Advice type question

[Texas Studio C]

I'm wanting to upgrade my studio.

I have an Apple G5, Control 24, and it's a HD2 TDM system.

My 192 I/O has an expansion card in it to take advantage of the outputs on my control 24. I can record 16 tracks at once.

I currently have patch bays between the Control 24 and 192 A/D converter inputs.

I recently bought some SSL pre amps and a distressor.

I'm soon to add some interesting hardware (another distressor, a good EQ, and some additional pre amps). There's where the question starts.

What's the best way to wire them in the system that will be the most user friendly and time efficient in the studio?

In the past I've just used the patch bay to put them between the pre-amps in the control 24 and the 192 A/D. Is there a better way? The rack is about to expand substantially.

If you elect to tell me something helpful... please don't be cryptic. Take it a step at a time.

THANKS!!!

[Craig F]

In the past I've just used the patch bay to put them between the pre-amps in the control 24 and the 192 A/D. Is there a better way? The rack is about to expand substantially.

that's how I'd do it

[crizdee]

In the past I've just used the patch bay to put them between the pre-amps in the control 24 and the 192 A/D. Is there a better way? The rack is about to expand substantially.

If you elect to tell me something helpful... please don't be cryptic. Take it a step at a time.

THANKS!!!

Hi,

For using pre amps then you're method is fine for tracking!!

If you are going to be using the distressor or any other processor: compressor/gate/reverb etc then you should probably purchase another interface 192 or 96i/o and use this solely for inserting your precious outboard directly into Pro Tools.(you can of course do this via a patchbay!! and use your existing interface? but you'll need to access both the inputs and outputs to do so, so you might not have enough free inputs/outputs when recording or mixing)

You'll need to setup the second interface in the HW hardware setup and the i/o setup page so that it can be used for "software inserts" and then you be able to access the inserts from the plugin menu! you must connect your outboard through the "software inserts" as this is the only way the will be compensated for by the ADC (automatic delay compensation) each input and output must be paired outputs 1/2 go to the stereo compressor then return back into inputs 1/2 etc.

If you don't do it this way you will have timing and phasing issues when using the outboard processors and EQ's



Chris

[Texas Studio C]

Thanks. I was looking at the 192 i/o analog/digital unit. It's pricey but perhaps it'd be worth it.

I'd like to avoid that until I'm maxed out and can't use my ins/outs on my a/d converter any further.

I'm using my AES/EBU ports to go to a finalizer.... set to outputs 3/4. That's working well.

Are my limits as far as input/output limited to the number of i/o on the a/d converter or is there some more practical limit. I probably only need 3 or 4 at a time I'm thinking. I'm just not exactly sure how to set that up.

The AES/EBU port was easy but figuring out how to attach the compressors and other outboard gear to the a/d converter has puzzled me a bit.

I guess just wire it in to the various ins and outs of the a/d converter and then set up the ins/outs in the hardware as you were saying. This would, of course, be for mixing.

Tracking is my main interest at this point. I've been pretty happy with the waves stuff for mixing. Geez, I love this stuff. I learn something new every freaking day...