• Registered: 2010-05-08
  • Posts: 32

Topic: Connecting RME Fireface 800 and Digi 003

Hello Everyone,

My name is Jim Bloomsbury and this is my first post.
I am very excited about the RME Fireface 800 and I plan to buy two of them to monitor all my instruments and record them to my Protools Rig via my Digidesign 003 Rack.

I plan to connect the first Fireface 800 (master) to and from the 003 using the FF 800 ADAT 1 in and out ports and the S/PDIF ports. So 8 ADAT + 2 S/PDIF = 10 tracks in and out of Protools without using the 003 converters at all.

I plan to connect the second FF 800 ( slave ) to the FF 800 master using the ADAT 2 I/O ports to give me extra I/O.

Q1) Will this set up allow me to operate both the FF master and slave from one instance of Totalmix?


I also plan to use a reverb for tracking on the analogue in and outs of the FF master.

Q2) Will I be able to add reverb to any of the inputs from either the FF master or slave.

I would really appreciate anybodys help.

Kind Wishes
Jim     


In addition I want to be able to record any 8 of those 20 inputs into Protools via the ADAT port on my Digidesign 003 rack.
So I propose to connect ADAT

I want to connect the FF 800 master with two ADAT cable to an dfrom

  • Knut
  • Knut
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  • Registered: 2007-04-06
  • Posts: 1,618

Re: Connecting RME Fireface 800 and Digi 003

Hi Jim,

welcome in the forum. If I understand your setup correct, you want to use two FF800 as ADAT converters with TotalMix and a reverb bus in the first one. The first FF800 connected directly to you interface, the second FF800 connected to the first via ADAT. This should work in principle with, but provides only eight ADAT + two SPDIF channels as the inputs of the second FF800 give you additional channels but have to share the channels from the first FF800 to the 003.

I plan to connect the second FF 800 (slave) to the FF 800 master using the ADAT 2 I/O ports to give me extra I/O.

The channels of the second FF800 will not appear as additional channels in your Pro Tools setup but have to be routed to these 10 channels. So there are extra channels but you can only route or mix them with TotalMix to the channels of the fist FF800.

Q1) Will this set up allow me to operate both the FF master and slave from one instance of Totalmix?

Yes, if you are using the second FF800 as plain ADAT converter on the ADAT input of the first FF800 you can use those channels in TotalMix of the first FF800.

Q2) Will I be able to add reverb to any of the inputs from either the FF master or slave

This will work when you connect the reverb to two I/O channels of the first FF800 and the integrated TotalMix. You can use a submix bus in TotalMix to create a reverb mix and send it to your reverb interface. Route the wet signal coming from the reverb to a free input pair of the first FF800 of and you have a classic mixer reverb bus.

Problem: The SPDIF I/O would be perfect for a reverb loop, but is already used in your setup for a connection with the DIGI 003. So you have to use another free I/O. I think there is still one free ADAT I/O on the first FF800 but the reverb has to support the ADAT format.

best regards
Knut

  • Registered: 2010-05-08
  • Posts: 32

Re: Connecting RME Fireface 800 and Digi 003

Hi Admin Knut,
Thank you very much for your considered response.
I am comforted to know that I can make this purchase with the  knowledge that the connection will work.
Thanks again,
Jim

  • hoops
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  • Registered: 2010-05-25
  • Posts: 2

Re: Connecting RME Fireface 800 and Digi 003

Hiya Admin Knut!

Please can you help me with a similar question.

I have just bought a Digi003 and can monitor fine in Pro Tools - but have latency issues in Logic (my favourite software).

I plan to buy a Fireface 800 and use it as follows:

When in Pro Tools:
- Use the Digi003 as the main interface and simply use the Fireface 800 for additional inputs, linking to Digi003 with ADAT link.

When in Logic:
- Use the Fireface 800 as the main interface and the Digi003 for additional inputs - again connected with ADAT link.
- This will allow me to monitor my inputs through TotalMix and resolve latency issues

Can you please advise if this will work?

I guess the basic question is: Will the Digi003 inputs / outputs be available in TotalMix ?

fyi - I use a MAC with Snow Leopard.

Many thanks !!

  • Knut
  • Knut
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Re: Connecting RME Fireface 800 and Digi 003

- Use the Digi003 as the main interface and simply use the Fireface 800 for additional inputs, linking to Digi003 with ADAT link

This should work (see above). Here is a video tutorial for Fireface 800 stand-alone operation.

When in Logic:
- Use the Fireface 800 as the main interface and the Digi003 for additional inputs - again connected with ADAT link.
- This will allow me to monitor my inputs through TotalMix and resolve latency issues

If the 003 works like a stand-alone ADAT converter this should also work.

best regards
Knut

  • hoops
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  • Registered: 2010-05-25
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Re: Connecting RME Fireface 800 and Digi 003

Hi Knut -

After some further research it appears that the Digi002 had standalone mode but this was removed on the Digi003. So - I guess that's a 'no'.

Hmmmmm....anyone want to buy a Digi003...??!!!