Planning on moving up to HD

[rems]

Hi everyone. I hope one of you HD users can help me out.

I currently run a Digi001 rig (AMD Athlon XP 2500+, 1.82 GHz, 1.5 GB Ram, Windows XP SP2 Home, Asus A7V600 VIA KT600 Motherboard). It has been working almost flawlessly since 2004, being able to use all the plugs I need for a project (Waves, URS, Digi, etc). But I’m currently planning on moving up, towards an HD rig, specifically the HD1 (due to monetary constraints and I only record 2 tracks at a time, 48 tracks being enough), which I plan on buying used (HD Core, 96 I/O, Midi). Why? For one, I’m looking to improve the quality of the sound. I’m using a Lavry Blue AD but can only use 44.1 or 48 with the Digi001. I want to get the most out of the converter (96Khz), so the HD will help me out on that. Knowing that 96K uses a lot of CPU power, the HD’s chips can take some of the load off the computer. Also, the HD’s mixer is supposed to be better than the LE’s.

So, I need to know the following:
1)Is there a sound quality difference between the HD and LE mixer?
2)Do I need the HD’s midi box if I’m using midi equipped instruments? Or does the 96 I/O have midi connections (ike the Digi001)?
3)I don’t want to change my computer, but I need to know if my current configuration will work with the HD. Is there a way to find out?
4)Will I need a Core card with PCI, PCI-x or –e? I would guess it’s PCI just like the Digi001. (Sorry for the ignorance on that one)

[IntelDoc]

1. There is a sound difference. (at least to my ears)
2. A Midi controller will be needed, but ANY midi controller will work. I use the MidiSport on my rig and it is fine
3. Not sure on the Computer, the CORE card handles the plugins, but you WILL need to updae your plugs to TDM otehrwise they are still using the CPU and latency will occur. The TDM versions run off the cards and not the CPU.
4. I forget which cards are MAC only. I think it is the -x versions. The smallest of the bunch are the ones that are not PC compatible but MAC only.

Your biggest expense minus the initial purchase is the plugin updates. I had to upgrade, but it was worth it with the latenct issues I ran into. The Lavry is great, but you will need to see if it is HD compatible with the cards? I have all apogee with their X-HD cards and they talk to Pro Tools and show up like a 192.

Hope this helps some? It is an expensive upgrade to do, but worth it I think.

Doc

[rems]

Thank you very much for your reply! You surely helped me ot a lot. I still have some questions, though:

1. How do you hook up the MidiSport to your rig?
2. Do you know where can I check cmpatibility issues regarding my computer and HD?
3. I've heard of people using the RTAS and the TDM plugs at the same time. Is this a setback that really requires one to upgrade to TDM? Is the latency really that bad?
4. Regarding the PCI question, I read at digidesign that they've only made PCI and PCIe cards, so I guess this shouldn't be an issue with my motherboard.
5. Couldn't I connect my Lavry Blue AD converter to the Digi 96 I/O thru the AES/EBU port? I really wouldn't want to have to buy another AD converter.

Thanks again.

Hope this helps some? It is an expensive upgrade to do, but worth it I think.

[IntelDoc]

1. MidiSprt is hooked up via UAB. Works really well too

2. Digi has a compatibility page somewhere. If PT LE works on it, it should be fine (famous last words) I run a quad core though without issues.

3. RTAS first before TDM. THink of it this way.... The RTAS hits the box first, using the CPU causing the latency. The TDM plugs go out to the Cards only which does its own processing. So You have all that chain going on. I noticed the latency very badly when I was bussing things. So if I had any TDM plugs on the buss it is fine. When I add RTAS to the BUSS, latency became a factor. Sometimes for the more intensive plugins, a HUGE factor. Even with Delay Compensation turned on it took all the available time for that specific track. So I upgraded all my plugs. Costly, but better and needed for sure.

4. I think tha my cards are PCIe. They make the ones for the MAc pecific.

5. You could connect the lavry via the 8 channel AES on the 96. Pesonally I would get rid of the 96 and get a 192, just better. Then use the Digi Card on it to go in AES if you want to use the Lavry. THat is about the only way yo can use it.

I use a Benchmark ADC-1 to go back into Pro Tools (summed 2 channels) via AES and it works fine.

All my compressors are hard wired o my 192 to use the built in delay compensation of the box. Tha apogee's do not so this, so I run my units that do not have latency to them and go from there. The Lexicon goes in digitally to the 192 SP/dif section too. Everything else clocks off the master clock (Isochrone OXC Atomic Clock) for that.

Hope this helps?

Doc

[NickH]

All my compressors are hard wired o my 192 to use the built in delay compensation of the box. Tha apogee's do not so this, so I run my units that do not have latency to them and go from there.

Doesn't the new X-HD bios upgrade sort this?

Cheers

N

[IntelDoc]

Not with the Rosettas according to Apogee on the phone.

I asked..

Not enough to worry though.

They are working on a fix for it.

[NickH]

Sorry I am a bit confused here, I am using a Rosetta 800 192 with HD without any problems, what’s the exact symptom so I can look out for it?

Cheers



N

[rems]

Thanks again IntelDoc!

I checked the 96 I/O's manual and it says the following:

"AES/EBU Digital In and Out
These are balanced, three-conductor XLR connectors
that accept and output a stereo, 24-bit
AES/EBU digital data stream. These two ports
support up to 96 kHz sample rates."

So, I guess this will let me connect the Lavry and bypass the 96's A/D conversion. I would love to get the 192, but the Lavry only does 96 max, and money i definately an issue.

I'm also checking the compatibility page (http://www.digidesign.com/index.cfm?...4&itemid=25672) and the computers are the ones made after my model, so I'l have to check with someon who uses my setup.

Thanks again for all your help, and I hope anyone else could chime in with more answers!

[NickH]

Not with the Rosettas according to Apogee on the phone.

I just did a loopback test, everything is definitely working fine here, with the delay compensation on inserts with analogue gear & it also works if that outboard unit generates an internal delay , I can enter whichever amount into the H/W Insert Delay I like and the Rosetta just works flawlessly...



N

So, I guess this will let me connect the Lavry and bypass the 96's A/D conversion.

That should work fine, if memory serves the AES/EBU connection ‘uses up’ one of the analogue inputs/outputs on the 96, you can select which one in the I/O setup

[IntelDoc]

Hmmmm... not sure really on it all then. I just caled Apogee a few weeks back when a buddy told me that there was a patch that lets Pro Tools see them as 192's. I called Apogee and they said it was for the DA and AD 16X models. The Rosetta was coming out soon and he said it was really nothing to worry about. Also I did not really want to unrack them all and do the update.

As for the 96 i/o all I was getting at is that the 192 is a much better unit as far as conversion. There have been many tests, debates etc on it. Just saying if you can sell it and get a 192, do it.

And yes, you can hook up a AES/EBU connection to the digital card. 2 channels per cable. I have my ADC-1 into 1 two channel input for it. Had a AES snake made (4 inputs stereo - 8 total in's) ad then you have to select it in the I/O settings in Pro Tools and the hardware settings.

Works like a champ.

Doc