Tom Fiala Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 I've decided to take the plunge, and try to eliminate my analog mixer & sub-mixer...they're too noisy. I'd like to find a method to have 24 channels of 1/4" inputs from my various keyboards going into my computer, and do all the mixing directly in Cubase. What's the best system? I have a delta 1010, but I don't know that I could get 3 of them working smoothly on the same computer. I understand that Focusrite has a new product that handles 26 channels, but most of these are ADAT-associated. Should I consider one of those Beringer ADAT boxes? Recommendations appreciated. I'd like to accomplish this for no more than $2000-2500, if possible. Tom F. "It is what it is." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ITGITC Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 Dr. Fiala, that's an excellent question. Would you like to use USB, Firewire, or PCI interface to your computer? (Are you using a Mac or Windows PC?) A drummer friend of mine uses an Aardvark interface. However, I'm not sure they're still in business. Believe it or not, he lives in a two bedroom apartment on the ground floor. He has drum pads and records into Sonar. For drum tracks recorded through pads instead of a real kit, he does an excellent job. However, I believe he records the cymbals with a mic instead of using samples. Drummers can be really picky about their cymbals. I'm glad you asked this question. I'm interested in the current options as well. Hmmmmm, time to hunt around in the library for my Sweetwater catalog. Take care. "Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent." - Victor Hugo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Fiala Posted June 27, 2006 Author Share Posted June 27, 2006 Tom, I don't have any particular bias towards PCI (which is what I use now) vs. the other options, although I keep hearing that PCI has the least time lag. Just what works the best in real world terms....and is not cost-prohibitive for the number of channels I need. Hope you're enjoying that Stanley Cup in NC! Tom F. "It is what it is." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ITGITC Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 Originally posted by Tom Fiala: I keep hearing that PCI has the least time lag. Hope you're enjoying that Stanley Cup in NC! My understanding is that the PCI interface has the least latency. I imagine that if one includes the overhead of USB or Firewire that this should be true. And thank you for the comment about the Stanley Cup. I'm not nearly the hockey fan that many of my coworkers are, but it was really a lot of fun to see how excited they got. The games brought together people who would ordinarily not have a reason to get together and, because of this, it was pretty special from the start. On top of that, the Oilers fans turned out to be a really good group. I heard stories of lots of partying and beer drinking between fans of both teams after the game. It definitely meant quite a bit to the people who live in this area. I'll back out now in hopes that someone knowledgeable can answer your question. "Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent." - Victor Hugo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric VB Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 This guy prefers FireWire; he used it for "44+" inputs. (He doesn't specify the actual interfaces, but it seems it would be several analog-to-FireWire devices.) I haven't seen many units that have more than 8 analog inputs in the same box. Going with three 8-channel analog-to-ADAT units -- maybe the Alesis AI3 -- and then an ADAT-to-FireWire device (do they exist?) might work. Is that an extra step, though? How many boards do you plan on recording simultaneously? I'm thinking two hands equals two boards, so I don't see a problem with USB, really. If you have 24 boards set up, I suppose it would be inconvenient to walk over to the interface and unplug/plugin boards when needed. (Man, you must have a sweet setup! ) Coleman Audio makes the GT6 Six Input Insrument Switcher that lists for $575; four (for 24 inputs) would set you back $2300 (or less). (Wow, that's more than I would have thought.) You can use the switcher live, too. Instead of messing with the plugs, just push a button, but that seems like a lot of money for the amount of convenience it offers. [i'd think you could make an entirely passive device for a lot cheaper if you DIY.] Now I too will "back out now in hopes that someone knowledgeable can answer your question." (The guys on the EQ forums might actually have a suggestion or two.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daBowsa Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 If Firewire is doable, consider getting three Presonus Firepods . This will put you at $1800 and give you 24, 1/4" or XLR inputs through Presonus' well-review, highly-regarded preamps. You only need 1 firewire input, because these units can be daisy-chained together . (The first link has a link to some .mp3's of a live Tower of Power show). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyRubberDuck Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 I have a 24i from MOTU that uses a PCI card and a 1 rack space external unit, which can handle 24 simultaneous inputs. Although I have heard reports of MOTU products working better with MACs than with PCs, I use it on my PC with SONAR and have had no problems. It ran about $1200 for the card/rack combo and that was a few years ago. You can get expansion rack units to add more inputs/outputs/etc. and it supports quite a few output formats for DAT/SMPTE/optical/ etc. Good luck! DRD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffLearman Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 How many boards do you plan on recording simultaneously? I'm thinking two hands equals two boards, so I don't see a problem with USB, really.Hmmm, how many MIDI tracks? Any number. Warning about ADAT: it's 16-bit if you want 8 channels per cable, or for units that support it, 4 channels per cable for 24-bit recording. Personally, I'd use a patch panel with your Delta. Just as quick to patch up as to fiddle with a GUI mixer -- maybe quicker -- only you'd be limited to 4 stereo or 8 mono keyboards at a time (the 1010 has 8 analog channels, right?) The only issue then is monitoring, which you'd have to do off the 1010 or else configure for low latency and monitor from the DAW's output. (You have that issue no matter what, when you get rid of the mixer.) Note that you'll still need a mixer to sum the outputs of the soundcards, but that's small potatos. BTW, if you have a decent mixer and are using the channel inserts to your soundcard, you shouldn't be getting much noise. You might want to consider a 24-channel desk and a patch panel instead of going all-digital. As exciting as all-digital sounds, I'd miss my mixer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Fiala Posted June 27, 2006 Author Share Posted June 27, 2006 Hmmmm...all good points. I was hoping to avoid the re-patching thing, although it is clearly the most cost-effective. Tom F. "It is what it is." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Fiala Posted June 30, 2006 Author Share Posted June 30, 2006 I think I'll wait for the new focusrite product, then add in some Behringer ADA 8000's...thank you all for the suggestions. Tom F. "It is what it is." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Martin Posted June 30, 2006 Share Posted June 30, 2006 Tom, There are a lot of great firewire based options that will let you chain together multiple units. Since you're not going to have a mixer, you should check into what kind of direct monitoring the interface you choose allows. Otherwise you'll always be monitoring your gear through the software, which will add some latency. What software are you using? -Mike Martin Casio Mike Martin Photography Instagram Facebook The Big Picture Photography Forum on Music Player Network The opinions I post here are my own and do not represent the company I work for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sergievsky Posted July 1, 2006 Share Posted July 1, 2006 I think your best option is getting a Motu unit. The 424 pci card is much improved than their previous one, and their Cuemix software is very usable. One 24 i/o interface and you're set. I'd stay away from the focusrite. When you're dealing with computer interfaces it's all about the drivers. It pays to stick with a company who has been doing this for awhile...RME also falls in this category, so I'd look into their interfaces as well. And if it's not going to be used in a laptop, stick to PCI (though pciE is starting to be the norm). Things get dicey once you start adding several firewire devices. Raul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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