Not before long i'll have about 20-30 synth outputs to cope with.

I'm looking at two option, the first is an interface with ADAT/patchbays, and the other option is a desk like the A&H ZED R16.

What I want to be straightforward is sending hardware synths to hardware effects. The issue with the desk is that i'll have only so many aux channels to send to, and I really don't want to be constantly patching external FX in and out. The plus side is that I can use the knobs to do everything, and the ZR16 has some pretty nice EQ/mixdown from DAW features as well. Plus it can be my soundcard if the latencies are ok.

The standard interface route may well be more flexible however, with software mixers like the UFX has etc.

What I really want is the external FX to always be patched in and ready to send my external synths and instruments to at all times.

What would you do?

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Last edited by tehlord on Jan-05-2013 at 22:37

i prefer using interfaces as the routing is simpler both to hardware and to your day.

I have 3 UCX I use. They don't actually have to be be plugged in to your computer either for the routing to work.

Not sure if there is a more elegant way. I just had 2 UCX left over from using the symphony, and i didn't want to get something that was a different colour so ...

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Fucking OCD lol

I might just start of with a UFX then. I didn't know it worked sans computer, that's pretty cool for the analogue stuff I'll have. I definitely want to be able to use it without a screen and mouse glaring at me. I'll just add an ADA8000 and a patchbay on and be ready to go.

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quote:

Originally posted by tehlord Fucking OCD lol I might just start of with a UFX then. I didn't know it worked sans computer, that's pretty cool for the analogue stuff I'll have. I definitely want to be able to use it without a screen and mouse glaring at me. I'll just add an ADA8000 and a patchbay on and be ready to go.

I'd do that, oh and look out for old Alesis ADAT's - you can sometimes pick them up cheap as chips, and they work perfectly as high quality converters from adat to analogue, but having said that the ADA8000 is pretty fucking value.

Only get a Neutrik patchbay and if you already want it hard wired, get VDC trading (my old employer) to do it for you, along with nice patch cables. Might cost a little but they're the best in the biz.

quote:

Originally posted by DJ RANN I'd do that, oh and look out for old Alesis ADAT's - you can sometimes pick them up cheap as chips, and they work perfectly as high quality converters from adat to analogue, but having said that the ADA8000 is pretty fucking value. Only get a Neutrik patchbay and if you already want it hard wired, get VDC trading (my old employer) to do it for you, along with nice patch cables. Might cost a little but they're the best in the biz.

Thumbs up!

I was thinking about the ADA8000 to get the synths in as it's arguably less important (in terms of absolute sound quality) than vocals and live for example.

I'll take a look at VDC as well, thanks for the recommendation dude.

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Actually, you know the ADA8000 is pretty fucking good in terms of sound quality. On the whole I hate Behringer but there's a few small number things they got so right, and the ADA8000 is one of the.

Sure, you don't want to run a vintage SM2 via a Grace Pre in to them, but for anything else they're really quite usable and clean.

It can be quite a cheap way to get a lot of analogue channels; buy an interface with ADAT i/o (nearly always way cheaper than the same analogue versions with less channels) then a couple of ADA8000's.

VDC and the Van Damme cable they sell are the best out there bar none. I used to supply Abbey Road, Air Studios, Sarm West, Metropoliltan Studios, Coldplay, Liam Howlett...even the giant cable they lay at glastonbury to connect the stage to the Front of House mixers (deep trench, 100m long) is Van Damme multicore cable....the list goes on. My cables here in LA are all Van Damme and I'll probably never use anything else even though it would be much cheaper to buy American.

They can wire the patch bay any way you want too (normalled, half normalled etc) and you can get super specific about tail lengths, tail types, numbering/lettering, splits etc.

It seems that each 3m jack to jack is about a tenner. That'll soon start adding up and I can easily see £500 being spent on cables there.

Perhaps some bulk buying would be in order.

I'll grab a dozen or so and see how I get on with them.


I could just buy the cable by the metre and make my own. But I know I wont

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