Routing

[kjeneson]

Hi all my 2nd post on the forum and a quick thanks for all the help and support so far.

Ive recently looked into outboard compression, eq and reverb . I intend to purchase 2 patch bays to wire up the equipment.
1 for the D8B aux send and inserts the other for send and returns from my outboard, the idea being I can patch any outboard to any insert or aux (I hope this is a good way of doing things)

This i understand will work ok whilst tracking (channels 1-24) ...............what i really want to do is use the outboard gear drawing mix down (channels 25-48)...

After reading around i understand i could allocate spare aux sends to a compressor for example and route the signals back into the desk to be in turn sent to my DAW for recording...however i cant say im thrilled with this scenario of having to re record my tracks - not great workflow!

Im wondering if any other users can perhaps share their routing ideas with me................

kris

[kjeneson]

apologies forgot spec of my desk............................. running V5.1 and 4x ADAT DIO cards to Presonus lightpipe, DAW: Logic.

cheers

[hyaena]

Hi kris,

as for outboard dynamics, I have four (analog) stereo comps integrated in the d8b.
Send it via the analog 8bus - you need a db25 to 8smetrical out-cable for that, methinks Tascam-format is right for that - return is any input in bank 1, the analog side. For me it´s 13-20, cause I wanted to keep the mic-inputs (1-12) for recording. DA/AD conversion delay can be compensated with channel (negative) delay - watch manual for that. People say, Mackie converters of 13 years ago are not top of the edge, but for me they´re OK. Listen yourself.

Furthermore you have 4 ADAT-lightpipes with the lightbridge. Are you using more than 24 tracks out of your DAW ? (My constallation is MotU PCI 424 with 2 x 2408 outboard connectors.)
I (oldschool analog guy) restrict myself on 24 and use the additional 8 tracks for outboard digital effects (M3000, PCM80, V-Verb 2496 and in and out of DAW into Altiverb). I have a PDI-8, which makes it easy to connect to S/PDIF, but it should be possible to interface with most outboard gear via lightpipe (your lightbridge) as well.

You´re using the S/PDIF on your lightbridge for sending back the console-mix into DAW, are you ?
Could as well insert an outboard "mastering tool" like TC Finalizer or , in my case, a dbx Quantum.

Hope, that´s enough for a start ?
Good luck
Manfred from Bietigheim, Germany.

[kjeneson]

manfred thanks for the reply,

Unfortunatly i have no spdif option on the lightpipe to send the mix back. Instead im using the ALT I/O slot channels 31-32 to route my final mix settings of the D8B on fader bank 2 back to my DAW.... this means unfortunately i cannot purchase a analogue card and use it in the way you mentioned (routing asignals out the desk and back onto fader bank 1)

could i use the auxiliary instead? are the any clear disadvantages in doing this?

or maybe a 2408 would solve the problem?

[Crash]

I use my auxses for external verbs and my buss outs to feed all of my external tube comps with the returns coming back on the Alt I/O inputs via an AIO.8 card. If you can solve your SPDIF issue in some fashion, I think you will find this a better solution than trying to do dynamics via aux sends. Just my opinion. I have two racks of stuff with patchbays and this scenario works really well for me.

[hyaena]

Hi Kris,
you don´t need another card. The analog bus out 1-8 is fix part of each d8b console.
On the backside of the console it´s next to Tape 17-24. With a cable converter you get 8 symmetrical outputs.
That´s what crash is doing as well.
And I´m with crash in my preference of not sending critical audio (let´s say the drum-bus or the vocals) via aux - that´s old school thinking, because the old analog consoles had inferior quality on the aux routing. And so is the d8b:

"The other exception is a bug which Mackie either couldn't fix or decided it would cost too much to fix: If you are outputting any of the Auxes from a digital card (DIO8, OPT8, PDI) in the ALT slot, those outputs will be truncated to 16-bit. That's for the Auxes only. Anything other than the Auxes routed out from the digital cards in the ALT slot will be 24-bit. If you route the Auxes out from any other slot other than the ALT slot they will be 24-bit."

16-bit isn´t that much of a shame - nearly one decade it was state of the art.
Nevertheless we always want better quality, and that´s OK.
And sending your mix back to DAW via lightpipe is fine. I would keep that.

Enough for today, I´m tired.
Best
Manfred

[Casey_Pittman]

But if he sends the signal out the analog Auxes(below the inserts) and not through the Alt slot it should still be 24bit right? Plus if the auxes are set to post and put at zero isn't that the same as a bus output?

-Casey

[hyaena]

Hi Casey,
yes, you´re right.

> ... OUTPUTS <
> All outputs are 24-bit. All D/A converters are 24-bit. <
> ... If you route the Auxes out from any other slot other than the ALT slot they will be 24-bit. <

And for the level coming out of the sym jacks, I think you´re right as well.

So Kris, go ahead if it´s convenient for you.
Best
Manfred