Saber 24:16:16 // Moto 24iO interface. New Set up.

[jasonwick]

Hello I've been recording for several years and now at 40 I've just finished my own purpose built space
My goal was always to be able to track a whole band in one go, multiple mics, headphones mixes etc etc
So I finally got my Saber desk up and running, full systems check and re-cap, I love it!
It has 24 tracks with mics inputs, tape inputs, line inputs, inserts and direct outs. 16 busses with xlr outs and inserts. 6 aux sends and returns. Main LR Xlr outs, main monitor jack outs, alt monitor jack outs, cue and studio jack outs.

http://www.allen-heath.com/media/SABER-REVIEW-HOME-AND-STUDIO-RECORDING-MAY-1989.pdf

I have a Moto 24iO PCI interface into my computer and a few bits of hardware, nothing special.

After fiddling and trying different methods of wiring it all up to give me a working system I have come up with a workable compromise.

1. Mics etc are fed in to the desk channel inputs via a snake.
2. I patch my 24 tracks to the Moto via the 24 direct outs on the Saber where they are recorded.
3. I patch the 24 audio tracks back from the Moto into the Saber using Moto outs and the Saber line ins.
5. Hardware can be patched into Saber channels via the channel inserts.
5. Headphone mixes are made and sent via the aux sends

Good points are I can use my desk whilst tracking, eq, hardware, faders etc. Also I and performers can hear any VST effects on tracks coming back through inserts.

Downsides.
On listening back after tracking, the recorded audio is not affected by tweaks on the desk even though the tweaks can be heard through monitors because I am hearing the already recorded audio via the line ins.
So I could therefore simply then turn to the computer forgetting the desk to finish mixing In The Box?
Or I could re-route the audio via my DAW back onto spare channel line ins for re-mixing?

Phew sorry for long post. I know there are so many ways to go about this but how do the pros do it? How do you guys do it?
I would like to do some final mixing in the box and I'd like to keep tracks separate where possible for later edits etc.
Although I will also certainly be experimenting with live no fiddling recording by recording signal in stereo straight out of the desk from time to time.
Thank you in advance.

 

[Farview]

If you are recording the band live, you really won't need to bring everything back from the computer into open channels for monitoring. It is much more straight forward to simply monitor the input channels and route any effects to the aux sends for the headphone mixes.

With that in mind, just come out of the direct outputs to the motu inputs and the motu outputs to the tape inputs of the same channel. Then just switch inputs on the mixer to switch from record to mix mode.

This is one of those things that seems like there are a million options, but once you start using it, you realize that there is really only one or two ways that make sense.

 

[jasonwick]

Thank yo

If you are recording the band live, you really won't need to bring everything back from the computer into open channels for monitoring. It is much more straight forward to simply monitor the input channels and route any effects to the aux sends for the headphone mixes.

With that in mind, just come out of the direct outputs to the motu inputs and the motu outputs to the tape inputs of the same channel. Then just switch inputs on the mixer to switch from record to mix mode.

This is one of those things that seems like there are a million options, but once you start using it, you realize that there is really only one or two ways that make sense.

Thank you for the reply. Just to be clear when you write ',simply monitor the input channels'' do you mean to monitor direct from the Moto interface?
Also why do you suggest using the Sabers tape inputs rather than the line inputs as I have been doing?
Thanks again,

 

[Farview]

Monitoring the input channels means the channels on the board.

I can't find out much about that mixer, but usually there is a switch at the top of the channel strip that switches between the mic/line input and the tape input on each channel. Depending on how the board is designed, the line input might go through the mic preamp (with a pad), while the tape input wouldn't.

There might be other changes to the signal.path when flipped to tape input. For example, some boards have a B mix whose source changes depending on which way the input switch is flipped.

Another thing I forgot to mention is that you should pick 2 outputs on the motu to be the default stereo outputs and run them to a.pair of inputs on the mixer that will serve as the mix outputs for the daw.

As much as you might think you will be mixing on the board a lot, eventually you will move to mixing mostly in the daw. Or at least doing some premixng in the computer and just running stems through the mixer.