Arturia Audiofuse 16Rig Review // Things to check before buying a synth setup audio interface
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- Опубліковано 8 чер 2024
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►►► A NOTE REGARDING THE DC COUPLED OUTPUTS:
No worries, the outputs are DC coupled. Apparently at some point VCV Rack changed their default output setting to BLOCK (!!!) DC Coupled signals. I wasn't aware of this, and when I tested the interface, it seemed like the outputs were AC coupled. Oh well, you live and learn.
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TIMELINE:
0:00 Intro
0:45 Inputs
1:20 Pre-amps
1:45 Hi-Z/Inst
2:10 3.5mm in
2:30 Outputs
3:10 Outs 3&4
4:15 A/B
4:45 Mixers
6:55 Matrix router
9:10 Hands-on ctrl
11:05 AFCC
11:40 MIDI map
13:35 ADAT
15:10 Clocking
15:55 DSP FX?
16:55 MIDI I/O
17:50 Misc
18:35 Pros & cons
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I hope this is a sign of things to come from other manufacturers that will make synth specific products. So many mixers/interfaces with more combi-jacks than I will ever need when all I really want is more stereo pairs.
AMEN
not sure I follow; the usual amount is 2. this one has a lot of inputs though overall.
@@valdir7426 If you go look at the back of a lot of the flagship interfaces most of the inputs are 6 or 8 combo jacks. The ones on the front here are totally fine. But having a ton of TRS inputs is what I really want.
there's a bunch that have lot's of analog i/o and matrix mixing and RME even offers direct to thumbdrive multitrack recording. you pay more but you get what you pay for. sometimes the i/o are on Dsub so you have to buy a couple snakes but this simplifies things often and is not as messy. ymmv of course and everyone has a different need.. but there's options out there w/gobs of i/o all over the price range.
Indeed. I want a simple compact 8x mixer.
I’m gonna need to buy more synths to justify this purchase
Woohoo! Thanks so much for making this review! I feel like you were the perfect person to review it and--with all the glorious gear at your fingertips--it will serve you well! All the best!
Thanks - yes, it brings everything together quite nicely!
Awesome review! Thanks for diving deeper into the MIDI section, was great to see it in action :)
Thanks and loved your review too - what you do is a huge service to us all!
Thank you BOTH for your amazing reviews@@loopop and @juliankrause!
Arturia, back at it. They’re doing a lot of thoughtful work!
THAT's the word. THOUGHTFUL!
Your content is always top notch, man. Thanks.
They should’ve added the Arturia FX to put on the input channels like the way UAUDIO does it, DSP effects. That would’ve been awesome
A game changer, at least for me. I have enough interfaces and mixers to record live stuff, I would gladly build my setup around this, as most of my instruments are hardware synths, modular stuff and pedals.
I live stream and have a lot of synths, doodads and noisemakers. This is exactly what I need. Thanks for reviewing it!
Sending only love man. Thanks for keeping the vids coming 🙏
More interface reviews, please! This one looks like a winner for Arturia
@@machiavelli4428 it doesn't have as many line ins
This looks great for us synth and drum machine heads!
youre channel is still amazing !!! thx for all your work
This is such an outstanding channel 👍
This is exactly what I have been waiting for
Finally, the perfect audio interface I was searching for years. Thank you Arturia & @loopop for the review.
Oh my, this is looking perfect for my setup... Worth the money just the electronic patch bay capabilities alone... Sold !!!
Very thorough as usual thank you.
Absolute must-buy for my Synth project. Thanks for the review!
very very cool to see an interface with synths studio in mind. I have an RME UCX II but this is very tempting to grow the synth collection. 32 inputs with adat !
MOTU Track 16 has 3,5 mm stereo input in front of the unit too.
Brought a X32 rack probably about 7 years ago. I've never felt the need to use anything else since, its still really powerful for the money and great value. Paired with a 8 channel Di / patch bay and ADAT if needed you have more than enough inputs and routing possibilities. It even works great using the 32 x 32 channels over USB to use VST's or whatever.
I did look at the RME fireface UFX's at the time as well.
I have an X32, as you say it's perfect. Mines probably got a footprint larger than many would want. But the faders were a must for me
@@vaiman7777 I wanted to down size from a full size analogue console as moved into a smaller space. I figured I'd just use the editor to get at the faders and the rest of it. Got most of it in a rack these days which nearly makes it to the ceiling all stacked up 🤣
This is my question too: how does the X32 and X18 compare? Very interested to see how Kebu uses the X32 with his setup and the advantages that brings him: ua-cam.com/video/iY5FTc1B9RQ/v-deo.html
Trying to narrow down what to purchase for my own synths and a collection I hope will grow!
@@Nutty663rd There's a Wing rack version on the way, i think its 4U though.
💙The display showing the matrix display. My problem with the software only is I often forget and have to stop and make sense of the matrix all over again each time I use it, but this will keep it fresh in mind alongside being extremely convenient!
I actually wanted this kind of things for ages
Since I use hardware preamp and compressor anyway
Man, this looks like a pretty good product! Thanks for the review. I've got a X32 rack and I'm considering it for the form factor alone. I wish it had some basic EQing on the monitor out for some room correction. I'm assuming it's routed through DSP, have you had any latency issues/even noticed any latency at all?
For literally half the price you can get the x/xr 18 from behringer with outstanding preamps, efx, eq/comp/gate on every channel, multi-jacks, proven reliability on the xair mixers. Great to see new products I just could never see how this would be the choice over the 10yr old x18 unless you just MUST have something 1ru in space. Cue the antibehringer comments, but just saying the xr18 is untouchable at this price per feature. Heck at 1300USD for this audiofuse you are about 100.00 away from an x32r. If you watch sweetwater about every 3 mo. they drop x32r's down to 1400.00. Great review as always.
it's a very different product though (and yeah Behringer is cheaper; what else is new). Personally if I needed 16 I/O I'd get a motu ultalite mk5 (because it's super portable) and add a behringer ADA ADAT interface that mostly would stay put.
Outstanding preamps is really an exaggeration here
Outstanding pre amps on any behringer product is an extreme reach. I’m shopping for a new interface for that reason alone.. this or the ssl big six might be solution for my 6-7 synth setup
You sort of touched on this point, but I figured I'd add to it. The front panel is nice, and it's nice to see companies going in this direction more, but this doesn't seem to bring anything new functionally. I think the MOTU 16A is a compelling competitor and has a lot of features this thing lacks, including decent DSP effects, more outputs, a better matrix with custom channel naming all over, more mixes, and a control system that's network connected so you can control it from anything with a web browser, including full OSC support over TCP/IP. Unless you really need those two built in mic/hi-z, the 16A is just better. And if you're on a budget, and want 32 ins and outs, you can do what I did and just buy the LP32 for half the price of this interface and use existing ADAT interfaces/preamps with all the aforementioned routing/mixing/effects onboard the LP32. Decent ADAT converters or old ADAT equipped audio interfaces that can run in standalone mode can be had on the cheap (often under $80 for 8 channels) Unless you ask marketing hype people, converter technology has basically remained unchanged for the past 10-20 years, so you aren't sacrificing any quality. Just some food for thought.
If MOTU had this configuration I would prefer it to either the 12A or the 1248, meaning I'd sacrifice more outputs for the mic pres, so it kind of comes down to how good the drivers and support are, which will take some time to really judge. I like Arturia, own a bunch of their hardware and software, but they're not a known quantity in this space like MOTU and RME. Also, I have to admit that while I've had an UltraLite for years I've never really gotten my head around the software.
If I was hunting for new interface this would be it but happy with ufx+… but this seems great packages in 1u rack nonetheless. Congrats Arturia and thanks Loopop for awesome review
Thanks for the review!!
It would be great to review the Cranborne Audio 500 series interface. I think it is amazing!!
Great looking interface
I’m using Motu and it’s expanders via AVB for similar purposes- zero complaints -
@@machiavelli4428 Fully agree - I've had it for years - rock solid, massively expandable - it's a platform that is slept on - and you get a 48 channel mixer with a huge number of aux and group sends and per channel processing. I have an 828es espanded with a 24ao and 24io - seamless. Good second hand prices too!
@@machiavelli4428why copy and paste the same comment everywhere?
This is a really nice take on a keyboard rig centric routing hub. I would require at least one more mix OR the capability to assign multiple sources to a pair of outputs in the matrix to feed my drummers mix. Looking forward to seeing this in a future firmware update.
Nice review. That's interesting that it doesn't support DSP effects onboard because Arturia's website definitely seems to imply that. This definitely makes me think that the Pulse 16 MX is definitely the right choice for me.
I have a Ferrofish Pulse 16 MX connected to an RME UFX+ via MADI... you will love it. Total Mix is such a powerful environment, and having 16 I/O via 1/4 jacks is awesome. I usually use 8 of them with my modular rig and an nw2s, and often us the other 8 for individual ins from a drum machine.
Very similar software interface to the Motu Ultralite range. Definitely a worthy upgrade option and looks like it’d be an easy transition. With 10 synths, drum machines and grooveboxes + 2 computers and an iPad connected, I’m starting to feel a little confined with my Ultralite Mk4 and Babyface Pro IO maxed out.
Damn, just bought a Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 which I have an 8 channel line mixer on one input. This is exactly what I needed.
@@machiavelli4428 Thank you. Only has 4 line ins for synths. The Arturia has the 8 I need. I'm using a line mixer at the moment. That adds noise to the signal for each device.
Interesting to hear about AD/DA convertors quality on this and recent Arturia AudioFUSEs, and also stability of the drivers. Are they on par with what RME puts in?
+1 convertors quality versus RME is a really good comparison point
No one can write solid audio drivers like RME, they just dont have the time and it costs money to do it right. Look at the drama Akai has caused with lame converters on their akai mpc series, class compliant but does not work with so many other class compliant converters, for all the money they making you would figure a brand known for sampling would make proper converters no ? I say get an RME pcie card and connect whatever converter you want, you will know your interface portion of the your chain is solid then you can A and B converters. If you need lots of channels in and out ferrofish and rme is where its at with lowest cost but excellent conversion.
@@machiavelli4428 You keep copying/pasting this "better preamps" claim all over UA-cam but how do you know that? The Arturia product was literally *just* announced today.
There are very few interfaces aimed at this particular niche. There is the ESI U168XT, which has more or less the same number of inputs and outputs, but it doesn't have a screen, and it doesn't fit in a rack.
While I would have seriously considered this if it had been available when I finally bought my audio interface - not in the least because I really like Arturia - I don't think it will complement my MOTU 24Ai. That one, I bought new in open box for just over €900 or so, and while I had to get the DB25 patch cables for it, it has a proper internal PSU with IEC C14 connector. And while it lacks a headphones connector and any output, it's _really_ easy to use up all those inputs if you have a couple of 19 inch rack modules. Especially if you have a drum module.
Hands down the best reviewer on the planet!
Love the review, btw adat sports up to 192kHz 2 channels using S/MUX (sample multiplexing). Cheers!
nice video, thanks. about time for bluetooth control of the mixer (and fx if you’ve got them) via tablets and phones i think :-) even wired would be ok.
I got one and the pres sound REALLY good. I knew going in that I'd also need an 8DAT expander for more XLR inputs. Pleased so far BUT one thing no one seems to mention is how to use the loopback. I also haven't seen anything that goes into detail utilizing and routing the AUX sends with eternal effects. The information in the manual about loopback is extremely limited and not helpful. If you're looking to do screen recordings you'll want to set the loopback up. I've reached out to tech support as I'm still struggling with getting it set up properly for my needs.
I have an A&H Zed series mixer. It's AD converters and Pre-amps have suited me for a while but I'm looking for higher fidelity recordings. Is the investment into this worth it for synths, drum machines, mics and instruments? It'll be mostly for synths, drum machines and samplers.
Now that I have this, my main wish is that there was a simple EQ included in the mixer. It would go a long way.
This definitely looks slick and if I hadn't just picked up an as-new Presonus 24R rack mixer for a steal I'd probably strongly consider this. While I wouldn't miss the lack of built in channel strip processing if I'd never had it, I think the lack of subgroups is a shame and the ability to create as many AUX sends and/or mixes as you want to take advantage of all those outputs is definitely a missed opportunity which will rule it out to drive larger IEM rigs or when using lots of outboard effects. As a synth/effects focused audio interface without considering stand-alone capabilities it's a strong competitor against the likes of the MOTU 828es or 16A
The MOTU series of interfaces have had this capability for years, including a 64 channel mixer with built in EQ, Compressor and Reverb and using AVB and ADAT I have 104 channels going into my DAW but I would consider this as an alternative to Behringer X32 for live work.
i just bought this unit to replace my bricked 624. latest firmware bricked it and MOTU wouldnt help me since the unit was 3 years old. Fuck them.
great review as always!.. apples to oranges comparison but something that i have incorporated in my existing setup for synths is ferrofish 16 ( also comes in 32 in and out) .. integrates into existing setup with adat or MADI(32). awesome routing possibilities and conversion
I run the ferrofish pulse 16 paired with a RME babyface - super happy with this set up
@@marquezvanroeschen5340 The Babyface can only take 8 ADAT inputs at one time though can't it?
I'm considering a RME Digiface with Ferrofish 16 or 2x Behringer ADA1820.
hmm ferrofish, yes, But is it still only that you can route in groups of 8 and not point to point ? - This was the reason I don't by a ferrofish. I have an Andiamo 32i/o Madi (directout) With a great software (globcon) to do everything what I need ;-)
sorry! I'm running the digiface, not the babyface and it has 4 ADAT/SPDIF-ins & 4 ADAT/SPDIF-out
a few interesting features
I like the possibility of mapping a controller directly to the mixer (don't think it's a very common feature); too bad there's no on-board basic eq/comp like on a MOTU because that would have turn it into an actual mixer.
Also the MIDI routing is nice with usb host option but why is it either "midi in DAW " OR "midi router" and why aren't both possible at the same time? (something I use routinely with my small iconnectivity). Still it packs quite a lot; an analog clock is a also quite nice (I imagine it's treated as a midi clock out inside a DAW). Some other specialized channel will probably do more thorough audio mesearements and comparision with other interfaces.
I'd say in term of form factor nothing beats the MOTU ultralite mkx or RME fireface style format for 8 ins / 8 outs analog audio at least; and I intend to stick to that because it's so easier to pack and also doesn't take an akward space in the studio when you don't have a 19"rack.
Nice!Do you think it will run on a mpc one?
Wondering if one could use both ADAT inputs with an 18i20 and Octo Pre with it, given that the Octo Pre has clock in and out, but the 18i20 only has clock out... would it be '18i20 clock out --> Octo Pre clock in --> Octo Pre clock out --> 16 rig clock in? 16 rig then syncs to?
Also wondering if you can set buffer to 32. Probably doesn't matter so much... I sequence externally and would only really use LP or Live to track, but the lower option would be nice.
I'm new to ADAT but this plus those two would have me hooked for a decade.
You always make good reviews, complete and useful, thank you, I have one question>
can this be used for immersive audio * dolby atmos 7.1-4 ?
monitors, is it due to the good amount of outputs
Thanks! Sure (though there's nothing in particular that's related to Atmos here, any interface with as many outputs will work)
thanks ! @@loopop
Hi,
Thank you for this explanatory video.
We can notice that there is no INSERT to add effect pedals for example, however there are 4 AUX slices in the matrix.
Should we consider that it is possible to use 4 available audio inputs as AUX effect INSERT and send the other tracks to these 4 tracks?
Thank you for your reply.
Kind reagards
yes (with a bit of sub 1ms latency of internal processing). you can also just make routings using the matrix
Thank you @@loopop
Nice comprehensive review! Since it can be used in standalone. I'm wondering if I can send audio via usb from my MPC (class complient) and then route all 16 ADAT outputs to an analog mixer using ADAT + word clock, all from the menu on the interface. Thanks a lot!
Thanks! I didn't try it with an MPC
I purchased Arturia Audiofuse 16 Rig, worked solid for 3 weeks. Setup was straight forward, learning curve with AudioFuse Control Center wasn't too bad. Then last week it would no longer be recognized by AudioFuse Control Center, did a power cycle and it would not power back up. Attempted to contact Arturia support and the only way to contact them is via email. Sent email and they reply within 2 hrs with generic troubleshooting steps, power cycle, ensure it's connected to a functional power source, etc.. Ask that I send them a video
Thank you for reaching out to us and sorry to read about these inconveniences.
Did you out of curiosity tested the power adapter with a Voltmeter and if not, do you have any to just confirm the voltage currently outputted?
If confirmed as faulty, we should be able to ship a replacement power supply as soon as possible.
-Could you please just also confirm that you always ensure holding the "A" button at least one or two sec (as just pressing it really fast may not allow it to power on)?
-Also, if you look at the back of your unit do you see any Red light coming from the ADAT ports or not at all?
-Finally, if you hold during a few seconds (around 5 sec) the "A" button and then try to open the "AudioFuse Control Center" is it seeing the unit as being currently plugged in or not (and possibly asking for any firmware update)?
If this persists, make sure to provide the following information:
-- Your proof of purchase (Dated invoice / bill):
-- Your full name:
-- Your shipping address:
-- Zip Code:
-- Your phone number:
-- Proof of defect: Video showing the currently observed behavior (and if possible, the outputted voltage or the fact that another power adapter is working fine if you have any compatible one).
Please find below the adapter specifications:
Voltage
Internal Diameter
External Diameter
Length
Polarity
15V DC 3A
2.5mm
5.5mm
10mm
Center Positive
Thank you by advance and looking forward to hearing from you!
Best Regards,
Léo - Arturia Support
I send them back everything including the video that describes the problem in detail. I get a reply back saying.
"Usually, technical requests get answered within 48h. However, this could take longer as some of our staff are enjoying the Christmas holidays with their families.
If you haven't received any answer from us yet, please do not send us another one as this may add extra time in processing your request.
Thanks for understanding, and happy holidays!
******
This email is a service from Arturia Support."
I got this email a week ago. it's currently May 2024. This company must give extended time off for Christmas.
I ended up sending this unit back to return. I would advise not to go with Arturia due to the lack of support that you will get. Investing in a product from a company you can't pick a phone up to call and appears as they don't care about customers.
I'm still rocking on my Behringer X18. It's unbelievable value for money. Basically the X32 brain with compression, EQ, gate on every channel plus 4 internal FX units with a choice of about 60 FX, 6 aux sends, an app for control that can either be via computer or WiFi device like phones or tablets. Amazing piece of kit for about 550.
I have that one high on my list. Do you have a controller as well? X touch
@@annebokma4637 no i don't use a controller for it. It sits under my desk with everything plugged in and i never have to touch it. All control is via the app on my Mac.
@@silicon1138 I never plan to touch it either. Was thinking of getting Presonus faderport 16 for daw control, but will probably go for the added utility of the behringer.
Seems the x18 gets overlooked, but I don't see an advantage of paying more for the x18 air
@@annebokma4637 I have the X18Air actually, for the simple fact that the 6 aux outs were jack's not xlr. It fit better with how I work.
I have the MR18 in studio and the XR18 as live audio interface. XLR outputs are awesome in live performance. No DI Boxes needed. 18/10 Audio I/O, MIDI I/O, 18x18 audio interface, amazing digital mixers. Very affordable compared to this offering by Arturia. While these mixers lack the higher sample rate and usb hub option, they give you great mixer features that an audio interface can’t.
i have 2 Behringer umc1820 + adat for home and live and i love them for this purpose but curious about this one.
I'm considering to use this as a patchbay (for synths and outboard gear) and use it in conjunction with my SSL Big Six. I would mainly use the SSL to record to the DAW, but the Arturia would also also provide extra inputs if needed. What are your thoughts on this idea ? Any routing suggestions to help me make the most of both machines ?
I'm trying to decide if I want to do the same thing. Possibly ditch my 1/4" patch bay and Behringer ADA8200 (which adds extra inputs via ADAT) and use this in place of both ... I'm currently running to a Neve 88m for DAW input. If I can determine that I can run the sends from my Neve to outboard gear using this I'll likely pull the trigger.
Would’ve been nice to see a mention of the Ferrofish gear, which is very similar.
So if using this to mix out to different effect pedals, looks I need to buy many more di/reamp boxes as well? Looks only have 2 channels outputs which are reamped?
This seems like an ideal product. I'm curious about the midi clock - is the sync good enough that I wouldn't need something like an ERM multiclock? What latency figures and stability are you getting and what about longevity of product support and driver updates? I'm also looked into something like the MOTU 16A or RME digiface and Ferrofish / Behringer ADA1820 / Audient ASP880/800. Do the audient evo 16 and presonus 2626 also give you 16 channels of ADAT? How do they compare?
I didn't test the clock sync, I did however plug this in my computer without installing anything and it works fine - so no need to worry about drivers I think. Obviously we need to trust Arturia to keep updating the control software, because there are a few features there that you can't access using the front panel. It's beyond the scope of the comment section to make all those comparisons but I structured the video as a general checklist for people to compare capabilities.
Audient Evo16 owner here. ADAT can add up to 16 additional inputs and outputs. I use it with just the one SP8 at the moment but had planned to expand. I will say though this Arturia matrix routing is a pretty killer feature. Can't get my head around it in terms of how to wire it up, but I love the idea of being able to reroute audio through different devices without having to recable everything each time
@@machiavelli4428 The audiofuse 16 comes in at £1150 and the MOTU £1200 from the prices i've found online. The audiofuse has midi clock. The 828es has only 8 analog inputs which a preamps and the audiofuse has 2 preamps and 16 line inputs which is much more useful to me. I'm not sure about preamp quality - who knows? The MOTU 16a seems more comparable but then it lacks any preamps. On paper the audiofuse seems the ideal interface for me but the latency times aren't too impressive.
@@chrisdavies9143 Is the latency just average on the evo16? Are audient any good with driver support and stability? I guess you could add an audiofuse to your evo16 and use either one as an expander. The audiofuse seems like a good alternative to a ferrofish 16 (not that much difference in price really). If later down the line I decided I wanted better latency or driver performance I could use the audiofuse as 18 inputs to an RME digiface or I could buy an an audient asp800 if I wanted more mic preamps.
@@loopop Is that on mac? Class compliant I guess but then no extra special customer driver performance.
Evening keeps saying this is for synths, is it not a competitive interface in general though? I'm looking at buying this over the Motu 828, Babyface etc. would a non synth guy not buy this over the others? I need the extra inputs for live sessions but also need the interface functionality for tracking 1-2 channels at a time. I also need the IO for recording effects
Would love a cheeky little firmware update (a la TE TX-6) to allow USB recording of jams...! 🤞
I ended up getting a Studiolive 16R a few years ago with a Samson patch bay. I’ve got a Radial Workhorse with some 500 gear and it all works great with some Tascam snakes. They also have a 24r and 32r, all have iPad control with EQ, per-channel comps, etc….and like MOTU UltraLite it also works great with no computer. Bonus: it can record on-device with no computer, has 16 preamps on combi jacks, AVB for expansion, 10 mix busses total (6 customizable), IEC power in (no wall wart) stereo bluetooth input (takes up 2 channels tho)…no ADAT tho, only AVB but it can take their stage boxes (which are almost as expensive as the 16R itself). It works, it’s not perfect, and I should have got the 32R 😂
That USB host is useful, dual midi is nice but an iconnectivity mioXL is nicer (CME wireless midi is dope too), Hosa makes some useful pedalboard-sized patch boxes with up to 8 balanced channels, wish this had ipad control and onboard DSP with per-channel SIDECHAIN-ABLE compressors and EQ tho.
Great video tho, this looks great for the budding synth enjoyer 🎉
@@machiavelli4428just shut up already
Great review, thank you. Going out on a limb here - this seems like it would be a perfect interface to use with PlayDifferently's Model 1 mixer which provides DBSUB25 connections (16 x In and 8 x Out) across DBSUB In 1/2 and DBSUB Out. When used with Native Instruments' Traktor Pro 3 I wonder if Trakor can cope with all the required connectivity without crashing, which depending on the interface and channel you are trying to use (especially ADAT via an expansion) - this *seems* like it might work based on not needing ADAT for all channels. I don't suppose you have Traktor Pro 3 installed on your Mac and could confirm either way? Thanks!
thanks and no I don't have it installed
I so love Arturia! I own more of their gear than anything else electronic. But if I'm just doing recordings of drums/bass/gtr/vox, I'm not gonna need this...
Or am I? 🧐
For stereo synth filled studios, I think they've found a good opening in the market here. I especially like the pair of ADAT ins and outs so you can re-use your old interface for yet more I/O. But still, I do think the price is a little high. If you compare it to say a MOTU Ultralite mk.V, this is about twice the price (with some on-board processing this doesn't have). But, you'd expect some economy of scale on inputs, it doesn't cost that much more to make a new 16 input dual ADAT than a 8 input single ADAT. When the MOTU also has 10 outputs. I do think they could have offered this for 1199. The Ferrofish 16 is now on sale for 999! But, Arturia Audiofuse's have always been priced a little on the high side. And I suspect that's why they weren't all that popular in the past, compared to RME. From a price PoV, wouldn't Mac users, in particular, be better off buying two cheaper but similarly capable 8-channel devices like Audient Evo 16s or Ultralite mk.Vs and using them as an aggregated device? Maybe for some, the hassle factor and the extra features are worth 400? But, for me, I could buy another nice synth, or stereo processor, to fill ever more inputs ;) Because at these levels, honestly, the audio quality differences for healthy line level signals at 24bit, 96k are minimal.
Couldn't agree more... 2 Evo16's was my exact thought when I seen the price of this
@@FeelRealRacingyeah. Two Evo16s. And more importantly, money left over for just one more good synth . Or a boutique stereo effects pedal or two ;) For the difference I'd rather buy, an instrument, like say a second-hand Korg Arp Odyssey, a Hydrasynth Explorer, Lyra-8. Or a powerful pedal maybe a Zoia, Chase Bliss Mood Mk.II, Hologram Microcosm or something more inspiring than spending 500 extra on probably non-detectable difference in sound quality.
@@compucorder64 for me it's not so much the price as if you have 8-16 synths to fill the inputs then I don't think you have a problem spending more for a better quality product, but I don't see this as that. Just more consumer glut 😑
An evo16 and SP8 is what you need, no need for aggregate devices that way
@@Grant82gcGood point, I didn't realise you could pair the evo16 and SP8 like that. Assume it's both on USB, and not chained via ADAT, to get the system - guess they share the driver? That's neat. Some MOTU allow similar, and there's AVB at the higher price point. In time, I think MOTU will allow multiple Ultralite mk.V to be connected to one PC too, but they don't allow that at the moment.
How do you set Mute/Solo-Buttons to toggle instead of momentary (on a USB-MIDI-Mixer)? Trying to get my nanoKontrol 2 to work. AFCC is updated to the most recent version. Edit: Ok, figured it out myself: Had to download Korg Kontrol Editor to my PC, connect the controller, set the switches from momentary to toggle in the editor, flash it to the controller and voila!
usb isnt exactly low latency though, you would need to compensate for that, or an external midi clock device, in the age of Thunderbolt 4, i dont understand that they still run this usb interfaces. I personally run a TB3 Interface from presonous, with 8 Analog in, it works perfectly on Win10 and a mac mini with Ventura. Best interface i ever had, zero crashes, i even have two of them. Both are flawless, but dosent have this matrix functionality which is nice to have if you want to insert audio fx, without repatching - for send fx its working fine. (I.e. dont change ports too often.) SNR is very good. It also has individual level controls on the front for Headphones, Inputs - easy to operate, and has a monitoring app, which i dont use, because when monitoring - i go for plugins within the DAW. Presonous also fixed some bugs, it had at the beginning, when listening to windows audio (not asio) , but has consistently supported the interface. After this expierience of support, i am more than willing to buy other presonous stuff. Arturia was a let down with some of abandon ware. (Drum computers, midi controllers) which i bought in the past.
Thanks!
BTW - FYI, I just noticed that I’m unsubscribed from your channel by UA-cam, so you might want to put out a reminder in the next few videos for people to check!
Thanks - I didn't notice a particular drop in subs... maybe you miss-pressed it? Don't forget to ring the notification bell too!
@@loopop nope, I usually watch on my TV so its not easy to unsubscribe. I know other channels have been reporting that they are having subscribers randomly dropped.
Great overview of the hardware and UI but I'm missing any mention of the single most important thing on an audio interface - the quality of the pre-amps and converters. Also no mention of the noise floor...
Thanks! For better or worse I don't test exact THD, pre-amp, noise levels etc as that requires equipment I don't have and a large reference library of test across various devices - and I only review a very small number of interfaces on this channel, indeed mostly in terms of hardware and usability. If those are important to you, check out Julian Krause's review - I think you'll find for most modern devices in this range, according to his tests, the differences are imperceptible.
Midi mapping is huge. Would be better if you could map fx sends too. Can you change mixer/routing presets from the front panel? Cheers!
You can map FX sends too, and yes you can change presets from the front panel
fantastic all this but how does is sounds? how does it compare sound wise to an Apollo or RME? thnx
I've not compared them - at this high end I doubt there's an audible difference
So you can't do 16 in AND 16 out via adat, right? Only one direction? Can it be at-least 8 x 8 simultaneously?
I wonder if there’s a chance Arturia will make an iPados software for it…😮
Does anyone know if you can run more than one of these at a time? If so, how does it present multiple units to the host?
So, is in to out bypass D/A, leaving only A/D when go back in?
Meaning - input signal to outboard and back in roundtrip would have - A/D D/A A/D, or allow pre DSP out ( to only single A/D?)
any matrix routing or mixing goes through conversion in and out
Dc coupled inputs? Cv routing possibilities?
Can you only midi map 8 channels, and then something to switch banks? bummer because my mixer doesn't have buttons just 16 faders
Do you he any info on the possibillity to use more than one 16Rig at the same time with the same driver (like RME, MOTU and the likes can...) ?
I worked with Arturia on this product and, yes, you can attach multiple AudioFuse 16Rigs to the same host computer and control them independently with the AudioFuse Control Center software. Not sure why you would want to do this except in specialized edge cases, though. In general, if you bring signals in via ADAT (setting a unit to work in Standalone mode and send signals to the hosted unit via ADAT) you get the advantage of being able to mixing and routing all 32 inputs/28 outputs in one place which is pretty handy.
Looking for Help !
Basically I want to use external (hardware) Effekts with this unit and mange it all in Ableton but I don’t know why it’s not working.
I go from output 10 (interface)
Into Eventide Blackhole and back at input 15/16 (interface) I don’t get any signal through it. Could it be that there are some settings in the Audiofuse Software that I need to change.
If somebody has a hint or idea I would be happy to try it out and get things going.
Cheers guys !
without having used it yet, this seems like the MOTU 828es the way MOTU should have done it. The mixer and matrix look familiar, but so much clearer and simpler to make sense of. And while as Loopop says, MOTU has a few built-in DSP effects, on the ES they're not available for tracking into a DAW. Only for using the interface as a mixer -- which you can't really use effectively without an iPad or laptop anyway.
In any case, the addition of 8 stereo inputs over the 828es cinches it for me. I'll be replacing that with this, as well as getting rid of the patchbay.
Question: so essentially you can connect your gear ex drum machine, synth keyboards etc (for monitoring purposes) without having to open the daws input monitoring? i am new to this so correct me if i am wrong.the typical way to monitor the devices mentioned above or any for that matter you'd have to essential go into the daw and engage input monitoring in order to hear back the instruments when played correct, assuming your connecting your gear to an audio interface not a mixer? but with this i can close my daw and just start playing each piece of equipment while hearing it play back on my monitors? i know you essentially have explained this but I just want to confirm my understanding
yes, that's correct, the mixer and monitoring work regardless of a computer
@loopop thank you. Last question, lol. I have an mbox studio and an Apollo twin. Let's say I like the mic preamp on either of the two besides the 16 rig. Can i connect via adat using either the Apollo twin or mbox studio in conjunction with the 16rig? Again, I am new to this. Confirmations allow me to feel confident in my understanding of things. I would assume that I'd have to make one the master and the other a slave using the clocking of the main one I choose.
@@CMedia87 it should work ADAT is a pretty solid standard but I can’t guarantee of course. And yes experiment with one being slave and another master to avoid clicks/noise
I use two TC Electronics Studio Konnekt 48's with a Focusrite OctoPre Mark II Dynamics (via ADAT) for a total of 64 I/O (according to Ableton). The TC Control Panel stopped working after OSX Mojave, but I mainly use the DAW to setup/control the units. Additionally, the SK48's chain together to your DAW via FireWire (Firewire is dropped in Ventura, but you can patch FireWire back).
I wasn't sure with your video;; *_Can you have multiple AudioFuses in your DAW_* ???
I don't have two 16Rigs, but did use both Audiofuse Studio and 16Rig together during the making of this video on my mac (16Rig for inputs and AFS for the outputs). I guess I could have used them as one as an aggregate device, but I didn't try. Note that might cause clicks and pops occasionally based on my experience using other interfaces in an aggregate device configuration due to clock misalignment.
@@loopopYeah fair enough. I did have to WordClock everything together. The two SK48's weren't an issue, but with the FocusRite ADAT, everything needed to be buttoned down!
Can someone explain to me why direct to USB multitrack recording is so rare?
Is it excessive additional hardware costs? (Seems unlikely); extremely difficult to program said firmware? (JoeCo, RME duREC, Tascam, Zoom, etc suggest otherwise); so WHAT is it? For products focused in part on the ‘DAWless’ market, it seems sorta like a crucial feature. I’ve been trying to understand what the barrier to this is for so many companies, it seems like an absolute no brainer.
For that matter, if companies AREN’T going to offer direct to disk recording, the least they could do is offer a proper iPad app mirroring the desktop setup/mixer/console/configuration app for a low hassle interface+iPad recording solution. I don’t want to have to haul around a laptop just to record what’s plugged into an interface like this. Especially since I don’t currently (nor plan to) buy a laptop when I already have 2 iPads and an iMac. IF this plays nice recording all inputs to something like AUM or Logic on iPadOS, AND is fully configurable via the LCD…then that is a viable (but not ideal) semi-portable multitrack recording solution that I might be able to get behind, but direct to disk is infinitely more desirable.
Is anybody able to shed some light on why direct to disk multitrack recording is such a unicorn on modern interfaces? I don’t get it.
@loopop Once configured, can the interface be used standalone?
yes
So the matrix router is basically an internal patch bay? I did just order the new black lion trs 3 patchbay. But if I buy this interface (and I'm heavily leaning towards this one) do I still need a traditional hardware patch bay?
yes, if this has enough I/O for you you don't need a traditional patch bay
@@loopop 16 in is plenty of IO for me. Thanks for the review and your reply!
Massive midi routing is what I need. I already have mixers into interface and monitoring audio all set up. I also use a korg workstation to operate a bunch of synths and use its touch screen mixer for muting,vol etc on the synth modules and i only run maybe 2-3 tracks at most into recording. Thanks for the excellent review. This piece is way too pro for me and not for my workflow. Edit: I listened to this vid out my M6, lol, instead of just flipping the amp over to line-in straight from pc. M6 has 3 stereo ins and as a lone ranger, even 2 ins is rare for me. I was playing piano along with your vid.
iConnectiviy MioXL it's a superb way to manage LOTS of midi gear...
@@danielruizmunozthx for the tip. Very interesting. I like the presets of all the routings and once set up you can go dawless and reroute on the fly.
MOTU have an 8 in, 8 out MIDI interface, too
Conductive Labs MRCC that has onboard routing, filtering, keyboard splits and saves. Just got one and have a lot to learn.
MioXL has an app to create up to 32 presets, and also can get 8 USB devices among the 8 I/O in DIN format... I think you can even link 2 of them, it's crazy.
Being 1U it' super convenient. The MRCC it's also very poweful.@@zdravkodimitrov
@loopop what is the midi controller you mapped to the 16? ❤
korg makes two versions of this nano studio controller
Love how they release this a week after I buy a Motu 828es
Yeah, I don't, it's great, and much sexier! Seem to have a lot less press than their other interfaces. The arturia is a cool machine though
@@robertreid8241 MOTU makes very nice stuff and I don't knock them at all--you should enjoy your new purchase! That said, I don't know how this machiavelli person copy/pastes any claims about "better preamps" all over UA-cam given that the Arturia product was literally *just* announced that day.
1300$ is more than i was expecting
@@machiavelli4428those two arent even remotely comparable lol
the motu 828es has half the analog I/O and less ADAT I/O possibilities
Also the unique Mini Jack input
Interchangeable Inputs of 1/2 that basically Acts like a patchbay
Standalone MIDI control which I WISH my interface would have to control it without turning on the computer
USB in
Analog Clock out for Modular Synthesizers
DC coupled I/O
And its only 100-200€ more than the motu
The preamps aswell and signal to noise ratio etc are aswell on high Premium Level as you can see in other in depth reviews
This interface is a blessing from the synth gods
Honestly I need something with 16 in, zero -preamps, and outs for headphones and monitors maybe about 4 outs.
If you are ok with 44.1k, you could probably get what you need for just over half the price of this. A Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 or Audient EVO 16 paired with Behringer UMC1820 on ADAT say. The Audient is very good for DAC / monitoring and good heaphones, and for ADC the Behringer is perfectly fine. Because the weaker parts of it are the preamps, heaphone amps, and maybe the drivers (which don't matter used as an ADAT input expander). I'm using a MOTU Ultralite mk.V with all my analogue synths into it, and a Behringer UMC1820 over ADAT with all the digital synths connected to it. Works well.
I really like Arturia products. I have the KeyLab 61 Mk2 and the MiniLab 2, and they perform really well, especially the Mk2. With that mindset, I bought the MiniFuse1 audio interface, and I'm very disappointed. The interface disconnects from the system (it's the same on both MacOS and Windows) after a period of system inactivity. Every once in a while, I have to disconnect and reconnect the USB-C cable to get the system to reconnect it again. This issue has been known for a long time, apparently since the beginning, and it seems like nobody at Arturia is really addressing it. It could likely be fixed relatively quickly through a firmware update. There's also the LED backlight on the headphone knob that stays on all the time and can't be turned off, even if you're not using headphones at all. If the MiniFuse is where you sleep, you have the light shining all the time! Lol… What's funny is that the problem with the interface disconnecting doesn't turn off this LED light. The audio interface is definitely not well designed. I hope that this new product is better thought out
I have the Audiofuse Studio with the Audiofuse 8Pre connected to it through Adat. Their both well build and both have been dependable for me. The Minifuse line is their low budget line so hopefully since this product shares the Audiofuse name that its build quality is the same as the others. Though it’s a shame that you had problems with the minifuse. Even though it’s a low budget alternative you would think that it coming from Arturia it would work flawlessly like the rest of their products.
I still think this could be a problem with the OS checking out usb devices after a period of inactivity due to energy saving. Maybe that is a setting you can adjust in your OS. I think I had an issue like this, but can't remember what and how. Also, did you report this problem? I don't recognize Arturia as a company that doesn't care about it's customers. They do update their software products frequently at least. Try reaching out perhaps?
So if I understand you can't use all of those inputs for micing a whole drumset?
right, only two mic preamps here
So arturia is catching up with RME with that software and mixer functionality
Awesome and super informative review! Looks versatile and I love the visual feedback from the front interface, however, I found out the drivers don't currently support 5.1 and 7.1 surround in Windows WDM like Focusrite does.
i wonder if a bluetooth dong;e would function on the 16rig
So a few thoughts come to mind. Firstly, as it is with any of these kind of "do several things at once" products the converter quality will probably suffer. So you're sacrificing sound for utility. Unless you pair it with dedicated converters. Secondly, since this is designed for synths, can the inputs take a -10dBV instrument (most synths output at -10dBV) and +4dBu dynamically/intelligently? If not this is quite a stupid product ultimately because, ironically, you will need another device in between your synths and this. If for example this interface expects +4dBu signal on all of the 16 TRS inputs that is. The other features are nice but don't matter if they didn't get the basic i/o signal levels part right here. Just a thought. Thanks for the overview.
Probably safe to assume it can take the proper signal if they are marketing it as a synth/drum machine interface.
It would be amazing if they did a cheaper 16 line input that has 2x ADAT outs version that would be, maybe 2xADA8200 Ultragain price
Just bought this but seriously disappointed you cant rename input/outputs (thankfully you can in the matrix router)
Hi, great review as always.. for my monkey brain I'm seeing the matrix router is potentially removing a piece of hardware from a small studio; a rack patch bay. Am I understanding this correctly, anyone? cheers and pz!
Thanks! Yes (though doing through the ADC/DACs adds a smidge of latency (sub 1ms)
If anyone can help me out,
This or a Tascam Model 24? I have 16 channels worth of inputs with synths and drum machines, I don’t use or own a computer, I’m all into dawless. Along with a night sky, blue sky, UA max compressor, zoom MS-70CDR, and a H9 max, as in pedals. What y’all suggest? I appreciate any advice :)
Probably the tascam, think the interface on this arturia interface are intended as more of an emergency option (over the software) rather than for regular use