RME Fireface 800 and tape integration

[MrNemo]

I am trying to integrate tape into my small studio setup. My brother gave me a Tascam TSR-8 and a Mackie 32.8 board, but I need a new interface. I am wondering if the following setup makes sense to you:

I was going to get the RME Fireface 800. It looks like I can have the 8 rear outputs going to the TSR-8 and the 8 outputs of the TSR-8 going back in the 8 rear inputs of the Fireface. From looking at the Fireface, I could leave that plugged in all the time and just use the front 4 inputs for tracking instruments or vocals (I'll never be tracking more than 4 at a time). But I want to make sure that those front inputs on the Fireface have nothing to do with the back channels (I've heard some units have front and back inputs that are not mutually exclusive).

Next, after capturing my music (much is made with soft synths) I was going to run the 8 Firepod outputs to my Mackie 32.8 console and from there to the TSR-8 inputs, to control levels.

Then I could hit record on the TSR-8, then send the channels out of the fireface, record on tape, and while it is recording, simultaneously send the 8 tape channels back to the DAW, and make sure the tape is coming back in "on time" by using Voxengo's Latency Delay plug-in.

Does this sound like it will work? Am I missing anything?

 

[SuperGeek]

RME owner

Not sure I fully understand what your trying are you planing on recording on the daw and tape deck at the same time or mix analog from the FF-800 like I said not sure I under stand


The out puts on the FF-800 the units 8 out and 8 in on the back
The back owns can be patched with the total mix software that comes with the unit
IE the channel 1 out put will play from DAW or one of the inputs or both.

Inputs on the front channels 1 7 and 8 share the inputs on the rear you can use both or just the front or rear.

The FF-800 also has two adat in and outs for 16 more channels if you run at 44.1 or 48 khz

you can use RME ADI or octa 8 pres or presonus digimax fs.

But you can down load the manual at RME audio and see the block diagram and read up on the units as well

My 2Kw's

ps I own a FF-800 and a Octamic D
use adat to Yamaha O1V96 mixing board.

 

[Nitin]

hello super geek.

how is the FF800 and o1v96 working for you..?? I am planning on getting one..?? Any words of wisdom..??

 

[SuperGeek]

hello super geek.

how is the FF800 and o1v96 working for you..?? I am planning on getting one..?? Any words of wisdom..??

Sorry for the delay in answering your question Nitin.

It works very well

The FF800 and the RME Octamic 8 and the O1V96 are for the most part use optical cable to link them up. the O1V96 has the MY16-AT card in the expansion slot. The card gives the O1V96 2 extra adat ins and outs

Now here is the patching for what its worth.

On the Octamic 8 the main adat goes to the FF-800 adat 1 the aux goes to the O1V96. adat input

the 8 Direct outs for channels 1-8 on the O1V96 goes to adat input 2 on the FF-800

the adat outs 1-2 go to the O1V96 for use as mix down or what ever.

the interesting thing is I sometimes patch a HD-24 into the system and all I do is use more fiber optical cable so I can then use the O1V96 for monitoring and the FF-800 and the HD-24 for redundant recording so if the computer crashes I still have the show on the HD-24 !

All units are using the RME FF800 for the word clock timing signal

At home the FF-800 is set up so when its just turned on it acts as a mini mixer and I plug my GR-700 guitar into Channel 1 and the synth unit into channels 7-8 so I can just use one of my amps and its then my guitar rig.

Total mix allows me to do this.

I can also patch it to the O1V96 as well if I want.

On the snake end 1-8 goes to the Octamic 8 9-16 on the O1V96

When there is just live jams with the first 8 channels I have the analog outs on the Octamic 8 go to a Mackie 1642 VLZ Pro also acts as my monitor board so after recording can change gears at the push of a few buttons


Hope this all makes sense