8 input set up with HD Native

[tritonkorg]

Say I wanted to record a drum set or anything that requires up to 8 inputs simultaneously using ProTools HD Native.

Obviously HD Omni doesn't have that many inputs so I gotta use an 8 channel preamp..but then, i'll have to get an additional 8 channel I/O for protools as well. I won't really be able to use the Omni in that case.

What are the most common portable sets up that you guys have for situations like this.

I was thinking about getting this for an 8 channel preamp:
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/sear...b=popular&pn=2

but is there an alternative option available that wouldn't require me to get a protools I/O besides Omni? I'm saying this because I'll be using Omni for the most part and from time to time, I would need 8 channels for drums and such....I'm open to suggestions. Thanks

[Darryl Ramm]

You can get an ADAT/SMUX preamp and drive the Omni with that. But the Omni is limited to 8x8 IO so if you use an 8 way ADAT/SMUX you don't have access to the Omni's own analog inputs. It's a pretty restricted in IO capacity, but nice in other ways.

Lots of used 192 IO are available, and occasionally well priced HD IO. If you want to expand within the Avid HD family I'd look at those used/EBay etc. boxes. Either drive them with analog preamps (I personally would go with a mix of 500 series rack peamps for their flexibility if your budget can do that) or again look at ADAT/SMUX preamps. Or start with an ADAT/SMUX preamp and add some specialized 500 rack preamps later.

There are so many good USB interfaces available today, some with 8 internal mic preamps. You could ditch the HD card and Omni all together. e.g. Focusrite, including their RedNet products, Motu, etc.

[tritonkorg]

Originally Posted by Darryl Ramm

You can get an ADAT/SMUX preamp and drive the Omni with that. But the Omni is limited to 8x8 IO so if you use an 8 way ADAT/SMUX you don't have access to the Omni's own analog inputs. It's a pretty restricted in IO capacity, but nice in other ways.

Lots of used 192 IO are available, and occasionally well priced HD IO. If you want to expand within the Avid HD family I'd look at those used/EBay etc. boxes. Either drive them with analog preamps (I personally would go with a mix of 500 series rack peamps for their flexibility if your budget can do that) or again look at ADAT/SMUX preamps. Or start with an ADAT/SMUX preamp and add some specialized 500 rack preamps later.

There are so many good USB interfaces available today, some with 8 internal mic preamps. You could ditch the HD card and Omni all together. e.g. Focusrite, including their RedNet products, Motu, etc.

Option 1:
ok so when using the ADAT input I won't have access to the onboard analog inputs. That shouldn't be a problem if I'm not recording more than 8 channels at a time, right?

Option 2: USB interfaces
I have a USB Apogee duet sitting somewhere. That's kind of an audio interface/preamp that also gives me an option to connect a headphone amp...etc. So something like 8 channel Focustrite :
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ISA828

So would this Focusrite preamp would be a more glorified version of the duet with nothing sitting in between? Just protools software and 8 channel focusrite preamp?

I'm not worried about the budget all that much but portability. If need be, i'm willing to spend more.

[Darryl Ramm]

Originally Posted by tritonkorg

Option 1:
ok so when using the ADAT input I won't have access to the onboard analog inputs. That shouldn't be a problem if I'm not recording more than 8 channels at a time, right?

You only get 8 inputs, I have no clue if that is a problem for you or not. Only you know that.

Option 2: USB interfaces
I have a USB Apogee duet sitting somewhere. That's kind of an audio interface/preamp that also gives me an option to connect a headphone amp...etc.

It's exactly an audio interface, with a preamp. It has a headphone amp built in. But (unless you buy the Avid resold version) is Macintosh or iOS only. Apogee make some great stuff, including the new Ensemble Thunderbolt (Mac only) interface with 30x34 IO and 8 internal preamps and great low-latency. For less than the price of am Omni, and it just runs rings around the Omni in so many ways... unless you are running a rack full of HD IO as well.

So something like 8 channel Focustrite :
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ISA828

So would this Focusrite preamp would be a more glorified version of the duet with nothing sitting in between? Just protools software and 8 channel focusrite preamp?

No not that Focusrite, that is just 8 preamps in a box with analog or ADAT output, you can't use that as an interface, but you can conenct it's ADAT output to an interface with ADAT input (like your Omni).

Some example Focusrite interface with 8 mic preamps, examples are... USB 18i20: http://us.focusrite.com/usb-audio-in...scarlett-18i20
RedNet: http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/RedNet4

Uh? "nothing sitting in between" you mean the Avid HD card? or the interface box? You always need an interface, the actual box that gets between digial audio standards and a bus into and out of your computer. But interfaces with USB or Firewire or Thunderbolt interfaces can just connect to those bus ports on the comptuer, they don't need a custom card (like a HD card) in the computer. The HD card in your computer is not doing much, just converting to legacy Digilink/TDM cable connections, and with some local hardware/low latency monitoring support.

You also have Focusrite RedNet that connects through Dante Etherenet... a kind of proprietary variant/precursor of AVB networking. And in many ways I expect AVB to be the future of mid and high-end audio interface interconnects. And other interfaces like MOTU, and Avid's own S3L live gear that use AVB already.

I'm not worried about the budget all that much but portability. If need be, i'm willing to spend more.

If you want the most portability, then those interfaces with 8 mic premps are goign to be appealing, it all depends on what quality/type preamps you want. Pity you are not on a Mac, as that Apogee Ensemble looks pretty appealing to me.

[tritonkorg]

Originally Posted by Darryl Ramm

You only get 8 inputs, I have no clue if that is a problem for you or not. Only you know that.



It's exactly an audio interface, with a preamp. It has a headphone amp built in. But (unless you buy the Avid resold version) is Macintosh or iOS only. Apogee make some great stuff, including the new Ensemble Thunderbolt (Mac only) interface with 30x34 IO and 8 internal preamps and great low-latency. For less than the price of am Omni, and it just runs rings around the Omni in so many ways... unless you are running a rack full of HD IO as well.



No not that Focusrite, that is just 8 preamps in a box with analog or ADAT output, you can't use that as an interface, but you can conenct it's ADAT output to an interface with ADAT input (like your Omni).

Some example Focusrite interface with 8 mic preamps, examples are... USB 18i20: http://us.focusrite.com/usb-audio-in...scarlett-18i20
RedNet: http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/RedNet4

Uh? "nothing sitting in between" you mean the Avid HD card? or the interface box? You always need an interface, the actual box that gets between digial audio standards and a bus into and out of your computer. But interfaces with USB or Firewire or Thunderbolt interfaces can just connect to those bus ports on the comptuer, they don't need a custom card (like a HD card) in the computer. The HD card in your computer is not doing much, just converting to legacy Digilink/TDM cable connections, and with some local hardware/low latency monitoring support.

You also have Focusrite RedNet that connects through Dante Etherenet... a kind of proprietary variant/precursor of AVB networking. And in many ways I expect AVB to be the future of mid and high-end audio interface interconnects. And other interfaces like MOTU, and Avid's own S3L live gear that use AVB already.



If you want the most portability, then those interfaces with 8 mic premps are goign to be appealing, it all depends on what quality/type preamps you want. Pity you are not on a Mac, as that Apogee Ensemble looks pretty appealing to me.

That's exactly what I needed to know. Thanks!

I know more about apogee products, but I never looked into those RedNet preamps. Now that you mentioned them, i'm gonna have to go and check them out.

Thanks again.

[Darryl Ramm]

The issue with RedNet will be how well an Ethernet port on a latpop works with this, since you don't have a custom Dante Ethernet card. I expect something as low end as only 8 IO should be trivial, but check with Focusrite/a dealer. The RedNet stuff really shines if you want to build/scale more in future, not really seriously suggesting it just for a portable one-off 8 input box. I just wanted to show you a range of product.

[albee1952]

For any user that already has an OMNI, unless you NEED higher than 48K, I would grab a used 192(under $500 these days) or even a used 96 IO(under $300) and one of the many 8 channel lightpipe preamps on the market. 2 that have not been mentioned and are worth a look are the Audient(ASP880?) and the Midas XL48(which I have a love for drums)

[jpsexton]

Would it be possible to connect a XL48 via SMUX to the Omni and use the two Omni preamps and six of the XL48 preamps for a total of eight?

[albee1952]

Originally Posted by jpsexton

Would it be possible to connect a XL48 via SMUX to the Omni and use the two Omni preamps and six of the XL48 preamps for a total of eight?

Since I don't have an OMNI, I can't answer beyond saying "it SHOULD work". Adding a 192 or 96 IO will absolutely work, and allow you to use all 8 of the lightpipe preamps, PLUS whatever is available on the OMNI

[mesaone]

Originally Posted by jpsexton

Would it be possible to connect a XL48 via SMUX to the Omni and use the two Omni preamps and six of the XL48 preamps for a total of eight?

Just bought a Midas XL48 myself, and while I can't compare it directly to the ASP880 (have only used the Audient once) I'm really happy with my purchase.

It's weird that the XL48 needs the sample rate to be determined manually (with the button) even when synced to external word clock, but that's not a big deal to me. The WC input is permanently terminated, but that just means you keep it in the last of the chain or use a tee-bar. The gain knob, like many other preamps, is more touchy between 50-60 dB than the rest of the throw, but that's fine too because digitally-controlled gain is expensive when it comes to 8-channel preamps.

One more thing, the fan is not loud, but it is there. I swapped mine out for a noctua fan with a low-noise adapter. It's now inaudible and it still runs well with a temperature delta of less than ten degrees.