I am getting more set on buying the RME FF800 for my next interface, big step up from mbox2pro! It also has firewire 800 compatible with my new macbook pro. Anyone here own the fireface 800? How do you like it? Can anyone supply a clip with the FF800 in action?

Thanks!thumbsup

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FW 800 not needed for single unit. FW400 is more than sufficient and I believe they suggest FW800 for daisy chained units only.

It sounds great! If you are good, it is good. Not much else to say.
The mixing software and the drivers are the main attraction here. The pres are ok if you need some clean tracking in your mixes. The adat connectivity lets you grow for larger tracking sessions.

Hmmm... not much else. I love mine and its a great frontend you don't have to think about. It lets you make music and not worry about it.

That said there is some great competition now. If you don't need all the bells and routing and connectivity make sure you know the other contenders. price wise it might make sense. cheers!!

+1 to everything above. FF800 is a solid, no nonsense interface that does it's job well and without getting in the way. If you are unhappy
with how it sounds, it's not the fault of the FF800. Plenty of excellent records have been made with much less capable gear.

The more recent tracks on my soundcloud are done with the FF800. The thing to note about the converters is that they don't really color the
sound in one way or another, what goes in comes out pretty much unmolested.

FF800 has four mic pres, which is why I'd buy it not mention FW800

it really is not much better than an mbox
you would think it should be... but its roughly about the same

buy a lynx or a rosetta 800............

I use a FF800 with a Macbook Pro and Reaper. It is a great setup and highly recommended. Feature set is out of this world (Totalmix is worth the cost of the unit just by itself IMO) and it's quite a step up from what you've got.

what is total mix?? i never heard about it. I am using protools. Thinking about logic or pt 9.0 le

To the person who compares RME FF800 to an mbox.... no offence but put the crack pipe down

Total mix is the routing/monitoring app. that comes with the FF800 - IT IS KILLER!!! might take some time to get your head around it, but its worth the learning curve.

FF800=mbox=

mbox is a toy compared to the FF800.

Is the conversion quality good on this unit? Looking at options to replace my old 002r and this is of course one of the major alternatives.

I already have an adi-2 ad/da and find the conversion to be clear but a bit "hard" sounding.

again, go rosetta

or lynx if you're short on cash

FF is not much of an upgrade.....
unfortunately

Robert your still missing the mark... The Lynx and Rosetta aren't interfaces. I am looking for an interface. That means there is a whole lot more other AD/DA... like mic pres, audio line outs, etc...

understood, but in proaudio sound quality is the name of the game.

a lynx with say a cheap allen & heath mixwizard is going to sound much much better than a FF. But if functionality
and a simple setup is the goal and sound quality is not a factor..... then stay with the maudio setup since it sounds as good as a FF

I had a FF it sounded thin, I was just trying to let you know...it will not be an improvement over the maudio
sorry for causing the facepalm ;-)

FWIW, I also have a Lynx Aurora 16 hanging off the ADAT bungholes of my FF800. While the Lynx is a tiny, tiny bit nicer, the difference is not as big as people claim and you can most certainly make a good sounding record with the FF800 alone.

Besides, just add the Lynx after the fact. Best of both worlds.

anything specific come to mind?

Thanks,

Warren

by all means good......just not great
but good is often good enough

YMMV

Your entitled to your opinion.... However they are SO many more PRO audio people with whom I have with with that highly recommended the RME products over the mbox line and m-audio ...

Have you heard the Ensemble? Is it better than the other options according to your ears?

You must have had a bad unit or something, although the OP is talking about the Mbox 2 Pro, not something by M-Audio.

I've used both the Mbox and the FF800 and the sound quality of the Mbox isn't even in the same ballpark as the FF800. Even if the converters and input stage were the same quality (which they aren't), the FF800 has all balanced inputs versus only two on the Mbox as well as switchable reference levels for better control of your gain staging, which the Mbox doesn't do. It's true that sound quality is the name of the game but if you're not able to do a balanced cable run and are running at a consumer/prosumer reference level while trying to use pro gear with it, you're potentially introducing problems that you don't need.

I like the idea of hanging a Lynx Aurora off the back. What a great and versatile setup!

YouTube - Meara Conway 1-2011 Part 1

Live Classical recording MBP w/ FF800

The FF800 was a big leap forward for me from the Motu 8pre that I started with.

The four pres are nice enough, the converters are great, and the simple setup and drivers are wonderful.

Since I purchased the FF800 I have added some excellent mic pres and outboard gear it has interfaced just fine!

There is some really nice competition out there as someone mentioned earlier. Just research and find the best option. Probably a few used units kicking around the classifieds too!

Highly recommended!

Why cant one make a great record on a Fireface 800? What a stupid thing to say.

I own a Pro Tools HD setup with Lynx conversion, as well as a Fireface 800. I've got to tell you that you are entering powerful territory with the Fireface. Get yourself some nice pre amps and mics and you will have yourself a very solid front end!

in your original post you mention fw800 which is a protocol (not ff800 the interface) and how it fits your macbook. I was saying you can run the fw400 (protocol) no probs and dont need the speed boost of fw800.

The FF800 offers both fw400 and fw800 connection options for your computer.

I hope that is more clear. Look at a picture of the back of the unit for a more clear view.

never used Ensemble.....

maybe that was the problem

great sounding, ofcourse you can make a great record

uh oh.....

sounds like a plan, but then why bother with a fireface?
why not an ADI-8 and some nice outboard pres?

regardless, I don't like RME I would not use them and have never heard a sonically pleasing & quality recording that used one
YMMV

Like I said earlier if you suck as a musician then it will sound like crap no matter what conversion you use. If you know what you are doing then you can make a great record with the FF800 or any number of quality interfaces. Anyone who blames it on the interface should look for another hobby IMO. They are just tools after all. Your heart and emotions are the real paint brushes.

agreed

great sounding?
great is subjective I guess

++1
I guess if you use prosumer gear recording would in fact be a hobby
If you are in biz your customer simply deserve better

that's cool in theory but again the customer deserves the best possible gear when making a record. If your theory was 100% reality a porta studio would be fine. But we all know in reality it is not fine

I don't recall anything about customers??

Were not all here to pimp billboard shlock or produce katy perrys firework.

There are some real artists here who care about music and not converters. You remind me of uncle duncan on michael joly. Just out to be negative about a certain piece of gear for the rest of your days.

The OP was looking for insight into the FF800. You did not give any except for "I don't like it" You don;t say what it is you don't like. Just like every other FF800 thread you have been on. No contribution. Just hangin around because it is your crusade. Sad really.

To the OP sorry for derailment. It is a great unit. Don't feed the trolls like I just did. Do your own research from informed contributors and you will see a lot of info to absorb. cheers!

If you're looking to buy a FF800, I've got one to sell at a good price.

PM me if interested.

They don't sound good, that is my 'insight'.

"How do you like it?" he asked..... I said I didn't like it

What is sad to me is me buying a subpar converter recording a bunch of songs and then realizing it sounds a sterile and then having to go buy a quality converter and re-recording everything again with the pro converter? that's a bummer and learning the hard way
it is what it is.

The OP asked for some samples recordings cut with the FF... so far none of you people praising the unit have come forth with any recordings? weird huh?


anyway.... Let me ask you this.... If FF or original ADI is so good
why do they now have QS series? hmmm................ I wonder?
actually I know why


trust me the FF is not a good sounding converter and the fact they have updated their clock and changed ADCs with the newer QS series says it all with regards to their legacy products.

no need to spin my comments as if I'm trolling? lol
I'm telling the truth about a unit that falls short of sonic professionalism
It appears to me some of you guys are simply justifying a peice of gear you think is good for some odd reason

Op asked for opinion.... he got it......both points of view.
anyway FF is not much better than mbox. I was simply telling the op
to save his money..........take it with a grain of salt

YMMV


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