Alesis AI-3 A/O Interface questions.....

[T-Man]

Hi all. I would like to utilize the "light pipe/ADAT" input on my 001 system to increase my I/O capabilities. I have beem looking for products capable of doing this on the net and happened upon the Alesis AI-3. It would allow 8 more analogue I/O's and seems like a good unit. Have any of you used it? I don't want to buy a digital mixer because of price and the fact that I already have a great old Soundcraft 20 channel anologue mixer. All I really want to be able to do is put one more mic on the drums (double kick) and run line level bass, guitar and keys into the 001 in real time. My main question is this. How do I adjust record levels coming into the 001 through it's ADAT/Lightpipe inputs? There is no input sensitivity or output level adjustments on the Alesis and I don't know if the optical in's on the 001 have software adjustable level controls. The Alesis has metering on the front panel that indicates clipping levels present on it's inputs. There is a switch on the Alesis that controls the signal level to and from the anologue inputs and outputs. It can be set for either -10dBV (-15dBfs = 0.178 Volts) or +4dBu(-15dBfs = 0.138 Volts). I am concerned about signal to noise ratios and being able to adjust all gain stages in the recording chain (ie. Guitar Pod output into Alesis AI-3 anolog input, Alesis AI-3 lightpipe/ADAT digital output into 001's lightpipe/ADAT input). In this scenario I wouldn't want to only be able to adjust recording levels with the Pod's output as some poor signal to noise ratios could occur. Any help or suggestions on this matter would be very helpfull.
Keep on crankin, T-Man

[da BaSsTaRd!]

if your mixer has direct outs (or inserts) why don't you just run everything through the mixer and then into the 001/AI3? then you can adjust the gain any way you want from the mixer. plus you get the added benefit of no latency monitoring...

[keny]

I have an AI3. I absolutely dig it. The ADC's in it blow the grainy 001's converters away. I use the trim pots in my Allen and heath mixer to control the input gain. Each track on my mixer has a direct out that I run an 8 channel snake directly to the AI3. i wish I could get another one too.

There is also the frontier tango to check out. I hear it's pretty cool.

A Problem with the AI3 for future compatability is that it has no word clock. Neither does the 001. You will always have to sync to the AI3 through the lightpipe.

Keny