32 Channel Input / 16 Channel Output Device(s)?

[tcstx]

We are attempting to set up a project studio and are trying to find a way of getting 32 channels of input and a minimum of 16 channels of outputs. We were hoping to use PreSonus gear, but they've discontinued most of their lightpipe equipment.

According to their page, you can daisy chain any FireStudio product via FireWire and combine those inputs, but tests have shown us that using a StudiolLive 16.4.2 board and FireStudio Mobile don't work. You can see the inputs in PT9 I/O, but no sound comes in from the Mobile device (16.4.2 works as expected).

Any thoughts or suggestions would be fantastic! We are not locked into PreSonus, but it's been rock-solid on Logic and Studio One and has great pres for the price.

Thanks,
Robert.

[OddsAre]

What kind of machine are you running? Desktop or Laptop, PCI-e? What sample rate do you want to record at?

If desktop/PCI-e, have you looked into Apogee Symphony or RME interfaces? HDSPe RayDat...

[tcstx]

I don't know why my profile doesn't show my equipment list - I'm new here so there may be a "setting" for it - it's in my profile.

Anyway - I'm running Windows 7 Pro with intel i7 Bloomfield processor... Desktop.

I have not looked at either of those - I will look and come back with my thoughts... thank you.

Robert.

[OddsAre]

yeah same here, I just copied it into my signature.

Well if you have the money, Symphony seems to be the way to go, however, that is AD/DA only, no mic pre's.

With an RME HDSPe RayDat, you can use any of the 8ch mic pre units out there with ADAT out. (Focusrite, Audient, Presonus, etc.)

Just remember 32 in is only for 44.1/48kHz, using 96k will cut you inputs in half.

[tcstx]

Yeah, the Apogee is Mac only... And a little above my budget... :)

The RME looks very interesting... I hate the 900.00 cost for just ADAT input/output, but it may be the way we need to go. It appears that PT9 really doesn't like daisy-chained FW interfaces that I can see (They show in PT9 I/O, but they don't function), even if other DAWs can see them.

Can any ADAT product work with the RME, or do you know?

Thanks,
Robert.

[OddsAre]

yeah, any ADAT product should work fine with the RME stuff. Contact Erik Anderson ([email protected]) at Full Compass, especially if you will be purchasing new gear down the road. He is a great guy and has always beat the pants off any other company price wise. Tell him Jack from Maine sent you.

[OddsAre]

the nice thing too about the RME is down the road, if you pick up a used Apogee AD16x, you will have some pretty sweet conversion and the clock will make a big difference cleaning things up. I consider my Rosetta 800's and my Mac Pro the two most significant purchases I have made in the last 5 years as far as quality and productivity is concerned.

[getz76]

What's your budget?

[tcstx]

Originally Posted by getz76

What's your budget?

Around $3,500.00 USD MAX for 32in/16out...

[tcstx]

Originally Posted by OddsAre

the nice thing too about the RME is down the road, if you pick up a used Apogee AD16x, you will have some pretty sweet conversion and the clock will make a big difference cleaning things up. I consider my Rosetta 800's and my Mac Pro the two most significant purchases I have made in the last 5 years as far as quality and productivity is concerned.

It's definitely at the top of the list right now... I'm still looking for some reasonably priced I/Os to go with it that are ADAT only (Most everything is FW). I can't find a manual on it on the RME website - it does include an internal word clock, right? I don't have to purchase an expansion card for it, do I?

Thanks,
Robert.