Digital Converterr Box or Multichannel PCIe

B

bemo

New member
I've been doing multi-track recording now for going on 15 years now but it's usually been laying down a scratch track with the whole band playing and then going back and overdubbing each instrument individually and recording the drums to one track because I could not get separation for each drum on the kit.

Well I want more control over the drum mix and need a multi (8 minimum?) input device to do that. I have been having a devil of a time finding just such a piece of hardware. I'm finding a ton of multi channel OUTput devices, ostensibly for surround sound purposes, and most of the multi input boxes seem to have too few inputs (I believe 8 is the most I have seen).
I have a 24 channel mixer with DIs on every channel and a 9 piece horn band with BU vocals so the more inputs the merrier. I mean the pro studios must have a solution for this dilemma. Ideally, I'd like to be able to get 18 or 20 tracks recording simultaneousyl, but that will probably not happen on my budget.

I'm not even quite sure how to hook up a box though I guess I could figure it out without too much trouble. It just goes into any available USB 2.0 slot, right?

Do they even make internal cards that do what I'm thinking of? I guess I'm just growing obstinate in my old age and I fear change;)

FWIW I'm using Win10-64/4G 2.9GHz Quadcore
 
Tascam etc. make USB recording interfaces that will record 8 mics at once to separate tracks, typically including the mic preamps and monitor mixing that makes using a mixer redundant.

That said, I routinely record on a setup that uses a 24 channel mixer with 18 channels of simultaneous record and 4 channels of return from the DAW. The interface is an older MOTU setup with a PCIe host card and two I/O modules, theoretically capable of 48 inputs with the current two modules.
 
And the mixer will record to 18 discrete tracks through the PCIe card? Am I getting that right?

Do they just not make systems like that anymore? I cannot seem to find anything that resembles a PCIe card that does that.

Maybe I'm just ignorant enough to not really know what it is that I'm wanting/needing.

Just for clarification's sake and for my own edification, I have a 24 channel analog mixer that I want to have each channel record out to a discreet track in my DAW through an internal sound card OR a multi-channel digital interface via USB.

I think that is what I'm trying to say.

Thanks for your help and patience
 
You can use the Tascam 16X08 (as a reference), it has 10 preamps, but you can use inserts and dial in your mixer's inputs to the Tascams. It has 6 line inputs in the back. That would give you 16 inputs from your mixer to the interface. Each track shows up individually in your DAW. It is USB.

Focusrite Scarlett 18i20

Then PreSonus Studio 192, with X2 PreSonus DigiMAX D8.

Those are just something to look at to get an idea many. That many inputs will probably require some ADAT interface. If you can live with 18 or combine a couple of your channels on the mixer as a single input or split inputs, 18 would get you real close.

Hope that helps.
 
Should I assume that the board will have preamps built in? It is a Carvin. I forget the model number but it is one of the better ones I've seen. Came with its own anvil case so I assume it's worth protecting that much.
 
That is exactly what I was thinking of but at about 1/4 the price :(.

Something with a DB25 type connector to go to the computer via PCIe card or the like. I would guess the two input connectors are some sort of loom accepting connections from inserts on the board.

Now if only there were something like this at my price point.:laughings:
 
If the mixer is the Carvin C1648 then it has inserts (16 I think) so you would need to make up a rake of cables with tip and ring linked one end and 'tother end to DB25, TS* plug whatever.
The mixer also give an L/R only USB output, handy as a "***t-or-bust" backup.

If the link to whatever (incredibly cheap!) M'track recorder will be a long one, over 5mtrs say and said recorder has balanced inputs it would be worth, IMHO to "impedance" balance the insert feeds.

I wish you well and second hand might provide an answer but I cannot see you doing this under about £50 per track?

Dave.
 
I meant $ 50 per track but I cannot edit (today!)

Mind you, the Euro is now well into the 90p region, daresn't look at $$s!

Dave.
 
Forget the mixer for recording use, unless you want those extra inputs to the Tascam's line inputs. Just plug yoru mics straight into the audio interface. Forget a PCI-e card - new computers don't even have slots for them.
 
bemo said:
And the mixer will record to 18 discrete tracks through the PCIe card? Am I getting that right?
Click to expand...

I got it switched around. The studio has 18 XLRs from the recording room to the control room, not 18 channels to the DAW. It can track all 24 channels of the board plus the stereo mix to the DAW as currently set up. The PCIe card can host up to 4 modules that do up to 24 channels of I/O each for a total of 96 channels of I/O possible. The studio has two modules giving it a total of 42 channels of analog input and 10 channels of analog output.

Although the board was designed for tape and has tape sends and returns, I record from the inserts using a patchbay setup. One patchbay carries all the inserts. A second patchbay acts as a splitter and send to the interfaces. A third patchbay has all the compressors etc. that I may want to patch in. If you're not using outboard you could skip all that and connect the inserts to the interface directly as suggested above.
 
bemo said:
That is exactly what I was thinking of but at about 1/4 the price :(.

Something with a DB25 type connector to go to the computer via PCIe card or the like. I would guess the two input connectors are some sort of loom accepting connections from inserts on the board.

Now if only there were something like this at my price point.:laughings:
Click to expand...

Let's see. About the life of a dog or two' ago we'd get, IDL $2-3K for conversion only. (.. +$600 for a RayDat card..

Now we're at 16 x 16 record interface and conversion.. for four hundred bucks.:rolleyes: Oh..kee
My my. :)
(Just yajking you chain a little bit here :D

Something with a DB25 type connector to go to the computer ..
Click to expand...
Actually a pair of those (they're 8 balanced lines ea.) will get you up around $50-100..
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top