HD Native/omni vs Apogee symphony

[Matchless Gift]

Hi I'm looking at upgrading my current setup from IMac Core Duo, PT 7.4/ M Audio project Mix.

Already decided on a 8 core Mac Pro with 16G ram, PT 9, Artist Mix w/ Transport add on and a UAD2 Quad Flexi pack

Just trying to figure out what is more practical for me. I do mainly electronic music Production no more that 8 tracks needed for live recording. Alot of Vox and some acoustic recording and Generally under 60 tracks + plug ins on mix down.

I can get a HD Native /omni package for around $AU6200.00
I can get an Apogee symphony and the 8 i/o for about $1000 less.
So HD native/omni or Apogee Symphony? Whats the main differences if i'm running PT9 anyways?

I hear the omni has some problems with loud fan noise.

Any suggestions would be appreciated

[rosemeister]

A $1000 is a lot of money to save.

You could almost get an Artist Mix to replace your M-Audio controller with the savings.

Apogee sounds amazing.

[Goldencd]

Originally Posted by Matchless Gift

Hi I'm looking at upgrading my current setup from IMac Core Duo, PT 7.4/ M Audio project Mix.

Already decided on a 8 core Mac Pro with 16G ram, PT 9, Artist Mix w/ Transport add on and a UAD2 Quad Flexi pack

Just trying to figure out what is more practical for me. I do mainly electronic music Production no more that 8 tracks needed for live recording. Alot of Vox and some acoustic recording and Generally under 60 tracks + plug ins on mix down.

I can get a HD Native /omni package for around $AU6200.00
I can get an Apogee symphony and the 8 i/o for about $1000 less.
So HD native/omni or Apogee Symphony? Whats the main differences if i'm running PT9 anyways?

I hear the omni has some problems with loud fan noise.

Any suggestions would be appreciated

This is my first hand experience.

I recently went from HD PCI to Apogee Symphony back to HD PCIe. I can unevoqually say (and have other trusted ears to attest) that something about the HD pcie card SOUNDS better than then Symphony.

The entire time I was using Apogee Rosetta 800. I just swapped the x-symphony card for the x-hd and vice versa. The sound was absolutely better when connected to the HD card vs when it was connected to the Symphony card. Same clock, converters, speakers, room, etc.... The Pcie was the ONLY difference. In addition to sounding better, the latency was also much improved (much meaning a very slight slight latency when running at 64 hw buffer to absolutely no detectable latency on the true HD... for me a huge deal for only a slight latency issue) and i got the additional options of true HD vs. PT 9 with CPTK functionality.

To me it was worth the $2500 difference I would have saved in keeping the symphony VS. buying a ebay HD core.

I have been extensively testing this stuff for weeks and ultimately that is what i have found.

I think regardless of what converter you use... ( THE BOTH WILL SOUND AMAZING). I would spend the extra money on the HD Native card (if the performance is in any way similar to the TDM Core).

[Tom Hartman]

Originally Posted by Matchless Gift

Hi I'm looking at upgrading my current setup from IMac Core Duo, PT 7.4/ M Audio project Mix.

Already decided on a 8 core Mac Pro with 16G ram, PT 9, Artist Mix w/ Transport add on and a UAD2 Quad Flexi pack

Just trying to figure out what is more practical for me. I do mainly electronic music Production no more that 8 tracks needed for live recording. Alot of Vox and some acoustic recording and Generally under 60 tracks + plug ins on mix down.

I can get a HD Native /omni package for around $AU6200.00
I can get an Apogee symphony and the 8 i/o for about $1000 less.
So HD native/omni or Apogee Symphony? Whats the main differences if i'm running PT9 anyways?

I hear the omni has some problems with loud fan noise.

Any suggestions would be appreciated

You are paying too much for the Native/Omni package

But he's right the Omni/Native combo sounds amazing, and the Omni is killer with features. It does seem to have fan noise problems, even after the firmware upgrade Avid came out with. I personally did not hear any fan noise when I had mine, sold it, and the guy I sold it to started having fan noise problems. Go figure.

[Tom Hartman]

Originally Posted by Goldencd

This is my first hand experience.

I recently went from HD PCI to Apogee Symphony back to HD PCIe. I can unevoqually say (and have other trusted ears to attest) that something about the HD pcie card SOUNDS better than then Symphony.

The entire time I was using Apogee Rosetta 800. I just swapped the x-symphony card for the x-hd and vice versa. The sound was absolutely better when connected to the HD card vs when it was connected to the Symphony card. Same clock, converters, speakers, room, etc.... The Pcie was the ONLY difference. In addition to sounding better, the latency was also much improved (much meaning a very slight slight latency when running at 64 hw buffer to absolutely no detectable latency on the true HD... for me a huge deal for only a slight latency issue) and i got the additional options of true HD vs. PT 9 with CPTK functionality.

To me it was worth the $2500 difference I would have saved in keeping the symphony VS. buying a ebay HD core.

I have been extensively testing this stuff for weeks and ultimately that is what i have found.

I think regardless of what converter you use... ( THE BOTH WILL SOUND AMAZING). I would spend the extra money on the HD Native card (if the performance is in any way similar to the TDM Core).

There's a huge thread about the Rosetta 800 and the Apogee card on GS not working with HD Native, and Apogee admits there are problems with it and says they have no current plans to fix it....just FYI...

TH

[Goldencd]

Originally Posted by Tom Hartman

There's a huge thread about the Rosetta 800 and the Apogee card on GS not working with HD Native, and Apogee admits there are problems with it and says they have no current plans to fix it....just FYI...

TH

Let me clarify. I own HD TDM NOT Native. This was just my comparison of the Symphony Card to The HD TDM card. If the Native card performs similarly, it will sound better than the Symphony card. I personally would choose the Symphony I/O for my conversion... but go with Avid card.

The rosetta doesn't work with the Native card.

[K Roche]

if this means 8 tracks of analog inputs simultaneous ? you can only record 4 into an OMNI by itself.

[tomibraniste]

Native/Omni package is expensive but is more better , i m right?

[Firechild]

I still don´t understand people who are willing to pay that kind of money and still don´t consider a HD TDM system instead. It is in another league. You will have a rock solid system and after maxing out your TDM DSP´s you just continue to add RTAS plugins.
Ebay gives you brand new TDM PCIe systems for that kind of money.

And...btw you will be sad if you add a UAD-2 quad card to your system, then the whole point of a low latency native system is totally ruined. To have a UAD-2 card to play nice you have to work at 512 sample buffer or more.

[curere]

I am interested in going to a Protools HD Native system with a Mac Pro quad core 12 GB, but I am not sure of the C24 as opposed to either the Tascam DM 4800 or 2 X Presonus studiolive 16 using the euphonix MC Mix and MC Control for transport and mapping etc. Further to that using Aurora 16 HD vs Apogee symphony vs PT Interfaces. I need 32 tracks about 20% of the time mainly 16 - 24 tracks 80% of the time simultaneously. Thoughts?? Want the mic pres from the unit and the converters from the high end gear