ADAT. AD DA opinions?

[wickfut]

I plan on expanding my hardware after xmas so just bought a 24 channel PCIe ADAT card for the computer.

So what converters are the best way of getting say 16 channels of synths and effects loops in and out of the computer.

I only record at 24/44.1 and don't need preamps.

options:

Behringer ADA8200. £180 each - would probably upgrade them or they'd blow up after a year so bad investment.

Saffire pro 40 £250 each, firewire intereface that can work standalone. not sure if firewire driver + software works on windows 10 64 to configure stand alone mode?

Ferrorfish Pulse16 £850+ for 16/16 . Looks ok , not much about it online

X32 producer + ADAT card. £1500 , I'd have a fancy flying fader box with comps/eq on everything. probably a pain in the arse to set up though, and would probably die the moment the warranty expires.

Used SSL Alphalink or Lucid 88192 £500-1500

anything else worth looking at, any feedback on what works well and what doesn't?

[whyterabbyt]

IBehringer ADA8200. £180 each - would probably upgrade them or they'd blow up after a year so bad investment.

FWIW, I bought an ADA8000 second-hand, and I'd had it about 7 years when I managed to blow it up. And it was me, not a failure of the unit (accidently switched it to 110V on a 240V mains).

The ADA8200 I replaced it with has been fine for about 2 years now.

[keyman_sam]

I use a motu 828mk2 used. Wonky setup menu, but it seems to do the job. I like the digital gain settings instead of the analog pots in the ADA8000 I had which would be a PITA to deal with (stereo ins with one channel a little louder than the other, etc).

[wickfut]

thanks, I just heard a ADA8200 vs RME demo on youtube and couldn't tell the difference.

Those motus seem to go for cheap too.

Another question, I'm assuming your set up will be similar to what mine will be like, what did you use to monitor? Did you just hit the direct monitor tab in your daw or did you have things routed through mixers?

[Scotty]

I can confirm. I have had a few ADA8000s in my studio and I got 5- 7 years out of them. It is the internal powersupplies that died in 2 cases.

I use presonus digimax mostly now which also fail after 5 to 7 years.

I have also got one ada8200 and it has been solid. For reliability the Behringers are fine.

[HM]

Seccond hand ADA8000 should be made before December 2009 due to the sleep-mode, unless you only track, doo the google,..

Still the supply-issue will remain, many of them die bye age, especially the ones who have had many "on-hours" obviously, its due to a bad design, leaving far to much voltage, and thereby heat, over the regulators, (especially the LM317),..

I just bought 6 x ADA8000 ,.. but all pre-2009 ,.. and only becourse I am able to modify the supplys and cure the heat-issue

ADA8200 should be ok, as far as we know, so far

[lfm]

Don't forget about wordclock as soon as more than one ADAT unit.
And that RME board can have output slot in chassis on computer you have

Possibly if you waste ADAT out to each as well, might do it.
Some units don't offer outputs, and have ADAT inputs - so look into that a bit.

[wickfut]

And that RME board can have output slot in chassis on computer you have

Possibly if you waste ADAT out to each as well, might do it..

I'm not quite sure what you're trying to say here.

I don't own anything by RME if that's what you mean?

[Scotty]

HM: Are the powersupply issues an easy fix or do you have to get into surface mount soldering to address it?

Seccond hand ADA8000 should be made before December 2009 due to the sleep-mode, unless you only track, doo the google,..

Still the supply-issue will remain, many of them die bye age, especially the ones who have had many "on-hours" obviously, its due to a bad design, leaving far to much voltage, and thereby heat, over the regulators, (especially the LM317),..

I just bought 6 x ADA8000 ,.. but all pre-2009 ,.. and only becourse I am able to modify the supplys and cure the heat-issue

ADA8200 should be ok, as far as we know, so far

[Scotty]

HM: Are the powersupply issues an easy fix or do you have to get into surface mount soldering to address it?

Seccond hand ADA8000 should be made before December 2009 due to the sleep-mode, unless you only track, doo the google,..

Still the supply-issue will remain, many of them die bye age, especially the ones who have had many "on-hours" obviously, its due to a bad design, leaving far to much voltage, and thereby heat, over the regulators, (especially the LM317),..

I just bought 6 x ADA8000 ,.. but all pre-2009 ,.. and only becourse I am able to modify the supplys and cure the heat-issue

ADA8200 should be ok, as far as we know, so far

[lfm]

And that RME board can have output slot in chassis on computer you have

Possibly if you waste ADAT out to each as well, might do it..

I'm not quite sure what you're trying to say here.

I don't own anything by RME if that's what you mean?

Wordclock is often addon boards - and would require an output slot on back of computer - inhibiting using that card slot for anything else.

Just assumed you had RME, why did you leave out brand/model?

If you have the bnc connector usually for wordclock you are fine to extend with many ADAT's.

[wickfut]

Just assumed you had RME, why did you leave out brand/model?

If you have the bnc connector usually for wordclock you are fine to extend with many ADAT's.

I didn't think it was important as I was enquiring about what ADAT converters people used rather than how to set mine up.

I already have a channel strip with A/D running with word clock , probably a hand full of spare BNC cables knocking about too so that's not an issue.

I've bought two more pcie cards which are currently on route from Belgium to piggy back with my current pcie card. (so within the next day or so I'll have 2x Seraph AD2 cards and a Seraph A3 card)

I just need to source 16 or 24 channels of ADDA ADAT, 6 5m long toslink cables and a 4 header 14 pin ribbon cable for the cards.