Drumtracking w/ saffirepro 40 + Motu traveller : chaining order ?

[Lucas D'Angelo]

Hello everyone !

Here is the deal :

I need to go record a band in an other city, and there will be drum tracking.

I have my own little studio with a TDM pro tools but I cannot bring it with me for multiple reasons, it's too big (I don't own a car ) and it actually belongs to my dad ...... and a couple of rackmounted MCI strips (I WILL bring those, pure sex)

But appart from that I only own my good old toneport UX1 (you wouldn't believe what has been recorded through this... Check out the BTM songs - mixed by C.J Wall - in my signature, all D.Is are through this baby haha)

On location there will be a nice room with an isolated control room, all the cable blabla but that's all.

First thing I thought was : OK I'm gonna borrow my friend's MOTU traveller.
Then I realised 8 inputs is going to be a bit short for me.... (I like to have 2 snare tops, a separate hihat / ride mic, at least one room mic.....)
So I thought it might be time for me to get my own 8 channels interface ( with ADAT so in this particular case I could use it + the MOTU ).

After a night raping sneap search and google it seems that with the little money I own right now the Focusrite Saffire Pro 40 is the right choice.

If you have any advice on this one, other similar interface suggestion or whatever, feel free, although I think I read every possible thread mentioning it so I'm pretty sure of my choice.

Question :

In what "order" should I chain those two interfaces ? (MOTU traveller and FOCUSRITE saffire pro 40 ) in other words, which one should I connect to my computer and which one should i use as a "standalone" preamp/converter going to the adat input of the first one ?

I really don't know what I should look for to make this choice.....

The other thing I'm concerned about is the clocking..... I think I can clock them together through ADAT ? (too bad the focusrite doesn't have wordclock in.out :'( )

Last but not least, It seems that there NEVER is a phase flip switch on any FW interfaces' preamp .... Is there any in the built in mixer software ?
Otherwise i'll just throw a phase inversion plugin inside pro tools when needed but it's pretty annoying....


Cheers sneapsters

 

[-Noodles-]

Don't worry too much about clocking. If you're using ADAT, they should be in sync.

Most of the 'lower' end interfaces don't have phase buttons on them - that's why I upgraded to the Saffire 56.
The traveller works well when connected to a mac, and my saffire works great.. so in my experience either works fine. Some guys on this forum have the pro 40 so might be able to get you more information.

hope this helps.

 

[Lucas D'Angelo]

Thanks a lot Noodles !
That's what I thought Both seem to have the reputation to be pretty reliable / stable (i'm on a macbook pro)

If anyone has any thoughts on the subject...... feel free !

Also, is there any major difference between the converters of those two interfaces ? Mostly to choose on which one i'll plug the MCI pres and the mics that are more important etc... (i'll try everything of course, but I'm just curious right now ^^)


Cheers !

 

[Lucas D'Angelo]

Any more advices on the subject ?

 

[Charles J]

hey my lover Lucas!

If it was me, I'd connect the Saffire to the computer and use the MOTO via ADAT. You CAN clock via adat and s/pdif as well. Shouldn't be a problem! IF you get weird clicks and pops with both hooked up just switch the clock source until it's working as it should.

Is this the band you mentioned to me????

Sounds like it's going to be EPICCCCCCCCCCCCCC =D

<3

 

[Lucas D'Angelo]

Thanks dude That's probably what i'm gonna do considering that the saffire is gonna be mine and the MOTU will be borrowed, i want to get used to the software mixer thing etc.


And no, it's not that band i'm going to mix this one myself hehe



PS : ANSWER MY MAIL <3