• JBatt
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  • Registered: 2007-05-12
  • Posts: 10

Topic: Trying to decide on an audio interface

Maybe this was (previously) posted in the wrong session?

---Hi,
I'm in the midst of reconfiguring my setup, dumping one computer possibly and having another built.

I would like to seamlessly integrate comp1 wiwth a Paris DAW,including Adat I/O,
a Gigasampler computer with an older DIGI9652, Alesis HD24 with this new computer.
I do have a Digipatch (Midiman) which is filled up. Also I have some external keys and modules, an Emu Sampler which has ADAT out,and vocal tracking in the mix.

My problem has always been making everthing happy at once, and sometimes my hookups aren't always straight forward as my setup has evolved or devolved.

I have a chance to get a 'demo' HDSP-MADI w/a MADI-648.

A little pricey, but is it worth it for the sound quality and connectivity, as well as what I think would be superior clocking, which I found to make a huge difference in the sound? Or would I get the same capability with a less expensive setup?

I do love the idea of having everything routed as much as possible with one interface, although my HD24 will have to share some of the AD/DA function. Plus I would want to have both DAWs share a Control Station going to a few different sets of monitors.

Since I do have 2 Digipatch bays to play with, would I get the same quality of clocking and routing with a less expensive setup?

Thanks in advance for any insight.

Jeff

  • Registered: 2007-05-02
  • Posts: 62

Re: Trying to decide on an audio interface

JBatt wrote:

Maybe this was (previously) posted in the wrong session?

---Hi,
I'm in the midst of reconfiguring my setup, dumping one computer possibly and having another built.

I would like to seamlessly integrate comp1 wiwth a Paris DAW,including Adat I/O,
a Gigasampler computer with an older DIGI9652, Alesis HD24 with this new computer.
I do have a Digipatch (Midiman) which is filled up. Also I have some external keys and modules, an Emu Sampler which has ADAT out,and vocal tracking in the mix.

My problem has always been making everthing happy at once, and sometimes my hookups aren't always straight forward as my setup has evolved or devolved.

I have a chance to get a 'demo' HDSP-MADI w/a MADI-648.

A little pricey, but is it worth it for the sound quality and connectivity, as well as what I think would be superior clocking, which I found to make a huge difference in the sound? Or would I get the same capability with a less expensive setup?

I do love the idea of having everything routed as much as possible with one interface, although my HD24 will have to share some of the AD/DA function. Plus I would want to have both DAWs share a Control Station going to a few different sets of monitors.

Since I do have 2 Digipatch bays to play with, would I get the same quality of clocking and routing with a less expensive setup?

Thanks in advance for any insight.

Jeff

Jeff, 

I think I remember you from years ago. I did what you're describing. How many MECs are you planning to use?

HDSPe MADI-FX, M-32 AD, M-32 DA, ADI-8 QS, ADI 192 DD, ADI 648, Mytek Stereo 96 AD/DA
  • JBatt
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  • Registered: 2007-05-12
  • Posts: 10

Re: Trying to decide on an audio interface

Hi Deej,
yes you do remember me.
I"ve just have been through q few different things over the past year or so, and haven't popped into that other newsgroup (is it still going?),
We talked on the phone, very briefly at Morgan's expo, and I think you also talked with BT as well. And we emailed, (am still very grateful for that gift you had sent me) but I guess time has shot by to say the least.
hope things are okay at the homefront...

Only one MEC, with one ADAT card. My goal is to use Paris, mostly as a finisher, and to bus things over. The one thing Paris still excels at is instant, no latency tracking, but I'm trying hard to 'evolve' away from it. I still have projects on it, so for now, I'd like to keep it in the loop.
I definitely don't want to go through that Xtreme loop/bussing matrix thing you were putting together, and somehow making it all work. I just want to integrate everything, but have something stable. I've been out there a bit lately and see in many different setups, all kinds of issues with firewire, so I'd like to avoid all that, if possible. I keep hearing how great and rock solid the MADI/ADI setup is, but I'm wondering if I can do as well, with a little less of an investment, if possible. I've not seen any comments or insight from anyone else, so it'd be great to have your insight. Just read one of your other posts and see you're still flying with multiple UAD's and chasis(es). Are you still using SX, and also Paris?

Jeff

  • Registered: 2007-05-02
  • Posts: 62

Re: Trying to decide on an audio interface

JBatt wrote:

Hi Deej,
yes you do remember me.
I"ve just have been through q few different things over the past year or so, and haven't popped into that other newsgroup (is it still going?),
We talked on the phone, very briefly at Morgan's expo, and I think you also talked with BT as well. And we emailed, (am still very grateful for that gift you had sent me) but I guess time has shot by to say the least.
hope things are okay at the homefront...

Only one MEC, with one ADAT card. My goal is to use Paris, mostly as a finisher, and to bus things over. The one thing Paris still excels at is instant, no latency tracking, but I'm trying hard to 'evolve' away from it. I still have projects on it, so for now, I'd like to keep it in the loop.
I definitely don't want to go through that Xtreme loop/bussing matrix thing you were putting together, and somehow making it all work. I just want to integrate everything, but have something stable. I've been out there a bit lately and see in many different setups, all kinds of issues with firewire, so I'd like to avoid all that, if possible. I keep hearing how great and rock solid the MADI/ADI setup is, but I'm wondering if I can do as well, with a little less of an investment, if possible. I've not seen any comments or insight from anyone else, so it'd be great to have your insight. Just read one of your other posts and see you're still flying with multiple UAD's and chasis(es). Are you still using SX, and also Paris?

Jeff

The problem with putting something together like I had was the latency between MECs when clocking. Having 64 Paris ADAT inputs and 64 Paris outputs staggered between 4 x MECs with each MEC interfaced with 3 HDSP cards would eventually cause a clocking trainwreck, likely because of the sample latency between MECs. If Paris had been able to slave to ADAT sync from the RME cards, it might have been a different story. Add to that the additional clocking/interfacing of quite a few other devices and....well....I just got tired of being able to depend on an eventual crash while mixing. What you're proposing to do now should work just fine as long as you're just using one MEC. Just output the MEC ADAT to an HDSP ADAT input and you should be good to go man. the HDSP cards sync perfectly to Paris ADAT sync.

I'm currently using 3 x HDSP cards in one 13 slot Magma and 4 x UAD-1 cards in another 13 slot Magma, both host cards interfacing with PCI slots 2 & 4 of a Gigabyte GA-K8NS Ultra 939 mobo with an Opteron 185 CPU.
One of the HDSP cards is a Multiface PCI, the other two are 9652's and I've got this stuff interfaced with two ADI8-DS AD/DA converters and an ADI4-DD format converter. It's a very fast and stable setup. Next week I'll be building a new DAW around a Tyan S2915 server board with two Opteron Socket F dual cores. I hope to be able to operate in a way similar to the way I was able to operate with Paris using this server level stuff.

Good talkin' to ya'
wink

Deej

HDSPe MADI-FX, M-32 AD, M-32 DA, ADI-8 QS, ADI 192 DD, ADI 648, Mytek Stereo 96 AD/DA

5 Reply by JBatt (edited by JBatt 2007-05-14 12:37:50)

  • JBatt
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  • Registered: 2007-05-12
  • Posts: 10

Re: Trying to decide on an audio interface

Thanks Deej,
My setup is way simpler, with just Paris and a new DAW running Sonar, but also
configuring in an HD 24 and some other sources. I don't need a ton of I/O, but I need the flexibility, including being able to route back and forth, similar to what you used to do, but on a smaller scale (i.e. I'm starting with only 2 UAD cards)

Clocking is a big issue for me, as well as routing, so my quesetion, still, (and I wish someone in the know at RME could chime in) would be-
is there a substantial difference or improvement in the clocking, and therefore the sound using the HDSP MADI/648  over the 9652 series, firewire cards, etc?

I already know the routing flexibility is, but I can get things going for the most part with my digipatch bays, but it wouldn't be as smooth. It's not just my computers, its all the other stuff as well

Jeff