Behringer ADA8000 mod for splitting?

[Vagodeoz]

I did search the forum and I did found some topics about mods for the ADA, but they were all about bypassing the Pres and using it only as an AD converter. But my problem is different.
Am I the only one who thinks that Behringer made one huge error by not letting their ADA8000 AD/DA unit be used as a splitter?
It seems to be a great cheap unit. You can do Analog to ADAT and ADAT to Analog and I hear the pres are pretty decent for the money, but you can`t do Analog to both Analog and ADAT (or analog mic in to analog line out for that matter).
Has anyone tried to do this modification?
I'm thinking about buying 2 or 3 of those to upgrade my gig recording setup to be used with a M-Audio lightbridge.
I will probably never use DA conversion in those, since I don`t have a large mixer. I do the mixing in the box and I plan to continue doing so, at least for some more years.
So I want to know if it is possible to cut the wires that go from the DA converter to the XLR outputs, and solder the XLR inputs to the XLR outs.
That way i can connect the stage snake to my ADA`s, record in my laptop through ADAT, and connect the analog outs to the live mixer with zero latency.
Can it be done? Or do you see another solution?
Keep in mind that I live in Bolivia, and we only have Behringer and M-Audio distributors here, so anything else I have to order from USA. I was thinking about ordering 2 ART 8 channel splitters, but they cost more than the ADA and they only split. No pres and no DA. And I have to order from USA, while Behringer I can find locally.
Most gigs I record have a behringer or soundcraft mixer, so I really doubt that anyone will hear the difference on the PA sound.
Also, I could connect the outputs of the ADA to the insert points of the mixer, that way there is only one pre-amp in the audio chain...
So, suggestions, thoughts...

[Vagodeoz]

bump!
No one?
Where are all the electronics geeks? :P

[Eric Pederson]

Yeah you need a mic splitter, Horizon/Rapco sells a 4 channel mic splitter (MS4) for about $150 US

[Chrisc_o]

Originally Posted by Vagodeoz

bump!
No one?
Where are all the electronics geeks? :P

The geekslutz forum perhaps?

[thejwoshow]

Originally Posted by Chrisc_o

The geekslutz forum perhaps?

Bam!!! You just got Chrisc_oeeeeeeddddddd!!!!!

But seriously,probably in the geekslutz forum.

[doulos30]

actully they wouldnt know either jlm audio has a mod similar to that i believe its at the prodigy pro form www.prodigy-pro.com/diy my home away from here :p

[Chrisc_o]

Originally Posted by thejwoshow

Bam!!! You just got Chrisc_oeeeeeeddddddd!!!!!

Wow! I think I like the sound of that!


Cheers!

[Eric Pederson]

If modding is cheaper, then definitely go for it

[Eli Resnick]

While your idea of using one preamp for both sources is elegant in theory, your idea of splitting the signal before it hits the preamp is more practicable because you already know that the preamp contains a strong enough buffer to protect the ADC IC from the static shocks of plugging in and unplugging mic cables from the input. You can be pretty sure, therefore, that it works to protect the same ADC from the same shocks of plugging and unplugging cables from the output.

I would bet that there's some sort of buffer op-amps between the DAC chips and the outputs. If you solder your wires in between the DAC and those op-amps, you should be able to use them to isolate one preamp from the other. As a bonus, they'll keep the signal strong on its way to the PA.

If you set it up with straight wires, though, you won't be able to use the machine as a DAC and ADC at the same time anymore. I wonder if there's room to put a manual switch on the front and have it conrol some digital switches to break the eight connections. Well, good luck. Let us know how you do it and how it turns out!

[bitman]

If you take an adat optical cable and jump the adat out to the adat in on the same unit you can at least use the analog outs driven from the analog ins.

Some years ago I bought a toslink splitter to try and pull off both at the same time but found out right away that toslink it two channel only and won't hum along at the data rate of adat so that was out.

If anyone knows how to easy split adat optical I'm all ears.

[jabney]

Originally Posted by bitman

If you take an adat optical cable and jump the adat out to the adat in on the same unit you can at least use the analog outs driven from the analog ins.

Some years ago I bought a toslink splitter to try and pull off both at the same time but found out right away that toslink it two channel only and won't hum along at the data rate of adat so that was out.

If anyone knows how to easy split adat optical I'm all ears.

Maybe this? The blurb Hosa ODY-314 Fiber Optic Splitter says it works with Lightpipe.

best,

john

[bitman]

Originally Posted by jabney

Maybe this? The blurb Hosa ODY-314 Fiber Optic Splitter says it works with Lightpipe.

best,

john

Excellent.

Thank You.

[Vagodeoz]

Originally Posted by bitman

Excellent.

Thank You.

Wow!
Adat in to adat out! That is indeed a fancy solution But yeah, it should absolutely work!
The only problem with splitting the signal that way is that there will be a delay for the AD and DA conversion right?

[Andy Hamm]

Originally Posted by Vagodeoz

...So I want to know if it is possible to cut the wires that go from the DA converter to the XLR outputs, and solder the XLR inputs to the XLR outs.
That way i can connect the stage snake to my ADA`s, record in my laptop through ADAT, and connect the analog outs to the live mixer with zero latency....

If you own the PA that you will allways be using for the shows, then the short answer is yes, you should be able to do that. The better way around would be to hot glue in some 600 ohm 1:1 isolation transformers though.

Without transformers, you will notice that adjusting the input gain on one system may effect the other system, or some other wierd things may happen, like wierd noises, snap crackle and poping or oscillation. You won't know until you try it, and conditions change in different environments, so the issue may rear it's ugly head at one venue and not another.

Also consider things like phantom power. The isolation transformer will stop the phantom from one mixer from reaching the other, and the phantom from the isolated unit from reaching the load. Would you take a male to male xlr cable, run it from a console into the input of the ADA8000, and turn on the phantom on both units in the middle of a show with a packed house to see what happens? I know I wouldn't want to be the one everyone was staring at if it did something smelly.

If you are using provided productions, then don't even bother going this way, get a proper splitter and all the cabling required to interface it with the FOH snake. If someone showed up to one of my shows with something that looked like it was kludged together and wanted to conect it to the FOH snake, it definately would not happen. It has to be clear, clean, concise and standard or it will never fly.

[ivmike]

Originally Posted by jabney

Maybe this? The blurb Hosa ODY-314 Fiber Optic Splitter says it works with Lightpipe.

best,

john

That's cool - so you could theoretically route one optical cable back to the ADA8000 so your signal passes from the front inputs to the back outputs and then the other to another device such as a Digi 002 or other lightpipe device.

[Dave C]

Something like this is probably a lot easier:



PULSE|PLS00257(PSG01369)|XLR SPLITTER LEAD | CPC

No cutting, or soldering, and you can use the behr preamps for the recording signal, and the onboard desk preamps for the desk signal. Just like it should be.

They are quite cheap, and I'm sure a local electronics supplier will have a similar product available (CPC are in the UK).

Good Luck,

Dave C.