What interface are you going to move to for Pro Tools 9?

[DigitalMetal]

Putting inserts on an input channel lets you print those effects directly onto the track as its recorded. This way you can parallel record using a totally clean input channel, and a 'dirty' one so you can listen to your recorded guitar tones through your amp sim of choice, without needing 16 or whatever channels running amp sims in real time.

This can be done in PT, to my knowledge, but takes a little bit of routing work, and of course not supporting VST you lose accessibility to some of the better free amp sims out there. I've been considering getting an Axe-FX to get around this though.

Ok, fair enough if thats your workflow , personally ive never had any need to record/commit inserts in a project i always keep everything non destructive until the final stages of the session, but i guess thats my workflow

And FWIW all the free Ampsims work great in the VST2RTAS wrapper its just nebula that doesnt .

 

[jipchen]

The Alphalink seems like a great choice. I'd have done it myself if it wouldn't require ditching my thousands of dollars worth of cables to get DB25 to XLR connectors, not to mention that they run off MADI, whereas I've just invested in a fairly expensive ADAT-based interface. In some ways regretful, in other ways it dawns on me that it's unlikely that I'll be mixing in 96kHz any time in the near future.

Yeah, all this talk about the Alphalink made me google a little and it looks fucking awesome. For 2050€ you get the AlphaLink MADI AX (the one with ADAT) and the MadiXtreme 64 PCIe card. 24 Analogue I/O plus another 24 ADAT channels Nice.
The latency is near to PTHD, and most probably better than a Firewire based interface.

 

[DigitalMetal]

This seems like a good deal:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SSL-XLOGIC-AL...88093?pt=Midi_Controllers&hash=item35aaba137d

I wonder how it compares AD/DA wise to my Black Lion Audio modded MOTU 24io,

Had i not got my MOTU stuff i would have gone for this for sure, i did look at SSL when i sold my PTHD rig but it was mor expensive back then and i needed to recoup some money.

 

[jipchen]

Thomann has got it a bit cheaper http://www.thomann.de/gb/ssl_i_o_bundle.htm .. and again I'm GASing..

 

[DigitalMetal]

Its hard to resist!

 

[Aaron Smith]

I'm leaning either towards an Aurora + some RME card, or doing the Alphalink + MADI XTREME 64. The SSL route does seem to be a very cost-efficient, especially if the conversion is as good as everyone says it is. I have a feeling that SSL wouldn't put out anything bad, with their reputation to uphold and all...

 

[brianhood]

So let me know if i'm missing something:to run the ssl alpha on windows, i'd basically need the DB25-to-XLR breakout cables, the MadiXtreme 64 PCIe card(which is what i'm assuming you connect the entire thing to your computer with, and it comes with it?), and mic preamps. It has converters, and word clock.
How many channels of a/d converters does this have?

anyone know the difference between the Alpha-Link AX and the SX? The "features" and description on sweetwater are the exact same, but the price difference is $800

 

[jipchen]

So let me know if i'm missing something:to run the ssl alpha on windows, i'd basically need the DB25-to-XLR breakout cables, the MadiXtreme 64 PCIe card(which is what i'm assuming you connect the entire thing to your computer with, and it comes with it?), and mic preamps. It has converters, and word clock.
How many channels of a/d converters does this have?

Yes. Up to 24 A/D and 24 D/A channels if I get it right.

anyone know the difference between the Alpha-Link AX and the SX? The "features" and description on sweetwater are the exact same, but the price difference is $800

AX is for up to three 8-channel ADAT digital I/O units. (24 channels)
SX is for up to 12 stereo AES/EBU digital I/O.

Additional to the analog I/O for both interfaces, of course.

 

[barricade]

Ok...i'm a little uneducated about this interface stuff sinc i was using the digi002 for ages... So can plz anybody tell me if i would by a MYTEK DIGITAL 8X192 SERIES AD/DA how do i connect it to the computer? Buying a PCIe card? And which pcie card? Or do i have to buy the Mytek FIREWIRE extension card and then connect it to the computer? tnx guys

 

[HeadCrusher]

Why is everyone moving to PCIe when you were all fine with using Firewire Interfaces (002 and 003) for ages?

 

[RichMinerva]

so i've confused myself readin too far into this but...dare i say it,

in Pro Tools 9 you're no longer just limited to an mbox or 003?

i have a profire 2626 does this now mean its a possibility to use that instead?

 

[::XeS::]

Why is everyone moving to PCIe when you were all fine with using Firewire Interfaces (002 and 003) for ages?

Because now you can use every pcie interface you want and not the Avid's 192 or 96.
And you can choose the best cost/efficient interface you need.

 

[HeadCrusher]

^I know but still PCIe isn't excatly cheap. External converters, preamps...

 

[jeid]

I'm just looking for a new interface to replace my 002R. I've got a Motu 8 Pre which I'll be running via ADAT, so something good and firewire is what I'm after. The RME is good but I've read some favourable things about some Focusrite stuff, I don't wanna buy a turd though. Any ideas guys?

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

^I know but still PCIe isn't excatly cheap. External converters, preamps...

Prices (new) from DV247:
RME HDSPe Raydat 569€ + SSL Alphalink Madi AX 1666€ = 2235€ for 24 I/O
Pro Tools HD2 cards 9199€ + HD 192 I/O 2640.90€ = 11839.9€ for 16 I/O

It's a whole another world that has opened for the PT users now.

 

[jipchen]

Prices (new) from DV247:
RME HDSPe Raydat 569€ + SSL Alphalink Madi AX 1666€ = 2235€ for 24 I/O
Pro Tools HD2 cards 9199€ + HD 192 I/O 2640.90€ = 11839.9€ for 16 I/O

It's a whole another world that has opened for the PT users now.

I agree, but I think you'd have to buy the RME HDSPE MADI (PCIe) or RME HDSP MADI (PCI) to make the Alphalink work.

I am also GASing for a RME hdspe RayDat + RME ADI-8 DS atm..
The Raydat card has 4 freakin ADAT inputs :Smokin:

 

[pipaguapique]

the MadiXtreme 64 PCIe card(which is what i'm assuming you connect the entire thing to your computer with, and it comes with it?

no, it doesn't come with it, you buy that separately. so:

1x SSL Alphalink MADI AX

1x SSL MADI Xtream 64

3x DB25 to XLR snakes

preamps and more preamps and you're set...

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

I agree, but I think you'd have to buy the RME HDSPE MADI (PCIe) or RME HDSP MADI (PCI) to make the Alphalink work.

I am also GASing for a RME hdspe RayDat + RME ADI-8 DS atm..
The Raydat card has 4 freakin ADAT inputs :Smokin:

Really? I stand corrected, then. I thought you could use the ADAT I/O standalone.

 

[jipchen]

Really? I stand corrected, then. I thought you could use the ADAT I/O standalone.

Hm, now that you say it.. you're probably right and it does work.
But it is a MADI Interface that includes either MADI-to-ADAT or MADI-to-AES conversion, so for full functionality you'll need a MADI card in your pc, I guess?

Look at the SSL MadiXtreme64 card, you connect the Alphalink through a MADI port. The Raydat has no MADI, but the MADI interfaces of RME do.
How and why would you connect an ADAT Interface (Raydat) to another ADAT interface (Alphalink) to an ADAT preamp or even ADAT-A/D?
I didn't know you could connect external breakoutboxes/interfaces to a PCIe card via ADAT only? And even if so, you would loose one of three ADAT in/outs.

But don't take me too seriously, I'm not shure either

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

Hm, now that you say it.. you're probably right and it does work.
But it is a MADI Interface that includes either MADI-to-ADAT or MADI-to-AES conversion, so for full functionality you'll need a MADI card in your pc, I guess?

Look at the SSL MadiXtreme64 card, you connect the Alphalink through a MADI port. The Raydat has no MADI, but the MADI interfaces of RME do.
How and why would you connect an ADAT Interface (Raydat) to another ADAT interface (Alphalink) to an ADAT preamp or even ADAT-A/D?
I didn't know you could connect external breakoutboxes/interfaces to a PCIe card via ADAT only? And even if so, you would loose one of three ADAT in/outs.

But don't take me too seriously, I'm not shure either

I always thought the MADI functionality is more of an option than a necessity in the Alpha Link. Looking at the Alphalink MADI AX (not SX) specs, there are "24 ADAT Lightpipe digital inputs and outputs at up to 48kHz (12 ADAT Lightpipe digital inputs and outputs at up to 96kHz), 24 analogue I/O" in addition to the MADI I/O. To me that sounds like you could use the analog I/O of the Alphalink to connect to outboard gear, mic preamps, monitoring and such, and the lightpipe I/O to connect the Alphalink to the HDSPe Raydat. That way you would take an analog line level signal from eg. a preamp into the Alphalink's analog input, route it to the Alphalink's digital ADAT output and from there to the Raydat's ADAT input, and vice versa.

I might be totally missing something here, though. I, too, would like to know for sure if it works.