Analogue-sequencer

>>currently hesitating between a RME Fireface UC and the MOTU 828 MKIII Hybrid. Does anybody here have any experience/thoughts with either of machines ?<<

you want it to do audio as well? the other thing to bear in mind is whether you go USB or f/w; I find that the macbook's scant two USB ports become a nuisance when the mac is at the centre of even a small recording setup. bluetooth mouse became useful.
anyway.
the MOTU midi routers I have (USB express or something) are great, once you figure out how the routing & muting works. solved all sorts of problems for me, & won me some channels back. 4 in 6 out, they are.

I also have a tascam 1641 which has up to 14 analogue inputs, 4 outs & midi i/o. for the money, there was no better way to get this many analogue inputs (drums, you see...). 

if I'm travelling light, I use an echo audiofire f/w interface which has 4 analogue ins & outs, + s/pdif & midi. it's buss-powered, even from a laptop, & has 48V on its mic inputs.

hth-
d.