R/E/P Community

R/E/P => Mastering Dynamics => Topic started by: bblackwood on April 04, 2011, 04:45:06 PM

Title: What interface are you using to get in/out of your DAW?
Post by: bblackwood on April 04, 2011, 04:45:06 PM
Originally Posted by: dietrich on Tue, 09 March 2010

Not talking the end convertors, just which pci, firewire etc box you are using to connect to your DAW.
 
My BLA modified MOTU is having issue and time for replacement.
 
D

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Title: Re: What interface are you using to get in/out of your DAW?
Post by: broyhillio on April 04, 2011, 05:03:51 PM
the weiss afi-1, no complaints.
Title: Re: What interface are you using to get in/out of your DAW?
Post by: pmx on April 04, 2011, 09:03:06 PM
weiss +1, and an 003 for extras
Title: Re: What interface are you using to get in/out of your DAW?
Post by: Allen Corneau on April 04, 2011, 09:16:12 PM
Sadie PCM-8 BOB for main I/O, and an RME Digi96 PAD for multiple sample rate sessions and the excellent DigiCheck metering software.
Title: Re: What interface are you using to get in/out of your DAW?
Post by: John Scrip - MASSIVE Mastering on April 04, 2011, 10:27:36 PM
Lynx AES16.  No complaints for years.  Geez, I've had it for what seems like forever...
Title: Re: What interface are you using to get in/out of your DAW?
Post by: jdg on April 04, 2011, 10:39:48 PM
RME HDSPe
Title: Re: What interface are you using to get in/out of your DAW?
Post by: Jerry Tubb on April 05, 2011, 01:00:23 AM
The Lynx AES16e PCIe card has been solid as a rock for me.

Especially when paired with the appropriate driver and firmware.

JT
Title: Re: What interface are you using to get in/out of your DAW?
Post by: Dominick Costanzo on April 05, 2011, 07:28:38 AM
Lynx AES16
Title: Re: What interface are you using to get in/out of your DAW?
Post by: Hermetech Mastering on April 05, 2011, 07:49:38 AM
This is a great resource topic for me, as if I end up with the Crookwood console I want, I am going to need a high quality digital stereo I/O from the PC. Some of these devices mentioned seem slightly overkill for my requirements though. Lots of people seem to like the Lynx and RME, which seem fairly basic and not too expensive.
Title: Re: What interface are you using to get in/out of your DAW?
Post by: jamesp on April 05, 2011, 07:56:23 AM
I'm using an old RME Hammerfall 9636 PCI card. I've made the decision to standardise on ADAT optical and SPDIF co-axial connections to the computer rather than try to handle analogue connections in the computer. I can then use the same A/D and D/A convertors with my Focusrite based laptop setup too if necessary.

James.
Title: Re: What interface are you using to get in/out of your DAW?
Post by: Thomas W. Bethel on April 05, 2011, 08:28:14 AM
An older RME card Digi96 PAD 8 96kHz on two of our computers and a Lynx One on one of our computers. All work GREAT!
Title: Re: What interface are you using to get in/out of your DAW?
Post by: LudwigM on April 05, 2011, 08:55:06 AM
the rme hdspe-aes card with a special multicore to adress all the different converters is running great since a few years in my system.
Title: Re: What interface are you using to get in/out of your DAW?
Post by: Greg Reierson on April 05, 2011, 09:28:48 AM
Lynx AES16 and Lynx Two (B).


GR
Title: Re: What interface are you using to get in/out of your DAW?
Post by: ggidluck on April 05, 2011, 10:09:10 AM
RME Multiface. Can use the PCI card in a desktop or Hammerfall cardbus card in the laptop to connect to it.
Title: Re: What interface are you using to get in/out of your DAW?
Post by: bblackwood on April 05, 2011, 10:58:45 AM
Eight-plus years of RME Digi96 use here. Zero issues, zero complaints (except they don't appear to make drivers for anything past WinXP)...
Title: Re: What interface are you using to get in/out of your DAW?
Post by: subvert on April 05, 2011, 12:22:00 PM
Used to be RME with digiface, now Prism Orpheus and using the built in converters
Title: Re: What interface are you using to get in/out of your DAW?
Post by: Cass Anawaty on April 05, 2011, 01:17:48 PM
AES16 (2)
Title: Re: What interface are you using to get in/out of your DAW?
Post by: jamesp on April 06, 2011, 08:33:34 AM
Eight-plus years of RME Digi96 use here. Zero issues, zero complaints (except they don't appear to make drivers for anything past WinXP)...

I thought that this was the case with my 9636 but I notice that RME now say that the XP driver (V2.11) will also work in the 32 bit version of Windows 7 but only in ASIO mode.

James.
Title: Re: What interface are you using to get in/out of your DAW?
Post by: adamgonsa on April 06, 2011, 04:50:03 PM
I just got an AES16eSRC and love it so far.
Title: Re: What interface are you using to get in/out of your DAW?
Post by: bblackwood on April 06, 2011, 05:00:57 PM
I thought that this was the case with my 9636 but I notice that RME now say that the XP driver (V2.11) will also work in the 32 bit version of Windows 7 but only in ASIO mode.

James.
Interesting info, thanks. I'm thinking I'll be buying / building a new DAW soon, so this may be useful info (though I'll still probably have to replace them as they're all PCI)...
Title: Re: What interface are you using to get in/out of your DAW?
Post by: Noah Mintz Mastering on April 07, 2011, 10:13:54 AM
I use a Lynx One and a Lynx 16. The beauty of that is that they run different ASIO drivers so they run completely independently. I have a sequoia loaded for each. One for playback and one for record. No issues with different sample rates.
Title: Re: What interface are you using to get in/out of your DAW?
Post by: Gold on April 07, 2011, 11:35:59 AM
RME AES32 and Lynx2 with LAES card. One for pitch and the other for catch.
Title: Re: What interface are you using to get in/out of your DAW?
Post by: saint on April 08, 2011, 10:48:22 AM
Lynx Aurora 16's into an HD3 system. BTW, their internal clock (if you don't have a great outboard word clock such as the Antelope Atomic Clock) is one of the very best I have ever heard. Actually beats the Big Ben. Was designed by the same guy that originally made the Ardsync (& then went on to invent the Antelope Isocrone Rubidium Clock that RULES today!), which if you don't work higher than 96K rates is still the best most affordable clock out there. Have to go to ebay, though.
Title: Re: What interface are you using to get in/out of your DAW?
Post by: bblackwood on April 11, 2011, 12:25:12 PM
*temporary bump while thread porting from old forums happens*
Title: Re: What interface are you using to get in/out of your DAW?
Post by: saint on April 21, 2011, 07:52:35 PM
Lynx Aurora 16's. Excellent and un-hyped sound. If you don't have an Atomic clock, their internal clock is AWESOME and was designed by the same person who came up with the original ArdSync and the Atomic Clock!
Title: Re: What interface are you using to get in/out of your DAW?
Post by: aleatoric on April 21, 2011, 08:28:17 PM
M-Audio Profire 2626.  Surprisingly no complaints, driver issues or otherwise, the thing has been rock solid for me.  The reason I use this interface is so I can run Pro-Tools M-Powered on my PPC G5 (Pro-Tools 9 is not supported on PPC so I am stuck with either using a Digidesign or M-Audio interface and running Pro-Tools 8 until I get a Mac Pro and upgrade to Pro-Tools 9).  I still occasionally get film sound work in (what I did before I got into mastering) and having Pro-Tools is essential for that.  For mastering I am running Reaper and WaveBurner, although Pro-Tools has come in handy a number of times for the rare complicated editing task in mastering.   

Setup is Mytek 96 DAC and Mytek 96 ADC on Spdif and the Optical Toslink output for monitoring feeding my Benchmark DAC1.  Never used the analog in's and out's on the Profire 2626, nor do I have any desire too.  It is essentially an overly complex digital I/O for my needs that doubles as a Pro-Tools M-Powered dongle.
Title: Re: What interface are you using to get in/out of your DAW?
Post by: Hermetech Mastering on April 22, 2011, 08:55:58 PM
Quick question: If I was to use somethign with a USB connection, such as the Lavry DA11 or Grace Design M903 monotor controller/DAC/headphone amp combos out there, would that bypass the necessity for a separate digital interface/PCI card for the PC?
Title: Re: What interface are you using to get in/out of your DAW?
Post by: Treelady on April 23, 2011, 09:05:37 AM
Quick question: If I was to use somethign with a USB connection, such as the Lavry DA11 or Grace Design M903 monotor controller/DAC/headphone amp combos out there, would that bypass the necessity for a separate digital interface/PCI card for the PC?

If the Lavry box gives you enough I/O, you would not necessarily need an extra interface.  You'll see people here with multiple cards or 32-channel cards because:

1. Some people pitch at one sample rate and catch at another (usually requires two different cards)
2. Having many i/o "pipes" on a card can alleviate the need for a router (e.g. Z-Sys, TC System 6000) - depending on the routing software of the card and your needs, of course.
3. Some people feed more than their chains with AES signal.  For example: monitor system, metering system, external reverb, digital boxes that aren't always in the chain, another room in the studio...
Title: Re: What interface are you using to get in/out of your DAW?
Post by: Hermetech Mastering on April 23, 2011, 06:16:42 PM
Thanks, that makes a lot of sense.
Title: Re: What interface are you using to get in/out of your DAW?
Post by: Randyman... on April 27, 2011, 10:12:04 PM
RME HDSP MADI PCI > SSL Alpahlink MADI AX (via MADI Optical).  Then I patch a second SSL Alpahlink AX (ADAT only) into the 1st Alpahlink MADI AX for a full 48 analog I/O over MADI (32 I/O @ 96K).  Upgraded from RME Digiface and RME ADI-8 Pro setup - I like the SSL converters better...

RME 's hardware and drivers have been rock solid across a good 10 or so RME products in my DAW lifetime.  I almost went with the SSL MADI I/O card, but I'm glad I stuck with RME HDSP...

Never owned any USB or Firewire interfaces and don't ever plan on it.  PCI/PCIe or bust   8)
Title: Re: What interface are you using to get in/out of your DAW?
Post by: chai t on May 02, 2011, 09:52:51 PM
Anybody chiming in on metric halo interfaces?
Title: Re: What interface are you using to get in/out of your DAW?
Post by: bkuijt on May 03, 2011, 07:24:36 AM
Anybody chiming in on metric halo interfaces?

I'd have bought one by now if they had windows drivers
Title: Re: What interface are you using to get in/out of your DAW?
Post by: Table Of Tone on May 03, 2011, 06:20:48 PM
Lynx AES16e for PB (Mac Pro)
Lynx L22 for capture (AudioCube)
Title: Re: What interface are you using to get in/out of your DAW?
Post by: Tim Boyce on May 03, 2011, 07:19:23 PM
Yup.

 Metric Halo/Sonic Studios, and RME here.


   I too used to be a PC kid . . .   I actually bought a mac (or 3) just so I could use the MH boxes.
Title: Re: What interface are you using to get in/out of your DAW?
Post by: chai t on May 10, 2011, 04:09:38 AM
so what do you think of them so far, tim? which interface did you get? i bought a 2882 last year and my laptop/logic/2882 system trumps my PT HD/192 system. it's so good i can't believe it's not more popular.
Title: Re: What interface are you using to get in/out of your DAW?
Post by: pgisclair on May 13, 2011, 11:05:36 PM
Lynx AES16e.  Rock Solid here.   8)
Title: Re: What interface are you using to get in/out of your DAW?
Post by: KAyo on May 17, 2011, 04:43:26 PM
Hmm, that's a lot of RME's here. :P

Me too, I am using RME 800FW here. Stable and crisp.

Ciao'
KAyo
Title: Re: What interface are you using to get in/out of your DAW?
Post by: bkuijt on May 17, 2011, 06:39:59 PM
Another RME AES-32 with Pyramix or Wavelab and a Mykerinos/Pyramix system overhere.
Zero problems with the hardware.
I really like AES connections for their patchabilty and robustness.

I'd keep an RME card, even if it was just for the Digicheck metering software.


 
Title: Re: What interface are you using to get in/out of your DAW?
Post by: Jerry Tubb on May 18, 2011, 09:15:44 AM
Just a quick note to my friends on the forum.

Yesterday I installed Pro Tools 9 on my Snow Leopard Mac Pro mastering DAW for occasional multitrack needs.

Upon boot, PT9 immediately worked with the Lynx AES16e card without any configuration, using the settings I already had with the Lynx mixer and soundBlade. No PT hardware needed, I started recording immediately, glitch free.

I was impressed, it was the easiest thing ~ever~ in 25 years of DAW installations, was expecting a hassle, but none appeared!

Another round of mega-kudos for Lynx (and er Avid I suppose for jail-breaking PT).

JT
Title: Re: What interface are you using to get in/out of your DAW?
Post by: Tim Boyce on May 18, 2011, 06:56:37 PM
@chai t

 sorry for the long delay in response. Just saw your post.

I use a ULN8 at the studio, and a Sonic 302 at home.

I had a ULN2 and 2882 before that. (both legacy, then upgraded to 2D). 


I like the routing ability. It does things I haven't seen any other system do. (well I have, but not as easily).

RME total mix can behave similarly, but it's still not as flexible as the MH 2D mixer.


I like the +DSP effects, and can program lots of parallel sends, and custom stuff. Sounds great. Amazing for mastering, amazing for tracking, amazing for FOH venue processing .. no matter where I find myself, a MIO unit let's me make it better.

I also had a ULN2 and Spectrafoo in a past life on a national tour. Foo'ed a new room everyday .. made system tuning 100 times faster. (get your house delay right, *everything* falls into place). I got to go wander the new town, and actually sit and eat dinner most night. (well, some nights).


MH is my DA, and a DCS is my AD. I just use the RME stuff to get digital into the PC rig. No analog conversion there. The MH stuff just sounds way better.