MOTU and new driver release > HD192

[FenderLover]

I want to avoid joining another forum for recording when there are so many experienced folks here, so here it goes....
I've been reading up reviews on the MOTU HD192, and there are only really three universal comments: 1) no problems; 2) PC users beware; and the most troubling 3) all the reviews are 3-8 years old.

#1 is great. #2 and 3 go together. It seems that good drivers are the heart of the problem for compatibility across the board. There have been new driver releases lately, most notably this month.

Anybody try these? I want to dive into a HD192 system but dread these driver and system config nightmares. My PC exceeds the minimum requirements pretty handily and I plan on buying new so that I can return it before I put it through the wall, but I'd sure like to hear some MOTU PC driver comments (with PCI 424 and hopefully HD192) from this year...

[64Strat]

I don't have a MOTU, I considered them 2 yrs ago when I was researching but went a different route. I don't recall any of the regulars on here having one either.

For the very reasons you are considering, I went with a RME audio interface and I can confirm it has been effortless. Their drivers work and are up to date, the hardware has been transparent to the recording process. No issues whatsoever.

[FenderLover]

Maybe I should rethink MOTU. I did a 'hd192' search on the motunation site and the newest post is about 11 months old. Not much activity.
I'm a little behind the tech curve. Up to now I have completely dismissed the USB and firewire interfaces. There are a lot of them. I don't know why I'm so stuck on PCI. With USB 3.0 gathering speed, and PCI going away, I guess the writing is on the wall.
I headed over to RME. That new Fireface UFX is pretty cool. Thanks for the tip. It's a little more than I need feature-wise, just the kind of thing to complicate drivers and bog down I/O. That's why I considered the HD192, just the features and channels I use, nice converters, and some bitchin' meters. I'll continue Googling for now.

[64Strat]

I have the, sort of predecessor to the UFX, the RME FireFace 800. I bought it used and it has been an awesome piece. Food for thought.

The integration of software and hardware is really impressive and they are really good at driver updates and customer support. Food for thought.

I actually built my PC from parts to work well with the RME, including the true FW800 card. Full ASIO, very low latency and so on. At the time, USB wasn't nearly as good as FW800.

[Chud]

I can't comment directly on the HD192, but I've been a MOTU user for the last decade or more and love them. When I needed more inputs to record live bands I used the 896HD. When I rebuilt my studio a few years back and didn't need so many inputs I went with the Ultralite. Both have more than enough headroom at 24 bits, 48k, let alone bumped up to 96k. I've never run into an issue running firewire on either, even with all 8 channels recording live on the 896 at 24/48, or with 24 tracks of playback at 24/96.

I can't imagine why anyone needs 192k unless they've got some seriously invested clientele that demands it. There's more than enough bandwidth with firewire to handle it though, so I wouldn't worry about it not being PCI. Can't help you with PC compatibility at all as I am strictly a Mac recording guy.

Hope any of that helps.