Last friday, I purchased a new MOTU 828mk3 hybrid interface at Guitar center. The intent was to move from my venerable self-contained Roland VS-2400CD recorder to a computer-based setup.
Unfortunately, I ran into a very strange problem : the digital output of the 828mk3 did not work at all with my Yamaha RX-V2500 receiver. There was no sound whatsoever !
I confirmed in the MOTU audio console software that the interface was sending data. MOTU tech support had me hookup its own digital output to the digital input, and I could see a waveform.
The problem happened with the receiver regardless of the sampling rate.
I also tried hooking up the digital output of the 828mk3 to the VS-2400CD digital input. I had a little more luck this way. The Roland was able to lock in to the signal when the interface was at 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz. But no such luck at 96 kHz. The Roland can do this successfully against my ART DPS II digital preamp at all sampling rates including 96 kHz..
I contacted MOTU support. They said they had were not aware of this or any other current issue with the 828mk3. They suggested I swap my unit for a different one to rule out a manufacturing defect. My local Guitar Center did not have another one in stock, however.
While I really liked the MOTU 828mk3, I could not get past the incompatibility of its digital output with the rest of my equipment. I ended up returning it to the store for another interface, a Focusrite Liquid Saffire 56, which does not have this problem. More on this.
Unfortunately, I ran into a very strange problem : the digital output of the 828mk3 did not work at all with my Yamaha RX-V2500 receiver. There was no sound whatsoever !
I confirmed in the MOTU audio console software that the interface was sending data. MOTU tech support had me hookup its own digital output to the digital input, and I could see a waveform.
The problem happened with the receiver regardless of the sampling rate.
I also tried hooking up the digital output of the 828mk3 to the VS-2400CD digital input. I had a little more luck this way. The Roland was able to lock in to the signal when the interface was at 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz. But no such luck at 96 kHz. The Roland can do this successfully against my ART DPS II digital preamp at all sampling rates including 96 kHz..
I contacted MOTU support. They said they had were not aware of this or any other current issue with the 828mk3. They suggested I swap my unit for a different one to rule out a manufacturing defect. My local Guitar Center did not have another one in stock, however.
While I really liked the MOTU 828mk3, I could not get past the incompatibility of its digital output with the rest of my equipment. I ended up returning it to the store for another interface, a Focusrite Liquid Saffire 56, which does not have this problem. More on this.
