Roland Octa-Capture Interface - Now with Conclusions

[drbezgin]

Hello

I'm home musician. I tried to figure out what you write with my English is bad.

Thinking of buying a USB sound card. "Octo Capture", "VS Studio 100", "TC Electronic Impact Twin" I was undecided between.

Which one would you recommend?

Thanks...

[Anderton]

 

Originally Posted by drbezgin

Hello

I'm home musician. I tried to figure out what you write with my English is bad.

Thinking of buying a USB sound card. "Octo Capture", "VS Studio 100", "TC Electronic Impact Twin" I was undecided between.

Which one would you recommend?

Thanks...

 

First of all, welcome to the forum! It is impossible to know what to recommend without knowing your requirements. For example, if you record mostly acoustic music and use a lot of microphones, then you would choose an interface with lots of mic inputs. But if you do solo work and never record more than one or two tracks at a time, you can save money by buying a simpler interface that doesn't have as many inputs. It also depends on whether you plan to do any mobile or portable recording, or just work in your home. If you play guitar, then you might want to make sure the unit has an "instrument" input.

I'm not trying to avoid your question, but the more accurately you can define your needs and budget, the more your search will narrow down to a few units, making your decision easier. But, you should also know that most interfaces these days are very high quality. It's hard to buy a "bad" interface, so the most important factor is to buy one that suits your present, and anticipated future, needs.

I hope that helps!

[drbezgin]

Hi anderton

My work, "Notebook","Rode Nt1a", "Sonar LE" and "Emu 404 USB" with performing. Usually I work with acoustic sound. I've been having trouble with my records, however, more than four audio channels. Clear voice, high-performance, low-latency-time Audio / MIDI Interface Sound Card would like.

(In addition to MIDI input to the system, "Ultra Nova Novation" I think to add.)

Thanks

[drbezgin]

Hi Anderton

My work, "Notebook","Rode Nt1a", "Sonar LE" and "Emu 404 USB" with performing. Usually I work with acoustic sound. I've been having trouble with my records, however, more than four audio channels. Clear voice, high-performance, low-latency-time Audio / MIDI Interface Sound Card would like.

(In addition to MIDI input to the system, "Ultra Nova Novation" I think to add.)

Thanks

[RobBB]

Hi! I'm quite a beginner in home recording. This is going to be mine first multitrack interface. I want to use it for recording drum kits as well as other instruments (guitar, bass,vocals). I was wondering if it would run stable when for example I record drums in 7 separate tracks on my PC set-up.

HW:

Intel Core Quad 2.8Ghz

4GB RAM

320GB HDD 7200rpm

SW:

Windows XP 64bit

Steinberg Cubase 5 with ASIO DirectX Full Duplex

Thank you for any reply!

[RobBB]

Hi! I'm quite a beginner in home recording. This is going to be mine first multitrack interface. I want to use it for recording drum kits as well as other instruments (guitar, bass,vocals). I was wondering if it would run stable when for example I record drums in 7 separate tracks on my PC set-up.

HW:

Intel Core Quad 2.8Ghz

4GB RAM

320GB HDD 7200rpm

SW:

Windows XP 64bit

Steinber Cubase 5 with ASIO DirectX Full Duplex driver

Thank you for any reply!

[RobBB]

Hi! I'm a beginner in home recording. This is going to be mine first multitrack interface. I want to use it to record drums and other instruments as well. My question is if it would run stable on my PC set up when recording to 7-8channels simultaneously.

HW:

Intel Quad Core 2.8Ghz

4GB RAM

320GB HDD - 7200rpm

SW:

Win XP 64bit

Steinberg Cubase with ASIO Directx Full Duplex driver

Thanks for any reply.

[MADMANDEN]

Great review. This is my first post, I got only one question. I would like to know if this box ( Roland Octa-Capture )

is on the same level as the Mbox 3 PRO as far as recording quality (MIC PRE and A/D). Thanks in advance.

[Guitarpima]

 

Originally Posted by zzzxtreme

anyone knows about the digital input? I'm getting low volume, I set my kurzweil's digital output volumed to "fixed" instead of variable. there doesn't seem to be a way to set the digital recording input volume. a bit confused about this SPDIF thingey. does the cable make a difference? I'm using a normal A/V rca cable

 

You have to use a special cable. A regular rca cable will not work properly and may damage the input/output.

[PFRfan]

 

Originally Posted by Guitarpima

You have to use a special cable. A regular rca cable will not work properly and may damage the input/output.

 

Not going to damage anything!! Unless you plug one end into a wall socket.

The only real problem you have with normal audio RCA cables is that they're seldom constructed as well and not very durable. Most all RCA cables are 75ohm which is what the SPDIF spec calls for. I've used normal RCA audio cables for SPDIF for years and the only trouble I've ever had was when the flimsy things start to wear out.

Also, a volume issue cannot have anything to do with the cabling. Since it's a digital signal, either it will connect or it won't. It may lose sync, causing drop-outs, but volume data is part of the data stream - and the whole thing is either there or it isn't.

[Rwubu]

Hi, Anderton!

What a nice and useful review! Thank you!

I may have missed it, but would you compare the quality of the octa-capture with that of the RME fireface 400 or RME UC?

I'm talking about quality of sound, converters, pre-amps. Specifically, I've red on forums that with a fireface, you could fancy recording a first album in a home-studio without even using an external preamp. What are your thoughts on this?

My needs are the following:

1) Few, if any, simultaneous recording, except maybe some day for handpercussions...

2) Acoustic guitar, sax, voyces, but also electric guitar and bass recordings.

3) Digital drums piloting "superior drummer"

Looking forward to your answer!

Thank you.

Miguel

[Anderton]

Unfortunately, I don't have any RME interfaces here for testing, so I can't do a direct comparison. I have reviewed some RME gear in the past, and it certainly is high quality; but these days, a lot of companies use the same or very similar converter chips, and the preamps are fairly standard as well. I think that if you had an Octa-Capture and Fireface 400 set up side by side and did blind A-B testing, no one could tell the difference reliably, even though there might be measurable differences.

A bigger consideration might be whether you want to use Firewire or USB 2.0. For example, if you expect to do recording with a laptop, not all have Firewire ports.

[Rev_Eslam]

Thanks for the review Mr. Anderton.

I purchased the Edirol FA-101 a few years ago and reluctantly swapped it for a speaker case last year.

Even though the specifications of that discontinued unit were not up with the best available converters (as one would expect for the price) I found the subjective sound quality to be stunning and indestinguishable to my ESI WaMi Rack 192X, which I paid about twice as much money for. However, what impressed me the most (or to be quite frank, what SHOCKED me most) was how flawlessly the Edirol worked with my Windows XP SP2 laptop computers - something which I hadn't experienced with any other interface (although the WaMi Rack came close).

One of the main selling points as far as I was concerned was the fact that the Edirol interface was manufactured in Japan. Since the Roland OCTA-CAPTURE is also a Japanese made unit, I was surprised that this was not mentioned in your list of pros and cons. Unfortunately, their newer QUAD-CAPTURE is a Chinese-made item.

I plan to purchase one or two new audio interfaces in the near future and the OCTA-CAPTURE and the RME Fireface UFX are at the top of my list for mobile recording while the Mytek, Prism and Lavry brands seem most likely for my mastering studio. All these units are, quite coincidentally, made in nations renown for quality manufacturing. Of course, that doesn't imply that they are perfect and will work flawlessly with any computer hardware/software, but at least one is assured that they will last a lifetime (at least in my experience).

Anyway, I was surprised that your technical tests didn't seem to include dynamic range and signal-to-noise figures, or did I miss them in my late-night red-eyed readings?

God Bless!

[Anderton]

The tests did include signal-to-noise (A-weighted). The reason I didn't include dynamic range tests is that the results were virtually identical to signal-to-noise - the noise floor seems to be the only real limit to overall dynamic range. I can certainly include the dynamic range specs going forward.

You mentioned the Edirol working with your laptop...I reviewed the FA-101 many years ago and was also struck by the quality of the drivers. I think that tradition has carried through to the Octa-Capture.

As to the made in Japan/made in China aspect, I generally don't mention where things are made unless they're made in the USA and people want to "buy American." Mostly that's because it's a very murky topic...something could be designed in Europe, use parts from multiple countries, be assembled in China, then have final assembly and QA in Mexico. Who knows any more?

[hersh]

Thanks for the in depth review. It convinced me to purchase and I have been very pleased with the unit. One question though.

Perhaps I'm missing something obvious, but in doing some basic tests I've found that the 8 outputs on the back are all panned hard right and the Output control panel, doesn't seem to work in controlling them. I had it working once, not sure what I was doing different since it hasn't worked for me since. Any suggestion or ideas on what's going on?

Thanks.

[Anderton]

I'm not sure I understand - outputs 3-8 are mono outputs. What are are you trying to feed them with?

[zzzxtreme]

hersh, make sure you set your DAW track input correctly. I believe u have to set Mono input, not stereo

[Rwubu]

Hey, Craig!

Thanks a bunch for your quick answers! Fact is I'm planning to buy an IMac for my home studio. I don't know if they have a firewire port (probably yes, I guess), but they sure as hell will have a USB2 port -won't they?...

BTW, what a pleasure to know you can depend on such wide professional experise as yours! It saves time and money! Thanks a lot, really!

Miguel

[Rwubu]

Another question: I had planned to buy a Goldmike MKII as pre-amp for the same purpose (home-studio), and to use it on the Interface, of course. This to help recording as well voices as acoustic instruments or line instruments. But I'm doubting. Are the current interfaces (namely the OC) sufficiently well-equiped in terms of pre-amps to save the money of such an external pre-amp? (It is the opinion of about half the forum advices here in Europe, but the other half, of course, thinks the opposite). So how to build an opinion? What are your thoughts on this? Would a Goldmike (or another one) fit in for such a job, or wouldn't I even hear the difference?

Thanks.

Miguel

[zzzxtreme]

i would say, get the OC first and see if you're satisfied with the pre-amp

[hersh]

 

Originally Posted by Anderton

I'm not sure I understand - outputs 3-8 are mono outputs. What are are you trying to feed them with?

 

I'm trying to use them for multiple monitor set ups. My understanding is that output 3 and 4 together, for example, can act as a stereo monitor mix, as can the other matched outputs. These should be controllable through the patch bay using the A-D mixes. My problem is that when I try to use them in this way I have no control through the output control panel. Neither pan or level has any effect on them, only the input control seems to effect the mix. Also, when trying to combine the two mono outputs into a stereo mix I'm only getting sound on the right side.

Am I missing something, or is my unit not functioning correctly?

[hersh]

 

Originally Posted by zzzxtreme

hersh, make sure you set your DAW track input correctly. I believe u have to set Mono input, not stereo

 

All my inputs in my DAW are mono. How does the relationship between the DAW and the outputs on the Octa-capture work exactly? Maybe that's what I'm not getting.

[Anderton]

 

Originally Posted by hersh

All my inputs in my DAW are mono. How does the relationship between the DAW and the outputs on the Octa-capture work exactly? Maybe that's what I'm not getting.

 

Yes, I think that's the problem, not the unit. Check out the following:

This shows Sonar with a master out that goes to outs 1+2 and a monitor bus that's being assigned to 3+4. This required enabling the drivers for 3+4 within Sonar's preferences so they'd be available to the program.

The bus is stereo, and it sees the output as two channels - 3 on the eft, and 4 on the right. So if you pan a signal to this bus full left, it will appear at the 3 output. If you pan it full right, it will appear at the 4 output.

You can pretty much ignore the Direct Mix mixer applet, as once you've assigned the ins and outs to your DAW, you'll control the signal flow within the DAW itself.

Does that help?

[Anderton]

 

Originally Posted by Rwubu

Another question: I had planned to buy a Goldmike MKII as pre-amp for the same purpose (home-studio), and to use it on the Interface, of course. This to help recording as well voices as acoustic instruments or line instruments. But I'm doubting. Are the current interfaces (namely the OC) sufficiently well-equiped in terms of pre-amps to save the money of such an external pre-amp? (It is the opinion of about half the forum advices here in Europe, but the other half, of course, thinks the opposite). So how to build an opinion? What are your thoughts on this? Would a Goldmike (or another one) fit in for such a job, or wouldn't I even hear the difference?

Thanks.

Miguel

 

I basically agree with zzzxtreme, but here are some additional comments.

Is the mic good enough to where the preamp is the limiting factor? In most smaller studios, the mic will be the weak link, not the preamp.

As to forum opinions, unless they know what mic you're using, have plugged it into a particular preamp and compared it to being plugged into a different preamp, they don't know what they're talking about. The only way you'll know for sure is to try it. Different mics react differently with different inputs, particularly a dynamic mic...whereas a condenser has less variables due to its active output.

The bottom line is that unless you have a really top-of-the-line condenser mic, you probably won't hear too much difference. Writing a really good chorus will make up for any difference

Honestly, no radio station ever called me and said "We were going to play your record, but you used a solid-state preamp instead of a tube one. Therefore, we cannot play it."

[Rwubu]

Ha ha! Fair enough! Now the answer: I use a Neumann KMS 105...

What say you? Worth a good preamp?

(I'll try the preamp of the OC and evaluate the result, don't worry! But what about the KMS? Is it good enough to appreciate such an external pre-amp?)

Thks