Need input on recording interfaces

A

AsciiRory

New member
In my home studio I have a lot of old gear, such as PAIA synthesizers, self built tube amp, an OTARI MTR-12 4 track reel-reel, AKG TDU 7000 digital delay etc
Up til recently my mixer was a Behringer DDX3216, interfacing to a Presonus Firewire Mobile and Apple Macintosh G4.
My main keyboard is a Yamah S90 XS, and my analog synths are mostly self built from kits, a Sequential Pro-One, Alphasyntauri, Paia Modulars, FatMan and Blacet kits.
But I just acquired a DDA QII Mixer in excellent condition for really cheap, and now am wondering how I can best interface it to the Mac.
Is the Presonus good enough to keep up with the preamps on the DDA? What's the best way to utilize a nice analog mixer and gear along with digital?
I am not recording bands, mainly just synths and real instruments like cello, clarinet and guitar for my own amusement mostly. Usually I multitrack so I dont necessarily need a lot of channels going to computer simultaneously.
Any help on this would be appreciated.
Thanks
Rory
AsciiRory@gmail.com
 
I'm jealous! I've always had a liking for DDA consoles!

Anyway, if you feed the output(s) of the DDA into the line in connectors on the back of the Presonus you'll be fine quality wise...the rear connectors go straight to the A to D, bypassing any mic pre amps. (The combined XLR/TRS connectors on the front don't--the TRS there go via a pad to the mic pre.

As for how to use it, you're kind of limited to mixing in the box as your Presonus doesn't have enough outputs to return all your tracks to the DDA for mixing. If you want to do that (or simply be able to create specialist headphone mixes via DDA Auxes, that might push you towards an interface with more analogue outs. Personally, I mix ITB anyway--but do enjoy being able to return a bunch of tracks to the mixer to be able to use pre fade auxes for headphone mixes. However, I'm working with other people--just recording yourself this might be less necessary.
 
Well that brings up the question- lets say I have a bunch of tracks on the computer, and I want to do a mixdown.
Whats the best way to bring that back out of the computer to the DDA and back in?
Obviously if I want to do that, I am going to need something that can output multiple tracks simultaneously on playback to the DDA, then at least enough inputs for the stereo/stems going back in?
I used to have a MOTU 8208. On that I had 16 in/out but I sold it and got the presonus later.
 
Also, I wouldn't mind mixing to my Otari MTR-12 (analog tape)- that could warm up the tracks.
So in that case I would take the outs from the computer to line ins on the DDA, mix out to stereo (or 4 tracks) on the Otari.
Still would have to Master back to the computer...
 
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