Topic: Setup Suggestions

I spent quite a bit of time studying the MADI setup examples, the M-32 and HDSPe manuals, and searching the forums.  If the answer to my questions already exists elsewhere, please forgive me and just point me in the right direction.

Within the next few months I am considering upgrading the interfaces in my home studio setup.  I mostly track and mix local bands for demos.  I occasionally would like to use MIDI to do sound replacement and sequencing, but recording live sounds is my main focus.  My DAW is Reaper, and I use Windows 7 x64.  After much research, I really like the consensus that RME is the best way to go.  However, there are a few things I don't understand about the RME MADI setups.  Here is what I would like to have for the setup:

1.  24 to 32 analog input channels, with the option to expand to more channels/other formats later
2.  12 to 24 analog output channels to allow multiple headphone mixes for tracking, and patching in of outboard devices for mixing
3.  At least 1 digital output, either AES/EBU/SPDIF, ADAT, or TDIF, to use as my control room output - I really like my TCE BMC-2

The setup I am considering would be an HDSPe MADI, attached to an M-32 AD and an M-16 DA.  My questions are as follows:

1.  Are the ADAT outputs on the M-32 AD addressable as "system" digital outputs from the attached HDSPe card, or do they only provide a direct output of the digital streams from the M-32 AD's own converters?

2.  If the answer to 1 above is that the ADAT outs are NOT addressable separately on their own, is it possible via an expansion card to add an SPDIF out to the HDSPe MADI card?  I can't find one in the RME web site.

3.  If the answer to both 1 and 2 is no, could I use the onboard Realtek SPDIF out with ASIO4all as my control room out, along with the HDSPe?  Is anyone doing this, and does it work?  The mainboard is an MSI P45D3 platinum, but may change as the system grows.

4.  Nearly all of the MADI setup examples show a MADI bridge or format converter.  If I am connecting the M-32 AD and M-16 DA directly to an HDSPe card, what would I need a bridge or converter for, if I need one at all?  (Or is that the best way to get the SPDIF out I want?)

5.  I understand that cascading MADI units together results in the summation of the signals.  Do the signals from all of the summed units show up together in TotalMix, so you can create headphone mixes from all of the inputs?  I believe the answer is yes, but I just wanted to confirm.

Many thanks for any and all help and suggestions!

2

Re: Setup Suggestions

zendrum wrote:

The setup I am considering would be an HDSPe MADI, attached to an M-32 AD and an M-16 DA.  My questions are as follows:

1.  Are the ADAT outputs on the M-32 AD addressable as "system" digital outputs from the attached HDSPe card

No.

zendrum wrote:

2.  If the answer to 1 above is that the ADAT outs are NOT addressable separately on their own, is it possible via an expansion card to add an SPDIF out to the HDSPe MADI card?

No.

zendrum wrote:

3.  If the answer to both 1 and 2 is no, could I use the onboard Realtek SPDIF out with ASIO4all as my control room out, along with the HDSPe?

No.

zendrum wrote:

4.  Nearly all of the MADI setup examples show a MADI bridge or format converter.  If I am connecting the M-32 AD and M-16 DA directly to an HDSPe card, what would I need a bridge or converter for

Not needed.

zendrum wrote:

5.  I understand that cascading MADI units together results in the summation of the signals.  Do the signals from all of the summed units show up together in TotalMix, so you can create headphone mixes from all of the inputs?

Sure.

So the only problem in this setup is where to get the BMC-2 in. Unfortunately this might be an expensive addition to the setup. ADI-648 or ADI-642 can be used for that. We do not have a cheaper 2 channel solution at this time.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

Re: Setup Suggestions

I think you actually *could* use ASIO4ALL - but you will likely have horrible latency and stability issues.  I recently had to help my guitar player with a frankenstein setup using Onboard Audio combined with an ASIO card pooled in ASIO4ALL, and the latency was awful.

And not to detract from RME's KILLER M-Series (I'm not worthy!), but the SSL Alphalink MADI AX will allow you to use a MADI connection to it, and then use the AlphaLink's remaining MADI channels as ADAT I/O  (24 Analog and 8 ADAT; or 24 ADAT and 8 Analog IIRC for a total of 32 channels each direction). fryingpan

cool

MADIface-XT+ARC / 3x HDSP MADI / ADI648
2x SSL Alphalink MADI AX
2x Multiface / 2x Digiface /2x ADI8

Re: Setup Suggestions

Thank you very much for your answers and suggestions!  That cleared up everything.

With MADI being relatively new, how is multi-vendor compatibility?  The unit suggested by Randyman with the RME HDSPe MADI might be the perfect setup for me.

Thanks again!

Re: Setup Suggestions

MADi as such is not really new (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MADI), however, it has become more affordable in relatively recent years, to quite some extent thanks to a certain german company whose name I forget... fryingpan cool

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME