Need Interface with Just ADAT Input

[ibleedburgundy]

Hey, I am thinking about getting another interface as my B rig - something that is reasonably portable. Right now I'm using a digi 002 with desk top. I want that to stay in my basement. Lately we've practicing at my bass player's house and I would like to be able to record there and have it sound decent.

I also have an audient ASP008 that I really like and I wouldn't mind putting it in a rack and taking it over there. It has 8 pres and 8 tracks of analog to digital conversion and an ADAT ouput. I'd like to use that in tandem with my macbook pro. Need an interface. All I really need to ADAT--->USB (not firewire). Whatever interface I get I'll probably slave to the Audient in terms of word clocking and chances are the pres will be inferior.

So essentialy I'd like to be able to get ADAT plug to the macbook as cheaply and efficiently (minimal latency) as possible and use this for garageband, which I like because it's super simple.

The cheapest option I am finding so far is the Focusrite Scarlett 18i8 ($350 new but available on ebay for $200). I feel like this is a waste because it comes with 4 pres that I'll never use and if I slave it to the ASP008 the converters on the scarlett will be degraded quality anyway.

Anyone know a better option?

 

[ibleedburgundy]

I am also considering an RME babyface. The RME is way more expensive ($750) but I figure if I must pay for pres, they might as well be ones I will want to use. And if I have 10 tracks I will use them at some point. Plus I am thinking the RME unit will have possibly lower latency and less jitter syncing with the ASP008.

 

[DM60]

I've been looking at the portastudios for tracking. Seems, once you get into ADAT, while they tend to be higher quality and flexibility in the studio, they don't travel as well. Otherwise, you have to get a PCI interface to hook into the ADAT, which start to run 300-400 just for the card. At least that is what I have seen so far, but I am not an expert.

You could call Sweetwater and see what they have going or one of the other places. They know what hardware they have just about as good as anyone.