Best Control Surface and Preamp for under 2K

[asharp_gclef]

I'm slowly but surely building up my home studio. I have a great mid-2011 iMac running an i7 with 16 GB of RAM. I have PT 9.0.5 with Reason 6 and a Novation midi controller. I use 2 Adam Audio A7s for monitors and for headphones I use both Audio Technica ATH-A700 for studio headphones and V-Moda Crossfade m-80 for reference headphones.

The next step in my home studio is definitely a proper control surface and preamp. At the moment I'm thinking about the Mackie Universal Control and the Presonus DIGIMax D8.

I'm looking for thoughts and ideas. If these seem like a good choice, excellent! If you have a better idea, please let me know! I don't want to spend much more than $2000-$3000 on both pieces. Thanks a lot!

[albee1952]

There are 2 things wrong with your current choices. 1-HUI is questionable for the future, and 2-the D8 is not an interface. Its only 8 preamps with analog and lightpipe output. If Presonus is your desire, the Firestudio would work, but given their questionable drivers, it may not be a great choice.

For an interface, I would look at the Focusrite Saffire 40 and LS56, or MOTU 838MK 3(NOT the earlier versions). Then, RME has some good units, as does Metric Halo(since you are on a Mac). For controllers, the Avid Artist series is the best game in town.

One option that others may scoff at, is the 003 controller version. As a controller, it has a lot of features. As an interface, some may sneer at the converters, but considering the average price now(second hand as its discontinued), you would have cash left over for some external preamps(including the D8) for the lightpipe port and SPDIF port(I use a DBX-386 via SPDIF) for a total of 18 inputs. Actually, instead of the D8, I would add a Focusrite OctoPre MK II Dynamic. That unit allows lightpipe in both directions for 8 preamps going in, AND 8 outputs(extra headphone mixes). Add a BLA Micro clock and make some recordings

[asharp_gclef]

Thanks a lot. That's very helpful. Yeah I know the Presonus isn't an interface, but I do need some cheap preamps too. At the moment I'm just trying to get my MBox2 to work properly...I have no idea what just happened. I plugged in my guitar to throw down some ideas and it won't do any recording. Usually, it just opens and works, this time when I hit record it just shows a solid line on the meter...no motion at all. Wicked weird...I'll figure it out unless you've got some ideas.

As for your suggestions, definitely going to look into them and keep them in mind while I save up some more cash. Thanks again!