1814 vs. 002R

[bufflo]

1814: $599
PT MP: $299
Total: $898

002 Rack: $1199

That's only a difference of $301. Given all the current issues, and if money wasn't an issue (or at least $301 isn't; I can't get HD), what would you get if you were rebuilding your Mac based home studio from scratch, and why?

[danhops]

Best price I got on an 002 was $900 new. Between the 1814 and M Powered software, I spent about $700 with shipping. To me, it was a no brainer as I was holding off on the 002 because of concerns with the power harness. I was about to pull the plug when this cam along and I ordered right away. I didnt need the extra features LE has as I could always do that stuff at work. Also with the $ I saved, I put it towards BFD. I may pick up a Mackie Onyx or Presonus Digimax to utilize more inputs if I need down the line. I also like the smaller foot print of the 1814. Sure it has some bells the 002 does nto have, but has a few of its own that 002 doesnt have. Anyone that mentions the mic pres bnot being as good is probably right, but I've never found the M Box or 001's pres to be good at all, and I was kind of expecting more of the same from the 002. If they sound like those in the octapre by Focusrite, than I am not missing out. I thought those sounded terrible as well.

[BAJ]

Where did you buy the 002R new for $900?
BAJ

[danhops]

Didnt buy it, but was offered it on a special. I chose to go with the 1814 and M Powered and save $200. I didnt need the extras.

[reefer]

Well if ya want to work to picture the 002 is the way to go.

Just found out no DV toolkit support.

What is the difference of the A/D convertors.

I guess sonic quality is more important that anything else if you tracking music.

I have a number of Pro Tools interfaces and luv the fact that my 002 racks up with other gear.

I just added a Fostex AC 24 96 A/D D/A TRS 1/4' to ADAT.

Works great at 24bit 96khz.

My advice is to try get a demo from you local dealers as they are both sexy interfaces.

Just remember money does not last but a good clean recording is there forever!

[bufflo]

Yeah, I know the 002R pretty well, have set up a few of them on friends' computers. I don't really remember what my initial idea was, but I guess I was just angry at a certain company for having overpriced hardware. Since I'm buying some other hardware at the same time, I started looking at how the I/O would really work out, read a ton of manuals etc.

The plan was to keep my 001 and stay in Panther until all the kinks had been ironed out with PTMP and Tiger compatibility. I hadn't really checked what the hardware exchange would run me (001->002R), but after checking, doing the calculations a few times, and looking at how long it'll probably take until PTMP on Tiger becomes reality, I've decided to just go with the exchange.

So, yeah...

[Jay Levin]

I would go with an 1814, no doubt. The main spec trade-off is two mic press for word clock i/o. The world clock i/o is a key piece of interoperability with other gear. It's not like those 002 mic pres are anything to write home about anyway.

The other thing I see is that you can use a copy of PTMP with many interfaces interchangeably. With PTLE, you essentially have to pay for a new copy of Pro Tools -- more in fact -- every time you want to switch to a different interface.

PTMP de-couples the interface purchase from the software purchase. If you get an 1814, you can sell or re-purpose it later when you switch to an even better interface -- or if you downscale your interface for that matter. With PTMP, your Pro Tools interface is also a cost-effective interface for any DAW software -- something that certainly cannot be said for any LE interface.

I honestly think that Digi will not be releasing any more LE interfaces, and PTMP is actually the way of the future. It just makes too much business sense, and very little sense to keep making 002's. I'll be surprised if the mBox makes it through the summer.

[bufflo]

I'd probably go with the 1814 if I didn't already own a 001, which I want to get rid of.

But you bring up some valid points. And it will indeed be interesting to see if PTMP is Digi's "low-end" future, or if PTLE will stick around. As a whole, Avid still has to deal with M-Audio's hardware and its issues, yet they can't use the "one company, one solution"-slogan (or whatever is printed on my 001 box haha). M-Audio's hardware will most likely eventually cut into PTLE system sales, so if they're both to stay, the gap between the two lines would have to become wider. Would a future Digi003 have a bigger track count, maybe built in DSP, without cutting into HD sales?

To keep things they way they are now, yet go with the times, cutting the "middle" line (PTLE) completely would be the way to go, and put out the new "003" as an M-Audio product. Probably nothing more than a bumped up, 2U 1814 (if it looks bigger it must be better!), FW2424?

[DorianMode001]

Hey this might sound a bit stupid but what is a wordclock and what does it do?

I think I'm gonna go with an 1814 because it's bus powered. Also, isnt the 002r quite picky about which firewire card you can use with it (ie it won't work with some firewire ports or won't function properly)?

Cheers
Joe C

[Jay Levin]

"Word clock" generally refers to the transmission of sync information for digital audio over a coax cable. Any time you're running digital audio between two devices (AES/EBU or S/PDIF or ADAT) the source and destination have to be in perfect sync. For starters, this means they have to agree on the sample rate and bit depth. But they also have to be in perfect "sync" at that sample rate.

Sync (often just called "clock") can be sent along with the digital audio in many cases, but a dedicated sync over coax is a more stable method. In simple setups, where your single audio interface is the only device around, all this is irrelevant. But if you introduce other digital devices -- preamps with built-in converters or a digital mixer or a sampler with digital output or a second interface -- it can become relevant in a hurry.

[DorianMode001]

Ah thanks, that clears things up.

Cheers
Joe

[JoePaz]

Just as an FYI, B&H sell the 1814 for $432.50. They just got them back in stock. Here's the link to the 1814 (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=312900&is=REG) . Just add it to your cart for that price.

[kraster]

Sync (often just called "clock") can be sent along with the digital audio in many cases, but a dedicated sync over coax is a more stable method.



This isn't entirely true. Using a clock that is away from the converters will introduce Jitter into the signal because of cables and other factors.

[Jay Levin]

The one has nothing to do with the other. All else being equal, internal sync is better than external sync. But if you must use (or choose to use) external sync, better to use dedicated word clock than to grab sync over ADAT or S/PDIF. And if you want to record more than eight tracks in LE or MP, you MUST USE external sync somewhere, you have no choice.

Frankly, it seems like you're repeating something you read on another thread and didn't fully understand.