Based on what you have now, yes. The 824 and Ultralite are going to be a definite step up from what you are working with at the moment. Basically you'll be going from low end prosumer gear to mid-grade prosumer gear. I'd recommend it if that is all your budget allows.

Also, if it's any consolation, I'm still in the middle on trying to figure out how to scrounge up $4,000 for an AI upgrade myself.

That is pretty much all I can do for now. I'm set on getting the drum machine if only for fun because I can sit and play with them forever. Sometimes I load up a drum set and play on the Akai controller until my fingers are sore because I love drums and have been playing forever. I have a Tama kit sitting behind me that I also love.

That would leave me with about $1500 to work with. I'm open to suggestions as I'm not to familiar with mid grade gear.

I could always save the rest for partying in Detroit and hookers.

___________________
I've never been able to eat a whole baby.
Kill the women. Eat the children.
It's just one of those days where you want to bend over everyone you know and kiss their ass goodbye with a big sideways boot.

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Well, if you are looking to upgrade both the monitors and AI with $1,500, the MOTU Ultralite/HR824 is probably your best bet. The MOTU stuff is definitely the best in at that price level. If you did not need any additional in/out, then I'd recommend the Apogee Duet at $495, but its only 2in/2out, so your expandability is basically nil. It certainly has the best AD/DA in that price range, but at the cost of ins & outs. So after that, the MOTU line if the next best thing in the AD/DA department.

You could look at different monitor options at the same price level. I will echo others statements and say listen to different monitors and see which ones you like. A lot of people like the HR824's, but I find them bass-heavy and way too muddy in the mids. The problem is that you may not find much of an improvement with monitors from other manufacturers if you are staying in the same price range.

This is why so many people recommend listening to different monitors before buying, because usually most monitors are basically the same in a given price range. The trick is that some monitors sound better than others for different people. For example, The Mackie's may be muddy in the mids but have good bass extension. Then you look at the Tannoys and the mids sound good, but the bass is light, or the highs are too harsh. When shopping between manufacturers in a given price range, there is always going to be some type of trade-off between competing manufactuers.

So I will echo what others have said and make sure you get a chance to listen before making a purchase. I see you live in SA (I just got back from there!), so just roll down to the local GC and have them set up a demo. Be sure to bring music you know VERY well.

The thing about monitors in that price range is there are a lot of 824s selling on ebay for about $500-$550. The other brands are tougher to find.

I could upgrade just the monitors first and keep using the audiophile with my hardware plugged into my mixer for now.

I might be able to get everything I want if I save a little more.

Dave Smith Instrments Mopho $400
JoMox Xbase 888 $1,400
roland juno 60 $600
kenton converter $235
used mackie 824 $600
used motu ultralite $325
Total: $3,560

___________________
I've never been able to eat a whole baby.
Kill the women. Eat the children.
It's just one of those days where you want to bend over everyone you know and kiss their ass goodbye with a big sideways boot.

Latest Mix

You could, I just do not think you'll get all you can out of the outboard hardware with the AD in the Audiophile. It'll sound great when you are playing it, but the minute you try to record it into your DAW, you'll be suffering from the AD in the Audiophile. That's why I recommended getting the AI with better AD/DA.

In addition, if you are going to be recording external hardware, make sure you are working in 24 bit. 16 bit isn't going to cut it for recording.

Would sticking a mixer between hardware and the Duet defeat the purpose?

I'm just trying to brainstorm ideas on how to ghetto rig everything and avoid buying a 3rd set of monitors eventually.

___________________
I've never been able to eat a whole baby.
Kill the women. Eat the children.
It's just one of those days where you want to bend over everyone you know and kiss their ass goodbye with a big sideways boot.

Latest Mix

Well I'm assuming that you are planning on having your hardware plugged into your mixer and then your mixer outs plugged into the Duet. If you are planning on keeping with the hardware mixer then this is probably your best option, because you don't need any more in/out on the AI.

The reason is tht when the signal travels out the synth and into the mixer it is still in the analog domain. Its only when it get to the Duet that the Analog to Digital conversion takes place.

The issue you have to be concerned about here is the quality of the hardware mixer. Hardware mixers, just like any other piece of gear, and going to have audio artifacts depending on how good your mixer is. If you are going into a Mackie 8 bus or higher quality mixer, then you should be just fine. If you are running into a low grade Behringer Euro desk, then that mixer would probably introduce unpleasant artifacts into the signal before it gets to the Duet, which is undesirable.

That's why a lot of people get AI with lots of In/out so that the AI acts as the mixer. There are advantages to having a hardware mixer, as good hardware mixers can introduce a certain "warmth" to your signal chain before it gets to AD. However, you need a good quality mixer. The bad part about hardware mixers is that you can really only work on one track at a time.

So if you do decide to go the hardware mixer route, be advised of the advantages/disadvantages and be prepared to spend a bit on a good mixer. Otherwise, its really not worth it. To be honest, with only $1,500, you are not going to be able to get a good enough hardware mixer to justify the lower cost of the Duet. I'd stick with a multi in/out AI.

I have a small A&H mixer I can use for now, but I really wish it had filters on the 1/4" channels instead of just the 4 band EQ. I think I will probably get the Duet, the JoMox, and monitors though I still have some time to decide.

___________________
I've never been able to eat a whole baby.
Kill the women. Eat the children.
It's just one of those days where you want to bend over everyone you know and kiss their ass goodbye with a big sideways boot.

Latest Mix

That's cool, just make sure that the A&H isn't a DJ style mixer. The DJ style mixers really are not going to be appropriate for mix downs as they have their EQ's set up a bit differently that a traditional mixing board. They may not provide a true, accurate representation of what your mix sounds like as they are designed for DJing not producing. If it's all you have, then it will work, but I'd just leave everything at 0 on the EQ's on the mixer and make your adjustments at the software level. If you are working with an A&H console, then you should be in good shape, as those are usually decent quality.

I plan to buy a larger one when I can since the JoMox has 10 outs, but yeah like you said they are about $1500.

___________________
I've never been able to eat a whole baby.
Kill the women. Eat the children.
It's just one of those days where you want to bend over everyone you know and kiss their ass goodbye with a big sideways boot.

Latest Mix

just looking at your space,

i would spend that money on furniture and treatment.