I've never seen a SINGLE person who doesn't think this is the most incredible piece of gear made to date..... Is it really that good ? Even mastering engineers are using it for it's conversion ? Hard to believe a box with boutique pre's, converters, and dsp, all in one.... who wants to buy my AD-16x so I can help finance this thing ?? heh

I have scoured the internet..Its true, Not even a single person... .. will have to sell my car and move in to a smaller place to buy this thing.. ...damn...

I'm in the very early stages of grasping the power of this thing. I am not an authority at all. In fact, quite the opposite. I'm a neophyte.

I will be VERY HONEST if I find any shortcomings/grievances/suggested improvements.

But so far... my characterization of the ULN8 is simploe: this is one of those purchases that makes you feel very, very smart.

- c

That being said, the thing I had before, the Prism Orpheus, was a stunner as well.

It's a good time to be alive!

- c

I'm having a problem right now because my mixes are coming back from mastering with degraded clarity and separation. I've gone over their equipment lists and the weak links appears to be conversion quality. I'm thinking of looking for a ME with a ULN-8 so I can stop wasting money.

Even though I don't use half the features, or a computer, it is my choice for investment, or I would have bought something else.
Thank you Metric Halo, and thanks to all the folks on Gearslutz for making this such a democratic forum.

I can't comment on the pres, haven't even used them yet, but when the studio I work at switched from an Apogee AD8000 to the ULN8, the conversion quality was the thing I noticed. I haven't heard any REALLY high end conversion, but comparing it to the Apogee, it sounded clear and bright, and the Apogee sounded smeared and more narrow. The Metric Halo mixer interface is also really easy to work with as well.

For those scoffing at the price: If you're buying high end stuff anyway, the ULN8 just may be the way to go. I'm setting up a modular 24 track system with 8 channel pre's & 8 channel converter per case. Let's look at an example. I'm looking to order a Mytek $3000 with ADAT i/o $500 and pairing it with 8 channels high end pres. API $5000, 2 Vintech 473's $5000, 4 Pacifica's $8000. We're at $8500 without batting an eye. I just pulled the trigger on a ULN2 for part of my system, after agonizing over all of the possibilities. It replaced Mytek firewire card $700, AEA TRP $850 & SPL2 control $650 on my "wish list". That is $2200 worth of stuff for those of you keeping track. And I can lightpipe the Mytek into the ULN2. If I didn't already have a bunch of outboard stuff, along with everyone wanting something for nothing on the used market right now, I'd have 3 or 4 ULN8's next week. Story of my life! That Beach Noise rack is ridiculous! What...no back up?

Doug

Dave Davis in Cincinnati, Oh. USA.

I heard a rumor that this guy just got one:
Silver Sonya Recording & Mastering Studios

There's Dave Davis, Charlie Pilzer at Airshow, Michael Romanowski, and a bunch of others. If you're with a label on UMG, it'll probably pass through one…
METRIC HALO GEAR A STAPLE AT UNIVERSAL MASTERING STUDIOS

Allen

These boxes destroy my old setup....

Hd accel ad-da 16x shadowhills equinox + various boutique pres.

Welcome to the new paradigm.

I want to ask uln-8 users.

You mixdown in MIO Console?
Or Para out and does make analog summing?

I must sell my X-Desk to purchase a uln-8.
Does MIO Console surpass analog summing?

Sometimes I mixdown in the MIO console when I'm feeling good. If I'm lazy I'll just sum through it. In my experience it surpasses analog summing. In my experience, analog summing is not only sounding cheap in comparison, but it's introducing noise into the chain.

The main goal for me when summing is clarity and separation. Analog used to be top dog in this department for me by a wide margin. Not any more. I found when I took the analog stuff out of the summing chain things started sounding cleaner. Now I'm completely ITB and loving it. I have no idea if it's the MIO's 80 bit summing engine or if the ULN-8 is just super clean. I just know what I'm hearing.

When someone (ME's) put my mixes through analog gear, I can almost tell every piece now. That's just in the past few weeks after going from ME to ME. And another thing. I can't get away with cheap sounding plugins anymore either. Let me stop here.

I can go on for hours about how things have changed since getting this box.

I have recorded The Capital Jazz Project with the ULN-8 and it has been a pleasure. I love how stable it is even with just a little Mac laptop. It was interesting because I got to record with Henry's ULN-8 before it was released and yet I couldn't talk about it at the time. It's interesting to hear everyone's impression of it now that it's been released. I know that Henry really likes his and I have to say that I am impressed with it as well.

I think a really nice mix down machine for it would be the Korg MR-2000 recording at 1 bit 5.6 MHz, if you didn't want to sum internally or you wanted to run the mix through a choice piece of hardware etc.

I am new to MH but I can say that before ULN8 my mixes sounded better with analogue summing (Midas venice/Drawmer 1968/tape)

Now they sound better staying ITB with MH

It is a fantastic system which is actually greater than the sum of its parts (pres,converters, headroom, plugins etc)

[QUOTE=bcgood;5104684
I think a really nice mix down machine for it would be the Korg MR-2000 recording at 1 bit 5.6 MHz, if you didn't want to sum internally or you wanted to run the mix through a choice piece of hardware etc.[/QUOTE]


Can I ask what the korg would add if you end up printing a standard CD as the end product? - I've never used the system

cheers

The soundstage and spacial localization is superior on my ULN-8s than my Equinox....

I mixed the last 2 projects in the Mio using Logic for fader automation.

I feel like I won the lottery.

Sell the X desk!

No hype, just pure quality. I've been recording acoustic guitars with the mic pre's lately and I'm just astounded by the clarity and euphony. With the ULN-8 I can totally relax and concentrate on making music.

This is a pretty dreamy looking rig, but if you're actually going to build it I would give the ULN-8s some space between units, since they do run on the hot side (in my experience).

-s

Oh, and BTW: My wife doesn't know a ULN-8 from an M-Box, but when I first fired it up she immediately remarked on how good it sounded.

Why not just find a mastering engineer who's work you like? I'm sure you wouldn't expect to be hired for a mix on the basis of what gear you use, and therefore I'm surprised you appear to be looking for a mastering engineer on this basis.

I've used Robin Schmidt (username 24-96 on here) and I'd thoroughly recommend him, and Brian Lucey of Magic Garden Mastering is also very good.

Recordings at 1 bit 5.6 MHz DSD on the Korg sound great. The Audio Gate software is very powerful and to my ears the recordings still sound better than other ways of capturing audio digitally, even when down converted to 16 bit 44.1 KHz PCM.

Maybe someday they will do pc drivers.

Doubt it.

Cool BC. See, I told you!

But I'd hazard a guess most ULN-8 users would mix down to the ULN-8. That's kind of another area it excels - the Record Panel.

Hey Nomatic,

Can you tell us more about your setup? Are you using Logic just as a transport and to run automation while using the MIO as your mixer? is all processing being handled by the ULN-8? Is the RedLeaf responsive enough for you? It looks totally "billable".

I need a controller and the ability to I/O more than 8 tracks at 96k so I'm standing at the edge of either upgrading to HD and D-Command ($$$$) or possibly Logic, RedLeaf, and ULN-8, or even going back to Samplitude with RedLeaf and ULN-8. Sam sounded better to me than PT but tracking workflow still isn't there. I'm told Logic 9 is getting close for tracking and comping.

Thank you for ULN-8 users.

In Japan, Mobile I/O series 20% discount campaign began. (Only in Japan?)
Probably I purchase ULN-8.
I sell x-desk. (However, I do not want to sell Bricasti M7 and Eventide H8000FW.)


*MIO Console seems to use The ADSP-21262 SHARC Processor.

Actually, we wound up skipping the ADSP-21262 and went straight to the ADSP-21364 -- more power and functionality in the same space.

I know Henry, what can I say you're ahead of the curve!

I think you're right most ULN 8 users probably do mix down that way. I was also thinking that if someone wanted to run the mix through say a Pendulum OCL 2 or something like that they would just route it back into the unit. Either way I think the MH ULN 8 deserves its stellar reputation. It definitely stands out in the digital world although I must admit I'm still an analog tape freak but I won't get into that here!

90% of processing is handled by the ULNs as it just sounds better and yes I only use Logic for editing, fader automation and some plug-ins if they are not available in MIO.
As far as Logic, It is not as good as protools yet but is working fine....The difference in
the sonics with the Metric Halos is worth any hassle with the DAW. I came from a Accel system with a procontrol and will never go back! In regards to the Redleaf,
The unit is the second generation technology that uses an acoustic wave as a sensor.
It has proven to be quite responsive and the clients love it. I was an early adopter
of the Redleaf but found the interface too touchy. I agreed to beta test the next version and am not sending it back!

I am glad I got off the Digi treadmill.......

Thanks, Nomatic! That's really useful info. One last question: Do you use the MIO or Logic to monitor while tracking?

Here's hoping the nextgen RedLeaf hits the street soon and other controller manufacturers keep developing new alternatives. I got off the treadmill then got back on, I would rather not upgrade the treadmill when I could be running through the park.