Check out this clip, RME vs M-audio POD XT recording round 2!

[Black neon bob]

lol, well yeah.. it's not working out for me yet, i can get mixes from other people to sound good, those files are not my input.
I can get drums to sound good, synths, bass, vocals, etc.. however, when it comes to recording guitars, i can only provide this clip:

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=281113&content=songinfo&songID=7316352

First part is the POD XT, same patch, same guitar, same pickups, same strings, same pick, same hands, into the line input on the RME FF 400.

Second part is the POD XT, same patch, same guitar, same pickups, same strings, same pick, same hands, into the in and out of the M-audiophile 24/96 card. (M-audio -> 2 RCA cables into stereo jack -> POD XT).

As you can hear, a bit of a difference no? the first one lacks depth, dynamics and sounds flat.. second is the POD Xt as i know it, not the best but it beats the first half of that clip imho.

what the hell is going on!? i 've been trying for freaking weeks to get this right but it seems that something is not right.. who can help a brother out!?

 

[Zombietakeover]

You are right there is a huge difference

But to me the RME is sounding way better....easily
the first clip which you said was the RME is thick and metal as shit...

the second clip sounds like your playing your tone through a megaphone...

but you seriously think that the m-audio sounds better?


So whats your final report on the RME fireface 400? what are u going to do?

 

[mr.L.]

Wow big difference. I don't know what is happening here but the m-audio part seems to have a lot more high mids/highs but a lot less punch and fatness and sounds way more noisy and lofi to me. Might it be differences in how you connect to the interface? From your description it sounds as if with the fireface you're taking one of the outputs into the line input and with the m-audio you're taking both outs into a stereo in. Is this correct? If so might have something to do with the fact that your recording both left and right output (and maybe summing these). Have you tried recording the headphones out btw?

If you can't get it right I would just tweak the pod patch to make up for the differences, would probably sound better with the fireface.

 

[TheDude]

The second half is semi-out of phase, and the first is in mono. Are they supposed to be in different keys? Maybe something to do with the digital sync/clock.

 

[Ermz]

The second half is semi-out of phase, and the first is in mono. Are they supposed to be in different keys? Maybe something to do with the digital sync/clock.

^ THIS.

You can hear some odd phasing issues with the 2nd clip. The first sounds more like an authentic guitar tone.

 

[Metaltastic]

Yeah, what the hell, the stereo image just explodes open when the second comes in, and it's WAY thinner and as-mentioned phasier sounding (yes, phasier ) And I assume the riffs are meant to be in different keys?

 

[Zombietakeover]

The first sounds more like an authentic guitar tone.

I agree, also marcus sorry dude i finally pm'd ya back , i lose track of messages

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

Yeah, what the hell, the stereo image just explodes open when the second comes in, and it's WAY thinner and as-mentioned phasier sounding (yes, phasier ) And I assume the riffs are meant to be in different keys?

Definitely, I actually unintentionally tilted my head back thinking something was happening with my ears when the second clip started

 

[Ermz]

Now that I'm hearing it on monitors it sounds like it's been panned out wide and one side flipped out of phase. I think those RCA cables you've got are doing some funky shit, or the PODxt doesn't like outputting in stereo correctly.

 

[Unavailable]

Yeah, 2nd clip doesn't sound right at all.

 

[Black neon bob]

lol, sorry guys.. forgot to mention that yes, it is out of key.. so the first one is a note higher then the second one.
The first part of the clip sounds cleaner then the second one, i agree.. i took all plugins off on the guitar track, normally there is multibandcompression and EQ on it to work out the harshness of the second part of the track, so keep that in mind as well.

My biggest problem is that when i doubletrack the POD XT tracks, pan them left and right it looses A LOT of defenition.. something the second clip has more of when doubletracked.
And allthough the second part might sound a bit weird now, it does allright in the TGM tracks when doubletracked and in the mix, which i can't seem to get back from tracking through the RME.

I dont know, it might be my ears still need adjusting after working four year with the audiophile.. but i find it way harder to work on my own material through the RME now, then it was with the M-audio.. everything feels more sterile, colder and harder to mix.. maybe that is what i should be hearing though, and all that time the m-audio has been untruthfull? i dont know... need... sleep.

Oh yeah, the second part of that clip is indeed stereo, the first part of the clip is mono... thanks for listening sneap dudes.

 

[ahjteam]

I listened to the left channel only and I still liked RME better

 

[Metaltastic]

maybe that is what i should be hearing though, and all that time the m-audio has been untruthfull?

That's my guess!

 

[Metaltastic]

Also, have you read the FF manual and checked all the settings to make sure there isn't anything amiss? And yeah, +1 to whomever suggested recording using the Pod as your interface via USB; that'll solve the mystery once and for all!

 

[Black neon bob]

Spot on, i'll get on that USB recording tomorrow evening then, allthough im not a fan of the idea of recording through USB, hehe.

 

[Black neon bob]

How does it sound when you track it though POD´s USB?

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=281113&content=songinfo&songID=7317304

I attached a third part which is through the USB port completely.. pretty weird to have your PODXT as a soundcard now.. lol, but not much different then from the RME i think.

 

[Metaltastic]

not much different then from the RME i think.

I agree, so there's your answer as to which is more accurate!

 

[FalseMessiah Mike]

wow thats quite a night and day comparison. You know I'd really like somebody to compare the RME FF 400 with a more up market m-audio interface say the profire 2626 (which I have), but I don't have a RME... so. We all know that preamps make a difference, it would be interesting to see how the profire 2626 holds up against the RME FF 400 (which I know a lot of people rave about).

 

[Black neon bob]

wow thats quite a night and day comparison. You know I'd really like somebody to compare the RME FF 400 with a more up market m-audio interface say the profire 2626 (which I have), but I don't have a RME... so. We all know that preamps make a difference, it would be interesting to see how the profire 2626 holds up against the RME FF 400 (which I know a lot of people rave about).

Hey, i'd be happy to help out.. all i need is a profire 2626 though.

 

[KeithTidd]

While the USB and RME sound similar, I think the RME sounds the best.