PT 002 Rack Advice (Tascam, ProSonus, Mackie)

[rastro2]

Hi

I want to more inputs to my Digi 002 Rack via the ADAT Optical Port. I'm considering the Tascam FW-1884, The PreSonus DigiMax 96, and the Mackie Onyx. Does anyone have any experience with any of these? I'm leaning towards the Tascam, 'cause it also works as a control station, but I'm guessing the pres are proobably better in the others. I'm running PT LE w/Mac OS 10.3.7 on a 1.25 GHz G4 Laptop.

Anyone?

Thanks,

Joe McGinty

[DH]

i just got the rme adi-8pro. gives me 8 in and out. converters sound great, but no pres. i also have the octopre by focusrite. 8 pres with optical compressor and good converters. a/d only though

[rolandk]

Do you have any specific features in mind? I'd be willing to bet that the pre's in the mid-price range units- Digimax, Octapre, Mackie, etc. are all good quality and pretty close sonically. Seems to me the other features are what seperate them and buy the one that has what you want and nothing more.
For example, I have the Digimax LT because I wanted the inserts on each channel and didn't need the extra stuff its big brother the Digimax 96 has and its worked out great.
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[cashed checks]

I've owned a digimax96k for over a year now and am quite a happy customer, but my view might be slightly skewed(i don't recall the features of the LT version). I do appreciate the extra headroom of the 96k and the eq 'enhance' feature actually does tailor the pres for OH micing, as advertised, and quite pleasantly. the ENH feature is useless for any other application and limiters have not been of any use either. the inserts on the LT would be great if you have outboard gear that you use on frequent basis, but i like keeping things as simple as possible. (i'm not one of those purist guys who doesn't like comping anything on principal, it just sounds better to my ears wide open, probably also why i don't use the built in limiters) so i would have no need for them. the 8 extra outputs from your DAW are great on the 96k, i don't rememberr if the LT has those. This helps out oh so much if you want to monitor directly off the pres in real time and also if you want to mix out in a real console and then to tape. the separate power supply is also nice. i hope they're finally moved the phantom power switches to the front of th 96k by now. it's not such a huge deal but i shouldn't have to be feeling around the back of my rack just for some juice. Presonus gets the big 'thumbs up' from the customer service angle as well. back to the reason i said my review might be 'skewed': i got my digimax96 at quite a discount making it only a smidge more expensive then the LT version. I use my home set up as a 'writing tool' more than having any notion that it's a real studio, so if i didn't get the deal i got, the LT would have more than sufficed.

hope this helped!

[Huntlabs]

I like my Octopre. Wasn't cheap but it works great.
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[Ghstlvr]

i'm thinking about getting the Octopre LE..I have read it allows for expansion allowing AD/DA conversion through lightpipe

I'm tempted to throw down the extra $ for the original Octopre but i have only read about AD conversion (no DA)

i'd really like those 8 extra digital IOs from my 002R..can they both do it??

[DH]

the octopre is A/D only. xlr or d-sub in. pm me if you want to buy mine. they're cool, but i wanted the D/A too.

[Mr. Weallicker]

Check out TapeOP #45 for a great review of the Mackie Onyx 800R. It sounds like a good buy for what you're seeking.
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[veedub242]

I have a M-audio Octane. I didnt have the budget for the Octopre. I really cant complain. The Octane has really worked out great. I got it from a place called digitraxx in Ind. $475 free 2 day shipping. (its usually like $599 everywhere else) Its worth checking out. Blows away the shitty Behringer unit. I am sure the Focusrite is a much better unit with better pre's but for the cash this unit is pretty nice. Cheers Ian