8 channel audio interface and stand alone preamp

[alidav]

can you suggest me a 8 channel audio interface for mac that can use with my alesis hd 24 as stand alone preamp?

[dr_daw]

Focusrite Liquid saffire 56 or Saffire Pro 40. Great pre's.

[alidav]

do they work in both ways

[dr_daw]

Both units are most definitely capable, here's the documentation on how:

http://d3se566zfvnmhf.cloudfront.net...tandalone1.pdf

The info for Pro 40 here:

http://global.focusrite.com/firewire...saffire-pro-40

The info for LS56 here:

http://global.focusrite.com/firewire...uid-saffire-56

[alidav]

I heard 56 liquid saffire doesn't work with protools is that true?

[VRW]

Hey, you missed to leave more info about your whole system, e.g. Mac or PC, PT which version, which price range the interface should be etc.
Anyway I will post a bunch of options, starting with the low priced stuff then going up step by step.
Focusrites have been listed already previously, here are some of the others.

0-500.-
Presonus AudioBox 1818
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/AudioBox1818 449.95
https://www.presonus.com/products/AudioBox-1818VSL
http://duc.avid.com/showthread.php?t=347886
(seems to work with PT11)

500-1000.-
Roland Octa Capture
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/OctaCapture 599.-
http://www.roland.com/products/en/UA-1010/

Motu 828x
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/828x/ 849.-
http://www.motu.com/products/motuaudio/828x
(new with Thunderbolt connection)

RME Multiface 2
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Multiface2/ 949.-
http://www.rme-audio.de/en_products_multiface_2.php


Motu 896mk3
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/896mk3Hy 995.-
http://www.motu.com/products/motuaudio/896mk3

1000-2000.-
RME Fireface 800
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Fireface800 1799.-
http://www.rme-audio.de/en_products_fireface_800.php
http://duc.avid.com/showthread.php?t=351356
(works well with PT11)

Universal Audio Apollo Duo
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ApolloDuoTB/ 1999.-
http://www.uaudio.com/interfaces/apollo.html

2000-3000.-
Universal Audio Apollo Quad
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ApolloQuadTB/ 2499.-
http://www.uaudio.com/interfaces/apollo.html

Apogee Symphony 8x8
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/SymphIO8x8/ 2995.-
http://www.apogeedigital.com/products/symphony-io.php

Universal Audio Apollo 16
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Apollo16TB/ 2999.-
http://www.uaudio.com/interfaces/apollo-16.html

3000-4000.-
Apogee Symphony 8x8 Thunderbolt
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/SymphIO8x8TB/ 3490.-
http://www.apogeedigital.com/products/symphony-io.php


Good luck and lots of success, VRW


MacMini i7Quad, 16GB Ram, MBP Mid 2012 i5, 16GB Ram, MacOS 10.9.2, Apogee Quartet+Duet 2, Genelec Active, Yamaha NS10,
Pro Tools 11.1.2, Logic 10.0.6, Waves, MCDSP, Duende Native, Softube, HOFA, IK Multimedia etc

[dr_daw]

Originally Posted by alidav

I heard 56 liquid saffire doesn't work with protools is that true?

Whoever told you that is completely insane. That couldn't be more un-true, there are hundreds if not thousands of users using that interface with Pro Tools. Everything on that unit is identical to the pro 40 with the exception of one more ADAT out and the 'Liquid pre's' and the pro 40 works flawlessly.

[albee1952]

Avoid the Roland units as the drivers are not working for everybody. Avoid M-Audio completely for now(drivers again). What's the purpose of using the HD24 at all here? I would lean towards an LS56 with a pair of OctoPre Mk II's(Dynamic) for 24 IO. The standard OctoPre Mk II lacks the ADAT output converters(so if 8 outputs is enough, you could save some cash).

[alidav]

thanks for your answers, have you used it? I have some questions about it
mostly ill use it as stand alone preamp, on my hd 24 i do not need right now more then 8 channel, and need a good daw interface also, is it stable and reliable?

i am seeing that there are many of those used for sale on internet ( at least in italy) and i am trying to undestand why
another point, my actual computer, a 2009 mac book pro has not the thunderbolt, so will I use the fw400? my previous experience about card and daw was about a MAUDIO 1814, and it could work only directly connected to computer in daisychain, and therefore had to connect a fw800 drive to the Maudio fw400.

[dr_daw]

Must be a bit of a language barrier here, I'm a bit confused by what you're saying.

I personally don't have experience with the LS56 but the Pro 40 is essentially the same with a few less features. It locks up well via ADAT, runs well for me in PT 10.3.8 on MBP 9,1 with OSX. But that's because my system is spec'd for Pro Tools and ALL optimizations are done. I currently run a daisy chain with my Pro40 and Glyph GTP50 drive no problem.

Thunderbolt is irrelevant to this conversations. Neither of these units are thunderbolt, they are just thunderbolt compatible...meaning that you can use a thunderbolt to FW adapter. That's originally how I was set up, but needed that port for second monitor.

I go FW800 to drive, FW800 - 400 cable to the Pro 40, ADAT locked to an Octopre MKII for 16 ch's Analogue in and 2ch's SPDIF connected to a PC's M-audio Delta 1010lt card.

What OS are you running?

How much ram?

Specs on external drive?

Processor specs?

Avid has a list of requirements for compatible systems, if you want stable and reliable...do EXACTLY what they tell you to, pick a machine off their list, do all the optimizations, follow ALLL guidelines and you should be laughing.