Hey fretthefret, have you ever tried direct monitoring and control room with your UR824s … can you hear plug-ins inserted on the audio tracks when you do that?
(I’ve got the UR28M, and use Rev-X and Morphing Channel Strip with direct monitoring and control room, but haven’t figured out how to hear the insert plug-ins at the same time, “zero latency”, if it’s even possible …).
Thanks!
It’s not possible Alexis, if you are direct monitoring the signal goes from input of your ur28m to the output utilizing the onboard DSP to add FX.
If you want to monitor with plugins, the signal has to go from input to the computer/plugin and to the output. That’s some additional computing and latency, that’s why low latency interfaces like RME are so popular,. And then there is of cause UAD interfaces that have a big catalog of DSP plugins that can be used for direct monitoring (on the UAD interface).
That said I’m perfectly happy with latency in the 6-10ms range when I play my bass, I’m used to even more latency when playing live on stage.
Started A new setup with cubase SL 2.0 and MOTU HD 896 in 2004. Aside from the absurd firewire drivers and the TI firewire card the interface is described nearly identically to enjneer. It’s followed along with 4 computer upgrades and the TI PCIe cards as these changed but it is reliable, great sound and is at the point that it has been forgotten about. Where I once could not even get it to produce a sound, it’s working as well as It needs to. They had a new firmware release a few yrs later but that has now been obsoleted. The new series looks nice but not being a professional in music anymore, I need to think about what I spend these days.
While I’m looking to update it… No complaints in the last 8 years. The first three were nuts.
I think a good place to start is:
I would always go for a desk top machine for Audio production, every time. There’s something not right about a lap top with it’s little fan and tiny power supply as opposed to a desk top with a huge fan and 700 what PSU.
Surly at some point you hit the brick wall of physics.
Yep, I too am cross when I hit the brick wall of physics.
I agree with you 100%. Desktop every time unless you only do small projects.
Whoa. Where’s this from?
Fireface 802 working beautifully here, if external fx delay detection worked it would be perfect.
Whoa. Where’s this from?
http://forum.dawbench.com/showthread.php?1548-Audio-Interface-Low-Latency-Performance-Data-Base
https://www.gearslutz.com/board/music-computers/618474-audio-interface-low-latency-performance-data-base.html
T
Peakae,
here’s the most recent from Dawbench (updated with 2014 results)
I really don’t think anything can beat - for stability and low latency - RME directly into your PCI buss - either via an internal HDSPe card (as on my desktop) or an RME HDSPe Express Card (as I use on my VAIO Laptop).
Both interface with my Digiface (in a nice road case with 16 mic pres) via what looks like FireWire but isn’t.
The USB and FireWire standalone units are great but not Quite AS great.
I also have a UR44 which seems to be a great piece of gear but I haven’t really used it except on my IPad - so I can’t comment.
Hugh
It’s kinda re-assuring to see how well RME performs on the DAW Bench-tests.
RME UFX!!!
You owe it to yourself to take a look at this box!
It has both USB, and Firewire interfaces, so you get better flexibility!
It has onboard DSP, so you can monitor, or track with effects via TotalMix FX outside of your DAW with zero latency!
It can record directly to a USB stick without the need for a computer during recording! So, you would have a very powerful compact mobile recording setup!
One issue I was having while using Halion 5 within Cubase 7.5 driven by the UFX via Firewire were hanging MIDI notes! I’ve had this issue off and on with various versions of Cubase over the years!
One day I just decided to switch the UFX from Firewire to USB, and the hanging MIDI notes problem went away! 
Without playing the forum blame game… I found a solution that allowed me to keep working with all of the tools I had paid my hard earned cash for!
If I hadn’t the flexibility of the UFX, I may still be stewing over fact there was/is an issue with the RME Firewire driver, Cubase 7.5, and Halion combination… and guess what? No other VST instrument plugin accept Halion 5 exhibited this behavior, regarding hanging MIDI notes!
If you are already used to the solid performance of RME hardware and drivers, then the UFX should already be on your very short list!
Al
Anyone using the RME Babyface and what latency are you getting?
Thanks, peakae, that all makes perfect sense to me … and I assume the same holds true on an RME, or any other interface (“Laws of Physics…”, etc.)?
I have to say though, I would have thought the same line of thinking would mean that inserts on the Control Room could never be heard with “zero latency” while tracking through the UR28M when direct monitoring was activated … but somehow they are! I have zero idea how that could work …
Another endorsement for RME here. My Fireface UC w/ both a mac laptop and desktop PC has never been anything less than perfect.
That being said, USB (even 3.0) is not ideal for real time audio. If the driver isn’t well optimized, performance will suffer, and even with RME’s excellent software there’s some overhead. If I were looking for a new interface today, Thunderbolt options would be at the top of the list. TB is like plugging an external device directly into the computer’s PCI bus.
Another thing that came up in this thread:
I primarily use a desktop too, but when that’s been impractical I’ve been amazed at what a laptop can do these days. There are some tradeoffs for power efficiency, but a lot of the things that used to set desktops/laptops apart have gone away (SSDs work the same in both; ‘mobile’ CPUs have vastly improved; Thunderbolt allows for no compromise I/O).
Just noticed this though:
I guess you overclocked yours. 
UR28M or MR816 Simply the best for Steinberg software 
They were made for each other.
Getting the mr816 to run flawlessly is another story, they use the TC Dice2 firewire/clock chip that is really picky when it comes to firewire chipset. Also the routing is limited, my old Motu 828mkII is way more flexible. But I still think the MR816 is one of the best sounding audio interfaces that is not being made anymore.
I ordered the RME Babyface from musiciansfriend. Oddly, the silver one costs $100 less than the blue one so I ordered the silver one. After further research, I found there was a problem with the silver models making a grating sound. I’m thinking the discounted silver Babyfaces are all secretly refurbished models. Probably it will be fine as this is a fresh shipment. First bad thing I have heard about RME ever.
The pink ones sound more girly.