set up question

[cobaltblue]

hello

I'm new to this. Ive been reading through but cant find an answer

I have recently bought an Alesis 8 track adat machine and and old AHB mixing desk (1616) and was advised this would be ideal for 8 track recording??

I have a cable loom with 16 jacks (8 in and 8 out i assume?) and a connector on the other end which fits on the strange connection on the ADAT machine. (This is called elco right?)

my question is now i want to record, I've put the 8 out puts cables from the ADAT into the 1-8 tape in's on the desk and can hear already recorded tracks if i depress the tape buttons on the desk and have the "afl" switch depressed on the master section.

Where do i now put the ADAT inpout jacks on the desk? on the tape outs or channel inserts or what? I want to be able to record seperate tracks and over dub ect etc and im not sure how to route the set up.

Here is the manual for the desk which shows the channels and ins and outs. I'd really appreciate if someone could tell me 1. Which cables go where 2. Basic operation for an example tracking session and overdub (i.e what do do on the desk and recorder)

desk: AHB 1616 Mk1 8 bus http://www.allen-heath.com/veterans/products/system8/system8.htm

ADAT: Alesis 16 bit "Blackfaces"

Many thanks

 

[cobaltblue]

anyone please ?

 

[MISTERQCUE]

The ideal setup is to have the board's direct channel "OUTS" feeding the ADAT. Since the ADAT analog Ins/Outs are un-bal'd, RCA jacks and if your board does not come equipped with RCA outs but 1/4" jacks, 1/4"-to-RCA conversion plugs will have to be utilized. I do believe the A&H MK series has 1/4" direct outs but if not, using the inserts in "half-click" mode will have to suffice.

Can you tell me what is the jack configuration on the back of your board.
Is it RCA or 1/4"?

 

[cobaltblue]

on each input channel:

Balanced XLR connections, Line level inputs and seperate insert points.

See picture of the input section, underneath the XLR's are a lineip and insert for each channel, the bottome row is aux inputs and stuff

 

[cobaltblue]

this might help too:

 

[cobaltblue]

Ok i'm still a little confused.

I have the channel inserts 1-8 going to the 1-8 input on the back of the ADAT and the tap outs in the submixer/monitor section going to the outputs of the ADAT.

I can record and monitor recorded signals.

Now, this may be my lack of understanding of analog multitracking. but:

Now i have my recorded signals how do i route them back so i can eq and pan?

As the recorded signal coming from the ADAT to the mixer monitoring section only lets me change the level.

So, I can now record, but not mixdown, Please help

 

[cobaltblue]

come on guys, someone must be able to help, everyone seems quick enough to respond to dumb questions that have answers in the faqs, I have a real issue!

 

[cobaltblue]

anyone? pleasepleaseplease

 

[Blue Bear Sound]

There are about a dozen ways to configure it, depending on your working style, but the most straightforward is the following... (once you understand signal routing and your board a bit better, you'll be able to reconfigure to suit your needs)

Choose the first 8 channels as input/recording channels and route their direct outputs to the inputs on the ADAT. Route the outputs from the ADAT to the line inputs on channels 9-16 - these will be your mixing channels from the ADAT.
When mixing down, you can still use channels 1-8 for anything else (effect returns, other sound sources, etc...), but channels 9-16 will be your multitrack returns and you apply panning, EQ, etc directly on those channels.

 

[cobaltblue]

Cheers mate.

Just another few questions if you'd be so kind to answer.

I cant see where the direct outs on each channel are, I can only see tape out's in the monitoring section.

From what you've said I wont need to use the monitoring section like im doing now? currently i have the ADAT outs going into the monitor/tape in's on the right hand side and then i bus them into the auxillarys for headphone mix and nearfield.

 

[cobaltblue]

I can just do what im doing now? use the channel inserts at half click ?

I read in the manual that the 1-8 tape outputs on the monitoring section are hardwired to the channel inputs???? but I put an xlr from the tape out 1 to the adat input and adat output1 to tape input 1 and got the same results as using the channel 1 insert at half click. I might be wrong but the first way i was expecting to have the recorded signal coming back through channel1 logically if the tape out1 is wired to input1 ??

 

[Blue Bear Sound]

OK... then I'm confused as to why you're confused........

If you already have tape return inputs the board, then that's where the ADAT outs are connected.

If you don't have direct outs on the channels, then you can use the SEND portion of the INSERTS (or insert your plug halfway), or you can use the buss outputs (if any!)

 

[cobaltblue]

heh

Sorry i know im confusing this.

The original problem was

As i understand it the ADAT connects to the boards tape in's and tape outs.

BUT, when i do that my recorded signal comes back from the ADAT into the monitor section of the board. Only giving me the ability to put the recorded sound into aux1,2,3. I cant cactually do anymoxing of the sound. Or am i not realising how to re-route the signal from the monitor section BACK to the channels to mix?

 

[Blue Bear Sound]

There should be a switch at the top of the channels strips that lets you switch between Tape return/input channel modes.

 

[cobaltblue]

Hmm dont think so

http://www.dancetech.com/aa_dt_new/hardware/ITEM.CFM?THREADID=2652&lang=0

That links shows pics of the desk, can you have a look and give a hint?

Really appreciate this

 

[Blue Bear Sound]

Then that means it's not an in-line board -- meaning you'll have to do what I suggested above and route the ADAT outputs to 8 of the input channels.

 

[cobaltblue]

each monitor channel has a tape switch tho, relevance?

 

[Blue Bear Sound]

each monitor channel has a tape switch tho, relevance?

I couldn't see the switch - the pics weren't clear enough... if it does then it IS inline and you use that switch to toggle between monitoring of the tape returns or the channel inputs.

 

[cobaltblue]

im still none the wiser.

I understand what you are saying but how does that now bear relevence to my original problem?

Sorry am I testing your patience? I do apologise

 

[Blue Bear Sound]

I thought I answered that..... ADAT outputs go to the tape returns on the console.... you run the insert SENDS from 8 of the channels on the board to the ADAT inputs.......

I re-read your original question, and that seems to answer it.....! no???