Lots and lots of IO needed.

[1231rq32r1qw32r]

Hello everyone! This topic may not be suited to ASR, but I respect the feedback from people here more than that of other forums.

To cut to the chase, I run a small recoding studio. I hate patchbays. I would like all my gear connected at once and I would manage the IO and routing via software DAW.

Does anyone have recommendations for an audio interface with a lot of IO? I’d prefer a modular setup - where I could add addition IO as needed. 48IO would likely do but I’m interested in options.

I’m working exclusively on MacOS but I don’t think that makes any difference nowadays

 

[KSTR]

RME has 32 channel DA and AD units with AVB and MADI interface

 

[1231rq32r1qw32r]

Are they expandable beyond 32IO? Also, wouldn’t MADI mean I’d need additional converters?

I’m looking to have at least 32 analogue inputs and outputs. My previous setup was 3x MOTU 24IOs, which game me 72 discreet ins and outs (if my math checks out ). I moved away from it because MOTU left the drivers in the dust.

 

[staticV3]

Browsing though Thomann, it looks like Antelope is the only option: Link
They have models with 32 and 64 Analog I/O

 

[1231rq32r1qw32r]

Browsing though Thomann, it looks like Antelope is the only option: Link
They have models with 32 and 64 Analog I/O

Thanks for looking. I’ve never heard of Antelope before but it looks good. Bit pricy, mind but could be worth it

 

[KSTR]

Are they expandable beyond 32IO? Also, wouldn’t MADI mean I’d need additional converters?

Yes (you can use multiple units), and yes, you need a MADI or AVB interface to connect to.
Sadly, the M32Pro DA is non-stock at the moment (semiconductor crisis) but the older M32 DA is still available

 

[1231rq32r1qw32r]

Yes (you can use multiple units), and yes, you need a MADI or AVB interface to connect to.
Sadly, the M32Pro DA is non-stock at the moment (semiconductor crisis) but the older M32 DA is still available

Thank you for clarifying. I want a single solution- I don’t want an interface and external converters I have enough gear to look after

 

[staticV3]

@peniku8 have you worked with Antelope gear before? Are there perhaps better alternatives for loads of analog I/O in a single box?

 

[KSTR]

Thank you for clarifying. I want a single solution- I don’t want an interface and external converters I have enough gear to look after

Then stuff like Antelope Galaxy 64 is your only option, or anything else with USB3 or (multiple) Thunderbolt

 

[1231rq32r1qw32r]

There’s also the MOTU 24AO and 24 AI, anyone have experience with those?

 

[chelgrian]

There’s also the MOTU 24AO and 24 AI, anyone have experience with those?

You could ask this question on gearspace.com as well.

Do you have latency requirements? That is to say are you using this setup for playing a set of tracks back while recording another one?

What is the total number of IOs you think you will ever need?

There are a variety of other options at a variety of price points some of which are less obvious and/or you won't find on thomann.

Specifically:

Digital Audio Denmark AX64 fully loaded with analogue IO cards.

Two Ferrofish A32 Dante connected either using Dante Virtual a Soundcard or, for lower latency, an RME Digiface Dante.

As you point out two MOTU 24 boxes on a AVB network.

 

[peniku8]

@peniku8 have you worked with Antelope gear before? Are there perhaps better alternatives for loads of analog I/O in a single box?

If you asked me, I could've sworn that Antelope was only MacOC compatible. Seems like that is not the case (anymore?). I have no experience with them, we use RME in the studio.
If Antelope is "a bit pricey", then I guess RME won't be an option anyways.
Before this topic continues, OP should clarify what they want, because

I’d prefer a modular setup - where I could add addition IO as needed.

and

I want a single solution- I don’t want an interface and external converters I have enough gear to look after

is a contradiction.
If you want something modular and the aforementioned MadifaceXT+M-32 Pro combination is too expensive (~9500€ for 32 in 32 out plus an expansion to 64x64 would cost another 9500), you could look into Antelope as Static said, which seem to offer 32in 32out for 3000€, but I don't know how integrated their devices are and how easy it is to expand. DigiGrid is kinda weird with the IOC offering a lot of channels, but most of them are AES. But it's easily scalable. MADI would need a MADI router (expensive) if you want it to be scalable really. Maybe Ferrofish with MADI bridge via RME would be decent.
A few people on AVS use MOTU as their I/O for multi channel cinema systems, but there again I don't know how scalable it is. UA can be chained via TB, but it's very expensive (7500€ for 32x32)

 

[1231rq32r1qw32r]

You could ask this question on gearspace.com as well.

Do you have latency requirements? That is to say are you using this setup for playing a set of tracks back while recording another one?

What is the total number of IOs you think you will ever need?

There are a variety of other options at a variety of price points some of which are less obvious and/or you won't find on thomann.

Specifically:

Digital Audio Denmark AX64 fully loaded with analogue IO cards.

Two Ferrofish A32 Dante connected either using Dante Virtual a Soundcard or, for lower latency, an RME Digiface Dante.

As you point out two MOTU 24 boxes on a AVB network.

I don’t have strict latency requirements. Non variable latency is all I need. I’ll compensate for it in the DAW. Any audio interface of the last 15 years has had low enough latency to suit my needs.

I don’t have any experience with MADI or AVB, I’m wary of those solutions at the moment.

 

[Blumlein 88]

If you asked me, I could've sworn that Antelope was only MacOC compatible. Seems like that is not the case (anymore?). I have no experience with them, we use RME in the studio.
If Antelope is "a bit pricey", then I guess RME won't be an option anyways.
Before this topic continues, OP should clarify what they want, because

and

is a contradiction.
If you want something modular and the aforementioned MadifaceXT+M-32 Pro combination is too expensive (~9500€ for 32 in 32 out plus an expansion to 64x64 would cost another 9500), you could look into Antelope as Static said, which seem to offer 32in 32out for 3000€, but I don't know how integrated their devices are and how easy it is to expand. DigiGrid is kinda weird with the IOC offering a lot of channels, but most of them are AES. But it's easily scalable. MADI would need a MADI router (expensive) if you want it to be scalable really. Maybe Ferrofish with MADI bridge via RME would be decent.
A few people on AVS use MOTU as their I/O for multi channel cinema systems, but there again I don't know how scalable it is. UA can be chained via TB, but it's very expensive (7500€ for 32x32)

I have a smaller Antelope Zen Tour. Works over Thunderbolt 2 or USB 2. Windows or Mac. The larger ones do as well.

 

[Blumlein 88]

I'm not sure what you mean by modular if you are insisting on a single box. Focusrite RedNet devices work over Dante. Controllable over a network. You'd have different boxes for different reasons. Sounds like a good idea in the studio to me as you still control it all remotely via software. Definitely modular as you add or subtract devices from the network as needed. I'd worry if everything runs into one single audio interface that if anything happens you are completely dead in the water.

The Antelope Audio Galaxy 64 also includes Dante if you needed to add onto it later.

Merging+Horus would do what you want and maybe the modularity you had in mind. You have up to 6 cards which can do various functions. One of which is 8 inputs per card for a total of 48. Not sure the total price, but surly not cheap.

Merging Technologies | Horus Mic Pre & AD/DA Converter with RAVENNA & AES67

Horus is a RAVENNA and AES67 compatible Network Mic Preamp and ADDA converter with operating sample rates from 44.1 to 384kHz DXD/DSD256.

www.merging.com

 

[1231rq32r1qw32r]

I have a smaller Antelope Zen Tour. Works over Thunderbolt 2 or USB 2. Windows or Mac. The larger ones do as well.

So you know if they are class compliant? It was bespoke drivers that killed my last setup, so I’d like to avoid that

 

[1231rq32r1qw32r]

I'm not sure what you mean by modular if you are insisting on a single box. Focusrite RedNet devices work over Dante. Controllable over a network. You'd have different boxes for different reasons. Sounds like a good idea in the studio to me as you still control it all remotely via software. Definitely modular as you add or subtract devices from the network as needed. I'd worry if everything runs into one single audio interface that if anything happens you are completely dead in the water.

The Antelope Audio Galaxy 64 also includes Dante if you needed to add onto it later.

Merging+Horus would do what you want and maybe the modularity you had in mind. You have up to 6 cards which can do various functions. One of which is 8 inputs per card for a total of 48. Not sure the total price, but surly not cheap.

Merging Technologies | Horus Mic Pre & AD/DA Converter with RAVENNA & AES67

Horus is a RAVENNA and AES67 compatible Network Mic Preamp and ADDA converter with operating sample rates from 44.1 to 384kHz DXD/DSD256.

www.merging.com

A single box which works on its own, with the ability to add additional channels if needed. That’s what I consider modular.

What I don’t want is a box that requires other boxes just to work initially.

 

[1231rq32r1qw32r]

There’s a lot of terminology in this topic that I’m not fully familiar with.

AVB, MADI, DANTE etc. Can anyone help with this or point to a resource?

My old system was essentially plug and play. Need another 24 channels? Buy another MOTU 24 IO and plug it in.

 

[Blumlein 88]

There’s a lot of terminology in this topic that I’m not fully familiar with.

AVB, MADI, DANTE etc. Can anyone help with this or point to a resource?

My old system was essentially plug and play. Need another 24 channels? Buy another MOTU 24 IO and plug it in.

I don't have experience with them other than seeing a couple setups. All those are variations on dedicated ethernet networks for music signals. Instead of everything coming back to your studio desk area or monitor room, things are distributed around and each connects via ethernet cable, but you have control of it all from the monitoring room. So you might have a box with mic inputs and AD converters for 16 inputs. You put it out near the microphones in use and a single ethernet cable carries the info back to the monitoring room for you. You put out 4 of them and you have 64 channels. Once you have such a network in place, then yeah, you need some more IO, grab another box and plug it in. I think the maximum channel count with Dante using at least 4 devices is 1024. AVB and MADI are variations on the same idea.

 

[Blumlein 88]

So you know if they are class compliant? It was bespoke drivers that killed my last setup, so I’d like to avoid that

USB 2 class compliant connection is limited to 42 channels at lower sample rates.

Antelope has a bad rep on their driver software. They made changes and claim it is not a problem. In my experience that has been true the last 3 years. They have a bad rep on that however.