Fireface 800, how many simultaneous inputs?

[J.DavisNJ]

I'm researching the Fireface at the moment and some of the tech. jargon is confusing me.

How many mic'd channels can I have at once with this beast?

Including the four XLR inputs/preamps and assuming I buy some external preamps, how many channels of conversion/mic inputs can I have?

Lastly, lets say I use all external preamps...how many simultaneously inputs can I run? Does the same go for external converters?

Thanks guys,

-Joe

 

[Metaltastic]

Yeah, I remember I was a bit confused about this, but it has 10 total analog inputs, 4 of which have preamps, and I think another 16 inputs via 2x ADAT inputs and 2 inputs via SPDIF - 28 in total, so a fucking fuckload to be sure! The FF400 seems the more sane bet honestly; 8 analog inputs (2 of which have preamps), 8 inputs via 1x ADAT input, and again 2 via SPDIF (18 total)

 

[J.DavisNJ]

Yeah, I remember I was a bit confused about this, but it has 10 total analog inputs, 4 of which have preamps, and I think another 16 inputs via 2x ADAT inputs and 2 inputs via SPDIF - 28 in total, so a fucking fuckload to be sure! The FF400 seems the more sane bet honestly; 8 analog inputs (2 of which have preamps), 8 inputs via 1x ADAT input, and again 2 via SPDIF (18 total)

Thanks for the breakdown broski. So would all 28 inputs include conversion as well? I'm a total dumbass when it comes to this sheise.

Yeah, this is more of a long term goal. I don't have the cash right now, but I'm probably going to get it later this year.

-Joe

 

[Metaltastic]

Nah, only the 10 inputs (or 8 in the case of the FF400) are analog and thus have conversion, the others (ADAT and SPDIF) are digital and thus would already have to be converted (e.g. an 8-channel preamp with onboard A/D such as the Presonus Digimax FS)

 

[J.DavisNJ]

Nah, only the 10 inputs (or 8 in the case of the FF400) are analog and thus have conversion, the others (ADAT and SPDIF) are digital and thus would already have to be converted (e.g. an 8-channel preamp with onboard A/D such as the Presonus Digimax FS)

Ah right...makes sense now. Thanks dood!

-Joe

 

[Glenn Fricker]

FWIW, it's a great piece of hardware. Rock solid drivers, flexible cue mixes, hell, it just plain works. No complaints whatsoever with mine.

And yeah, you can run 10 simultaneous analog ins from external preamps.

 

[Kadmium]

FWIW, it's a great piece of hardware. Rock solid drivers, flexible cue mixes, hell, it just plain works. No complaints whatsoever with mine.

+1. I don't think I've ever been more satisfied with a piece of gear.

 

[ElektricEyez]

FWIW, it's a great piece of hardware. Rock solid drivers, flexible cue mixes, hell, it just plain works. No complaints whatsoever with mine.

And yeah, you can run 10 simultaneous analog ins from external preamps.

How do you run the last 2? Is it channels 9 and 10 from the front? Wouldn't they add color from the fireface pre's?

 

[J.DavisNJ]

FWIW, it's a great piece of hardware. Rock solid drivers, flexible cue mixes, hell, it just plain works. No complaints whatsoever with mine.

And yeah, you can run 10 simultaneous analog ins from external preamps.

It seems like a great piece and honestly not that expensive for what you get.

Oz, you use the Apogee Rosetta converters too, correct? Have you ever been able to compare them to the FF800s?

I know a signal chain is only as strong as each part that comprises it, but are the converters of the FF800 good enough to do some API preamps justice?

I don't want to say that the preamp is always more "important" than the converter, but it seems to be the piece of gear that really colors the sound in a pleasing way and is the reason that there are so many different types of preamps out there.

-Joe

 

[Glenn Fricker]

I sold my Apogee. Frankly, the FF800 smoked it.


As for the 2 additional front inputs, use them as "line ins" as opposed to "xlr ins" from your external preamps & you're good to go.

 

[J.DavisNJ]

I sold my Apogee. Frankly, the FF800 smoked it.


As for the 2 additional front inputs, use them as "line ins" as opposed to "xlr ins" from your external preamps & you're good to go.

Really? That's a surprise!

So, you only have 10 analog inputs at a time? Do you need to run more than 10 inouts ever, for drums let's say? What do you use for the extra conversion then?

Thanks, and sorry for the newb questions.

-Joe

 

[jipchen]

Really? That's a surprise!

So, you only have 10 analog inputs at a time? Do you need to run more than 10 inouts ever, for drums let's say? What do you use for the extra conversion then?

Thanks, and sorry for the newb questions.

-Joe

You can use any preamp that has ADAT.
If you want to stick with RME:
http://www.rme-audio.de/en_products_octamic_2.php
(You can connect 2 of these to the FF 800)

 

[J.DavisNJ]

You can use any preamp that has ADAT.
If you want to stick with RME:
http://www.rme-audio.de/en_products_octamic_2.php
(You can connect 2 of these to the FF 800)

Cool, I have been looking into those as well. Thanks for the suggestion!

-Joe

 

[jipchen]

Cool, I have been looking into those as well. Thanks for the suggestion!

-Joe

I don't know how good RME's preamps are, but a german recording-magazine tested interfaces (fireface, presonus firepod, motu 896 etc..) and it said that the preamps of the firepod were better than those of the fireface (they were "good" and the firepod's were "very good").
I don't know if it's true though..
Perhaps OzNimbus can help

Gonna buy the Fireface in august, i'm so excited
I can also do comparison-samples then.. because i will use 6 preamps of the presonus fp-10, as the fireface does only have 4.

 

[J.DavisNJ]

I don't know how good RME's preamps are, but a german recording-magazine tested interfaces (fireface, presonus firepod, motu 896 etc..) and it said that the preamps of the firepod were better than those of the fireface (they were "good" and the firepod's were "very good").
I don't know if it's true though..
Perhaps OzNimbus can help

Gonna buy the Fireface in august, i'm so excited
I can also do comparison-samples then.. because i will use 6 preamps of the presonus fp-10, as the fireface does only have 4.

Ya know, even if the preamps are mediocre in it, it's still a fantastic interface from what I've read. I would probably use those preamps and others if I ever got tired of them. I'm interested in it mainly because of the conversion and the feature set in general.

-Joe

 

[Metaltastic]

I agree with you Joe, but that's why I'd be more interested in the FF400, since you could use the money you saved for, say, an FMR RNP!

 

[J.DavisNJ]

I agree with you Joe, but that's why I'd be more interested in the FF400, since you could use the money you saved for, say, an FMR RNP!

I looked into them too bro, but I would love to have the expanded features of the FF800 to be honest!

-Joe

 

[J.DavisNJ]

Also Marcus, I would probably expand with a couple lunchbox pres when the funds are free!

-Joe

 

[Melodeath]

It seems like a great piece and honestly not that expensive for what you get.

I'm very confused by this logic. The whole reason I never considered the RME gear is how expensive it is compared to other gear that has more features.

 

[Metaltastic]

It's the converters, apparent rock-solid driver stability, and RIDICULOUS software control that make it IMO! (just have a look at the .pdf manual, the amount of shit you can tweak, not to mention the totalmix software, is just nuts)