Math riddle: Tascam M-312, 2 Saffire Pro 40s, Logic Pro, Patch Bay set up question

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burymyteeth

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Hi all. I just acquired a Tascam m-312 and would like to be able to play back multitracks from Logic Pro and mix with the Tascam while sending all channels strips back into the DAW for recording.

I have 2 Saffire Pro 40s so 16 analog I/Os.

Right now I'm playing in a band that typically requires 12 live inputs, mixture of mics and direct ins simultaneously. I think 4 of the mics require phantom power.

I have a 48 patch patchbay, switchable from Normal, Half-Normal or Thru mode.

Is it possible with this equipment to run all of my inputs into the DAW and then use, the patchbay or maybe the mixer, so I can switch to mixing mode which passes the signal through the mixer and I can use the EQs, Pres, and faders to perform the mix and record it into the DAW as individual tracks?

Thanks for your time!
 
You have both Pro40s linked together?
It's very possible, just a matter of setting up the routing in your daw. Not familiar with your daw.
But i have one pro 40 to a comsole and protools.
And an Allen and Heath ice16 hooked up to the console, reaper and tape.

Its just a matter of how stuff is routed in the daw.
 
Can't help you with the Tascam idea, but if all you want to do is track then you should be able do it with just the two Saffire Pros.

Logic Pro means you're on a Mac, so google how to create an "aggregate" device that will allow both interfaces to be used together and appear as a single device. You can't link them AFIAK, since they're actually designed to be extended with an ADAT unit.
 
RFR said:
I think you can link them via firewire. But not 100% sure of that.
Click to expand...
You should be able to connect them since the 40 has an extra FW port on the back (which my 26 does not) but they're not logically linked as a single device by simple cable without some software intervention.

Even an ADAT requires some diddling in the Focusrite Mix Control but that's on the device side of the driver. Putting two separate interfaces together to act as one, i.e., aggregating them in OS X, is on the OS side of the driver, so to speak.

I've done it with a FW and USB device, but not two FW ones. ADAT is simpler IMO/IME. I'd probably sell/trade that 2nd 40 for an ADAT and call it a day, TBH. I just read earlier today about someone that had a problem aggregating two identical USB interfaces in OS X because they appeared as the same name/type. No idea if this would be a problem for this scenario but it might be. If the 40 had optical S/PDIF out then that would solve the problem but I suspect it's in-only (like my 26).
 
Thanks for your replies all!

Yes I do have the Saffire Pro 40s linked together. Its very simple to do, you just link it via the firewire on the back. Boom.

(if anyone comes across this trying to figure out using two Pro 40s its like you have 1 interface you would select in Logic the Saffire Pro 40 technically has 20 ins and outs due to other capabilties, the main analog I/Os are 1-8, then there's 12 left over for ADAT and SPDIF, which I'm not using, so if you have 2 hooked up you have 40 i/os available when you are selecting the input channel on a track, so, therefore, to use the first Pro 40's analog ins they would be 1-8, then, the other Pro 40's inputs would be 21-28).

My question is more of an analog/digital hybrid question, because I'm not that great with patch bays or mixer routing, or Saffire Mix Control which you use to route the Saffire Pro 40s, so I'll be a bit more detailed, I think it is a rather generic question not quite dependent on the type of gear, just the routing in general.

So, 2 Saffire Pro 40s as an Aggregate Device gives me 16 analog I/Os.

I will run 12 mics and line ins into the interface(s), and track the songs live in Logic.

Now for mixing. I want to do this, via the patchbay possibly, without having to go spalunking behind my rack and changing a ton of cables:

I want to play back my recordings, and route them through the mixer. Ok, sure, just have all the analog outs correspond to the recorded tracks, and run them into the mixer inputs.

Ok, well, now I want to record my mix from the mixer back into Logic. Ideally with all the tracks independently (the Tascam m312 is a 12 channel mixer how convenient).

But all of the inputs in my interface(s) are already being used by my instruments.

If you had the equipment described in my first post, is it somehow possible to hook it up so that I can track direct into the DAW, then somehow switch things around into a mixing mode that could record back into the DAW? Or do I absolutely need 24 analog I/Os??

Thanks again for checking this out.
 
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I'm mystified how you get the tracks out of the computer, but I don't do h/w outside of the interface/preamp part.

Assuming the DAW isn't busy outputting the tracks you've already recorded, I'm guessing you're going into a new project?

I don't see a way to do it without putting something in front of the Focusrite pair to give you a big A/B for the channels if you're not using them for recording at that time. Or, pony up for a pair of ADA8200s and go back in through the ADAT channels that are available.
 
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