8ch A/D to adat optical

[JonG]

Following up my two-channel question with an eight channel version:

I am looking to expand my track count and was wondering what some of you guys are using. I am looking for a single rack space unit what takes eight 1/4" line ins (d-subs welcome), and can output to adat optical without any use of a computer to control it.

Essentially, I have a bunch of very high end mic pres, and would like to rack them up with a converter (preferably mid to high end) that can output adat optical, so that I can move from studio to studio and be able to interface digitally with their system without having to deal with breakout snakes and patch bays, and since most people/studios have an adat optical input, my thought is that this is a good solution.

I am anxious to hear your thoughts and opinions

[Mobilemike]

I use an Apogee Rosetta 800. 8 ins and outs and supports SMUX for higher sample rates. Sounds great.

Not made any more but you can pick one up really easily on eBay.

Cheers!

-Mike

[ccsnd]

octopre

[graham]

Metric halo 2882

[JonG]

so then just curious, when using these bad boys, do you just connect via optical cable out to the input of your interface and call it a day? As in, does it recognize whatever settings you are working at automatically? or is there a way to toggle settings on the machine its self? Ive never done this before, and am not familiar with the steps.

[Mobilemike]

Not familiar with the others, but the Apogee has front panel buttons to set things like sample rate, bit depth, which digital outputs to use, clock source,etc. You will need to set these on the converter, and then make sure the interface knows to look for the ADAT input. You can usually have the interface clock off the converter, in which cast it should recognize your sample rate settings automatically.

-Mike

[JonG]

Very cool. Thank you kindly!

[Philip Perkins]

Some interfaces like MOTU 8Pre and Traveler and RME boxes only need the computer to set up the routing (you CAN do this on the front panel of a Traveler but it's a pain in the ass). After that you can use the, stand alone and they retain the routing you did.

phil p

[takev]

The octo-pre has a button to select from 4 sample rates, I guess the audio interface should be set to the same sample rate.

You can clock your audio interface to the octo-pre by selecting the ADAT input.

If you have an external clock you either let both interfaces share the same word clock, or you clock the octo-pre and let the interface slave on the ADAT input.

I myself have the octopre and a MOTU 828 MkII. But am just a software developer not a sound engineer.

[Phil Palmer]

Metric halo 2882

+1

Sounds and works great.

[audio911]

I use a Focusrite Octopre w/ lightpipe and a MOTU 896MK3 clocked by a Rosendahl Nanosync. I use Metacorder and Protools software...

[deep owl]

Presonus Digimax FS and Behringer Ultragain Pro-8 are both in my rack and I've fed both to 828mkII via lightpipe. I'd say for 1/4" line in the Behringer is plenty useful at the lowest price point. Mic pres on it aren't so wonderful, but the Digimax pres are nothing special either. Since you don't seem interested in using the pres that's probably of no consequence

[ramallo]

RME ADI8DS