best configuration advice

[OneMadSon]

I have recently acquired an Apogee Quartet for the purpose of mobile recording.

I currently have an 003 that I run a Focusrite 428 into via lightpipe.

The 003 only has one lightpipe in but the Apogee has two. To make all of these pres work together at once, what would be the best configuration? Can the 003 out go into one of the Quartet's lightpipe inputs and the Focusrite go in the other? I have never considered plugging the 003 into another unit since it was my main interface but it seems like this might work. Any better scenarios? I'm unlikely to need 12 pres in the near future so before I hook it all up I figured I'd tap into all the experts here.

Thanks!

[nst7]

You can not use the 003 with another interface. It does not aggregate and has no standalone mode. You can use the Quartet with the Focusrite hooked up, but that's it.

[OneMadSon]

ok. So then i could still use the focusrite with the 003 as is and then patch in the apogee pres to the 003's 5-8, right?

I'm originally a 002 user. I used to bring that out and use it as a stand alone to a DAT. Seems like something they should've kept.

So what does the output lightpipe on the 003 get you? Why would you ever need that?

[nst7]

Doesn't look like you can do that either. From what I can see, the Quartet does not have a standalone mode either, and doesn't have digital outs anyway. And there doesn't seem to be any way to route the preamps to the analog line outs.

So both the quartet and the 003 will only pass audio to and from the DAW software via usb and firewire, respectively.

The Quartet will aggregate with another interface, though. But this sounds like it could get complicated.

If you need that much I/O, you should probably just get an interface that has the amount of I/O that you need.

[groundcontrol]

If it's a 003 console, it 's got a standalone mode. You *might* be able to do something. Check the manual carefully...

[nst7]

I thought it was only the 002 (console version) that had a standalone mode.

I owned a 003 console for a couple of years and never saw anything in the manual about it. It did have a midi control mode that seemed like it was never fully implemented, though (making it different than the 002).

[groundcontrol]

I 'm probably wrong then. I know the 002 did have it.

Thanks for the correction.

[OneMadSon]

While I haven't tested it yet, it appears that Apogee pres can be sent to the analog outputs and those could simply be run into the 003 channels 5-8. With the focusrite via lightpipe into the 003 this should allow for all 12 pres at the same time.

When I have time I'll test it out.

[groundcontrol]

But the Apogee probably has the best conversion out of all those...

Am I missing something?

And why didn't you think about this before?

[OneMadSon]

I didn't think about it because I bought the apogee for mobile recording. If I can get it to work with my current rig to allow for more and better channels of recording, great. I don't know crap about lightpipes other than I think they are really cool when the little red light shines out of them and they seem to work great connecting my focusrite to my 003

I'm psyched to have apogee conversion in my possession but I really only care about songs and production. Some of my favorite records were made on 001s.

Rock on!