Using my current preamps...

[Melodeath]

My current audio interface (preamps and ADC DAC etc) is the Alesis io26. It's got 8 mic pre's, which is great, but at some point I'm going to want to upgrade and get more preamps so I can put more mics on a drum kit, among other things.

I will probably get some preamps that are of higher quality than the ones in the io26, and the preamps may include a higher quality ADC as well. Now, in order to utilize the new preamps as well as those in my io26, I could just get another interface and hook them both up to my computer. Very do-able. However, what if I want to use the new preamps, the io26 preamps, and run them both through the superior ADC? Is there a way to do that, considering the io26 has ADAT in, but not ADAT out?

I know I will eb able to hook up the superior preamps to the io26 by goign to the ADAT in, and I know I could hook up anothe rinterface in addition to my io26, and I knwo I could send my io26 preamp signals directly into the Line In (if it has it for each channel) jacks on the new preamps/ADC from the io26 outputs, BUT is there a way to use the io26 preamps in conjunction with the new preamps, while still using the new ADC?

thanks a lot

 

[JeffTD]

Yeah, just run the ADAT out from the new preamp (has to have onboard ADC) to the ADAT in on your io26.

 

[Melodeath]

but then I'd be using the io26 ADC, no?

Perhaps I've confused myself.

 

[JeffTD]

ADAT is already digital... the internal preamps on the io26 would use the io26's ADC, but the external preamps (granted they had an ADAT out) would use the ADC on that specific preamp.

 

[Disconnekt]

ADAT is already digital... the internal preamps on the io26 would use the io26's ADC, but the external preamps (granted they had an ADAT out) would use the ADC on that specific preamp.

...plus, everything (io26 preamps included) would be clocked to the superior ADC, and that should improve the quality of the io26's conversion. Someone bitch slap me if I'm wrong.

 

[Melodeath]

Thanks for the info

I may be way off here, but are the preamps in the io26 analog, and then comes the ADC, or is the ADC integrated into the preamps? If the ADC comes after, is there some way to run the preamps into the superior ADC of another unit?

I assume the preamps are analog and then the ADC comes after, since the io26 has a line-out for each preamp/input.

Disconnekt, I see you are from Falls Church? I'm from McLean

 

[Metaltastic]

I assume the preamps are analog and then the ADC comes after, since the io26 has a line-out for each preamp/input.

You assume correct.

If the ADC comes after, is there some way to run the preamps into the superior ADC of another unit?

Probably not, unless there are inserts for each preamp, which are usually unbalanced TRS jacks, with the tip being a "send" that you could use for a preamp output.

 

[Melodeath]

There are inserts for each preamp on the io26

Did you mean inserts on the new preamp? I believe the inserts on the io26 are used to bypass the preamps altogether and go straight to the ADC. Are you saying I could use them as an output? Output into what exactly?

Thanks

 

[Melodeath]

I think I really had confused myself. The only thing the lack of ADAT Out on the io26 is doing is forcing me to use it as my interface, and its drivers.

So without ADAT Out, there is no way for me to use the io26 preamps only (and nto their ADC), unless the new preamps have line-ins. Furthermore, I could use all the preamps if I simply connect both interfaces/preamps to the computer with firewire. And there is no way to use the ADC of the io26 without using the io26 drivers, since there is no ADAT Out to go into the new preamps.

Does that sound correct?

 

[Metaltastic]

Well I'm not certain as to exactly what your planned purchases are, but you have two choices - either get some pres with built-in A/D (Mackie Onyx 800R being pretty much the best out there for its price) to run into the Alesis via ADAT, using the Alesis as your interface...

...or, get a new interface with good converters (RME Fireface, for example), and run the Alesis preamps into it (using a TRS - TS + TS cable from the inserts to the analog ins) to get the benefits of the conversion of the FF. The problem there, though, is that you'd be using all the analog in's on your new interface for the preamps on the Alesis, so it wouldn't give you any more analog inputs than you already have. However, the converters would be slightly better, but I think the ones in the Onyx 800R are plenty good, so that'd be my vote.