I am not sure if I would go up to the $1499 that they want for the RME. Is it really that much better than the MOTU? Am I going to notice a difference?
Absolutely yes. I do understand that it's difficult to know that until you get to know both. And I also understand and appreciate that nobody will trust "some random guy" on a web forum. Stay critical and question things.
One bit of general advice would be that once you go beyond the "consumer" or "semi-pro" level of gear, things get more complex than a quick look at a flashy product web page and a few tech specs. For the RME interface it will take some time and daily use to discover and leverage the insane capabilities. But they are there and ready for every ambitious user to unleash. Personally, I have the RME UFX+ since it was released. I wouldn't exchange it for anything other on the market. I have gone through years of Focusrite, Motu and other interfaces. They are fine, probably good enough for most. But once you step into the world RME has created, you really wonder why you haven't done it earlier.
Anyway, everyone should and will find their own reasons to buy or not buy. That's fine. I'm sure, BayouTexan is happy with what he has. But a statement like "Motu wins hands down" is a little, hmmm, ambitious? Maybe due to an understandable lack of in depth knowledge?
The "looks like the RME doesn't have SPDIF in it" is an indication for that. A quick look often doesn't tell the entire truth. They made 4 more digital inputs and 4 more digital outputs available regardless of the small form factor of the unit. The required breakout cable is included, of course.
If you ( halipino ) are unsure or want to know more, feel free to ask ... I can even run a Youtube live stream and show/demo/explain things you want to know (or can't even imagine exist). It's up to you