The Mark of a fantastic company…

Today I found out what an unbelievable company Mark Of The Unicorn is…

MOTU (their affectionate diminutive) designs and manufactures the best music production software and hardware in the business. Brainclaw has used MOTU’s Digital Performer program for years, and all Brainclaw music is written, sequenced, recorded and mixed inside this powerful and dynamic Macintosh-based environment. We also have used MOTU audio interfaces for years.

Brainclaw’s home base, the subterranean Studio Auroviral employs one serious piece of hardware, the MOTU 828 Mark II 96/24 audio interface, which allows us to digitally connect our synthesizers, drum machines and microphones to our Mac Pro for crystal clear audio design and production.

Well, our story begins with that interface. It is essentially the powerful doorway to our Mac Pro, which handles all of the sequencing and recording duties, via the Digital Performer program. The 828 is the nerve center of our operation… and it got wounded in battle.

Possibly, one of the many near-hits we’ve taken with all of the summer lightning storms finally made it through our elaborate system of power conditioners and surge suppressors. Who can say. The end result was that the right mic input of the 828 started arcing somehow, shorting out in such a way that audible static was creeping onto the recordings we were making of the new Brainclaw single.

Studio Auroviral was now crippled.

The good news is, of course, that MOTU stands behind their products. EVEN THOUGH the 828 is WAY out of warranty, and EVEN THOUGH it may have been lightning-induced, and EVEN THOUGH it cost us $1000.00, MOTU is coming through and completely replacing our unit with a brand-new one for a measly $79.99 for diagnostics and handling.

How many companies today can you compare to that level of service? Not to mention their stellar tech support services, both online and telephone-based. We will be using MOTU hardware and software as long as they remain in business.

It’s nice to have a happy ending every once in awhile…

~ by davidgiuffre on July 13, 2007.