running 2 interfaces on 1 computer

[gianelli280]

Local shop has a couple tascam us-800's left, i already own one. Before i go out and buy another one, stupid question, but can you run 2 of these bad boys at the same time? I don't see why not, but i'd rather ask than find out the hard way.

Running a Mac Mini 4ghz ram or something like that... does fine with 6 inputs on one us-800.

 

[Steenamaroo]

You most certainly can.

It may just work straight up, but if not here's the long way round.


Go to utilities > audio midi setup and create a new device. ( + sign at bottom left )

It'll be called 'aggregate device' and you can tell it to contain as my real devices as you want.
You'd select then two tascams in your new aggregate device, and then tell your daw to use the aggregate as you interface, if that makes sense.

 

[DrumRookie]

I called GC about it before and they said you would have to plug something special into something, but Steenamaroo is very likely right.

 

[Steenamaroo]

Must spread.lol.

 

[gianelli280]

sounds easy enough

 

[Steenamaroo]

You could make an aggregate of your onboard sound and your current tascam if you wana test it out.

 

[DrumRookie]

Hmmm, interesting. I was told it wouldn't work. But I wonder if there are any drawbacks to doing it that way?
And I probably could save some money doing this too if it proves to be true...

Let us know how it works!

 

[Steenamaroo]

It's might be more complicated on a PC. I'm not sure though.
I have a motu and a presonus hooked up together on my mac atm.

 

[gianelli280]

Still not sure about buying it, don't even know how much they're charging and i'd only use it for drums. Honestly I was hoping the idea would get shot down, but... if I gotta be a guinea pig then i gotta be a guinea pig!

 

[Guitargodgt]

aggregate device

Has anyone had good success with this? Because it was an incredible nightmare when I tried it, but I wasn't using 2 identical devices. (OSX of course, I don't even know if this can be done in Windows.)

 

[Guitargodgt]

It's might be more complicated on a PC. I'm not sure though.
I have a motu and a presonus hooked up together on my mac atm.

Ah missed this. So you decided to go aggregate instead of attempting to clock both together via light pipe?

 

[arcadeko]

Still not sure about buying it, don't even know how much they're charging and i'd only use it for drums. Honestly I was hoping the idea would get shot down, but... if I gotta be a guinea pig then i gotta be a guinea pig!

Shouldn't be hard to get your money back on ebay if it doesn't work. Hell the shop would probably let you return it, shouldn't take more than 24 hours to know if it works. Sounds crazy to me but I never tried it before

Would be a nice deal getting a 16 track interface for $200

 

[Steenamaroo]

Ah missed this. So you decided to go aggregate instead of attempting to clock both together via light pipe?

Yeah, I have a motu 828mk2 and a presonus firestudio mobile.

I plug them both in via firewire and osx sees both interfaces. Pro Tools only lets you select one though.
So i make an aggregate device containing both interfaces and tell protools to use that.

I'm pretty sure it works under other daws too. I've used the same setup with Max/Msp.

 

[Guitargodgt]

Hmm maybe my issue was the connectivity then. I was trying it with a firepod (FW400) and a mbox 2 (USB 2).

I know companies in the past were supporting this. Presonus was supporting the use of up to 3 firepods (or FP10s) and I know Motu was as well with thier pre8 thing (can't remember the name of the interface).

But it was my understanding it was done through the driver and not as an aggregate device and all 3 had to be the same.

 

[Steenamaroo]

Shouldn't matter man. Nightmare you say....What happened?

Aye, there are a load of companies supporting multiple interfaces through their own drivers but I think that's a windows thing.
Your daw will actually see three separate firepods or whatever it is.

 

[gianelli280]

Would be a nice deal getting a 16 track interface for $200

Unfortunately I bought the one I own when it was new. Btw... any reason they discontinued the us-800? Great little box for what i need, works great on my mac.

I'm getting my Tascam m-164uf back when the ship I was stationed on pulls back in (along with my sub/backup monitors/huge screen/3 guitars/fx pedals/and a preamp ), so could I use that instead? I know that's marketed as something like a 14 channel usb mixer, but it only has 6 xlr inputs, and that's all I really care to use for mics. IIRC that thing had some major issues with my tombstone of a laptop, maybe it will run better on my mac? if at all?