Use 2 interfaces?

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Mitchellfwx

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Sorry for another noob question, but as of right now, I am not in need of an audio interface that has enough inputs to record drums and full bands. However, in the future, I am guessing that I will. So, my question is this.. Since I am going to buy a 4 mic input interface now, when I need say 8 mic inputs, could I just buy another 4 input interface, and plug four drum mics into 1, and four into the other, but record all on the same software at the same time, as if I was using an 8 mic input interface? Or is there a better way to expand my mic inputs to enough to record a full band or enough to record a full set of drums?

Thanks! I am just trying to save myself money right now by buying a less expensive interface now, which will fully suit my needs now.

Thanks!
Mitch
 
If you are using a MAC, then you may be able to do it. PCs don't have any way for the DAW to use 2 USB devices at one time.
 
oh ok. Yeah, I am on pc. Even if it has multiple usb plugins, it wont work?
 
Nope. Not with USB. Some firewire interfaces will allow chaining or ADAT connection, but USB devices typically do not.

Why not just get a Tascam US1800, and forget about it? :)
 
Well my thinking is that why spend the extra money for an extra 4 inputs, when you dont even need them. Cause, honestly, my goal is just to start producing music with good sound then get a record deal, so I would rather spend the same amount of money on an interface with less inputs, but with better quality and sound. Also, could I not just buy a large preamp later on with a dozen or so inputs, plug the drum mics into that, then plug the preamp into the interface? That would work too, wouldnt it? Because a preamp only takes up one input on an interface, even though the preamp consists of multiple inputs, correct?
 
Also, for extra info, Ill most likely be using an avid fast track ultra with reaper. Could I add say 1 or 2 preamps, maybe like the M-Audio Octane (8 channel preamp), and also, if that is possible, how would this be done? Through an xlr chord? Spdf? I am still trying to sort out all of these input ways on these interfaces and such.

Thanks!
 
What the others have said is correct. You can't just link two USB interfaces to a PC. The problem is within the Windows operating system and the drivers written for it--you have to set one single audio interface as the one to use.

That said, if you are buying a Fast Track Ultra, that interface can do eight simultaneous inputs. The trouble is, there are only four mic preamps. You'll have to buy two more mic preamps and feed them into the line inputs on the back...and the final two inputs are digital S/PDIF so you'll need a stereo mic pre amp with S/PDIF out to use those.

Frankly, it would be easier and cheaper to buy an eight input interface (like the US1800 somebody mentioned) right from the start.
 
Ok! Thanks for your help. And yes it will be probably cheaper in the long run, but all those inputs will be a waste for me. At most, Ill need 4 xlr inputs, and like 4 trs 1/4" inputs. I am sold on the fast track ultra though. Now, in the future, which i am saying like in a couple to few years, I will need the amount of inputs expanded, which I will just buy a good preamp. I have been searching around, and found the octane 8 channel to be a good one. My question is, what kind of connections do I use to connect that to my interface? Is it spdif? And Ill be able to use all 8 mic inputs simultaniously, plugged in to one input on the interface.

Thanks!
 
You won't be able to use all 8 channels of the Fast Track Ultra with the Octane. You have two choices on the Octane. You can take a line level feed from each channel via TRS cables (but the Ultra can take a maximum of six of these) or you can feed all 8 via the ADAT out which is a digital fibre. Unfortunately, the Ultra has no ADAT capability.

Also, you can't use the mic pre amps on the Ultra if you're using the line level inputs on the back. Inputs 1-4 are the mic on the front OR the line level on the back, not both at once.
 
Oh I see now! It all is starting to make sense! Thanks for all of your help! With this new knowledge, I have done a full day of research, and found that an interface like the blackbird with adat in and out will be perfect for what I need and what I will be doing.
 
That's quite a jump up in facilities (and, I assume, price). By itself it'll do 8 channels and, with a set of preamps with ADAT out, that moves up to 16 simultaneous tracks.

Just to point out--this is a Firewire interface. Before you buy, make sure your computer supports Firewire and uses an acceptable chipset (almost certainly TI). A lot of modern computers don't include Firewire and make adding it difficult.
 
Bobbsy said:
What the others have said is correct. You can't just link two USB interfaces to a PC.
Click to expand...

mjbphotos said:
If you are using a MAC, then you may be able to do it. PCs don't have any way for the DAW to use 2 USB devices at one time.
Click to expand...

Actually guys, this might sound crazy as I thought the same thing, but in my case it was possible. I used an Alesis io2 express along with a M-Audio Fastrack Ultra, running into Cubase 5, using the ASIO4All driver. In the ASIO control panel, I was able to turn on both devices and then within cubase I was able to set each one of their ins. Because the io2 is one mono at a time or one stereo, I used it for the drum OH, and routed all the other mics through the 4 XLRs on the Fast track.

The timings were off, and I ended up moving the OHs back about 35 ms (which always sounded like crap in retrospect), but it did happen. I'm not quite sure how still.
 
That's because ASIO4ALL is a wrapper that uses MME drivers and makes them appear to your DAW like a single ASIO device. However, this only works with some DAWs and you discovered the other drawback, the timing issue, since both devices use their own internal reference. It's generally not as simple as a single move for one track since the timing is continually drifting, not just out by a set amount.

In any case, I'd consider "working but sounding like crap" actually to be "not working"! :D
 
Bobbsy said:
That's because ASIO4ALL is a wrapper that uses MME drivers and makes them appear to your DAW like a single ASIO device. However, this only works with some DAWs and you discovered the other drawback, the timing issue, since both devices use their own internal reference. It's generally not as simple as a single move for one track since the timing is continually drifting, not just out by a set amount.

In any case, I'd consider "working but sounding like crap" actually to be "not working"! :D
Click to expand...

All that makes sense, although I don't feel like it drifted in time.. maybe a little, I can't say for sure.
For my first ever drum tracks, I was completely stoked on the sound and so was the band (my friends). They used to do recordings on a standalone recorder, and to them, mixing was getting levels and then printing it! So what I did was like gold to them, even for my first time.

Oh, and they used to point a single LDC at the kit in a garage and that was their drum sounds!
 
Yes, it is possible to use multiple usb interfaces together.

Just for the crack, Son and I ran a 2496 (PCI) a Fast track pro and a Behringer UCA 202 together in Samplitude using MME drivers. We had to stick to 16bits and 44.1kHz and of course the latency would have been dire but it worked and sounded fine. Things stayed in sync for the few minutes we needed them to but in any case "sliding" sounds to sample accuracy is a doddle in Sam.

OP, do note the Blackbird is sans MIDI if that is a problem.

Dave.
 
Jumping late to the train;
I've read that by using ASIO4ALL you can use two different interfaces with Win.
Using Multiple Audio Interfaces Together
Sound On Sound
I was planning to try it, but haven't been able to get my hands on a second interface to try it out.
 
There are a huge number of "it depends" issues even with Asio4All. Some factors are the types of sound card and the ability of the DAW you're using to select two devices even with Asio4All. I pulled it off once as an experiment using one PCI sound card and one USB card.

However, even if you make it work, the whole system fails with the inevitable drift you will get using two devices each with their own non-synced word clock.

Other than out of academic interest, it's really not worth the effort when you consider that you can probably buy a single 4 input interface cheaper than 2-two channel ones (at least if you restrict it to interfaces worth using).
 
If it is just two extra tracks that are needed do note that many interfaces have S/PDIF (tho' this, along with MIDI is fast being dropped by tightA'ed mnfctrs!) so all you might need is a second AI that can feed that digital input.

There is one very common AI, the M-A fast track pro that will run stand alone as a S/PDIF converter, just needs 9volts up its jaxi.
Note the main AI/card must be slaved to the incoming S/PDIF.

Dave.
 
Bobbsy;
I didn't say it would work, I said I read about it. As for the clock issues with some of the interfaces you can set one as the master an the other as slave.
I have a Tascam US 1800 and can be Master or Slave allowing you to sync the clock with another interface.
As if it's worthed it depends, I would like to have more than 16 inputs. I know I can't add another Tascam of any kind, drivers issues, but what would happen with another brand like M-audio fast track ultra 8?

Why more that 8, a drumm kit will eat all of the inputs.
 
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