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digital in for more inputs?

I

-igor

macrumors member
Original poster
Feb 25, 2007
87
0
so I have a firewire 410 and after many hassles of trying to make aggragate devices with old interfaces work, I am willing to just get a second interface and connect it to my firewire 410. I want to be able to mic a drumkit, so that means many inputs.

however, I have no idea how this works. When I go digital out of said new interface into my firewire 410, the daw will recognize that there are now such and such many more inputs? what is spdif, coaxical, etc? will pro tools recognize the new inputs even if the new interface isn't m-audio/digi?

I am thinking of getting a saffire le or a presonus firepod. I will probably need about 8 inputs in total, so the interface can have 6. any suggestions?
 
so how exactly does it work? what is the maximum number of additional channels per input? what is the difference between coaxical and optical? is SPDIF okay? What is PCM, AC-3 and DTS? What is ADAT? maybe I can get a link that descriibes all this stuff.

I will probably need an interface with 5 inputs, does one exist with digital out? The two I already have plus five will make seven for 2 overhead, 2 toms, kick, snare and high hat.
 
Coax is SPDIF, optical is toslink. Pro tools doesn't recognise a new interface, you are just putting the digital outs of the new one into the old.
 
Tarkovsky said:
Coax is SPDIF, optical is toslink. Pro tools doesn't recognise a new interface, you are just putting the digital outs of the new one into the old.
Click to expand...

so what is the difference between spdif and toslink? and on the m-audio page for the 410 it seems to say both coax and optical are SPDIF?
 
-igor said:
so what is the difference between spdif and toslink?
Click to expand...
some of these things are formats, some of these things are physical connections.

s/pdif is a 2-channel digital format, ADAT is an 8-channel one.

toslink is a kind of optical connection which can carry either s/pdif or ADAT signals (heck, probably others, too).

it gets more confusing, because the RCA or coax style connections are often called s/pdif.
 
so what is the max number of additional channels I can have?
 
-igor said:
so what is the max number of additional channels I can have?
Click to expand...

i went to the m-audio site to see the back of the 410, and it does have toslink, but says it's s/pdif. if they really mean that, that's only 2 channels. if that's a mistake, and it actually does ADAT (i don't know if it does), then you can do 8 channels there.
 
is there a chance that can not be a mistake? do such spdif connector types exist?
 
Tarkovsky said:
It can carry more than 2 channels Zim as it's frequently used for 5, 6, 7 or even 8. But that's in DTS or DolbyDigital of course.
Click to expand...

so it carries dts and dolby signals as opposed to adat signals? is there a downside to that?
 
S/PDIF is a 2 channel audio protocol. (and can run 2 channels i believe up to 96k)

ADAT (tosslink, lightpipe, what ever) can run up to 8 channels at 48k and 4 channels at 96k and 2 channels at 192k
(all of these are at 24 bit..

ADAT has to use an optical cable, but S/PDIF can be connected many different ways (coaxial, lightpipe.. etc)..


It doesn't matter what brand it is, because you aren't really using this as an interface with the computer, but more so an extra A/D converter that goes to your digi interface.. (BUT, different brands will give you different sounds and quality and that kinda stuff)

THE BIG IMPORTANT THING ABOUT IT IS:
make sure all your converters are connected to the same clock source. Preferably the most stable clock, with the shortest (but equal in length) connections.. Clocking and jitter get REALLY in depth, so if you think you've done everything right, and you still hear popping and clicks and stuff, do some more reading... (or PM me)
 
After reading your post again:

-the m-audio 410 only has spdif and not ADAT.. so you can only get 2 more channels out of it..

-You will not be able to buy an extra interface and have it running into protools or what ever along side your current interface...

-If you don't care about excellent quality, i would buy a new interface that has adat in, and buy the Behringer ADA-8000
This is going to be the cheapest way for you to get the number of channels you want.
(and then sell your 410)

-So if you want to stay m-audio you would need either the profire lightbridge, or the 1814...
 
On the 410 it is an optical connection, but only allows for 2 channels, something like the MOTUs have ADAT lightpipe which will allow you to have 8 channels.
 
synth3tik said:
On the 410 it is an optical connection, but only allows for 2 channels, something like the MOTUs have ADAT lightpipe which will allow you to have 8 channels.
Click to expand...

a lot of other companies and devices use ADAT. In fact, m-audio has one that's just ADAT (well, a few other things but mostly ADAT). And just cause its ADAT doesnt mean it is going to allow 8 channels. It all depends on the sample rate.
 
it's just that, the owner of the store that I bought it from said I would be able to have many more inputs by way of digital io and even mentioned using it alongside saffire le. unfortunately I knew nothing about how this stuff works so I went with it.
 
-igor said:
it's just that, the owner of the store that I bought it from said I would be able to have many more inputs by way of digital io and even mentioned using it alongside saffire le. unfortunately I knew nothing about how this stuff works so I went with it.
Click to expand...

take it back and let him know your disgust.
 
so I decided I can live with four inputs then.

I don't know if I should just get another 410 or something else with 2 inputs. any suggestions?

Looking at the m-audio fast track, it doesn't even seems like there is much difference between it and the 410, is there?

anyone have experience with m-audio duo, alesis io2, tascam 144, edirol ua25, emu 0404, presonus firebox or anything else?
 
Igor, I think your best solution for what you are trying to accomplish, jump up to the M-Audio 1814. Without any additional devices you'll have (8) simultaneous tracks (6 1/4 inch inputs & 2 XLR). Adding ADAT devices will give you more XLR inputs. It works. I'm doing it.
 
I gave up trying to do a similar thing in the end.

I went for an Alesis MultiMix Firewire 16 in the end, which works very very well, and sounds good.

16 simultaneous inputs (8 mono channels with mic preamps, 4 x stereo line inputs). Works a treat, and doesn't break the bank.
 
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