Looking For Getting 24 Inputs Into A DAW

Onito

New member
Hi,
I'm new here, but have been making music for a while.

I recently decided to go the "whole hog" and create a dedicated, proper, studio.

I'm a big synth man, and wanted to get all the synths out and connected to my DAW (Logic).

I've previously been using a MOTU 828MKIII and a Behringer ADA to get me 16 channels.

But now I'm "getting serious" I want to go to 24 channels, so I don't have to keep patching and unpatching my synths...and I'm not really seeing an interface that can take 16 additional instrument channels via ADAT expansion, you know, 8 in the interface and 2 x 8 channel ADAT expansions.

I was looking at the Focusrite Clarett 8Pre and then daisy chaining 2 x Clarett OctoPre in to it - No, at 44.1/48 Focusrite say that only 8 additional channels can be added.

The Scarlett 18i20 - Same deal.

Is there an interface than can handle 24 ports?

I'm not bothered about Mic Pre-Amps as I only record vocals via Mic, the rest of the inputs are for instruments / synths. I plan on getting a 2 channel Focusrite ISA for that and then putting that into the interface when I record vocals.

I really don't want to have to get loads of 24 pin D-Sub connectors to 1/4" and use something like a Motu 24Ai.

I'm open to it being a mixer. I don't live anywhere near anywhere that I could just go in and have a "play". Perhaps something like a Behringer X32 or the new Wing might be an idea?

I'm not that up on the new Dante protocol, but maybe an interface that takes that and a stage breakout box?

My budget is around £4K.

Any ideas would be greatly welcomed.
 
Yes...there are 24 channel interfaces. Check out RME, Antelope Audio, and more here:

24 channel audio interface - Google Search

That said...if it were me, I would just get a patchbay, which makes re-patching your synths real easy...so you don't need a 24-channel interface, since of the most you're not going to use more than 2-4 channels at any one time...
...and spend the money you save on another synth, or a mic, or whatever.
 
^^^+1 to patch bay. Behringer, Presonus,etc make digital mixers from 8 to 32 inputs and they would certainly work, however they would be just more money for stuff you say you don't need (such as preamps)
 
Thanks for your replies...but I got it fixed cheap.

Here's the thing, I only ever used 1 ADAT channel on my MOTU.

I looked at getting the Focusrite Scarlett 18i20, which has 2 ADAT channels, but they say this on their website (can't post links yet):

"The Scarlett 18i20 has two ADAT input ports for connecting up to 8 additional channels via optical ADAT connection.

Whilst it has two ports this does not mean you can add an extra 16 channels via ADAT. The maximum number of ADAT channels you can use is dependant on the sample rate you're recording at, and is as follows:

44.1/48kHz - 8 channels

88.2/96kHz - 8 channels (four channels per port)

176.4/192kHz - 0 Channels (Optical inputs are disabled at quadband sample rates)

The reason for this is that ADAT, as a protocol, is a one-way connection that can carry a maximum of 8 channels at 44.1/48kHz. Each time the sample rate doubles, the channel count per connection is halved."

So "trusting" Focusrite, they say here that ADAT can only have a maximum of 8 channels, regardless of the number of ADAT connections (there's 2 on this interface)...so that's where the confusion has come from.

Turns out they're talking crap and that their interfaces must just be designed that way, but they make it sound like it's the ADAT standard.

I bought another Behringer ADA8200, put it into my ADAT Optical B on my MOTU and voila, 24 analogue channels.

I'll just get a nice mic preamp for recording from mic and this will do me...I can put what I've saved towards some 3 way monitors :-D
 
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