FF800 converters (RME Babyface)

[iHate]

I pre-ordered the RME babyface a while back, but having some time to think about it I don't know if I should go for it anymore. The Babyface has the same AD as the FF800. The FF800 is obviously a great product, but it's what 5-6 years old now?

I'm thinking of just sticking with my Presonus Firepod since all I really do is my own material and record the occasional friend. Can anyone tell me that 2 channels of FF800 AD and DA wrapped in a cute blue Duet knockoff are going to be worth $750?

I honestly just don't know how big of a difference it would make in my recordings. The firepod is all I've ever known for 6 years of recording stuff. If its a 50% improvement over a firepod, then maybe its worth it. but if it's only going to be a small amount of detail in the clarity and "trueness" of the sound, then it's probably not something I need. I still mix on headphones ffs...

tl;dr
Can anyone give me some idea of the differences between a FF800 or FF400 and a Firepod?

 

[JeffTD]

The difference between my FF800 and my old Saffire PRO 26i/o was pretty huge, especially when it came to D/A. I originally upgraded to the Saffire from the FirePod, and I think that was an even bigger difference. The conversion on both ends of the FF is far better than that of the FirePod, and the stability of the driver/low latency of RME interfaces is worth the cost alone, IMO.

 

[FIXXXER]

the stability of the driver/low latency of RME interfaces is worth the cost alone, IMO.

+1

 

[Seizure.]

same here.
I still love my 800 to death.

 

[darthjujuu]

how's the babyface? i will may soon be living away from the studio and will want a sweet sounding mix/edit station, separate from a live room/tracking set up

 

[Dexter_prog]

Doesn't the babyface cost the same as the FF400?

 

[El_Gato]

My baby is on its way, I got the 003 but I also wanted a good mobile rig and I upgraded the Edirol ua-25 to the baby.

But, how do a trusty A/B against the digi003 for a whole tracking and mix? I guess I'll have to track everything as close as possible in the very moment. I have 2 computers but unfortunately I don't have the chance to get 2 identical mic's to test the pre's too.

 

[if6was9]

My baby is on its way, I got the 003 but I also wanted a good mobile rig and I upgraded the Edirol ua-25 to the baby.

But, how do a trusty A/B against the digi003 for a whole tracking and mix? I guess I'll have to track everything as close as possible in the very moment. I have 2 computers but unfortunately I don't have the chance to get 2 identical mic's to test the pre's too.

Get an XLR splitter cable, they don't cost much and are a handy thing to have lying around anyways

 

[El_Gato]

Get an XLR splitter cable, they don't cost much and are a handy thing to have lying around anyways

Interesting. I'll get two of them for the overheads. What about the guitar DI's? Any problems with impedances when splitting?

 

[Astrikos]

The Babyface has the same reference converters like the M-32 DA

 

[arv_foh]

Man, I'll tell you what, I was kinda skeptical too that converters made that huge of a difference until I upgraded and heard the difference for myself. I switched from MOTU to Apogee.

The stereo image was instantly better. I could hear better stereo separation, and I was hearing things in mixes that I'd never heard before. The high end was more pristine, and overall the mix was clearer and more powerful. It was like someone was holding a blanket over my monitors and had just lifted it off.

 

[darthjujuu]

fireface400 = $1299, babyface = $750 (new)

 

[iHate]

I canceled my pre-order but 2 months later and I'm still debating whether or not to do this... Someone convince me to do it.

 

[gabriel g.]

Man, I'll tell you what, I was kinda skeptical too that converters made that huge of a difference until I upgraded and heard the difference for myself. I switched from MOTU to Apogee.

The stereo image was instantly better. I could hear better stereo separation, and I was hearing things in mixes that I'd never heard before. The high end was more pristine, and overall the mix was clearer and more powerful. It was like someone was holding a blanket over my monitors and had just lifted it off.

I noticed the same thing. I came from on onyx 1640 to a digi003, then I clocked the digi003 with the audient mico (which improved the sound)
and then I decided to give a shit for all consumer gear and bought a metric halo 2882.

What a difference!!!! It was realy like someone removed a blanket from the monitors. Stereo image, lowend defination and high end pristine realy came out.

I can only tell everyone. Go highend with your AD/DA, it realy makes life so much easier.
Just listen to some CLA or Sneap mix on your new setup with a superior clock and great DA. You realy hear how good these guys are.

 

[El_Gato]

I have some experience with some soundcards (PT HD, 003, 001, Edirol ua-25...) but when I plugged a sm58 and a sm7b thorough the Baby I literally said FUUU when I heard myself recorded. Suddenly everything sounds

 

[Revson]

I used to have a Firepod and a few years ago I upgraded to the FF800. The difference was night and day. I've used both rigs to do a basic live recording of my band so my singer had something to write to while he was at home and even he commented how much clearer and better sounding the FF800 was, and his listening skills are not top notch at all. You can still get good results with the Firepod, but you can get better results more easily with the RME.

 

[jipchen]

+1 on pretty much everything said in this thread. It's a really audible difference. I went from the Firepod to the Fireface (800), too.
By the way, are you shure FF800 and the Babyface have the same converters? From what I read it has a superior conversion.

 

[iHate]

Well, the Babyface has the M-32 DA and the FF800 AD from what I've read. Not 100% sure. Do you mean the babyface has superior conversion?

Other; What's a fair price for a mint firepod and all original accessories?

 

[ahjteam]

Other; What's a fair price for a mint firepod and all original accessories?

60% of the original price

 

[C-Martin]

I will agree with everyone saying that moving from the firepod to rme would make a significant improvement. If you take your recordings seriously then your not going to regret this purchase. How much of a difference you will hear depends on your ears and monitors and expectations but RME is an interface you will probably never "need" to change. The firepod imo is "disposable" and easily replaced by almost anything out there today.

I've had reliability issues with a few presonus interfaces including the firepod and i just can't trust presonus with anything serious anymore. They're ok entry level interfaces but what gets me is that for same/less money you can get a another interface that does everything better and sounds better so i don't see why anyone would use presonus interfaces today.