What are all these outs for?

[Syrinx23]

Hi all, just got turned on to this forum...and it appears to be a goldmine, so I'm stoked. First post ever, here goes:

Completely new to recording. I'm trying to decide on a firewire interface for doing some solo recording (guitar and voice) onto my PC. I'm interested in the Presonus Firebox and Firepod, among some others.

As I check out the different options I'm seeing units that have 10 I/O, 16x12, 18x14 etc....lots of ins and outs - sometimes more inputs than outputs. That many inputs I can understand if you are trying to mic a drumset or record an ensemble, but what exactly are 10 or 20 *outputs* useful for? I think, ok - one runs to a signal processor of some kind, maybe another to the monitors... but beyond that I wouldn't know what to do with them.

I'm sure there is a reason, and I hope you folks can illuminate me.

Thanks in advance!

 

[danny.guitar]

Hi all, just got turned on to this forum...and it appears to be a goldmine, so I'm stoked. First post ever, here goes:

Completely new to recording. I'm trying to decide on a firewire interface for doing some solo recording (guitar and voice) onto my PC. I'm interested in the Presonus Firebox and Firepod, among some others.

As I check out the different options I'm seeing units that have 10 I/O, 16x12, 18x14 etc....lots of ins and outs - sometimes more inputs than outputs. That many inputs I can understand if you are trying to mic a drumset or record an ensemble, but what exactly are 10 or 20 *outputs* useful for? I think, ok - one runs to a signal processor of some kind, maybe another to the monitors... but beyond that I wouldn't know what to do with them.

I'm sure there is a reason, and I hope you folks can illuminate me.

Thanks in advance!

The more inputs, the more separate tracks you can record in your software. Sure, you could get a mixer and record a whole drumset onto a track, but that would just be ONE track. The drums would have to be mixed on the mixer and then recorded onto a single stereo track, from where you cannot re-mix it.

For vocals/guitar, I would recommend a 2-track (input) interface. Maybe 4 if you ever think that you might need more than 2.

I use the M-Audio Audiophile 24/96. The quality seems great and if I ever do decide I need another 2 tracks, I can just get another one and link the two together.

There are of course, other cards out there but I'm really happy with this one.

 

[Bulls Hit]

Having spare outputs is useful. You can output to a seperate amp to see how you mix sounds on other gear, you can create different headphone submixes, you might want to send some tracks through some outboard gear or an amp & rerecord them....lots of potential uses

 

[Kevin Deschwazi]

Lots of outs are also required for analog summing.

And not all ins/outs are analog ins/outs either.

eg. the M Audio "1814" consists of 8 analog , 8 adat , 1 midi and 1 spdif to give you your "18" inputs and then 4 analog, 8 adat, 1 midi and 1 spdif to give you your "14" outs. Analog ins/outs is actually 8/4.

Make sure you know how many useable ins/outs you're actually getting (not to say you won't have a use for adat, midi, spdif etc).

 

[Robert D]

Lots of outs are also required for analog summing.

You may know this term already, but seeing as you are a newb, you might not. What he means is that the tracks are mixed onto a stereo buss outside the computer. That may mean going out to an analog mixer and doing all the mixing on it, or it may mean doing eq, effects, etc. in the DAW mixer, but sending the eqd, processed tracks out individually to a summing box. Many feel that analog summing is superior to digital summing.

 

[amra]

Also, multiple outs are also useful for real time sends/returns for outboard proccessors or other gear....