ADA 8000 / Which PCI Interface?

[Bunjji]

If you are using more than one B- the clock matters a little bit.

[Bill@WelcomeHome]

If the only thing being considered is to get 8 channels of ADAT into and out of the computer as cheaply as possible, any ADAT interface will work.

But there are often other issues... stability, support, driver quality. Expandability might be on the list. Extra I/O (monitoring without having to mess with the primary 8 channels in particular comes to mind...)Featureset might come into play. There is a reason for the cost differential among products. For example, the RME Babyface could be considered pretty pricy just to use to get 8 ADAT channels into the computer via USB... until you look at the rest of the features of the unit, the additional I/O, the included effects and tools like Digicheck and Digicheck Record, Steadyclock.... if these things have value to you, then the Babyface is a pretty good deal. But if you don't need any of that stuff, or if your budget won't support that expense then you would not want to pay for the additional features of the Babyface. (and I'm not recommending or suggesting that you need a Babyface, it just happen to offer a bunch of stuff I could use for comparison.)

[NothingTheory]

FYI if your about to pull the trigger on an ADA8000 you should be aware that the ADA8200 will be out before years end at about $250 I think.

Could be some decent improvements but also the used ADA8000 price will prob drop considerably as users move up.

[disp]

Thanks guys, good points!

I'm afraid I can't wait for the new ADAs to drop, because I need one NOW.
But I might get another one then.

Any suggestions for cheap PCI interfaces that are stable, expandable and not too shabby?
I am looking for used stuff, like obsolete RME cards or something.

[Bondo21]

If you plan on using the ADA8000 in and out I would be very careful. It may be OK only using one unit to the interface, but any recent production of these units that I have run across have been nightmares to clock, even with an RME card as the primary interface. At some point in production, the changed over the chips used for their ADAT. The originals were great, but any made in the last two or three years have had clocking issues. So if you want more than one, be aware you may run into this headache.

As far as an interface, the cheapest way to get one channel of ADAt in will be a Focusrite Pro 24, at least off of the top of my head. As far as having more than one ADAT in, the RME 9652 is the cheapest thing I can think of. The modern card would be the RAYDAT. The PCI stuff just isn't around so much any more.

[PFRfan]

I use an E-Mu 1212M, but that can't really expand much (2 analog, 2 SPDIF, 8 ADAT). Probably the cheapest thing you can come up that can grow is a used MOTU 2408 setup since one of those units can handle 3 ADAT I/O.

[disp]

Thanks a lot Bondo!

I was going to get a used ADA8000. Do you by any chance know the approximate date when the units became faulty?

Anyhow, I think I should rather watch out for a used (original) RME Multiface.
Would that be better than the ADA8000?
I've seen the old Multifaces & PCI card for around $250 on ebay.

Are they compatible with Windows 7 though?

[RiF]

Behringer changed the ADA in 12/2009. Any units with a datecode (a tag at the back of the unit) less than 12/2009 will be fine. And they don't have the automute bug on the outputs as well. I am running 2 of these without probs on my Profire 2626 (clocked by the Profire).

For 3xADAT, the Marian Seraph A3 could be worth a look.

[Bondo21]

Originally Posted by disp

Thanks a lot Bondo!

I was going to get a used ADA8000. Do you by any chance know the approximate date when the units became faulty?

Anyhow, I think I should rather watch out for a used (original) RME Multiface.
Would that be better than the ADA8000?
I've seen the old Multifaces & PCI card for around $250 on ebay.

Are they compatible with Windows 7 though?

Has to be the HDSP series cards, can't be the older (not sure what it may have been called then). I haven't been around long enough to be very familiar with their older hammerfall series cards, but I can confirm that the ones that have been sold in the recent past (5-6 yrs) are very solid. The HDSP and Multiface work great under Win 7.

As far as the ADA8000 timeframe, you would have to dig into the issues with that. Searching for ADA8000 clocking issues should give you a pretty good cross section of information.

[disp]

Thanks guys! Very helpful!

[Bondo21]

Originally Posted by RiF

Behringer changed the ADA in 12/2009. Any units with a datecode (a tag at the back of the unit) less than 12/2009 will be fine. And they don't have the automute bug on the outputs as well. I am running 2 of these without probs on my Profire 2626 (clocked by the Profire).

Missed this earlier, but yes, the older ones worked well. Three on an RME 9652 was no problem at all.

[binman_uk]

I've got an ada8000 connected to my focusrite saffire pro 26 io. Only use the lines and not the mic pres. Worked flawlessly since I bought it (second hand) around a year ago. No issues with clocking or whatever. Definitely one of behringers best products.

[przemak]

Originally Posted by disp

a Behringer ADA8000 to connect a console to my computer (i.e. only using the converters, not the preamps)

Originally Posted by binman_uk

I've got an ada8000 connected to my focusrite saffire pro 26 io. Only use the lines and not the mic pres.

I'm sorry, but there is no way NOT to use preamps in ADA8000. Line inputs are padded mic inputs. Look here and you'll know why:
http://www.gyraf.dk/schematics/Behri...0_analouge.PDF

[binman_uk]

Originally Posted by przemak

I'm sorry, but there is no way NOT to use preamps in ADA8000. Line inputs are padded mic inputs. Look here and you'll know why:
http://www.gyraf.dk/schematics/Behri...0_analouge.PDF

Yeah, I know that there's a bypass mod for the pre-amps etc.
What I meant is that I don't use the mic inputs .

[przemak]

Originally Posted by binman_uk

What I meant is that I don't use the mic inputs .

In fact you do

[binman_uk]

Originally Posted by przemak

In fact you do

[ivansc]

rme 9652 here and previously an Emu1212m (which I cannot bring myself to sell, "just in case")

Currently I hve a ADA8000 and a focusrite octopre LE hooked up for 16 channels of pretty decent I/O

Regarding all the pedantry about using the mic inputs on the Behri, to make it completely clear, I do not plug anything in the XLR connectors of the behri and try to keep levels down as much possible.
But it works really well with my GAP73 pre AND an old Joemeek I occasionally press into service for the special thang it does.
Did I mention using a TLA Indigo compressor front end into the Behri for a really cool tube D.I.?

[RiF]

Originally Posted by ivansc

Regarding all the pedantry about using the mic inputs on the Behri, to make it completely clear, I do not plug anything in the XLR connectors of the behri and try to keep levels down as much possible.

I am doing it the same way. YES IT DOES NOT BYPASS THE PREAMPS, WE KNOW THAT. But my loopback tests attested the ADA8000 a very good quality when using the line-level inputs (YES, THEY GO THROUGH SOME PREAMP CIRCUITRY) at unity gain. In my case, I am getting unity gain when the ADA's gain pot is at 9 o'clock/25%. That said, the preamp "coloring" is close to negligible. For the price of the unit, anyway.

Still I hope that we will be able to completely bypass the preamps on the upcoming ADA8200.

[ivansc]

AH but they are preamps designed by *MIDAS* which of course means they are automatically WONDERFUL and go up to at least eleven.

[2manyrocks]

Any thoughts on whether the new 8200 will be an improvement or a backwards step over the 8000?

[eh91311]

If Behringer doesn't separate the line in electronics from the mic pres or fix the output mute delay on the analog outputs of the ADA8200, there will be no real reason to upgrade from the original pre-2009 ADA8000.