Lightpipe or NOT lightpipe, that is the question...

[Vinnydude]

Initially, i was planning to get 4xMotu 8Pre's and run them through a presonus lightpipe.

BUT

I just read that you can daisy chain the motu units up to 4 times, which is what i was wanting.

Will I get any benefits with running them through the Presonus Lightpipe or is that just going to be a waste of money if i can daisy chain the Motu's anyway?

 

[NewAgeMuttLange]

I would say try the daisy chaining first.

If that doesn't work well enough, try daisy chaining two units and lightpiping the other to into those units..

if that still doesn't do the trick for you, go with the full light pipe.

-Paul

 

[crankz1]

You wouldn't need the Presonus.

 

[Vinnydude]

Well, i have the first motu, and i'll be getting the 2nd when i get paid in a couple of weeks. So time will tell, won't be a huge hardship having to get the light pipe because lets admit it, 4 motu's and the presonus lightpipe would look very nice in a rack mount together

 

[mixsit]

Initially, i was planning to get 4xMotu 8Pre's and run them through a presonus lightpipe.

BUT

I just read that you can daisy chain the motu units up to 4 times, which is what i was wanting.

Will I get any benefits with running them through the Presonus Lightpipe or is that just going to be a waste of money if i can daisy chain the Motu's anyway?

Just wondering what these chains (either method) would entail. Word clock links(?), better than a (series?) of clock-on-light pipes?

 

[timkroeger]

Are you going to record at 96kHz? If you want to go up to 96kHz the presonus wouldn't work anyway since it supports only 16 channels at 96kHz. I don't know how much one firewire bus can take but I suppose 16 channels at 96kHz is pretty much it. You'd need a second bus, if you want to do 32 channels at 96kHz. 32 channels at 48kHz would be fine though.

About the daisy chaining: I have no experience with that but I'd say, just use the firewire ports on the pre to cascade the interfaces just like MOTU advertises in the feature summary: Two FireWire ports - daisy-chain up to four units on a single FireWire bus without a hub. That of course would only make sense if you're recording at 48kHz. I think you have to "connect" the interfaces in the driver IO config panel.

Cheers
Tim

 

[crankz1]

.... lets admit it, 4 motu's and the presonus lightpipe would look very nice in a rack mount together

Yeah, the chicks will really dig that!

See how you like the preamps in the 8pre before you commit yourself to owning 4 of em.

 

[Vinnydude]

Yeah, the chicks will really dig that!

See how you like the preamps in the 8pre before you commit yourself to owning 4 of em.

This is a very valid point. And of course, if i get different pre's then the light pipe will be needed.

I am going to commit to getting the 2 units giving me 16 channels. See how i get on. I'll have a good few months to give them a good try out cause i'm upgrading my mic collection before going up to 32 channels. Would be pretty pointless having 32 channels and a load of shite mics!!! And saying that too, if i'm getting a load of sweet ass mics, i may want to fork out a rather larger sum for the pre's.

Oh i love the endless obsession of recording gear

 

[dgatwood]

Chances are, things will more more reliable (particularly at lower latency settings) by using the MOTU's FireWire implementation instead of sticking the Presonus hardware in there.