Nothing at this end of the market is class compliant but some manufacturers are much better than others. RME in particular support their products for a very long time.
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Lots and lots of IO needed.
- Thread starter 1231rq32r1qw32r
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AVB:
Audio Video Bridging. It is a method of doing audio over Ethernet. For a variety of reasons it has not taken off widely. However it is used by various companies as a point to point connection such MOTU to connect their current interfaces and by AVID to connect the ProTools Carbon. RME also have some AVB connected products.
macOS has built in support for AVB
Dante:
Is a proprietary audio over Ethernet technology which is now standard in the Pro Audio world especially the live sound world. It is developed by Audinate. You can connect a normal PC to a Dante network using Dante Virtual Sound Card which is a relatively cheap piece of software.
Companies such as Focusrite and Ferrofish make Dante connected AD converters.
MADI
Multi-channel Audio Digital Interface, standardised by AES way back in 1991 and runs over coax or more recently fibre. Mostly hit in the broadcast industry as they could run it over existing coax installs for video.
To connect to a computer an interface is needed for example an RME MADIface which connects to a computer using USB presents MADI over coax.
Looking at your requirements I recommend one or more MOTU 24AI.
If you have a single unit then it is class compliant connected via USB. As noted by others if you want more inputs and to combine multiple units you'll need to connect it via Ethernet. This out to be plug and play if you use a dedicated Ethernet dongle connected to your mac just for this.
Dante, of course.
You have plenty of modules or interfaces that are Dante compatible, nowadays.
I use it with a Focusrite RedNet 3, as an example, which can interface 32 ADAT I/Os to Dante in 48kHz.
Than any ADAT interface will work.
But you may also find plenty of stage boxes from different brands that are Dante compatible.
Or Mic preamps, like the RME Mic12 D or the Millennia HV316...
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It's not an audio interface, but OP might be interested.
www.flockaudio.com
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Dante is a proprietary protocol but uses fully standard network switches and can run on a LAN at the same time than your normal activity.
AVB is an open standard... but requires special switches (IEEE 802.1Q and IEEE 802.1AS compliant)
Which, in my opinion, is not the right philosophy.
Hence why AVB hasn't taken off, in general certified switches are expensive and usually require extra software licenses on top of buying the expensive switch.
Dante on the other hand works over most switches.
I use a lot of Dante usually using the Cisco 'Business' range of switches.
I use the Cisco Small Business manageable switches. They are cheap and perfomant.
I can recommend a RME UFX+
. It works like a charm, I have a 64 AES channels converter attached via MADI and another 16 DA.
You can find the old RME converters on eBay for way cheaper and they are excellent perf with very high reliability.
The newer version have AVB or Dante and are marginally better SINAD wise.
. It works like a charm, I have a 64 AES channels converter attached via MADI and another 16 DA.
You can find the old RME converters on eBay for way cheaper and they are excellent perf with very high reliability.
The newer version have AVB or Dante and are marginally better SINAD wise.
OP
1231rq32r1qw32r
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Hello again all! I think what I'm going to do is get a MOTU 24AI and a few Behringer ADA8200s to bulk it out. Seems to be the best value for money. The only caveat I see is that it'll max out at 48Khz, but that's enough really.
EDIT: To clarify - I'm hoping for the following -> USB -> Motu 24AI -> ADAT -> 3x Behringer ADA8200.
This should give me a usable 48 In x 24 Out - am I correct? It appears to be audio class compliant which is a big deal for me. And also, the total cost of the set up is only ~£1500 which is incredible value.
EDIT: To clarify - I'm hoping for the following -> USB -> Motu 24AI -> ADAT -> 3x Behringer ADA8200.
This should give me a usable 48 In x 24 Out - am I correct? It appears to be audio class compliant which is a big deal for me. And also, the total cost of the set up is only ~£1500 which is incredible value.
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Blumlein 88
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Well it was your insistence on a single box that so constrained everyone's suggestions. I might have suggest something similar from the outset.
Also looking at the Motu 24 AI, it doesn't have any microphone preamps (maybe that works) as it has room for multiple balanced line level inputs. So with 3 ADA8200's, you would only have enough for 24 microphone channels. Again that might be fine if your other inputs are already line level.
OP
1231rq32r1qw32r
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I don’t think I insisted in a single box, but it was my preference. Also, a MOTU 24 AI will function as a single box, just with fewer IO.
I don’t care about mic preamps at all, would prefer not to have them inline actually.
Blumlein 88
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I want a single solution- I don’t want an interface and external converters I have enough gear to look after
Okay, my misunderstanding. Also you didn't say anything about mic preamps, but I assumed you would want those so bad assumption.
OP
1231rq32r1qw32r
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- #33
Hey all!
Just seen this: https://www.presonus.com/products/NSB-32.16
Am I correct in thinking that I can plug this into the network port on my Mac and it’ll be seen as a 32x16 audio device?!
This looks amazing.
Two questions that I can’t find an answer to - do I need additional hardware for this to work? And is it expandable? Ie, can I run a couple of these?
Just seen this: https://www.presonus.com/products/NSB-32.16
Am I correct in thinking that I can plug this into the network port on my Mac and it’ll be seen as a 32x16 audio device?!
This looks amazing.
Two questions that I can’t find an answer to - do I need additional hardware for this to work? And is it expandable? Ie, can I run a couple of these?
OP
1231rq32r1qw32r
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- #34
I apologise, I’ve been super busy (and hence distracted) the past couple of weeks. My fault for posting such contrasting requirements
Sadly while theoretically it uses AVB practically that unit is only useful with a Presonus Studio Live mixer.
OP
1231rq32r1qw32r
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Damn, what a shame that is :-(
Oh well, the MOTU 24AI and some Behringer 8200 units will have to do.
Oh well, the MOTU 24AI and some Behringer 8200 units will have to do.
recycle
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My experience is to stay away from the ADA82000: bad pre's, channel bleeding and clock inconsistencies. Raise the budget and choose something better, there are many better alternatives on the market
OP
1231rq32r1qw32r
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Do you have measurements somewhere?
recycle
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Unfortunately I can't find any ADA8200 reviews with measurements, but I've heard that its preamps are the same as the X32 mixer, here's the full review:
Behringer X32 Measurements (Digital Mixing Console)
This is my 'review' of the Behringer X32 (Compact), one of the most popular Pro Mixing Consoles in the live sound business. It's a 32 channel desk (hence the name) with 23 local (analog) inputs and 16 outputs. It comes with a USB expansion card, which made it possible to test its ADC and DAC...
www.audiosciencereview.com
Spoiler: the measurements confirm what I had already noticed: they are not so great
OP
1231rq32r1qw32r
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Unfortunately I can't find any ADA8200 reviews with measurements, but I've heard that its preamps are the same as the X32 mixer, here's the full review:
Behringer X32 Measurements (Digital Mixing Console)
This is my 'review' of the Behringer X32 (Compact), one of the most popular Pro Mixing Consoles in the live sound business. It's a 32 channel desk (hence the name) with 23 local (analog) inputs and 16 outputs. It comes with a USB expansion card, which made it possible to test its ADC and DAC...
Spoiler: the measurements confirm what I had already noticed: they are not so great
Those measurements look more than good enough to my eyes. I’ll be recording line level and frankly, these measurements will not be the limiting factor in my recordings.
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