Octopre Substitutes?

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bmg

Member
I am looking to increase the ins & outs by adding an interface to my Clarett+ 8.
I was initially thinking of the Octopre, but am put off by the fact it has unbalanced insert points, with balanced outs only through a DSub connector.
These cables are not cheap, which will add to the overall cost; so I'm wondering if there are any other units that would fit the bill?

(Some future purchases will feature AES/EBU connectors, so an interface that would accept them would be a plus.)
 
Hi,
You expressed your concern about analog outputs and unbalanced inserts in a previous thread but, as I said in that thread,
if you're increasing the available inputs on a clarett+ 8 then, presumably, you'd be using optical I/O between your Octopre and the Clarett.
That would be 8 channels of digital audio over a single lightpipe.

If that's the case it doesn't matter what analog outputs the octopre has - You're not using them.

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong but I think, more often than not, insert points are unbalanced.
It's very common to have them via one TRS connector.
It's not generally an issue, I guess, as they're often running to a device in the same rack - Maybe a foot...two?
Realistically, though, are you going to be using them anyway?


"Some future purchases will feature AES/EBU connectors"
The discussed M7?
The advice in the previous thread was that you could get, or make, an AES to SPDIF adapter and plugin that device into your interface's SPDIF input.
 
bmg said:
I am looking to increase the ins & outs by adding an interface to my Clarett+ 8.
I was initially thinking of the Octopre, but am put off by the fact it has unbalanced insert points, with balanced outs only through a DSub connector.
These cables are not cheap, which will add to the overall cost; so I'm wondering if there are any other units that would fit the bill?

(Some future purchases will feature AES/EBU connectors, so an interface that would accept them would be a plus.)
Click to expand...
Behringer ADA8200? Not sure where you're working, but I used one of those in some live situations with an old Focusrite Saffire. More than good enough for a drum kit, too, I'd say. Depends what you're planning, but I wouldn't spend a ton if you're going to update your entire tech in the foreseeable future.
 
Insert points are balanced only on high-end consoles, I believe. Maybe I should say "higher-end," but that's the only place I've seen them.
 
Thinking of getting the Scarlett Octopre instead, as this has balanced outs without buying a DSub cable.
 
It seems one of us is missing something.

Why do the analog outputs matter on a unit where you're using digital outputs?
 
bmg said:
Thinking of getting the Scarlett Octopre instead, as this has balanced outs without buying a DSub cable.
Click to expand...
DSub cables are relatively easy to make. Perhaps I am old school but I view soldering as an essential studio skill to have.

You don't mention what you are plugging these outputs to, so hard to understand your fixation on balanced. If you could detail your use case, perhaps some better advice could be given.

The Scarlett Octopre has balanced outs that are direct out of the mic preamps only with no returns back to the device. It is meant when using as a stand alone preamp. If you use case is to send these to a mixer for record monitoring, perhaps. The Scarlett doesn't have optical inputs like the Clarett and the Scarlett Dynamic does. Make sure what you are thinking about purchasing meets your needs and routing requirements. You haven't stated them, so I don't know what they are short of wanting balanced.
 
This is for getting balanced outboard gear in & out of my computer.
My Clarett has balanced ins & outs through TRS connectors.
The Octopre,while having similar inputs, it only has insert points, which are not balanced.

So by using the breakout cable, these outputs would be balanced?
 
I don't understand the confusion.

You have an interface with 8 balanced inputs.
You can plug in 8 (or four stereo) analog devices.

If that's not enough your interface also has adat digital input for 8 more channels at 48k.
Buy a device that has 8 line inputs and adat output,
and now you've got 16 line inputs - Room for 16 (or 8 stereo) analog devices.
 
If you do need analog inputs and outputs then fair enough but it's unclear.
Your other thread says "I was going to buy an Octopre for the added inputs"

If you need both then the same applies X 2.

Look for a device that has adat I/O and balanced line I/O which are routed as a/d d/a.

Behringer ADA8200 appears to tick those boxes.
 
Yes - I need both inputs and outputs.
The 8200 is interesting, though with my current set-up not feasible with all its inputs on the front-panel.
 
bmg said:
Yes - I need both inputs and outputs.
The 8200 is interesting, though with my current set-up not feasible with all its inputs on the front-panel.
Click to expand...
Not really if I understand what you are trying to do.

Its a matter of inputs, outputs and inserts and how each functions. Depending on the Octopre, each is a bit different in features, and that impacts how you can use it. For an insert, you are taking a direct out after the input gain stage breaking the signal path through the interface. The ring on the TRS is the return path back into the device. So lets say you use a Octopre with direct outputs. The path is not broken, so the output goes directly through the interface into the computer. Sure, you can feed the analog output to your processing gear, but where is the return path? How to you turn it into an insert? You can't. You can feed your signal back through one of the inputs and route that in your DAW but you use up channels quickly if you have a lot of processing gear.

The 8200 has the same issue. There are direct outputs but no return. If you plug a mic into input one and take the output to say a compressor, you'd have to return on a different channel. You cannot use input 1 line in as it breaks the XLR input.

Hope this makes sense to you and explains why some of us are a bit confused as to how you plan on executing your plan.
 
I have 10 pieces of analogue outboard gear, though my interface only has 8 channels.
I currently use one channel (in & out) of the Clarett to route each piece of gear to and from the computer (2 channels for stereo gear.)

I'm tired of reaching behind and unplugging to switch gear, and don't want to install a patchbay.

The gear uses balanced ins & outs, with some having AES/EBU connectors (though an interface that accepts those would not be in my budget.)
 
This is very helpful as I think most of us were approaching this as if you were also looking to add mic pre's.

The Scartlett Octopre Dynamic or the Clarett both have optical in and out which is what you'll need. The Clarett version will only get you outs via the DB25. If you are not using the Pre's, I see no point in getting the Clarett. The Behringer is limited to 48K if that is an issue to you as well as the line inputs being on the front.

It is too bad Presonus discontinued the Quantum 4848 but that was all DB25 but was 48 in and out.
 
Not sure what this means:
...the Scarlett OctoPre is an option, however, this unit doesn't feature an ADAT Input to send a signal to onboard Line Outputs.
 
bmg said:
Not sure what this means:
...the Scarlett OctoPre is an option, however, this unit doesn't feature an ADAT Input to send a signal to onboard Line Outputs.
Click to expand...
Connecting via Adat means you need at least one optical cable for in and one for out. You want both in's and out's correct? A single Adat cable will carry 8 channels at 48K or 4 at 96k. Look at the back of the basic Scarlett Octopre. It has Adat out which will go to the Adat input on your interface. That gets you the 8 one way but what about the return trip back?

No Adat in means no digital path back from the +8. If you look on the back of your interface, you'll see it has both in and out. This also means you are limited to 48k but at least you will be able to do 8 and 8.

The Scarlett Dynamic is $200 more and has both Adat in and out. As an added bonus, it also has all the inputs and outputs on the back. It also comes with compression that you'll likely never use.
 
Low resistance, capacitance within the usual limits, ease of termination, suitable stiffness for the application, diameter if that is important, and perhaps numbering, and maybe colour.
 
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