Digi 003 wishlist - just for fun.

[The Dubnicks]

It seems pretty clear that the market for quality Firewire interfaces is heating up and only going to get hotter. With Apogee and and Focusrite aggressively pursueing the project and even hobbyist market (in the case of Focusrite) and with a lot of established players paying more attention to the demand for better converters, more stable clocking and routing/monitoring options, I'm curious as to what new features Digi will introduce in a Digi003/Digi003R unit. As someone who now has a foot in both the Pro Tools LE and Digital Performer worlds, and who is now leaning towards DP for the long haul, I will always use Pro Tools to some degree, but that degree will be determined, in large part, to if and how they up the ante with the next firewire interface. For now, I have only decided to replace my Mbox1 with a better firewire portable unit, but eventually I will have to decide whether trade up to the next Digi or move on to something like the RME Fireface 800 and religate my Pro Tools use a small M-Powered set up only there for compatability purposes. Anyhow, I like a lot about PT and Digi as a company, so I'm hoping they step it up in the Firewire interface dept and I figured, just for fun, I'd make a thread as sort of a survey of features Digi002/Digi002R customers would like to see in a Digi003/Digi003R. I'll go ahead and jump in first:

What I'd like to see in a Digi003R:
#1 - Fully functioning, non-faulty power-harness - it's unfortunate that this even has to be at the top of my list.
#2 - Better clock or some sort of Jitter reducing technology like RME's Steady Clock or the new DICE II chip's J.E.T. feature.
#3 - Word Clock i/o.
#4 - Either a mix nob, a la the MBox, for low latency hardware input monitoring while recording in non Digi programs, or routing software a la Saffire, MOTU's CueMix, etc - this seems to be the direction everyone is head in these days - it's not really much of a bonus while using PT, since you have the Low Latency mode, but it would be great for using the Digi with CoreAudio programs.
#5 - The ability to monitor with effects like compression etc. running off the hardware while recording, but still print the track dry. I'm actually surprised that so few interfaces offer this ability, but the number is growing with products like the forthcoming TC Electronic's Konnekt 24d.

There are obviously other things that could be the wishlist, like 192 resolution, better converters, better pres, etc. but I tried to stick with stuff that seems like it might be within reason for the price range, besides, as I understand it, a lot of those elements (the converters, sound of the pre-amps) would be improved simply by improving the internal clock/reducing jitter. Anyhow, I'd love to see what other people would want - hope people post.

[mjteix]

As nobody joined since this morning, I will add my thoughts:

I agree mostly with all you write:

- power harness

- better clocking, W/C I/O would be great

- mic pre's, let them be 8 (the digi003 has to be better than m-audio projectmix i/o), let them be software controlled like Digi's own PRE, from the control surface or from inside ProTools LE.

- input monitoring. The current 002 has the "mixer mode" which let you mix 8 sources with some Comp/EQ/Delay/Reverb and a couple of external sends. This is great but it is not always active, only in mixer mode. I would like this to be active at any time and to be also mixed with Pro Tools outputs in order to create nice latency free cue mixes. While we're at it, make this mixer work with all the inputs (analog and digital).

- monitoring output, Depending on how complete and complex the new mixer mode would be, I think it would be nice to have more control to the interface outputs (at least the analog ones):
* main outputs (1/2): Balance (mixer mode/pro tools) and volume
* alternate outs (3/4): Balance (mixer mode/pro tools) and volume, the same for 5/6 and 7/8.
* headphones outs: switch between main and alternates (1/2, 3/4, 5/6, 7/8)

- my personal favorite: if it is to be a 96KHz interface, make all the i/Os 96KHz, Digi should implement ADAT S/MUX or add a DB25 AES/EBU connector (8 I/Os @ 96KHz).

- another great option would be DSP accelerated RTAS plug-ins (in the line of PowerCore/UAD/SSL duende/ƒƒ liquid mix). I would settle for EQ III/Dynamics III/Delay/D-Verb (same plugs as in mixer mode).

Hope this will help your thread.

[16yearsjeff]

24 channels of AES input

[Big Saccs]

I'm not a big M-Audio fan and I have a strange feeling they will play a big part in the hardware parts and design.

[Slim Shady]

I'm not a big M-Audio fan and I have a strange feeling they will play a big part in the hardware parts and design.

How many M-Audio boxes have had power-harness failures I wonder? Might not be a bad thing if they're involved...

[Big Saccs]

How many M-Audio boxes have had power-harness failures I wonder?

When you put it that way!!

[Paul Cavins]

Full functioning beer tap, extra equipment optional. Mount that bad boy right on the front of the 003 with the appropriate valves and such and you pull cold frosty beers right there in your studio.

PC

[audio53]

i would like the 003, 003R



-To come soon !!

-to be better than 002 (not the mbox2 case)

-AES EBU

-Word clock

-mix button, or latency console software

-Internal DSP

_Expansion

-Worthy of Digi's name.

[Big Saccs]

We all seem to agree on Word Clock.

[skycraft]

-At least 8 mic pres

-Switches for phantom power in an accessible location.