Options for Adding More Inputs to Interface

[mta7388]

Hello all, I have a newbie question on how to add more inputs, if possible to my current setup. Yes I have read the majority of the guide, but hardware still makes me confused.

If you have an audio interface going into a computer w/software sequencer [mine is Logic] with an ADAT input, does that you mean you can add more inputs to your system. Meaning, in your software sequencer, which you be able to have additional audio tracks for each channel or would you still have the same amount as you had in the original interface? I understand if you hooked up a traditional mixer with many inputs to the interface, it would still only be one audio track/input option in Logic.

Basically I'm trying to figure out how to add separate audio tracks/inputs in Logic without having to buy a new interface, or if this is possible at all?

[blind-geek]

IMLK, that's true, yes. Add an ADAT interface with say four more inputs, you'd get four more ins on your sequencer. Up to 8, I do believe.

[Steven mc.]

look into getting a Used Motu 2408mk2 with a 324 PCI card off ebay (they go usually lower then 200$) ditch the PCI card, and That would be a standalone 8 analog to ADAT converter.

[ecc83]

I am slightly confused mta7388.

Do you have an interface at the moment with ADAT? If so then there are a few 8in mic/line devices about that can give you the inputs you require.

If you are on a tight budget the Behringer ADA800 is one that quite a few "pros" admit to using and for every one that admits it I bet there are at least 2 that do but don't!

If you just have a pci 4in 4out card and two of that i/o/ is SPDIF you CAN buy standalone mic/line 2channel SPDIF converters, a faily recent, very nice unit is the Audient Mico. At the bargain basement end, the M-Audio Fast track pro is one of the few AI's I know of that will work standalone from just a 9V DC supply. But stand alone, line in or mic/line in SPDIF converters are VERY thin on the ground for some unfathonable reason.

If however you do not have any kind of interface as yet but know you will want to expand to multiple inputs best look to a Firewire AI. BUT! check the chipset in your pc and get a solid, written in blood, returns/refund agreement from the supplier. Pc +Audio+ Fussywire can be a minefield!

There are a few (literally one or two!) pci, RJ45+ breakout box solutions but they are all pretty expensive.

Dave.

[Blue Bear Sound]

If you are on a tight budget the Behringer ADA800 is one that quite a few "pros" admit to using

Wha???

[Steven mc.]

Yeah...I was about to say....NOT too believable considering I've used the IMP preamps....Must be from behringers website?

[blind-geek]

So is something wrong with those pres? I'm probably buying the M-Audio Profire2626, and I'm looking to add 8 pres for drums to it with this thing. Would that be a decent use for it?

[Steven mc.]

Heres what you need to do man,
The profire already has 8 cheapo preamp's on them. THOSE will work for drums. Now I don't know why you need 16 el cheapo preamp's unless you are recording a HUUUGE drumkit or orchestra (not likely) the IMP preamp is the same preamp on every channel of behringer's UB mixer's, in case you didn't know. So they are quite cheapo cheapo, for something you'd find in a rack.
I would really recommend you spend the 250$ on a SINGLE channel "decent" budget preamp which you can do all your single track recording through, (Vocals...Acoustic guitar, Bass, Amps, Etc). I'd MUCH rather have 8 cheap pres and a single "ok" one then 16 Junk pre's which are only good for drums if even. see what I'm saying?

[blind-geek]

So the profire preamps are "cheapo?" I saw a few places on this forum where they said to sound really good? Was that wrong? Have you ever used the unit?

[EnlightenedHand]

So the profire preamps are "cheapo?" I saw a few places on this forum where they said to sound really good? Was that wrong? Have you ever used the unit?

The problem is one of perspective. If true world class, high quality sound is what you're going for then you likely wouldn't place those Behringer preamps (or the Pro Fire preamps) at the top of your list compared to very well reputed and well designed preamps. That's because they (the Behringer and likely to a somewhat lesser extent the Pro Fire pres) are made with cheap parts and designed in such a way as to not deliver the most full and detailed sound. However, they can be used to get the job done if you really know what you're doing and you don't mind working a lot harder to keep the pres from leaving a negative impact on your project. That being said there is also the issue of knowing who's doing the talking. If someone with relatively low expectations critiques a Behringer preamp then they will likely think it doesn't sound bad at all. But in a direct comparison with a significantly better pre (say a Grace m101), I would wager that most people would prefer the sound of the 101 over the Behringer or the Pro Fire.

The reason it's sometimes difficult for folks to sort out the useful information from the hype with regards to preamps is that the differences in sound that are evident are perceived as very subtle and minimal. But those subtleties begin to matter most when you play back a recording comprised of several different tracks recorded through lower quality preamps (known as "stacking" tracks). All of the little things that the lesser quality pres did or didn't give start to become more pronounced. This is not restricted to just run-of-the-mill preamps. Even supposedly very high quality "character" preamps can get veiled sounding when you stack enough tracks through them. The simple way around this problem is to always use very high quality, clean sounding, relatively character free preamps for most of your tracking and only sprinkle in a few instances of character preamps in the recording.

Liz

[blind-geek]

Yeah, I get that. But for starting, would those pres work, and then upgrade them as I can get the cash?

[Steven mc.]

do you need 16 preamps? I asked up there but maybe u missed it. Why do you need 16 mic channels?
If you DON"T needs to record more then 8 mics at once, then use the money from the ADA on a single channel preamp.

[blind-geek]

The reason I wanted 16 was so that I could do live tracking with full bands.

I've heard that $250 won't get you a good pre... You usually have to go to $600, right?

[Steven mc.]

250$ you can do pretty good, esp. used.
BUT If you need the inputs...I guess you HAVE to get the ADA...

[blind-geek]

I'm planning to get it cheap first, then buy better later. I'm on a really tight budget (I'm 15). That's why I picked one that supposedly has nicer pres, one with worse pres, and I plan on updating ASAP. It was the cheapest high-input sollution I found.

[Tweak]

You can get better results with the ADA8000 by using its inputs for your line level gear, like keyboards, and if necessary for your condenser mics which don't require you to turn the gain up too far. Those UB series preamps get noisy when pushed hard on dynamic mics. So the trick is to avoid that situation.

http://www.zzounds.com/a--3745/item--BE ... /sid--SCf1