ADC/DAC advice?

[Queens]

Alright?
I am needing some help and advice for a purchase I will soon be making.
Basically, I am looking for a good ADC/DAC.
I use 8 track tape bussed through a 16-4-8 mixing board (Soundmasters). Minimally I would just need a 2 channel ADC but I often convert mixes from a DAW to tape and vice versa. In the past I have had to convert 2 tracks at a time and obviously this is a problem for syncopation, on either end. So Ideally I would like a 8 to 8, straight (no pre-amp) ADC/DAC. I don't really know where to start. Can anyone help me with what to look at?
I was looking into getting an MAudio 610 fire wire, but it seems I can only convert 2 tracks ADC (bypassing the pre-amps) and possibly 8 track DAC and I would be paying for a bunch of features that I realistically wouldn't use (although I do like the MIDI DIN in/out which would be highly useful).

Fuck I am in a mess here. I need some sound advice!

Thanks in advance

Karl

[E.Bennett]

echo audiofire units are pretty nice

[Bro Shark]

I just got an Audiofire 8, very nice. 8 in/out, no BS.

[ott0bot]

I just got an Audiofire 8, very nice. 8 in/out, no BS.

Yep...for the price it really can't be beat. Build quality isn't great, but if you have it permanately hooked up and rack mounted you should be ok. Also, you'll have to use outputs 1 & 2 to send a mix to your console for monitoring, so it's actually only 8 in and 6 outs plus a stereo main. You could go with the Audiofire 12 if you want more inputs, and you'd lose the headphone output and the 2 preamps...but if you have the console you can do all the monitor routing in the master section....and you won't need preamps.

Other than that...it's a big jump in dollars to the Lynx Aurora 8 (which I have) or the Apogee Rosetta 800 or other even more expensive convertors. The ADC and DAC is greatly improved over units like the Echo or M-Audio gear and the ADC are much more forgiving on the input levels. Also...the clock is a vast improvement over the cheaper units, and slaving other devices too them will yield better performance from the other units.

But really, although important, this is really not the most important stage in the process. The room, the performance, the mic, and the preamp definately make a bigger difference in my opinion.

Anyway...way more info than you needed. Sorry about that. haha!

[snatchman]

Also consider looking at the newer ( used) Lucid ADA 8 channel converters..

[Queens]

Guys,
Thanks loads! I'll look into all of these devices. And report back if anyone is interested.

[captaincarpet]

Why not monitor from the console? That's what I would do, just monitor out from the console to amp or active monitors. Then you could use all 8 outputs.

[ott0bot]

Why not monitor from the console? That's what I would do, just monitor out from the console to amp or active monitors. Then you could use all 8 outputs.

I suppose that is ok, but personally I don't like doing that. It is fine during mixing because you are already feeding the tracks back to the console, but during tracking you are not monitoring the post-DAW signal and you are not actually hearing what is being recorded. You won't know how the A/D converstion is effecting your signal and it won't be a realistic representation of the final recorded track.

If you had 8 dedicated channels on the board as returns from the interface this would work. If you can't spare the channels it seems like it'd be a pain to have to switch up your monitoring set up when you want to track or mix.

[chris harris]

Why not monitor from the console? That's what I would do, just monitor out from the console to amp or active monitors. Then you could use all 8 outputs.

I suppose that is ok, but personally I don't like doing that. It is fine during mixing because you are already feeding the tracks back to the console, but during tracking you are not monitoring the post-DAW signal and you are not actually hearing what is being recorded. You won't know how the A/D converstion is effecting your signal and it won't be a realistic representation of the final recorded track.

If you had 8 dedicated channels on the board as returns from the interface this would work. If you can't spare the channels it seems like it'd be a pain to have to switch up your monitoring set up when you want to track or mix.

I think that you should always have 2 more channels of DAC than you have console channels anyway. Even in mixing.... When I'm printing a mix back through my converters, I want to monitor the mixdown post conversion.

[ott0bot]

Why not monitor from the console? That's what I would do, just monitor out from the console to amp or active monitors. Then you could use all 8 outputs.

I suppose that is ok, but personally I don't like doing that. It is fine during mixing because you are already feeding the tracks back to the console, but during tracking you are not monitoring the post-DAW signal and you are not actually hearing what is being recorded. You won't know how the A/D converstion is effecting your signal and it won't be a realistic representation of the final recorded track.

If you had 8 dedicated channels on the board as returns from the interface this would work. If you can't spare the channels it seems like it'd be a pain to have to switch up your monitoring set up when you want to track or mix.

I think that you should always have 2 more channels of DAC than you have console channels anyway. Even in mixing.... When I'm printing a mix back through my converters, I want to monitor the mixdown post conversion.

For sure....totally makes sense when printing a mix back into the DAW. And even if you were printing to a 1/4" machine or a Masterlink you'd want to monitor from that source as well.

[wayne kerr]

Alright?
I am needing some help and advice for a purchase I will soon be making.
Basically, I am looking for a good ADC/DAC.
I use 8 track tape bussed through a 16-4-8 mixing board (Soundmasters). Minimally I would just need a 2 channel ADC but I often convert mixes from a DAW to tape and vice versa. In the past I have had to convert 2 tracks at a time and obviously this is a problem for syncopation, on either end. So Ideally I would like a 8 to 8, straight (no pre-amp) ADC/DAC. I don't really know where to start. Can anyone help me with what to look at?
I was looking into getting an MAudio 610 fire wire, but it seems I can only convert 2 tracks ADC (bypassing the pre-amps) and possibly 8 track DAC and I would be paying for a bunch of features that I realistically wouldn't use (although I do like the MIDI DIN in/out which would be highly useful).

Fuck I am in a mess here. I need some sound advice!

Thanks in advance

Karl

If you're having problems with syncopation, I'd talk to your drummer.