Customer Reviews:
 Awesome portable Firewire device! September 4, 2008
Greg A. Scoggin (San Francisco, CA USA)
Been doing this audio thing since the early 80's and not since my Seasound Solo have I really liked the 'musicality' of a computer audio device, this much.
Now, MOTU have a knack for being verrrry Mac friendly, not so friendly with PC devices(had major issues loading Mach 5 on PC, but that is another story, see here: http://www.zzounds.com/item--MTUMACHFIVE
Due to a variety reasons, I am now a reluctant 'Mac' user and this installed without a glitch into my Macbook Pro with 4 GB.
The mixer software that accompanies this is very graphically pleasing and is easy to use, intensivesly extensive and just plain sounds good.
Like Apple, MOTU's products appear at first to be just a little too pricey, but unlike Apple, MOTU products have muscle and could never be accused of being too 'metro' or 'weenie-ish'.
Price (Apple and Apogee take note!) doesn't neccessarily mean you are always getting what you paid for, but in this case, I am glad I sprang for the extra couple hundred dollars for the MOTU Ultralite Mk3 as it:
1) Is truly portable.
2) Sounds just awesome through headphones and allows you to monitor directly to your speakers without any latency when running external gear through its inputs.
3) Has NO Mac driver issues or bugs that I could find (can't vouch for PC yet).
4) Much Faster than USB by far (too bad they didn't have an express card 34 version) and leaves your USB ports open for all the dongles et al you'll be puttin in 'em.
5) Very usable internal effects and EQ-and sure!, I'd use them in a 'release' mix, no problem. I've used worse on records.
6) Has more inputs and outputs than boxes twice as long as it.
7) Actually has nice moving LED meters on your inputs, easy to see in the dark and the Midi functionality is extensive.
8) Is very forgiveable on input saturation/peaking/overload dry, but also it has its own DSP internal limiter/compressor on inputs and it works!
9) Rugged and drop-kickable. Horn player got crazy at a session in my garage and kicked the cord accidently and it went flying across the room, hit the wall and I was "Ohhhhh Nooooo!!".
Plugged it back in, it worked! Huh?
10) Doesn't take a 'rocket scientist' to figure out how to use it. Very easy mixer setup and just plain designed to be user friendly.
MOTU have put out a great product on this one and earned my respect all over again (had the MIDI Time Piece) after losing it on Mach Five. MOTU does Midi and Audio interfaces, well. Not just well, for the VFM (Value For Money), nothing compares. Get one for a Mac and you won't look back.
(I'm sounding like a cheeseball rep, now...?)
http://www.motu.com/products/motuaudio/ultralite-mk3/
Solid November 25, 2007
Zachary Conlyn (MD United States)
I've had this running the audio in and out on my Mac Mini for almost a year. Works pretty much flawlessly. Possibly the most reliable part of my setup!
Great Interface for Mac June 11, 2007
David E. Overman
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I am using this with Macbook Pro and Logic. setup was easy and relatively painless. for Macbook Pro, i had to download the software from the site. totally portable. the unit works as a mixer without a computer; or, with a firewire laptop works great with midi or regular audio. the unit will even mix audio from another program back to your recording software. i upgraded from a usb device which had real latency problems. 5 stars-thumbs up!
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