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24-input interface for recording/tracking studio


TomHoward

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Evening all,

 

I'm looking to replace the audio interface in a school recording studio.

So the thing is, I really want it as simple as possible. What I'd really like is a 24-input or so interface, maybe with XLRs or DSub or anything on the back, and head amps on the front.

Or a 24-line input interface and 24 separate pres. I could then use a mixture of vocal or cheaper pres into the same interface. It would really help if the inputs weren't on the front and the pres could rack mount.

 

There are 3 different live rooms and the kids can cope with patching, so patching from pres to interface would be okay.

 

It's going into a older style Mac Pro tower so could be USB, firewire or PCI-e.

 

It's a Midas Venice F32 being replaced and although it would be lovely if the students used the desk as anything other than just head amps and interface, they don't. The mix down in software, they do monitor mixing and PFL in software, so the desk causes more routing problems than it solves. Plus it's drivers aren't supported any more with Catalina / Big Sur so it's giving us real headache on all fronts.

 

Any suggestions on combinations of pres / interfaces welcome.

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So having had a look I like the look of the Motu 24Ai, if it works with Big Sur. 24 analogue ins all on Phoenix block.

 

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Paired up with a couple of different 8ch pre-amps and some single vocal ones maybe. But there might be some units with preamps - USB interface all in one.

I don't think this could be done cheaper than a X32-rack but I'd rather not go that way as control is difficult.

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Sine you mentioned it, I’ve got an X32 Rack in my home setup.

 

Once it was configured, I haven’t had to touch it much. Admittedly, it’s mainly keyboards plugged into it, via a TRS patchbay with vocals now and then thru a few dedicated XLR lines..

If all EQ and stuff is in the box, it’s cheap and sounds good enough for me. Gain/trim and routing is easy enough with the app on the Mac or iPad.

 

Four outputs are sent to a headphone amp from a template in Logic, matrix sends from LR at unity to a sub and monitors. Only thing I really touch is the main volume.

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The studio has a Presonus Central Station for talkback etc and headphone amp - the template in Logic is what we do, one stereo channel of the F32 is routed to headphones and one stereo channel for monitoring. To be honest this barely needs the desk which is why I’m thinking it’ll be simpler without.

 

The kids tend to move from the studio to own devices / iMacs that all have 2ch Forusrite interfaces on.

 

The Presonus interface looks okay as the connectors are on the back.. but unfortunately the phantom power switches are there too. I’ll have a look for other Adat preamps - to be honest their logic tends to be at 48k so it’s probably enough.

 

It’s certainly cheaper to go ADAT than the Motu... as long as the preamps have ADs too. I’d think about having one nice 8-way pre for most of the tracking and doubling up with cheaper ones for 9-24... very, very rarely is it more than 8ch anyway.

 

The x32 rack would work when controlled over software, if the software were just the pres. If I could find, or write, or even make with an ESP32 and a bank of encoders a remote head amp control with just 24-32 knobs and a Phantom button that might work?

 

On the computers with Scarlet Solos the kids can cope. I just really want to replicate that experience as close as possible.

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If you usually use only 8chs, it might be worth looking at an interface with 8 onboard pres and line ins or ADATs for further preamps.

The students who want to use more than 8 pres are likely the students who will grasp the differences between 1-8 and 9-24.

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That’s a possibility, it could work a long as inputs are still on the back so it can all be racked up nicely & labelled - then it wouldn’t be overly different to just have two different types of preamp.

 

I’m thinking more about the other idea of hiding an X32 Rack and having some compatible control surface for just the head amp gains, and locking it for everything else. I’ve also considered just an S16 into the AES50-USB box but it’s a bit messy.

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I've got a X32 rack. For the last year and a bit it's been in my home studio as I've had no gigs for it and had a load of drum parts to record. It's a great bit of kit for the money and in my studio handles monitoring, routing, preamps, and basic FX for when I fancy practising bass. I also have the SD card expansion card in mine for location recordings. It is however more mixer than you had not less. If the studio is a 'in the box' studio you're probably better served by an interface than a full on mixer.
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