Connection help

[benherron.rrr]

Hi guys, im not entirly sure this is in the right scection but ill go ahead.

one question that i have never been able to get an answer to:

I've been recording for about 2 years now and am takeing a degree in music production, my home studio is fairly compotent but very usb based, im currently using a line 6 toneport ux2 as my interface. i would like to buy a pre-amp sometime in the near future with 8 inputs, my question is could i connect the preamp to the line ins (2) on my tone port as that is my sound card? also would i be able to use all 8 channels seperatly? for example if i had 8 mics pluged in could i record each mic on a seperate track? the main reason to upgrade is to give myself more inputs than the 2 ive currently got whats the best way to do this?

thanks for your help

 

[floorpuncher]

Hi guys, im not entirly sure this is in the right scection but ill go ahead.

one question that i have never been able to get an answer to:

I've been recording for about 2 years now and am takeing a degree in music production, my home studio is fairly compotent but very usb based, im currently using a line 6 toneport ux2 as my interface. i would like to buy a pre-amp sometime in the near future with 8 inputs, my question is could i connect the preamp to the line ins (2) on my tone port as that is my sound card? also would i be able to use all 8 channels seperatly? for example if i had 8 mics pluged in could i record each mic on a seperate track? the main reason to upgrade is to give myself more inputs than the 2 ive currently got whats the best way to do this?

thanks for your help

If you run an 8 channel pre amp through the line ins on the UX2 there would be no way to seperate your tracks. M-Audio has the Fast Track Ultra that has 8 inputs and would replace your UX2 as your interface. Presonus has a handful of interfaces as well with 8 preamps that, again, would replace your UX2. The key is to get rid of the UX2 when you upgrade...

**EDIT** Also, if you're partial to Line 6, they have an 8 channel interface as well... the UX8.

 

[The Cancers]

To reiterate the above, your interface is the limiting factor on the number of separate inputs into the computer.
That line 6 only allows 2.
There's just no way around a new interface, be it something like floorpuncher was mentioning, or something slightly cheaper like the pci m-audio delta 1010lt in combination with an external preamp or preamps.

 

[benherron.rrr]

Yeah I was thinking about the fast track ultra and UX8 but i didnt really know if keeping a usb connection was the best way to go connection wise. the only reason i like the toneport is because i can listen to what im recording while im recording and as of yet i cant figure out how to do that in cubase 5.

I persume if i wanted to go down the anologue route id have to buy a pci soundcard then get all the converters e.t.c

 

[floorpuncher]

There should be a setting in Cubase to monitor what's being played... I'm sure that someone who uses Cubase could fill you in on that... it's usually just a button that needs to be hit.

As for the interface and USB: Most people will tell you that Firewire is the way to go and I would tend to agree with them if you're talking about recording on eight channels at once. Firewire is much faster than USB and much more stable. M-Audio also makes some Firewire interfaces but I know little about them. Presonus interfaces like the Firestudio is a good interface that is also Firewire...

 

[dastrick]

There should be a setting in Cubase to monitor what's being played... I'm sure that someone who uses Cubase could fill you in on that... it's usually just a button that needs to be hit.

As for the interface and USB: Most people will tell you that Firewire is the way to go and I would tend to agree with them if you're talking about recording on eight channels at once. Firewire is much faster than USB and much more stable. M-Audio also makes some Firewire interfaces but I know little about them. Presonus interfaces like the Firestudio is a good interface that is also Firewire...

I use Cubase 4 and there is a (monitor) button that looks like a speaker on the channel strip. Push that button and you should be able to hear what you're recording.


I also have a Firestudio which works great.

 

[dastrick]

Look to the right of the Red Record button. That is the monitor button.

 

[benherron.rrr]

Ahh thats really stupid of me not realising that. after doing a bit of reading, im thinking about going down the firewire route, ive only got 1 firewire port does that limit my choice of soundcard at all?

i would preferably like the ability to record 8 simultanious tracks, although i do not need it at the moment i will in the near future. something that could allow me to add some rack fx if thats a possibility. and have the outputs for monitors. and the main factor is to improve on sound quality from what i can achive now. any suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

 

[The Cancers]

One firewire port should be all you need.
Are you on a laptop or desktop?
Because laptops with firewire ports usually have a firewire 400 port, and most interfaces I've seen output on a firewire 800 cable.
No big deal, you just need to get an adapter cable, and I think the only difference is that firewire 800 provides bus power to the unit (though that might be completely wrong).
If this seems like it might be problem, do some google-ing on the difference between the two.
If not, look into a firewire interface.
Many have eight preamps, and just about all the ones I've seen are expandable via ADAT to more than eight.
So, if you've got any preamps lying around with digital outs on them, you might not need to spring for one of the firewire interfaces with eight preamps, as you could just use the preamps you have in combination with a two or four preamp firewire interface.

All just stuff to think about, but good luck either way.

 

[dastrick]

One firewire port should be all you need.
Are you on a laptop or desktop?
Because laptops with firewire ports usually have a firewire 400 port, and most interfaces I've seen output on a firewire 800 cable.
No big deal, you just need to get an adapter cable, and I think the only difference is that firewire 800 provides bus power to the unit (though that might be completely wrong).
If this seems like it might be problem, do some google-ing on the difference between the two.
If not, look into a firewire interface.
Many have eight preamps, and just about all the ones I've seen are expandable via ADAT to more than eight.
So, if you've got any preamps lying around with digital outs on them, you might not need to spring for one of the firewire interfaces with eight preamps, as you could just use the preamps you have in combination with a two or four preamp firewire interface.

All just stuff to think about, but good luck either way.

I haven't seen a Firewire 800 interface, yet. Not that someone doesn't make one, but the vast majority of them are Firewire 400. And the difference between Firewire 400 & 800 is the speed. Firewire 800 has transfer rates of 800 mbits/s. Firewire 400 has transfer rates of 400 mbits/s. Both 400 & 800 can provide bus power. On Firewire 400...a six pin connection can carry bus power. A four pin (the smaller one like on most laptops) cannot.