Fireface 800 - Some questions

[chaosmonger]

Hi Guys!

I have a FF800 and I have a couple questions about it. Have in mind that I'm a noob and I still haven't used it to its full potential (just some bedroom recording).

1.- As far as I know, the 800 has a total of 10 analog inputs; however, everytime someone talks about its features on forums such as this, they speak about 8 x An. ins/ 8 x An. outs. What's the real deal? ... I mean, can I use, let's say, channels 7, 8, 9 & 10 from the front panel (using the built-in mic pres) and channels 1,2,3,4,5 & 6 from the rear panel (of course using external mic pres) to record simultaneously a total of 10 tracks using only the analog inputs?????

I'd like to use as many analog inputs as possible, given that the FF is known for it's good A/D converters (and also due to an ADA8000 being my only alternative as an ADAT 8-mic pre ... I guess both the conversion and pres are not on the same league).


2.- When I connect my FMR RNP into any of the rear inputs of the FF, I have to tweak the gain knob of the preamp VERY low to prevent from clipping on the FF. This happens no matter how I set the input level of the FF. This way I feel like I'm missing something from the preamp, which is set "a little bit too much" below its clipping point.

Any ideas to improve this? (I know I can use the front panel line inputs, which have a gain knob, but the idea is to use the RNP together with the front panel preamps).

feel free to crush any misconceptions I could have, and to laugh at my noob-ness

Thanks in advance!

Igor

 

[ElektricEyez]

You could get another interface, that has lightpipe out, like a mixer or another 8 channel strip of mic pre's like the PreSonus DigiMax FS 8-Channel, or the M-Audio Octane 8-Channel and then feed them into the ADAT Lightpipe input of the Fireface for more inputs.

 

[Torniojaws]

I don't know where I got this from, but this is what I found when I was looking for how to connect an external preamp to the Fireface 400:

Use balanced XLR +4dBu out to TRS line in set to +4dBu reference level.

Does that mean I need a balanced XLR to TRS (stereo type jack) cable?
Yes, that's the exact cable you need.

Can I simply use an XLR to XLR and set the FF400 input gain to 0? Or would this still make use of the FF400 preamps?
That would indeed run thru the FF400 preamps, and it's not advisable to do with line signals.

Edit:
Ahh, from Gearslutz:
http://www.gearslutz.com/board/low-end-theory/106315-help-connecting-mic-preamp-fireface.html