DAWs & Audio Interfaces: A 30 Year Journey
/6 October 2025
Over the past thirty years I’ve used more digital audio workstations and audio interfaces than I can easily count, each representing a different stage in my evolution as a recording and mixing engineer. From the early days of clunky computer setups and MIDI-only sequencing to today’s integrated, console-style production environments, it has been a fascinating journey of constant learning and adaptation. Every platform brought new possibilities and new frustrations, shaping the way I work and the sound I chase. This is the story of that journey, from my very first DAW in the early 1990s to the system I rely on today.
Digital Audio Workstations
One DAW Opens, another Closes
In 1993 I bought my first digital audio workstation, MOTU Digital Performer. It became the centre of my creative world for decades, faithfully upgraded every time a new version arrived. I watched it grow from a basic MIDI sequencer into a highly advanced production platform capable of handling virtually every aspect of modern music production. Digital Performer became known for its powerful MIDI implementation, extensive scoring tools, and flexible audio editing environment. Features such as the Consolidated Window, track folders, and Clippings system made complex sessions manageable, while its support for surround mixing, video playback, and sophisticated automation tools made it a favourite among film composers and studio professionals alike.
Along the way I also spent some time tinkering with Apple’s GarageBand and later Apple Logic, mostly out of curiosity. GarageBand was fun and surprisingly capable for a free program, while Logic offered a vast feature set and a polished interface. Yet neither ever felt like a natural fit for me. At the time I was deeply invested in MOTU Digital Performer, and despite Logic’s power and Apple’s seamless integration, I never seriously considered moving away from DP. It remained my primary creative environment, familiar and efficient, even as I experimented with other software.
Despite its many strengths, I eventually began to feel that Digital Performer had become too technical and detached from the tactile experience of a real mixing desk. The workflow started to feel more like operating software than making music. Craving something more organic, I looked to Harrison Mixbus. I had tried it briefly when it was first released and was not especially impressed at the time, so I returned to Digital Performer. But several years later I gave it another chance and found a completely transformed product. I started with the standard Mixbus version, and within weeks, I upgraded to the full 32C edition.
Harrison Mixbus immediately appealed because it was designed to replicate the sound and workflow of an analogue console. While its MIDI sequencing tools were still quite basic compared to Digital Performer, its real strength lay in mixing. Each channel features a fully modelled analogue-style EQ section, compressor, and tape saturation, while the master section provides eight busses for routing and summing just like a physical desk. The sound character is unmistakably analogue. Mixbus is designed to sound like a Harrison console, complete with non-linearities and harmonic colouration that give a mix depth and presence.
Mixbus 32C takes this even further, modelling the legendary Harrison 32C console EQ made famous in studios used by Bruce Swedien and many top engineers of the 1970s and 1980s. The workflow is straightforward, the faders and knobs look purposeful, and even its restrictions, such as the eight-bus limit, encourage better organisation and decision-making. The modern Mixbus 32C Pro now adds the ability to switch between the Harrison 32C and SSL-style EQs, offering two distinct tonal flavours. Each channel also includes built-in compression, limiting, and gating, making it ready to mix right out of the box. Its combination of sound quality, simplicity, and affordability makes it an exceptional option for engineers seeking a true analogue-style mix inside the box. (Read full review)
The Harrison Mixbus 32C remains one of the best-sounding DAWs ever created and continues to be one of the most cost-effective mixing solutions available today.
The LUNA system is remarkably powerful, offering seamless integration between software and hardware for a truly professional workflow. Its real-time tracking through Unison-enabled preamps, ultra-low latency performance, and console emulations such as API and Neve give it a depth and responsiveness that few DAWs can match. Combined with tight plugin management and effortless session recall, LUNA delivers a smooth, intuitive experience that makes recording and mixing feel immediate, musical, and inspiring.
Digital Audio Workstations
Universal Audio and Apollo
Earlier this year, after six years using Windows, I decided to move back to the Mac platform. Although I had become a strong supporter of Mixbus, I found that its interface appeared less refined on macOS. It looked and felt better on Windows, which surprised me. Then, out of the blue, I received an email from Universal Audio about their LUNA Recording System. Curiosity got the better of me, and I downloaded it.
LUNA immediately impressed me with its sleek, modern interface and smooth workflow. It integrates perfectly with Universal Audio interfaces, allowing seamless low-latency tracking and real-time monitoring through UAD plugins. Its layout combines the best elements of Pro Tools and Logic, with a timeline-based editor, flexible routing, and a summing engine that emulates classic consoles such as API and Neve (via paid plugins). The ability to record through Unison-enabled preamps and instantly recall sessions with full plugin states makes it feel like a complete, integrated studio system.
At the same time, Universal Audio held a major sale, and I took advantage of it, picking up a number of plugins at excellent prices. One of those was the API Vision Console extension for LUNA, and that was the moment everything clicked. The API emulation added punch and musicality that suited my workflow perfectly. With seemingly unlimited busses and no need to work around limitations like those in Mixbus, I felt completely free to shape my mixes however I wanted. (Not that I needed more than 8 busses very often)
And just like that, LUNA became my new DAW. I began setting up all my mixes for a double album project and soon realised that the next logical step was to upgrade my audio interface to match this new system.
With so many DAWs available today, it’s worth experimenting with as many as possible to find the one that best matches your workflow and creative style.
Universal Audio’s Apollo interfaces are renowned for their excellent sound quality, low-latency performance, and the ability to record through Unison-enabled preamps that emulate classic analogue hardware in real time. They offer excellent A-D and D-A conversion, good build quality, and seamless integration with LUNA, making them a favourite among professional engineers. However, that level of performance comes at a steep price, particularly in Australia where even desktop models can cost several thousand dollars. For many home and project studios, the cost of entry into the Apollo ecosystem can be difficult to justify, especially when more affordable alternatives like MOTU’s latest interfaces deliver comparable sound quality and greater connectivity at a fraction of the price.
Audio Interfaces
Limitations, Flaws and DAWs
Over the past couple of decades, I have used a wide range of audio interfaces, from Roland’s Edirol series and Lexicon units to Focusrite, Universal Audio Apollos, multiple MOTU models, Audient, and even Arturia. Each interface had its own strengths but also its compromises, and none seemed to completely satisfy my workflow or sonic expectations.
More recently, after reassessing my setup, I decided to revisit the idea of analogue summing. Having learned what I disliked about previous summing mixers, I eventually settled on the SPL MixDream XP, which perfectly suited my needs for clean, open, and musical summing. However, integrating it into my existing system revealed a new challenge. My recently purchased MOTU 828 simply did not provide enough outputs to feed all the MixDream’s inputs. To solve that, I added the newly released MOTU 16A, expecting it to integrate seamlessly and expand my I/O options. Unfortunately, things didn’t go quite as smoothly as planned.
I chose the MOTU 828 because, on paper, it offered something that many interfaces in its class do not: the ability to use all inputs and outputs simultaneously. Unlike the Focusrite interface I had previously used, which was limited by the number of converters inside, the 828 provided the full flexibility I needed. When I first installed it, I was pleasantly surprised by just how good it sounded and how seamlessly it integrated with MOTU’s own Digital Performer (no surprise there) along with Harrison Mixbus and, of course, my new favourite DAW, Universal Audio’s LUNA. MOTU has always built reliable, great-sounding interfaces that represent strong value for money, but this latest generation feels like a real leap forward. I would confidently put their sound quality, feature set, and build quality up against almost anything else currently available.
Recently, I have had the opportunity to use several high-end interfaces, including the latest Universal Audio Apollo models and Prism Sound’s Titan, Atlas, and Lyra 2 units. I can honestly say that all of them feel less substantial than MOTU’s latest range. The knobs on both the Apollo and Prism Sound devices feel fragile by comparison, almost as if they could come off with use, whereas the controls on MOTU’s hardware feel solid and reassuring. In terms of sound quality, I have no hesitation in saying that MOTU’s interfaces can easily compete with both Apollo and Prism Sound.
In Australia, the Universal Audio Apollo x16 costs around four times as much as the MOTU 16A, which is simply insane. Beyond the price difference, the Apollo also relies entirely on DB25 connections for its analogue I/O, (Apart from main outs) while the MOTU 16A provides 16 balanced TRS inputs and outputs, making connection far simpler. On top of that, it offers 16 channels of ADAT in and out, plus network audio. Despite all these technical advantages, my main goal was simple: to have 16 channels of high-quality conversion feeding my SPL MixDream XP. The MOTU 16A delivered exactly that, with excellent front-panel metering and a clean, open sound. Unfortunately, things did not go to plan, but it was not the fault of the MOTU units.
Universal Audio designed LUNA primarily to work with their own range of audio interfaces, creating a tightly integrated ecosystem. However, with the rising cost of those interfaces, it has become a significant investment for many users. Even their desktop models can cost around AUD $6,000 here in Australia, which puts them out of reach for a lot of home studios. At the same time, Universal Audio wants to sell its expanding range of plugins, many of which are now available as native versions that no longer require an Apollo interface. Offering LUNA for free is a clever strategy, encouraging users to try the platform in the hope that they will purchase plugins, or eventually an Apollo interface.
There are clear benefits to doing so. When paired with an Apollo interface, LUNA offers ultra-low latency recording and real-time processing using Unison-enabled plugins, which is a huge advantage for tracking musicians. Still, Universal Audio has recognised that not everyone is recording and that many users are focused purely on mixing. To accommodate that, they have made LUNA compatible with third-party interfaces, allowing a wider audience to experience the software, although, as I discovered, there are a few limitations when used this way.
I initially assumed I could simply aggregate the two MOTU devices on the Mac (a system feature that effectively combines multiple audio interfaces into one virtual device) and then select that aggregated device within LUNA. Unfortunately, Universal Audio does not allow LUNA to recognise or use aggregated devices at all. I spent quite some time experimenting with different configurations to make it work. While I could get LUNA to communicate with both interfaces and successfully route audio to their outputs, no amount of tweaking would allow audio to return into LUNA when both interfaces were active.
You don’t need to own a Universal Audio Apollo interface to experience and enjoy the many advantages that the LUNA DAW has to offer.
The MOTU + SPL Value Proposition
In Australia, the value proposition of pairing a MOTU 828 and a MOTU 16A with an SPL MixDream XP is hard to ignore. Together, this combination delivers exceptional audio quality, vast routing flexibility, and true analogue summing, all for less than the cost of a single Universal Audio Apollo x16. In fact, you could assemble this entire setup and still have thousands of dollars left over. That means you can achieve professional-grade conversion, monitoring, and summing performance without breaking the bank, making it one of the most cost-effective and sonically rewarding hybrid systems available to home and project studios today. Even in the United States, this combination of the MOTU 828, MOTU 16A, and SPL MixDream XP can be purchased for roughly the same price as a single Apollo x16. That makes it an outstanding value there as well, offering professional-level performance and flexibility (with a significantly higher input/output quota) at a far more accessible cost. Europe, same deal…The question you need to ask yourself is this: can you find a better hybrid system for the price?
The combination of the MOTU 828 and 16A makes for a formidable pairing, delivering exceptional flexibility and professional-grade performance that rivals far more expensive systems. Together they provide ample analogue and digital I/O, powerful onboard DSP mixing, and extensive routing options, all managed through MOTU’s excellent CueMix software. Whether used for tracking, mixing, or hybrid analogue workflows, this setup offers the power and connectivity of a high-end studio while remaining compact and affordable enough for home or project studio environments.
This setup integrates beautifully with the SPL MixDream XP, creating a seamless bridge between digital precision and analogue warmth. With the MOTU 828 handling system control and the 16A providing sixteen high-quality outputs, every stem from LUNA can be routed cleanly into the MixDream’s summing inputs. The result is a wide, open stereo image with the unmistakable depth and dimension that only true analogue summing can deliver. Monitoring and routing are handled effortlessly through CueMix, while the MixDream XP adds that final touch of analogue character and cohesion. It’s a hybrid setup that offers the best of both worlds, combining the convenience of modern DAWs with the unmistakable sonic polish of high-end analogue gear.
Audio Interfaces
MOTU 828 +MOTU 16A Rules
Eventually, I settled on a different approach. I set LUNA to use only the MOTU 16A as its active interface while keeping the 828 dedicated for monitoring duties. From there, I sent eight stereo buses out of LUNA (drums, guitars, keyboards, reverb and so on) into the SPL MixDream XP. The stereo sum from the MixDream returned to inputs 1 and 2 of the 16A. Using MOTU’s CueMix Pro software, I routed those inputs directly to the optical outputs of the 16A, configured in SPDIF mode instead of ADAT. The SPDIF optical out of the 16A then fed into the optical input of the 828, also set to SPDIF, and in the 828’s CueMix software I routed that signal straight to the main outputs for monitoring.
This setup allowed me to hear the stereo mix after the summing stage and record it back into LUNA on a new stereo track. However, it came with one significant limitation. I could not insert a bus compressor plugin on that return track and hear it live without first recording the mix and then playing it back through the plugin. That was not the workflow I wanted. I wanted to mix into the bus compressor, hearing its effect in real time as I worked. I tolerated this limitation for several months, planning to eventually buy a hardware compressor to connect to the SPL’s outputs. But today, after some fresh thinking, I finally worked out how to make it all function exactly the way I wanted.
This is where MOTU’s flexibility and intelligent internal routing really came into their own. I set the MOTU 828 as the sole interface for LUNA and configured both of its optical outputs as ADAT. On both the 828 and the 16A, the dual ADAT ports can be used simultaneously, providing a total of 16 channels of digital input and output. Are you paying attention, Universal Audio? I connected two optical cables between the two MOTU units and, using the 16A’s CueMix Pro software, routed those 16 ADAT input channels directly to the 16 analogue outputs feeding the SPL MixDream XP, absolutely perfect.
The stereo output from the MixDream returns to inputs 7 and 8 of the 828. From there, I could record the summed stereo mix, monitor it live, and finally mix into my bus compressor plugin in real time, exactly as I had intended from the start. This setup works flawlessly and showcases just how powerful and adaptable MOTU’s routing architecture really is. These interfaces make complex configurations straightforward and dependable. Bravo, MOTU, you have truly outdone yourselves with this new generation of interfaces. I have a feeling I’ll be sticking with this setup for quite some time… although I’ve definitely said that before.
Similarly, you don’t need to use MOTU’s excellent interfaces exclusively with Digital Performer to take full advantage of their extensive features and capabilities.
Looking back over three decades of using DAWs and audio interfaces, it’s remarkable how far the technology has come. From the early days of Digital Performer to the analogue-inspired world of Harrison Mixbus and the sleek integration of Universal Audio’s LUNA, each step has shaped how I work and how I hear music. Pairing LUNA with the MOTU 828 and MOTU 16A has finally given me a setup that feels complete, powerful, flexible, and great-sounding, yet still simple enough to let creativity flow. Of course, I’ve said before that I’d found the perfect setup, but this time it genuinely feels like I have.
2 Responses
Thanks Jerimiah, music creation is always a journey and we all choose our own path as there is no right path for all, just the right path for each of us. As for Mixbus, I absolutley loved the sound of MixBus32C, but Luna is just better in terms of workflow and in my setup at least, easier to configure etc.
Hey there, it seems I am on a very similar path, I really like Mixbus32c and have also drifted into Luna, currently that works fine for my little project studio with the focusrite 18i20 3rd gen running at 96k/24bit and I have looked into Motu also, but cheers for pointing me towards that above, I do like those, but also Luna along with the new Volt 876 which has those features of limiting amp compression and console emulation per channel, and chaining up to 3 of them via ADAT expansion looks promising while over time I expand into a slightly larger project studio, LUNA as a DAW is pretty good too, Mixbus32c always reminded me of Ardour (I think it’s based on it or the other way around) but I had some GUI lag issues on MacOS but totally fine on PC, it felt a bit dated but its functions and layout are pretty good, but LUNA is just perfect, and it works fine on both. Linux is making huge pathways forward in the audio world with its pipe-wire system (like core audio and ASIO with modular virtual midi and audio patch bays) and Ardour and Bitwig and Reaper both work well, but there’s a curve with dealing with that OS (setting it up right for audio production) Ubuntu Studio (a distro of Ubuntu) sorts that all out for you, so that’s a cheaper way as you don’t need the ecosystem of Apple or Microsoft as much, but then you’re working in IT and that’s not why we all fell in love with music :) but I really resonated with your post and nice to know I am not alone in these long road endeavors for the perfect workflow for all the music :) Best, Jeramiah