Expert Sleepers ES-8 or DC-coupled audio interface?

Hi, I've been struggling about buying an Expert Sleepers ES-8 or a DC-coupled audio interface in order to send voltage to my modular. I want to buy an RME Fireface UCX-II (https://www.rme-audio.de/fireface-ucx-ii.html) as I think it's a solid interface and has DC-coupled outputs and I will use it for more things besides modular. I want to send DC signals from Max/MSP to my modular through the RME interface and get the sound out of my modular. I have 6 outputs from the RME interface but I will expand through ADAT in the near future for more DC-coupled outputs. Does that make any sense? If I have a DC-coupled audio interface does it have any sense to buy an ES-8?

Thanks!

It depends. If you intend to use the modular for a lot of live work, the ES-8 makes far more sense as it eliminates extra gear that you'll have to deal with if you went with an outboard interface. But in a studio environment, I'm finding that using an "old, obsolete" interface like my MOTU 828 mkii is better as it's not specifically "assigned" to one piece of equipment. For example, the 828 mkii I use needs to be able to feed or use outputs from:

A 22 module Digisound 80
The 180-space AE modular (via a Soundmachines Nanobridge)
A Landscape Stereo Field
Bastl bitRanger and Softpop
A B.2600
A Keystep and Keystep Pro
Two Beatstep Pros
Korg SQ-1
Electro-Harmonix 8-step
Koma Field Kit and Field Kit FX
Two Korg MS-20 minis
Moog Subharmonicon
4-channel Symetrix gate
4-channel Frederick Haer window comparator
Arturia Microfreak

...and probably anything else in the studio that uses typical analog control signals via the network of tie lines in here. So, with an external converter, it's simple to just use a 1/4" patchbay to route the I/O from the back to the front, then patching to anything is a snap!

And don't EVEN ask me about how the MIDI routing in here works!

How does the MIDI routing works? ;-)

If you're using a Mac you can aggregate audio interfaces. Simply put, you can connect multiple audio interfaces to your Mac.

On PC, Windows only likes to have ONE audio interface. There are workarounds here and there. But this is it.

The ES-8 acts as an audio interface. So if you're using your actual audio interface to control your monitors or service other gear, you're now out of luck unless you can connect everything up to your ES-8.

With a DC coupled audio interface with MULTIPLE OUTPUTS, you can use spare outputs to drive your modular synth gear and use the others for normal audio. The issue you'll run into with the audio interface is the range of voltages that it can reproduce.

Another option is to use a MIDI to CV interface like an FH2 that acts as a MIDI interface. Or a MIDI to CV converter which simply takes 5pin or TRS MIDI and converts that to CV.

With a DC coupled audio interface with MULTIPLE OUTPUTS, you can use spare outputs to drive your modular synth gear and use the others for normal audio. The issue you'll run into with the audio interface is the range of voltages that it can reproduce.
-- Ronin1973

I was a bit suspicious about this but RME states this about the Fireface UCX II:

Voltage Ranges
Line Out 1-6, unbalanced (mono jack), unloaded:
+19 dBu: +9.5 V, +13 dBu: +4.75 V, +4 dBu: +1.7 V

I think it's pretty solid. I'm informed that modular works at 10 V ranges. Please let me know if I'm wrong about these. Here's the manual (page 43): https://www.rme-audio.de/downloads/fface_ucx2_e.pdf

How does the MIDI routing works? ;-)
-- GarfieldModular

Voodoo.

I’ve been thinking / asking about this type of stuff too. See https://www.modulargrid.net/e/forum/posts/index/10312 for a lot of ideas and resources

I’m going to get Expert Sleepers ES-3&6 as that will give me I/O via ADAT all run through my RME interface. So that saves me the “2 interface” issue which I don’t want to t try to deal with on my PC based setup. As I have ADAT lanes to spare this is IMO the simplest and tightest solution for my setup. If I needed more I/O there are add ons like ES-5 etc that can be added.

BTW stepping up to a good interface such as those from RME or UA etc is a big step up for your studio.

Hope this helps, cheers!

EDITED Aug 14th 2021, 05:52