MIDI i/o, Wordclock, 3X ADAT i/o switchable to SPDIF, SPDIF coax.

There is, in fact, no other interface on the market I'd rather have.

Complaining about MOTU not having drivers out by now, means you aren't really familiar with MOTU's history. They might take a little bit, but MOTU ALWAYS comes through. My 17 year old 828MK2 STILL has a working driver in Big Sur, as does my 828X. Their pro audio interfaces JUST got their M1 drivers a couple weeks ago. They're working on it like they always are, just because they dont move at YOUR pace doesn't mean they're not one of the most supportive companies out there. Unless its RME, I dont care about the quality, MOTU is the first company I go to for interfaces. I know with them I won't buy something that will get dropped 2 years later and have to buy the new version.

You should come join the Akai family and see how they handle anything. Does this mean Ableton should be avoided because Live doesn't work on M1's yet? Cubase? Pro Tools? How are all your plugins doing on the ARM side of things? Why single out MOTU when there are tons of companies that haven't gotten their products updated yet.

At least 10-15 years. But I am open to suggestions.

Your other argument is just plain silly. But go ahead and buy a new audio interface every 5 years.

RME. Im using a more than 15 year old interface and still get driver updates. I can't recommend them enough.

this is where i start to wonder, does it make sense buying a slightly cheaper newer interface ever 5 years or one really good expensive interface and hope it lasts 15 years and drivers keep getting updated?

I won´t ever buy again M-audio due to lack of support.

telecode, my reply.

I would just by a good RME interface. As said, I have it more than 15 years now. Never had a driver problem, they are quick with update when it's technically possible. I think they were one of the first with Apple M1 support? Multiclient Asio works great too. Everything just works.

They are build to last in my experience and my old interface has still a lot better low latency performance than most other interfaces out there. And even when you have a broken audio port after 10 years they offer repair service even for old products.

I don't know any other computer related product with such a longevity.

I don't doubt it. I have a gen 1 NI Komplete 6 that is coming on 10 years now. I realize it's nowhere near the level of a RME, but I never had a driver problem with it and still works. It just can't do 192 sr.

I've had an RME HDSP9632 PCI (not PCIe!!!) since they were new in 2003. It has survived all my pcs since then. I still use it in my current setup, no problems at all. The only issue ever has been finding good and recent motherboards with one PCI-slot. But I have always been able to do so. Fingers crossed for the future...

Anyway, RME still provide driver updates for this now 18 years old interface. I think this is marvellous! I have said so before, and I'll say it again: this is the one and only piece of computer hardware I have ever owned that has proved to have a similar lifespan to other hardware. If I can find an up-to-date motherboard with a PCI slot for my next pc in a year or two, I will surely build that pc around my then 20 years old soundcard.

If not, I will definitely buy another, new RME interface. The annual cost of owning this excellent soundcard has been very low. And it has never caused me any trouble.

/Magnus

Well, if you think the same about software (OS) there would be no need to update.
If it works it works.

I'm curious, outside of M1 why does Apple keep coming out with new OS's that require new driver development?

If you have time to research, purchase, download, install, license and learn... every shiny little software doodad that comes along... I'm going to wager that making music and meeting deadlines isn't your primary focus.

Build em, patch em to date, lay in software, patch that, lock em down, and get to work.

Build a new one, side by side, before the old one dies, and cut over gradually and seamlessly, then re-task the old one.

Or... ride the swag train and call yourself a Pradoosa.

;-)

I have two RME HDSP 9652's (PCI, not PCIe) connected/running on my ASRock X570 Creator motherboard via a StarTech PEX2PCIE4L external enclosure.

Bad experience with M-Audio and Tascam. Good experience with MOTU. (No window experience here). MOTU might take a while, but they come through. I doubt we'll ever see anytime for old connections like PCI or FW, but new types of connection should be OK at some point. Note anything MOTU does for the M1 will likely be using Rosetta at first.

Having had a MTP-AV for 20+ years I am familiar with MOTU’s history.
MOTU may be working on drivers for M1s and Big Sur (I hope so) but it seems unconscionable to be advertising and selling new MIDI interfaces ‘for Mac and Windows’ * that aren’t currently able to used with a new Mac (intel or M1.
This is about MIDI interfaces. The compatibility of DAWs, audio interfaces and plugins is irrelevant to MIDI interfaces.
Quote from
https://motu.com/products/midi/xpressxt_usb/midi.html

Universal Audio decided to drop support for their FW Apollos and Satellites, which bugs me. I guess it wouldn’t be that much of a thorn in the side if they didn’t still market the satellite as a current product on their webpage. It’s clearly not that FW devices aren’t supported on Big Sur, they just decided not to do it and say that if people still want to use them they should use a computer with Catalina, which will put Logic users in a bad spot when the latest version eventually becomes BS only.