• Registered: 2023-03-13
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Topic: 3 RME devices together?

I already own an 802 Fireface, slaved to an OctaMic II. This is the only way I can get these devices to work together. I'm in search of more outputs. I have seen a video on adding two FF 800's to each other, and I think I can work that with the 802 and a secondhand 800. These 800's are way more common here than an ADI-8. Has anyone here put two Firewire RME devices together and also an 8 channel RME device via ADAT? Since they would all use the same driver, it should work in theory. The 800 would load it's last settings as the 802 does. I'm on a PC and I've tried other ADATS and it's hopeless. I need an RME device and I don't have 3K spare! Thank you.

2 Reply by waedi (edited by waedi 2023-03-17 03:11:42)

  • waedi
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Re: 3 RME devices together?

https://www.thomann.de/de/behringer_ada … ragain.htm

Two of them connected to the 802 gives you additional 16 analog inputs and 16 analog outputs for cheap.
They do the job well, the soundquality is surprisingly good.
And they are available, new with garantie !

M1-Sequoia, Madiface Pro, Digiface USB, Babyface silver and blue
  • Registered: 2023-03-13
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Re: 3 RME devices together?

waedi wrote:

https://www.thomann.de/de/behringer_ada … ragain.htm

Two of them connected to the 802 gives you additional 16 analog inputs and 16 analog outputs for cheap.
They do the job well, the soundquality is surprisingly good.
And they are available, new with garantie !

Thanks so much! I need TotalMix. So not 3rd party cheers.

4 Reply by waedi (edited by waedi 2023-03-17 23:26:56)

  • waedi
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Re: 3 RME devices together?

You have Totalmix and you will keep it.
All inputs and outputs volumes of the ADAS are visible and controllable in Totalmix.
This units only change Adat port into analog ports Mic/Line inputs and Line outputs.
You can not expand Totalmix with combination of RME units.
You have an RME audio interface this has its Totalmix with all input and output channels, that's it, not possible to add channels.
If you want more channels you have to get a MADI interface.

M1-Sequoia, Madiface Pro, Digiface USB, Babyface silver and blue
  • Registered: 2023-03-13
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Re: 3 RME devices together?

waedi wrote:

You have Totalmix and you will keep it.
All inputs and outputs volumes of the ADAS are visible and controllable in Totalmix.
This units only change Adat port into analog ports Mic/Line inputs and Line outputs.
You can not expand Totalmix with combination of RME units.
You have an RME audio interface this has its Totalmix with all input and output channels, that's it, not possible to add channels.
If you want more channels you have to get a MADI interface.

Thanks for this. That’s very interesting because I’ve tried two different ADAT devices and was unable to get them to work. I’m not looking to add more channels than the ones I have available. I have 12 inputs and 12 outputs from the 802. Then I have 8 inputs and 8 non-configurable outputs from the OctaMic
So I want to populate ADATS 9-16 in TotalMix,  which are empty. I read on this forum that non RME devices are not configurable in TotalMix. So it’s not clear. However if you have done it I guess I have to try again!

6 Reply by waedi (edited by waedi 2023-03-18 01:12:40)

  • waedi
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Re: 3 RME devices together?

What do you mean with configurable in Totalmix ?
There is nothing to configure in Totalmix to ADAT converters.
There is a configuration to do in the Fireface settings dialog for the clock sync.

M1-Sequoia, Madiface Pro, Digiface USB, Babyface silver and blue

7 Reply by bsfreq (edited by bsfreq 2023-03-18 01:40:00)

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Re: 3 RME devices together?

rockfarmroadstudios wrote:

That’s very interesting because I’ve tried two different ADAT devices and was unable to get them to work. I’m not looking to add more channels than the ones I have available. I have 12 inputs and 12 outputs from the 802. Then I have 8 inputs and 8 non-configurable outputs from the OctaMic
So I want to populate ADATS 9-16 in TotalMix,  which are empty. I read on this forum that non RME devices are not configurable in TotalMix. So it’s not clear. However if you have done it I guess I have to try again!


You already asked this in another thread and got your answer. https://forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopic.ph … 95#p199195

Just set your clock and routings correctly and it will work.

Fireface UFX+ | Fireface UFX | Babyface Pro | 12Mic

8 Reply by rockfarmroadstudios (edited by rockfarmroadstudios 2023-03-18 05:16:31)

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Re: 3 RME devices together?

I can’t get this to work with whatever I try. I have a MOTU 828Mk2. It is set to external clock via ADAT. It’s connected to the OctaMic, which is master, via the ADAT Aux port. it appears to be synced successfully. So where do I see audio output? I’m sending signal into the MOTU and I can see it. I open Cubase and make a connection to ADAT 9 & 10 and get nothing. I see nothing in TotalMix at all. How can this even work if I’m using the RME driver in Cubase? You are saying the protocol is agnostic, I get that. Why would this be different with a Behringer? Are these newer devices ADAT only? Is it because the MOTU has other analog I/O? This is so frustrating and I’ve been recording with ADAT for 20 years.

9 Reply by waedi (edited by waedi 2023-03-18 06:07:19)

  • waedi
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Re: 3 RME devices together?

If you want sound from the Octamic then make the 802 slave, clock-source external ADAT, let the Octamic be master.
The Octamic of course connect with a toslink cable to the ADAT input of the 802.
Totalmix will show signals on the ADAT input channels, when a microphone is connected to the Octamic.

The Behringer ADA8200 are indeed newer devices, ADAT converter both way, 8 Micpres plus 8 analog outputs, they sure work also together with the MOTU.

M1-Sequoia, Madiface Pro, Digiface USB, Babyface silver and blue

10 Reply by bsfreq (edited by bsfreq 2023-03-18 06:39:40)

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Re: 3 RME devices together?

rockfarmroadstudios wrote:

I can’t get this to work with whatever I try. I have a MOTU 828Mk2. It is set to external clock via ADAT. It’s connected to the OctaMic, which is master, via the ADAT Aux port. it appears to be synced successfully. So where do I see audio output? I’m sending signal into the MOTU and I can see it. I open Cubase and make a connection to ADAT 9 & 10 and get nothing. I see nothing in TotalMix at all. How can this even work if I’m using the RME driver in Cubase? You are saying the protocol is agnostic, I get that. Why would this be different with a Behringer? Are these newer devices ADAT only? Is it because the MOTU has other analog I/O? This is so frustrating and I’ve been recording with ADAT for 20 years.

ADA82000 is a "dumb" AD/DA converter with no routing settings. All analog ins are routed directly to ADAT outs and vice versa.. Motu 828mk2 is an audio interface with multiple usage options. If you want to use it as an optical ADAT extender / AD / DA extender, you have to set its internal routing so that any analog inputs are first routed to its ADAT outs. Motu does not automatically know what you want to route and where. https://motu.com/techsupport/technotes/ … lexpansion

Fireface UFX+ | Fireface UFX | Babyface Pro | 12Mic
  • Registered: 2023-03-13
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Re: 3 RME devices together?

bsfreq wrote:
rockfarmroadstudios wrote:

I can’t get this to work with whatever I try. I have a MOTU 828Mk2. It is set to external clock via ADAT. It’s connected to the OctaMic, which is master, via the ADAT Aux port. it appears to be synced successfully. So where do I see audio output? I’m sending signal into the MOTU and I can see it. I open Cubase and make a connection to ADAT 9 & 10 and get nothing. I see nothing in TotalMix at all. How can this even work if I’m using the RME driver in Cubase? You are saying the protocol is agnostic, I get that. Why would this be different with a Behringer? Are these newer devices ADAT only? Is it because the MOTU has other analog I/O? This is so frustrating and I’ve been recording with ADAT for 20 years.

ADA82000 is a "dumb" AD/DA converter with no routing settings. All analog ins are routed directly to ADAT outs and vice versa.. Motu 828mk2 is an audio interface with multiple usage options. If you want to use it as an optical ADAT extender / AD / DA extender, you have to set its internal routing so that any analog inputs are first routed to its ADAT outs. Motu does not automatically know what you want to route and where. https://motu.com/techsupport/technotes/ … lexpansion

Thank you. Especially for the link. I came to that conclusion also. If a device has FireWire and other ports it’s going to need a routing setup. I have it running from the 802 ADAT 2 I/O and it’s showing up as synced. I got the MOTU cheap. All the responses here have been extremely helpful. Im game to try a more simple ADAT device now. I think it works. I was confused early on by a comment I read about TotalMix. It makes no sense for it to not at least show levels for the ADAT channels.

12 Reply by rockfarmroadstudios (edited by rockfarmroadstudios 2023-03-18 10:38:38)

  • Registered: 2023-03-13
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Re: 3 RME devices together?

It’s working! Wow. Thanks for your patience. This really was epic. I’m going to video it. I hope to help a few others United by the sheer cost and complexity of RME expansion!

PS still figuring out the outputs. These are appearing in TotalMix but not at the rear of the MOTU.

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Re: 3 RME devices together?

rockfarmroadstudios wrote:

PS still figuring out the outputs. These are appearing in TotalMix but not at the rear of the MOTU.

You have to set up the MOTU 828 routing manually! It's the same as with the inputs: there is no fixed routing from ADAT input to analog outputs.

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Re: 3 RME devices together?

oli77sch wrote:
rockfarmroadstudios wrote:

PS still figuring out the outputs. These are appearing in TotalMix but not at the rear of the MOTU.

You have to set up the MOTU 828 routing manually! It's the same as with the inputs: there is no fixed routing from ADAT input to analog outputs.

Yes I understand this. That’s what “figuring out” means. Have you seen Cuemix? It was written in 2009.

  • Registered: 2023-03-13
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Re: 3 RME devices together?

Ok it’s all working. It means switching between two saved configurations on the MOTU - input and output- but that’s fine. Took me a little while to understand how to make the stereo pairs work as mono outputs; but I’m satisfied. This setup was not easy with Cubase, RME and MOTU settings involved but that’s music tech. Thanks sincerely to everyone for your help.