MOTU TRAVELER MK3 REVIEW
Posted on Thu 19 May 2011 in entries
MOTU TRAVELER MK3 REVIEW
As a Media Composer, most of the work I undertake is produced in my own studio, but every now and then I have to go out and record remotely. This was something which I had to do recently, and I required an 8 input interface, preferably with a few microphone inputs onboard, so that I didn’t have to take out too much in the way of outboard gear.
I’ve been a MOTU user for many years, so I naturally found myself looking immediately at MOTU Audio devices, of which there now seem to be quite a few. However, the one device that caught my eye over all of the others was the Traveller Mk3.
MOTU TRAVELER MK3 - THE INS AND THE OUTS
This elegant, metal cased 1U box of tricks is absolutely packed with I/O, with the main highlights for me being 8 analog inputs, 4 of which are on XLR/1/4” Jack, with trim controls on the front panel. It also accepts numerous digital formats which include AES/EBU, firmly placing it in the professional bracket. Other Ins and Outs include Wordclock, 2 sets of ADAT lightpipe and S/PDIF, but it doesn’t end there! Unlike some other high end boxes, it also has MIDI I/O which, for me, is incredibly useful, as it immediately allows it to be used in a live setting within a keyboard rig.
As if all of this I/O wasn’t enough, it’s a truly portable device, allowing you to power the Traveler from your laptop, via a single Firewire cable, although you can also power up from the included power supply, or there is an option for an external battery, although I personally have no intentions of recording in my local park!
MOTU TRAVELER MK3 - CUE THE MIX
What makes the MOTU Traveler Mk3 significantly different from it’s previous incarnation is the onboard DSP (Digital Signal Processing). This allows you to make use of an extensive array of FX, all powered by the Traveler, rather than your host computer. This is made possible via the included Cue Mix FX software, which boasts an elaborate collection of incredibly useful FX, including compression, EQ and reverb.
As anyone who works with computers and recording knows, latency is always a problem, but with Cue Mix FX, you can set up a record path which is close to zero latency, add a small amount of compression going into your host audio package, whilst treating your performer to a splash of reverb in the cans - ideal!
I immediately plugged in a mic and tested the theory, and was immediately struck by the cleanliness of the signal. I have used other bus powered devices in the past, which have often suffered from lack of headroom or the odd buzz and whistle, but with a U87 on the front end (powered by 48v from the Traveller), delivery was clean and clear. I tracked up a few vocal takes to find real depth to the recordings. Replaying recordings on other devices can often sound sterile, but besides crisp and clear accuracy there was also real richness in the lower frequencies of my recorded voice, but with real clarity, presumably down to the 24bit conversion, and also in part to the quality of the Mic pre-amp. If you want to, you can drive this box up to a sampling rate of 192Khz, although I was working at the lower and more usual 44.1kHz.
Although the FX side of this device is most welcome, I did grapple for a few minutes to hear the Reverb. This, so it turns out, was just down to a switch on Cue Mix, which needed to be engaged, but it wasn’t that obvious to me.
The compression and limiting options are incredibly useful, the compressor being based on the legendary LA-2A. Recording in the knowledge that I won’t be peaking, and allowing me to concentrate on my score rather than checking the meters, is crucial for me.
MOTU TRAVELER MK3 - GRIPING CABLES
My only small gripe is that MOTU are kind enough to include a Firewire 400 cable for you to connect to your Mac or PC, yet all Mac based portables now have Firewire 800 connections, so you will need to buy a different cable if you want to use it with an up to date Mac. On the plus side, it has been designed to sit underneath a Macbook Pro 15”, and there’s a rather cool MOTU bag (available separately) which will take all of your ‘out and about’ recording bits and bobs. Incredibly useful and highly practical! Also included are a set of rack ears, which can be attached if you would rather house the Traveler in a rack.
MOTU TRAVELER MK3 - HOW DOES IT DRIVE?
Having used other MOTU devices over the years, the one point that I always have to make relates to the device software drivers themselves. I have heard and seen so many devices over the years that look so good on paper, yet when it comes to the software implementation, the drivers fall well short. I have never had a problem with a MOTU driver! They always seem to work and MOTU also seem to be very ahead of the game when it comes to supporting the Mac OS. Anytime there is an OS upgrade, MOTU are there the next day with something which will work, and work well. In a World full of deadlines, it is so important that a device works exactly when you need it to.
If this box fulfils all of your I/O requirements, and I imagine that for most DAW based people it does (unless you are regularly tracking large amounts at one time), I can’t think of a better piece of kit for the job. The fact that this is truly portable merely adds another dimension - practicality and convenience but with an incredibly high build quality.
For full specification, visit www.motu.com.
Dave Gale
March 2011