18 Out with Clarett 8 Pre & OctoPre for Mixing OTB

R

rorohello

Member
Hi All,

I'm currently waiting for a PSU before I can use my tape deck. And I recently scored a Soundtracs Topaz board (with +4 mods done) in the meantime, which I'd like to practice mixes on, but using my laptop/Pro Tools as the capture/repro.

I have a Macbook Air (about 3 years old) along with Focusrite Clarett 8 Pre (Thunderbolt) and an OctoPre.

I've never sync'd the two because the Clarett and Garageband have been great for capturing song ideas (love the zero latency for monitoring) so I'm writing to ask advice on two things:

1) How do I connect the OctoPre to the Clarett? Just the BNC for Word Clock? The BNC and ADAT Out? Am I correct to assume that once it is somehow "slaved" to the Clarett, I will see the 8 outputs (along with the Clarett's 10) as assignable Outs in the DAW?

2) Is a Macbook Air and Pro Tools (I still have to buy software) going to be powerful enough to feed 18 channels to an analog mixer?

Thanks in advance for input.
 
rorohello said:
Hi All,

I'm currently waiting for a PSU before I can use my tape deck. And I recently scored a Soundtracs Topaz board (with +4 mods done) in the meantime, which I'd like to practice mixes on, but using my laptop/Pro Tools as the capture/repro.

I have a Macbook Air (about 3 years old) along with Focusrite Clarett 8 Pre (Thunderbolt) and an OctoPre.

I've never sync'd the two because the Clarett and Garageband have been great for capturing song ideas (love the zero latency for monitoring) so I'm writing to ask advice on two things:

1) How do I connect the OctoPre to the Clarett? Just the BNC for Word Clock? The BNC and ADAT Out? Am I correct to assume that once it is somehow "slaved" to the Clarett, I will see the 8 outputs (along with the Clarett's 10) as assignable Outs in the DAW?

2) Is a Macbook Air and Pro Tools (I still have to buy software) going to be powerful enough to feed 18 channels to an analog mixer?

Thanks in advance for input.
Click to expand...

AFAIK you will just need an optical lead to connect the two? The Octopre will need to be set as master and the Clarett as slave.

As to the MacBook Air being "powerful enough"? Easily I would say, you don't need a lot of CPU grunt to run even dozens of track unless you are loading on zillions of plugs. If software is a problem just use Reaper pro tem.

Dave.
 
ecc83 said:
AFAIK you will just need an optical lead to connect the two? The Octopre will need to be set as master and the Clarett as slave.

As to the MacBook Air being "powerful enough"? Easily I would say, you don't need a lot of CPU grunt to run even dozens of track unless you are loading on zillions of plugs. If software is a problem just use Reaper pro tem.

Dave.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the input and suggestion for Reaper.

I dont understand how in this setup however, the DAW would "see" the 8 analog outputs of the Octopre.

Isnt the ADAT out on the back of the Octopre just outputting digital tracks?

To more clear, I want to link the two interfaces so that all 18 analog outputs can feed a TRS snake into my mixer.
How do I connect 2 External Preamp units to the Liquid Saffire 56 or Clarett 8PreX via ADAT? – Focusrite Audio Engineering
Furthermore, most the illustrations here have BNC set up :
 
Ah! I think I understand now? ('scuse please, have a STINKING cold and head full of cotton wool!) Is the following what you want to do?..

Send 8tracks out of the mac via the F'rtite to the desk? Use said desk to mix, eq and generally bugger about with the tracks?

Send tracks back to the mac via ADAT? If you just want to send a stereo mix back I don't see the need for ADAT?

I am pretty sure you don't need Word Clock for just two ADAT devices but there might be circumstances where you do!

Maybe scribble up a connection plan?

Dave.
 
Let me ask it another way, will linking a Clarett 8 Pre with an OctoPre give you 18 analog outputs simultaneously?

If you look at the backs of the units, the Clarett has 10 TRS outs, and Octo has 8. I want to use all of those analog outputs to feed a mixing console.

I don't care for digital, and I usually record on a Tascam 388. I recently got a Tascam MSR-16 (16 track 1/2 inch), but I'm waiting on a power supply for a whole other mixer to be able to use that machine. Since my whole setup is based around outboard gear and that machine, I figured I could practice with 16 tracks of digital with this gear.
 
Hi there!
rorohello said:
Let me ask it another way, will linking a Clarett 8 Pre with an OctoPre give you 18 analog outputs simultaneously?
Click to expand...

No. The octopre is an input device.
It wants to take 8 microphone or line signals and pass them out as analog line output, or digital over adat.

What you need is the reverse; A device with Adat inputs and analog outputs - Digital to analog converters.
At the budget end I believe the Behringer Ada8000 can do this. (it works both ways).
It is limited to 8 channels at 48k, though; A problem if you work at 96k or higher.

I doubt your Macbook will have any problems simultaneously playing back 18 tracks.
As Dave said, straight forward playback isn't all that intensive. It's the layers of processes/plugins/virtual instruments which really task the CPU.

Protools is very capable and it's what I use, but it's pricey enough too.
+1 to giving Reaper a look first. If you don't like it, at least finding out was free. ;)
 
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Steenamaroo said:
Hi there!


No. The octopre is an input device.
It wants to take 8 microphone or line signals and pass them out as analog line output, or digital over adat.

What you need is the reverse; A device with Adat inputs and analog outputs - Digital to analog converters.
At the budget end I believe the Behringer Ada8000 can do this. (it works both ways).
It is limited to 8 channels at 48k, though; A problem if you work at 96k or higher.

I doubt your Macbook will have any problems simultaneously playing back 18 tracks.
As Dave said, straight forward playback isn't all that intensive. It's the layers of processes/plugins/virtual instruments which really task the CPU.

Protools is very capable and it's what I use, but it's pricey enough to.
+1 to giving Reaper a look first. If you don't like it, at least finding out was free. ;)
Click to expand...

Oh! Did not check that! I assumed the Octo WAS like the Bheringer unit but better. but then, like I say. Cotton wool.

Err? Where are these 16 tracks comong from?

Dave. (sniff)
 
JUST a cotton pikkin'!!

What are those jacks on attached?

Dave.
 

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Those are for analog in/analog out. You could use that unit as a standalone 8 channel preamp, as far as I know.

My understanding is that OP wants to output 18 analog channels from his interface.
To do that, he'll need an 8 channel D/A converter.
 
Steenamaroo said:
Those are for analog in/analog out. You could use that unit as a standalone 8 channel preamp, as far as I know.

My understanding is that OP wants to output 18 analog channels from his interface.
To do that, he'll need an 8 channel D/A converter.
Click to expand...

Doh! Got it. No optical INPUT.

Dave.
 
rorohello said:
Let me ask it another way, will linking a Clarett 8 Pre with an OctoPre give you 18 analog outputs simultaneously?

If you look at the backs of the units, the Clarett has 10 TRS outs, and Octo has 8. I want to use all of those analog outputs to feed a mixing console.

I don't care for digital, and I usually record on a Tascam 388. I recently got a Tascam MSR-16 (16 track 1/2 inch), but I'm waiting on a power supply for a whole other mixer to be able to use that machine. Since my whole setup is based around outboard gear and that machine, I figured I could practice with 16 tracks of digital with this gear.
Click to expand...
It seems to me you have it upside down, but let me describe a couple of use cases:

1. Use the Focusrite pieces by themselves: Just connect the OctoPre ADAT/optical OUT to the 8Pre ADAT/optical IN. Use the Focusrite software to set the OctoPre as the Master and set the sample rate to 48kHz. Plug all your stuff directly into the Focusrites and connect to your MacBook from the 8Pre, which will carry all of the 8 inputs from the OctPre, plus everything you've plugged into the OctoPre. (There's no need to cable the word clock connectors.)

2. Connect the Focusrites the same way, but use the Soundtracs as the main input, plugging your mics/devices into it, and then and take each channel send into inputs on the OctoPre and 8Pre, using the appropriate cabling for mic/line level sends.

If you want pure analog, just wait until your Soundtracs gets back and use it with your tape deck or whatever you're using for analog recording.

What you cannot do is use the mic preamps on those F'rite pieces, sending the analog output to the Soundtracs, and then conjure up 18 or so more inputs to do the A/D to pipe into the MacBook (i.e., with those same two Focusrites). You will need another A/D converter (or more) to convert the Soundtracs mixer output.
 
Steenamaroo said:
OP is asking how to get 18 analog outputs so he can mix OTB.

He needs an 8 channel digital to analog converter.
Click to expand...
The mixer doesn't have mic pres?

If he wants to, he can just take the Focusrite analog outputs to the mixer then, and the whole wordclock discussion is not relevant, since they're not producing digital output.

The mixer only has 8-out?

Do people really mix 18 tracks at a time in real-time? As someone who's only every worked ITB, that seems highly irrational :)
 
keith.rogers said:
The mixer doesn't have mic pres?

If he wants to, he can just take the Focusrite analog outputs to the mixer then, and the whole wordclock discussion is not relevant, since they're not producing digital output.

The mixer only has 8-out?
Click to expand...

No, I'm pretty sure he wants 18 analog paths between interface and mixer, for OTB mixing.
The interface only offers 10 so he needs adat to analog (D/A) for the other 8 channels, since the interface has Adat output.

The focusrite doesn't come into that equation because it's an input device; Only capable of A/D.

keith.rogers said:
Do people really mix 18 tracks at a time in real-time? As someone who's only every worked ITB, that seems highly irrational :)
Click to expand...

For sure. That's literally what consoles and large format mixers are for.
 
This is exactly why I can't stand digital. How many people do we have on this thread now? Still no one can tell me an answer to the question!

Forget about Mic Pres and the mixer ok... just someone please tell me (because Focusrite literature and website does not!) can I link the Scarlett 8Pre and the OctoPre MKII so that I have 18 analog outputs assignable from a DAW.

That's all we need to work on here...
 
rorohello said:
Still no one can tell me an answer to the question!
Click to expand...

I answered it pretty clearly.
Just the answers get buried sometimes. ;)

The focusrite has no digital inputs and is not a digital to analog converter.
The outputs that it has allow it to act as a standalone 8 channel mic preamplifier in front of some converters or a tape recorder or...any device that has line inputs and no mic preamps.

ADA8000, or equivalent, will give you the 8 extra analog outputs you seek.
Interface -> Adat Cable -> Ada8000 -> 8xAnalog cables -> mixer.
 
Steenamaroo said:
No, I'm pretty sure he wants 18 analog paths between interface and mixer, for OTB mixing.
The interface only offers 10 so he needs adat to analog (D/A) for the other 8 channels, since the interface has Adat output.

The focusrite doesn't come into that equation because it's an input device; Only capable of A/D.

For sure. That's literally what consoles and large format mixers are for.
Click to expand...
"Focusrite" is a little ambiguous because I thought they're both from that manufacturer.

Now, there are both a Scarlett and Clarett OctoPre models, but they both say the same thing in the specs:
8 line outputs, fed from mic preamps

So, he could just use that as a mic preamp for 8 channels. Then, the "Clarett" he mentions is, I assume, the interface with the same analog output capability. They just act as standalone units and don't need any connectivity, though he's limited to 16 mic pres if he's got an 8x Clarett interface - not clear in my head which model interface is being discussed, or even which specific OctoPre.

But it seemed like the original intention was to connect these devices to test the computer's ability to track 18 channels at once, and then, we're back to my first use case in the prior reply. Once he's satisfied the computer will track, he can flip these things to use solely as mic pres, but then there's the issue of how to get the mixer to computer - that will require more than an 8x A/D, if there's any rationale to the tracking 18 initial prototype.

Curiouser and curiouser...
 
Op has said a few times now that he wants 18 analog outputs.

Sorry, not meaning to be rude but it's really simple.
Interface has 10 (actually 8...) analog outputs and an adat digital output.

He needs an 8 channel digital to analog converter.
 
No one is answering anything clearly here.

Steenamaroo, when you say "The focusrite has no digital inputs and is not a digital to analog converter" -- which unit are you TALKING ABOUT!?

Let me state this again for the third time:

I have a Focusrite Clarett Pre 8 (thunderbolt) - this unit has connections on the back for thunderbolt, which is how it will connect to my laptop and be controlled by Focusrite Control (the routing software) and then it ALSO has ADAT In/Out, and a BNC for Word Clock. And it has 10 TRS outputs. Why does it have these outputs if you guys are telling me I can't assign a track to play out of them in a DAW!?

I ALSO have an OctoPre MKII (also made by Focusrite - a company that is not good at writing manuals or educating their user base) which I understand how to use very well as an 8 channel mic preamp, piping digital signal into ADAT format. That's easy peezy, but if you read the thread, inputing was never a part of the issue!

I want to be able to OUTPUT 18 channels using both the Clarett and the OctoPre together. If this is not possible, then someone for the love of god tell me why the Clarett 8 Pre has 10 TRS outputs and the OctoPre has 8 TRS outputs!!! For looks?
 
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