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AES inputs on high track machines


JonG

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A lot of recorders these days are including AES inputs as a good portion of their i/o. I'm specifically thinking of the Cantar X3. If I were on a show using the X3 and needed all 24 record tracks, and I'm using Lectrosonics Venues, and I'm NOT using a digital mixer with AES outputs, then how do I get 16 channels of analog line-level signal into my Cantar X3?

 

Ive seen a few AC powered options from the music world that are mostly 2 channel converter boxes, but if I were to use these I'd need an AC powered follow cart to house all these boxes. 

 

I guess I could use two Venues and six SRs with AES plates but that sounds like a huge pain that is more expensive than needs be. 

 

So then what are our options? What have I missed?

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@Constantin thanks for your responses. Seems silly to spend $15k on a machine, and you still need to spend thousands more to get additional converters, just to get your audio in the box. 

 

Since Lectrosonics opted out of AES on their Venues, it'd be great if they or someone could create something to fill this gap at a lower pricepoint. I can see a single rack unit with DB25 connectors, you could easily get three or four sets of eight on a single rack space. Well, one can dream. 

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I agree. But I also think that digital audio on an XLR is not ideal for multi i/o. Yes it could be on a DB25, but everyone is going Dante these days, that’s what they all should have. All these converters have ADAT i/o, some have MADI, I don’t understand. Dante is the way of the future, I believe. Although MADI is still pretty cool...

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7 hours ago, Patrick Farrell said:

You could use a Lectro DNT BOB 88 and go Dante into the X3.

Or if you wanted to stick with AES, you could use a couple of the AJA ADA4 converters.

 

Nothing really seems to have replaced the AJA as far as I have looked over the last few years (for AES). Although there are DIY boxes but I've only seen 2 channel which is less useful than the AJA 4.

On the other hand, did not the Fostex PD6 (or 606 perhaps) and the HHB PDR2000 have multi AES out on a Dsub25? For a cart (at 48 or 96k) might this be a decent go around until you fork out for the obvious Sonosax AD8?

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31 minutes ago, The Immoral Mr Teas said:

Or 552 with four ... another 'new lease of life' solution for aged X3 owners with a back shed full of "do you know what I paid for that back in the day??"

 

Could you imagine a cart with four 552s on it just to convert your signal to AES? The image in my mind made me laugh. 

 

However, having a cart full of cables to me makes the point of using digital inputs invalid to some degree. Coming from my standpoint, where I am using an analog mixer, I feel like we've moved past that cumbersome mess. But the Venues not having any kind of digital output makes that hard to build around without loads of cables. 

 

Maybe we will be surprised this year at NAB :)

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I know you want a DC, AES option BUT Tascam does have a new Dante box (isn't there a Dante option for the X3?).  It's 1u and takes 22w which I'd imagine you could rig to a DC inverter pretty easily.  Can't beat the price either...

 

Tascam ML-16D

 

Apparently they make a 32 channel version as well.  Not too shabby for $2k

 

Tascam ML-32d

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The longer you wait, the more Dante gear there will be.  I think, in time, it will cover high track count problems very nicely in a lot of price ranges.  Dante will never be "cheap" because Audinate charges a certain fee for the Dante license but I just bought a simple four-in by four-out Dante to analog box made by Glensound from Gotham just above $500 (IIRC).  Ferrofish, mentioned above, as well as Attero Tech (I have their Dante to 32x analog box) are building nice Dante boxes as well.  Many more jumping on the Dante train and it's rollin' hard.

 

After all these years in the sound business, I still find it amazing that I can send my 32 track at 96k recording rig from the stage to the control room, hundreds of feet away, on one Cat5e cable.  Wow!

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