1 Topic by chris_theo (edited by chris_theo 2019-11-11 18:37:13)

  • Registered: 2019-11-11
  • Posts: 3

Topic: Considering HDSPe AES

It's time for me to have a serious upgrade. I currently have a Focusrite firewire interface (Liquid Saffire), which, courtesy of the latest Windows update, and a withdrawal of support from Focusrite, has left me with a completely unstable interface that can't lock a sample rate reliably. In the middle of a big project and am frankly pissed.

At first I was considering a UFX+, but I don't have native thunderbolt (Windows with 2 year old machine), and I guess I'm seriously considering bypassing intermediary connection protocols and going for a PCIe card!

However, this is all new to me. My needs are to be able to handle 8 in and 8 out @96khz.

From what I understand, I'll need:
1x HDSPe AES
1x ADI-8 DS Mk III
1x Some kind of monitor control system?

ADAT seems problematic at 96khz, so from what I understand that leaves me with AES or MADI, but I don't think I need the channel count of MADI, right? However, I see only one DSub AES I/O connector on the ADI-8 DS Mk III, but 2 on the HDSPe AES if I include the expansion card. Given my I/O needs this seems insufficient right? Would I need something with more I/O?

I have an SPL channel strip, and will likely add some more preamps in the future. The most I'll ever use is something like this:
1x Vox mic
2x amp mic
1x ambient mic
1x guitar DI
2x kemper (L+R)
I also use a hardware reverb unit for latency free reverb on my vox - if I could get rid of this and work with onboard DSP for the same effect great.

Is my reasoning sound? Is this overkill for my needs if I am doing everything in the box?

Thanks so much for reading this. I am getting quite lost, and can't figure out how each piece of equipment fits with each other!

Chris

  • ramses
  • DAW Mastermind
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  • Registered: 2012-10-14
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Re: Considering HDSPe AES

I also had the LS56 and an OctoPre.  You will be amazed by a RME solution.

The most flexible solution will be something MADI based.
If you intend to work with higher sample frequencies, then you run quick out of channels with an ADAT based solution.

MADI also gives you more flexibility in the placement of equipment, as every MADI cable can be up to 2km long.
Usual Patch Cable is available in length of approx up to 20-30m.
Another good thing of MADI is "MIDI over MADI", it saves you the MIDI cabling if you intend to remote control RME devices like the XTC.

I don't know your budget, but a very good solution would be
the UFX+ combined with one or more Octamic XTC connected via MADI.

You can integrate the XTCs like a channel strip into TotalMix FX, by remote controlling up to 8 XTCs as AUX device in TotalMix FX.

I described my setup with UFX+ and two XTC in this blog article:
https://www.tonstudio-forum.de/blog/ind … Cber-MADI/

The UFX+ you can get to a very good price at the moment. When it came out it costed €2700, now the price is nearly as low as the UFX II. So its a very good buy IMHO. More information about this unit here:
https://www.tonstudio-forum.de/blog/ind … 8-RME-UFX/

With a good quality Lindy USB3 cable (with 3 shields) the cable can be up to 5m long which gives you a lot of flexibility in terms of placement.

Also outstanding are the features that you have with DURec. You can use the device also nicely in standalone mode without PC. Like a Tape Deck.

For remote controlling the TM FX control room take an ARC USB, which you can connect either to the UFX+ itself on the back or alternatively to an USB port of your PC. TM FX does then the interfacing between the ARC USB and the device.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13