Hi to all! i have a problem with monitoring output!

M

MaverickPT

New member
Hi guys,

I just purchased a MOTU 24ai for home recording, and i just noticed that it has not OUTPUT!
newbie mistake.

But i read somewhere that i can use the optical outs and send the mix out.
Still how can i send the optical out into my monitors?

Is there a cheap behringer or something that i can connect the optical out to, and then get the XLR left and right outputs to my monitors?
just for monitoring purposes!

I contacted motu but they pointed me to purchase other interface to connect to the 24ai, but im out of budget now!!

thanks for your help!!
 
There are any number of optical input D/A converters around from about $10 and up. AFAICT they are all aimed at the domestic AV market and don't have "pro" output levels but depending on your monitoring arrangements might plug a hole for you while you save for the corresponding MOTU D/A rack!

The AI does appear to have a S/PDIF output stereo pair.

Dave.
 
You could get something like the Behringer ADA8200 and send some optical outputs to it. Then you'd have up to 8 analog line outputs on the back of the Behri that you could send to your monitors and outboard gear. It's limited to 44.1 and 48 kHz, if that matters to you.

I'm not aware of any affordable product that only offers analog line outputs and ADAT optical inputs, since you look to be set for analog inputs. I'm curious though, so I'll do a little shopping and report back if I find anything reasonable.
 
Hi! thanks for your reply, but these cheap D/A converters would add latency?
I wanted to play guitar while hearing the sound of it directly through the motu.

Also if i use another audio interface is there any that could work as standalone converter? i mean as not connected to the PC?
do you know some models that has optical in and xlr out for example?

regards!!!
 
MaverickPT said:
Hi! thanks for your reply, but these cheap D/A converters would add latency?
I wanted to play guitar while hearing the sound of it directly through the motu.

Also if i use another audio interface is there any that could work as standalone converter? i mean as not connected to the PC?
do you know some models that has optical in and xlr out for example?

No idea about latency but I doubt there is much? They are very simple devices, probably no more than a bog S converter and an op amp output/filter circuit and latency could be sub 1mSec.

Optical I/O on interfaces is not common and "stand alone" operation even rarer in the budget models. One that did was the M-Audio Fast track pro but S/PDIF is co ax. Not a big issue since optical to co ax converters are cheap as chips being just a hex inverter.

You might pickup an old Focusrite Firewire unit for not a lot?
Click to expand...
 
As said, just buy another stand alone audio interface and control monitoring from that. The interface you buy won't need to be as top notch as the MOTU as you will only be monitoring through it not audio in the recording chain will go through. But will need to be reasonable quality for your own listening.

You may think it's a newbe mistake but the mistake bought you a fine piece of gear in the MOTU.

Alan.
 
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