• Registered: 2010-03-25
  • Posts: 5

Topic: Should I buy a FF800?

Hi

I've been interested in a FF800 for a while now but have a couple of questions about functionality - ie: what bits of gear I can
effectively replace with the FF800.

I have a bit of outboard gear I'll briefly describe so you understand where I'm coming from - various compressors, eqs and effects units.  My primary interface is a 'vintage' digi 001 ('ehem) but I also have an apogee Mini-me (preamp / compressor / AD converter) which I use to get most signals into the computer via the SPDIF input on the Digi001.  I use a Mackie 8 bus analogue console to connect all the bits and pieces together.  Particularly for mixing, patching in valve compressors and external reverb.  The way I prefer to work is to get as clean and raw a signal as possible into the box, and then use all the outboard gear (and plug-ins) when putting mixes together.  I use either protools LE or cubase.

So, these are my questions:
1.  Will the FF800 be able to replace my Mackie 8Bus console?  I don't use the console for much other than for connecting together outboard gear, routing signals, and occasionally when I need the extra mic pre's.  I'm hoping that I could effectively patch my outboard gear between the rear line inputs and outputs on the RME.  Maybe use a patchbay if I need to for flexibility.

2.  With the FF800 is it possible to 'insert' an external compressor after the mic pre before the AD converter?  My impression is that this can be done using TotalMix, but would like this confirmed.  IE: can I plug a mic into the front, direct the signal out through one of the rear outputs, back in through a rear input, then through the AD converters into the computer?

3.  Can I use a similar process to add reverb (through an external unit) to my monitoring of an input signal without affecting the signal that gets recorded?

Any advice you can give would be greatly appreciated.  It may be that to do what I want effectively, I need to supplement the FF800 with another RME unit connected via ADAT?

2 Reply by laex (edited by laex 2010-03-25 01:59:13)

  • laex
  • S/Mux specialist
  • Offline
  • From: Austria
  • Registered: 2007-07-17
  • Posts: 306

Re: Should I buy a FF800?

@1: yes. (as long as the 4 mic pres are enough...)

@2: no, all routing is done digitally, after the A/D conversion! you can do the routing of course, but not "analog"... (the question is always the same: do you really find a difference...? I don't really worry about the A/D D/A troubles some people seem to have - I'm almost always fine with some conversion down the line, the RME quality is good enough for that, IMHO... wink)

@3: yes, of course. (although I wouldn't call it exactly similar to task #2...)

best,
laex

DC rules!

laex's Website

  • Registered: 2010-03-25
  • Posts: 5

Re: Should I buy a FF800?

Thanks for your quick reply...

laex wrote:

@1: yes. (as long as the 4 mic pres are enough...)

That's good - I have another 2 mic pre's on the apogee which I can SPDIF into the the RME and also line various instrument DI inputs so should be OK with the number of preamps.

laex wrote:

@2: no, all routing is done digitally, after the A/D conversion! you can do the routing of course, but not "analog"... (the question is always the same: do you really find a difference...? I don't really worry about the A/D D/A troubles some people seem to have - I'm almost always fine with some conversion down the line, the RME quality is good enough for that, IMHO... wink)

OK - may main problem here is maximising the signal/ noise ratio without clipping.  I tend to rely on running a compressor after pre-amp, prior to AD conversion for most things I record, and wouldn't want to compromise this, even if the RME preamps / converters are as good quality as they're supposed to be.  Given this, the FF800 probably isn't the complete solution for me - I'd still need separate external preamps.  Perhaps there is a more suitable combination of RME products that would be more cost effective - I'll look into this... any recommendations let me know!

laex wrote:

@3: yes, of course. (although I wouldn't call it exactly similar to task #2...)

Just watched a video clarifying TotalMix and can see how this can be done - looks like a great tool...

cheers

somalade