1 Topic by hannabrew (edited by hannabrew 2020-08-21 21:19:57)

  • Registered: 2020-08-21
  • Posts: 4

Topic: Babyface Pro FS with FF800 for extra I/O via ADAT

I have been using a FF800 for the past 15 years or so and have had very few complaints.  That said I have an opportunity to get a Babyface FS Pro for a great price and am debating switching to it for my main interface.

I have a decent amount of IO in my project studio but rarely do I have much more than a couple things actually needed at a time so my original thought was to sell the FF800, get the BF FS Pro and add a patch bay to handle the routing.

However, it looks like I can only get about $500 for the FF and after shipping and eBay fees it's more like $400...for that little return I'm thinking a batter option would be to keep the FF800 and simple use it for all it's IO via ADAT to the BF.

Another bonus is if I need a portable interface I can take the BF and then plug the FireWire cable in to use the FF as my interface in the meantime.

Any reason this would work the way I am envisioning?

Any better options?

  • Jeff
  • Jeff
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Re: Babyface Pro FS with FF800 for extra I/O via ADAT

Sure, you can use the FF800 in stand alone mode as an AD/DA converter, and connect to Babyface Pro via ADAT I/Os

See this old video, this should help to understand the routing you need to do in Totalmix to make the FF800 work as a converter.

https://youtu.be/Oibj81QIq4s

Regards,
Jeff Petersen
Synthax Inc.

Jeff's Website

3 Reply by hannabrew (edited by hannabrew 2020-08-28 05:59:54)

  • Registered: 2020-08-21
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Re: Babyface Pro FS with FF800 for extra I/O via ADAT

Thanks for the reply. 

So I was able to get things hooked up so that my first 8 inputs are sent to the babyface via ADAT. 

I have a couple of questions though

1) Based on the video it seems the FF800 should be in standalone mode for this but it is routing just fine with them both plugged in (firewire for FF and USB for BF).  Is there any benefit to having the FF800 in standalone mode?  If not I'd rather keep it plugged in as I can see needing to adjust the routing on it every once in a while. 

2) I have 2 pieces of outboard gear that I like to route through and I was planning on doing this with the fireface 800 but I guess I didn't really think the whole thing through.  How would I go about routing any input (babyface or one of the fireface inputs I'm routing through ADAT to the BF) through my outboard gear?

4 Reply by hannabrew (edited by hannabrew 2020-08-30 05:28:11)

  • Registered: 2020-08-21
  • Posts: 4

Re: Babyface Pro FS with FF800 for extra I/O via ADAT

After some messing around I have things mostly working the way I want them to but my questions above still remain.  What benefits (if any) do I get by putting the FF in standalone mode and secondly what is the best way to route to outboard gear hooked up to the FF800 via ADAT?

Here's my setup:

I have my 2 mics and my stereo outs from my Helix hooked up to the BF analog ins, and my monitors and headphones hooked up to the analog outputs.

On the FF800, I have my stereo keyboard hooked up to IN 1/2, the stereo return from an outboard compressor on 3/4, and the mono return from an outboard channel strip on 5. 

I then have the out 1/2 of the FF connected to the send on the stereo compressor and out 3 connected to the send of the channel strip.`

I have ADAT out of FF to BF and ADAT out of BF to FF.

After setting up totalmixFX for both the BF and the FF, I can see that all the routing is working.  I then flashed the config and mixer settings on the FF, and I am able to unplug it from the host.

The only way I could figure to get the outboard gear to work properly when in standalone mode was to send all potential sends to both units all the time.  If I keep the FF800 connected, I can just send it when I want it. 

Any help is much appreciated.

  • Jeff
  • Jeff
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Re: Babyface Pro FS with FF800 for extra I/O via ADAT

Standalone mode is not required here, as long as you have no problem juggling 2 TotalMix interfaces and keeping the FF800 connected via FireWire.

Once you have set up the routing for Analog In > ADAT Out and ADAT In > Analog Out for the FF800, disconnection would allow you to handle all routing in the Babyface TotalMix window.

You will need a FW connection for the FF800 in order to access some options, such as 48V phantom power switches for the Mic inputs of the FF800.

Regards,
Jeff Petersen
Synthax Inc.

Jeff's Website

  • Registered: 2009-04-22
  • Posts: 3

Re: Babyface Pro FS with FF800 for extra I/O via ADAT

i will be trying to set this up as well.

so first I need to configure a separate total mix for the pro and the ff800?

after that is setup I will need to flash the ff800?

then I can unhook the ff800 from the computer and use total mix from the pro only?

thanks

how do I configure the total mix of the ff800 to do this?

thanks

  • Registered: 2009-04-22
  • Posts: 3

Re: Babyface Pro FS with FF800 for extra I/O via ADAT

i will be trying to set this up as well.

so first I need to configure a separate total mix for the pro and the ff800?

after that is setup I will need to flash the ff800?

then I can unhook the ff800 from the computer and use total mix from the pro only?

thanks

how do I configure the total mix of the ff800 to do this?

thanks