Midas M32 and Pro Tools

[aftermid]

Hi,
I'm using an HDX card with an Omni rack. I thinking of getting a Midas board. Does anyone know if there is a way to use the Midas preamp and then route it to the HDX card? The Omni has two pre amps and the back of the Omni has a special plug/cable that goes to the HDX card. Is there a cable/plug that could go from the Midas to the HDX card and be recognized by Pro Tools 11?

[Nathan W.]

ADAT Optical OUT M32 to the OMNI Optical IN. That will give you 8 preamps through the Avid OMNI. You won't be able to use the built in Preamps on the OMNI with this setup. The MIDAS 32 would act as the "daddy" or master clock setup--you can pass Wordclock through the ADAT but it's probably safer to get a BNC cable and terminator and go from the MIDAS wordclock out to the OMNI IN. If you have any other A/D converters you'd need an external wordclock.

[albee1952]

The 2 pieces of hardware(HDX/OMNI and M32) would kind of be working against each other. What's the goal here? If its to get the sound of the Midas(which I also like), save some cash and buy the Midas XL-48. 8 Midas preamps and a lightpipe connection to the OMNI, and done If its the HUI control function on the M32, its not quite as cool as you might think(it only relates to the 8 faders in the master section of the M32). A decent HUI controller(Faderport8 or 16?) or an Artist Mix will work as well(and still save you cash)

[aftermid]

The plan would be to use the Midas preamps. I thought that maybe by connecting to the Omni, it would show up as extra preamps. I also wanted to use it as a automation controller, but if it's like you mention only 8 faders, it's not really worth the extra expense. Also, from the Midas pictures I see two SPDIF digtal RCA jacks, but I don't see any Toslink ports. Where does the Midas have the ADAT ports?
The other thing I would like to have is the use of 1/4" stereo jacks so as to connect external sound modules/rack effects to the Midas. From what I see on the pictures, there are about 6-8 1/4" jacks, but they look more like mono returns or maybe inputs.

Thanks for the pointers.

[Darryl Ramm]

The MIDAS as a control surface provides HUI, is that sufficient for what you want? It's not all the fancy features of say EUCON and an S3.

You need the ADAT expansion card in the M32 if you want to do ADAT to/from it.

The Omni is very expansion limited. You get a total of 8 inputs, so if you want 8 ADAT inputs you have to disable all the other inputs on the Omni. If you really wanted an ADAT connected digital Mixer connected to your system then add more DigiLink digital interface capacity, e.g. with a HD IO Digital or 192 IO.

... or even easier just give up on DigiLink IO and and the Omni and use the M48 as a USB interface.

You do need to start reading the documentation for stuff you are asking about, and is likely to get you to things you did not even think to ask about otherwise.

Hopefully you are buying a M48 because you really need a digital live mixer for other reasons. A digital mixer as audio interface and control surface is often a compromise.

Are you after external hardware as Mic preamp inserts (which the M32 does not have AFAIK) or hardware inserts while mixing?

Be careful lusting after external effects boxes...and worrying about spending money to connect them, you might be much better off just using plugins.

[aftermid]

I am familiar with the HUI and EUCON , as far as the S3 you mentioned, we used to have an ICON. Quite pricey. My conclusion was that it was a glorified mouse with no preamps at quite a hefty price. Furthermore, the controls were quirky and unresponsive at times. I don't think I'll be buying any Avid boards anytime soon. As far as connecting external hardware, these would be vintage sound modules, some that don't have softsynths versions. I did actually read the Midas manual and it's brother's manual the Behringer X32. Not even Midas itself could give me a concrete answer on the 1/4" jacks on the M32 for use for the modules in question. Sometimes what's in the manual and how things actually work in real life don't quite line up. Think back to Icon board. Not sure what M48 you're referring to. Maybe this would have the features I need, full DAW automation with clean preamps. I know the M32 preamps are good, but if I can't use it with Pro Tools, it defeats the purpose. I suppose I could go with an Avid preamp/interface, but it seems there are cheaper options out there like Apogee and UA. Maybe I could get one of those and add a Automation controller. It's a shame cause as far as quality the M32 is good.

[Darryl Ramm]

The Icon was expensive, but in many ways a pinnacle of a product. All control surfaces are glorified mice.

But I'm not sure how that helps here. If you understand the limitations of HUI and are happy with that you may be set for a control surface. But I'd not rush to say "HUI" and "full DAW automation" in the same sentence.

I had no clue what boxes you are talking about, but if synths and not effects, and you are not after mic inserts then the lack of real mic-inserts on the MIDAS is not an issue. But it does have aux returns/bus inserts.

M48 was my typo. But Dave mentioned the XL-48 if you just want 8 ADAT mics.

Nobody said you can't use this with Pro Tools, there are multiple ways of using it depending on exactly what you want to achieve. How many channels? Want to keep HDX DSP processing? What budget?,... which we can't guess.

There is no mystery about what the M32 has... 32 Mic preamps and 8 line-level aux returns. There is a useful circuit schematic in the back. But... even guessing what you need there is a long shot... I was assuming outboard effects boxes, sound like they are synth. Some old synth will do best with a DI input some are line level output. You may be well ahead of all this already. Worse case you can buy DI boxes and drive the preamp inputs with them. You may know what you are driving now (or just test on the Omni) and be ready to go. You might have stereo boxes needing paired channels, or be fighting ground hum etc and better off with transformer DI boxes, etc.... usual stuff to battle.

And back to your Omni... If want it to play any part here... For an interface, the simplest and lowest cost solution is just use the M32 as a USB interface. But you can't use the HDX card then. If you want to keep HDX DSP processing in your sessions then you need to stay DigiLink and buy an ADAT Card for the M32. And then you are limited to 8 ADAT inputs (at 48 kHz) with the Omni (and to get that 8 you lose the two onboard preamps). Or you need to buy more DigiLink ADAT IO boxes, one or more HD IO Digital or 196 IO Digital.. bargains on EBay, don't buy them new. If you do give up HDX and go USB then be aware with non-DigiLink interfaces all versions of Pro Tools are limited to 32 inputs and outputs.

Hopefully that has laid out the options and restrictions so you can make a decision.

[YYR123]

Originally Posted by aftermid

I am familiar with the HUI and EUCON , as far as the S3 you mentioned, we used to have an ICON. Quite pricey. My conclusion was that it was a glorified mouse with no preamps at quite a hefty price. Furthermore, the controls were quirky and unresponsive at times. I don't think I'll be buying any Avid boards anytime soon.

I have used a X32 for front end in a recording space. But I didn't even bother with HUI b/c I just recorded in the space and took it back to mix on my own protools setup. Good stuff worked like a charm, I used Studio 1, because I didn't have to use an ilok to auth' it.

ICON is/was the pinnacle IMHO. I love my board I got it last year and it is really amazing what you can do from the board level. Setting up Inputs / Outputs / Sends as well as levels for the sends direct off the surface. I love mine.....and can't imagine working with protools without it.

I believe what sets the ICON's apart from the S3 is the dedicated EQ/Dyn sections.....great feature..

[aftermid]

On your X32 were you able to connect it to your Pro Tools HDX, if that was the case? I'm wondering if there is a converter that can take Avid's DigiLink to another source. Meaning using an interface output from the X32 to Avid's DigiLink, This way Pro Tools can see X32s Pre Amps. Going at with USB I think would be too slow. Has anyone ever done something like this before?

[Darryl Ramm]

Originally Posted by aftermid

On your X32 were you able to connect it to your Pro Tools HDX, if that was the case? I'm wondering if there is a converter that can take Avid's DigiLink to another source. Meaning using an interface output from the X32 to Avid's DigiLink, This way Pro Tools can see X32s Pre Amps. Going at with USB I think would be too slow. Has anyone ever done something like this before?

You've already asked this question and been given the connection options.

The 'converter' you are asking for yet again... is a DigiLink 192 or HD IO Digtial interface that gives you ADAT/SMUX IO and then you go into the ADAT IO option card in your mixer. Which I've mentioned now several times. There is no DigiLink interface option for your mixer. If there was it would already have been mentioned. If you are not following stuff here, pick up the phone and call a sales rep at Sweetwater or whoever you are buying the mixer from, they can hand hold you though all the options.... you could likely save money by doing stuff yourself with used IO boxes but you seem to be having problems following stuff here, so maybe best to get help from a seller.

So do you need HDX processing? Then USB is not an option *at all*, nothing about being too slow or not, which I've also already explained.

Still no idea here how many IO channels you need and so if the Omni is enough or not. Your sales rep should ask you about all that.