Pyramix and RME Madiface

[matthewd]

Hi

Owing to the demise of Sadie, I am thinking of swapping my LRX2 for a Pyramix based MADI solution - I generally record between 8 and 24 tracks. I already own a copy of native 6.0 which we have begun to run as a backup recorder. I was interested to see the new expresscard Madiface which would seem to offer high track count recording to laptops. Although Sadie is / was PC based, I tend to carry a MacBookPro and use it under bootcamp. This might be asking for trouble so perhaps I need to get an express card equipped PC laptop and start trying this out. I just wondered if this is a product that is out there and people are using or if it is one of those press releases preempting the availability of the product. I thought I might get for a bank of RME Micstacy Preamps on the stage. Some people have said on here the Micstacy is not classical grade like a Millenia or Grace but my reseller tells me it is designed by someone at DG - if it is good enough for DG, I am sure it is good enough for me.

Matt

[Larry Elliott]

Matthew
I am running Pyramix 6 Native on a MBP under BootCamp very successfully. However I have not tried the RME Express Card.

[Don S]

I was thinking about the same thing (madi card). This sounds like a good question for silas at the merging forum. I don't think there would be any reason for it not to work with the exception of the track count. Even the new native 6 has a max of 8. It only increases when you add the new mass core (not cheap) to get up to 24 tracks. I love pyramix for editing, but have been using the fireface 800 with DP to record tracks when I need more than 8.

[mpdonahue]

Originally Posted by Don S

I was thinking about the same thing (madi card). This sounds like a good question for silas at the merging forum. I don't think there would be any reason for it not to work with the exception of the track count. Even the new native 6 has a max of 8. It only increases when you add the new mass core (not cheap) to get up to 24 tracks. I love pyramix for editing, but have been using the fireface 800 with DP to record tracks when I need more than 8.

This is not correct.
With the upgrade to v6, PMX Native Broadcast (The most basic) will do 24 I/O and all other packs (Mastering, Post and Music) will handle 96 I/O
Masscore is for use with Mykerinos based hardware systems. Native already uses the Intel processors for DSP so Masscore is not offered.

All the best,
-mark

[0VU]

Originally Posted by matthewd

Hi

Owing to the demise of Sadie, I am thinking of swapping my LRX2 for a Pyramix based MADI solution -....
..... RME Micstacy Preamps on the stage. Some people have said on here the Micstacy is not classical grade like a Millenia or Grace but my reseller tells me it is designed by someone at DG - if it is good enough for DG, I am sure it is good enough for me.

Matt

In the last year or two I've been exploring getting away from my present larger scale analogue gear in favour of something more portable and convenient but without sacrificing sound quality. Having played with one for while I was just about to opt for an LRX2 when SADiE announced their impending demise. I still tried for one but it was too late to order new and now that obtaining the i/o cards will be impossible without scouring the used market I've had to have second thoughts.

I was looking at the MADIFace as I'm already running MADI for a lot of stuff (using Sequoia on a 4U rackmount PC) and about to go more down that route to replace most of my analogue multicore runs, especially the high channel count, long cable run stuff, but so far as I've been able to find out, the MADIFace isn't shipping yet. The Cardbus Express card is available and working but the MADI i/o sub unit doesn't seem to be around yet. The idea of being able to chuck MADI into a laptop as a backup backup is very appealing. The lack of T/C and wordclock support on the MADIFace is a bit of an irritation but not serious if it's just for backing up the backup.

With V6 of Pyramix, and some clients asking for it rather than Sequoia it's become an appealing proposition but it's still not cheap when I've already got a perfectly happy (and paid for) Sequoia system that'll reliably handle 100+ tracks without complaining. Running another parallel system doesn't appeal (I already have Sequoia, SADiE and Sonic Solutions HD) so I have the 'fun' of trying to decide whether to carry on with what I have, shell out the cash and switch now to Pyramix as my main system or wait and see whether not switching actually costs me work. Merging's Pyramix hardware controller support might swing it.

I've also been checking out the Micstasy and it's a bit of a mixed bag. (I do mostly classical location recording/broadcast work and a bit of jazz/other stuff - track/channel counts tend to be in the 2-16 channel range or 48+, with little in between.) I had a bit of a ramble about my impression of them in this thread. Nothing's really changed and I still haven't quite been able to bring myself to place the order. I can already do 24 channels of Prism A-D and have some Crookwood remote mic pres and this makes things just close enough in price for the decision to be more difficult than if I was starting from scratch.

Overall, I'd say that the Micstasy is up to the job, if not in the same league as the Millennias, Graces, and Prisms of the world; the rooms, mic positions, and mics as always, contribute far more to the sound than the finer points of preamps and ADCs.

I'm not sure whether the 'designed by someone at DG' (which I've also been told) is a recommendation or a warning.

[d_fu]

Originally Posted by 0VU

I'm not sure whether the 'designed by someone at DG' (which I've also been told) is a recommendation or a warning.

That sounds as if "someone at DG" had designed it in his spare time...
Fact is, the designer also works as a Tonmeister, mostly for DG.

[Legacy]

Originally Posted by Don S

I was thinking about the same thing (madi card). This sounds like a good question for silas at the merging forum. I don't think there would be any reason for it not to work with the exception of the track count. Even the new native 6 has a max of 8. It only increases when you add the new mass core (not cheap) to get up to 24 tracks. I love pyramix for editing, but have been using the fireface 800 with DP to record tracks when I need more than 8.

Hey Don and matthewd!

I wish I knew more about this. It is very intriguing. I'm always concerned about drivers and compatibility but other RME gear does work with PMX Native. Obviously once this comes out you would be the Beta tester I'm a bit curious about RME extracting the embedded clock and also adding MIDI data to the MADI stream - makes me worry a bit whenever the data stream gets manipulated additionally but they clearly have a proven track record with MADI.

As Mark pointed out you would have 24 IO with the basic Native package.

Best,
Silas

[mpdonahue]

What's even more interesting WRT MADI in general is the new offerings from SSL.
I was getting new firmware on my Alphalink SX and while talking with the folks at SSL NYC they were mentioning the new PCIe cards they are releasing soon.
The first will be a single MADI port for something like $900
Even more interesting is a TWO port device for $1500! That is 64 channels of 96k on a single PCIe slot (128 in 2........)
Street is supposedly Q2 2008.
All the best,
Mark

[Legacy]

Originally Posted by mpdonahue

What's even more interesting WRT MADI in general is the new offerings from SSL.
I was getting new firmware on my Alphalink SX and while talking with the folks at SSL NYC they were mentioning the new PCIe cards they are releasing soon.
The first will be a single MADI port for something like $900
Even more interesting is a TWO port device for $1500! That is 64 channels of 96k on a single PCIe slot (128 in 2........)
Street is supposedly Q2 2008.
All the best,
Mark

Hey Mark,

Wow! Thanks for the info. I've heard good things about SSLs latest offerings in general. Its clearly time to think about an all native system with MADI on location.

-Silas

[7rojo7]

can anyone specify what would be needed for a 24 in 8 out system with the MADIface? I'll need pres and converters on stage, no? some kind of madi transmitter to the the laptop madiface, does that mean my audio outputs for monitoring end up back on the stage? or do I need 2 transmitter receivers plus the madi face to listen back DA at the monitoring location? I'm still in the dark about this
it will obviously work with 3rd party converters
thinking 3 Audient ASP008 with aes cards
what else would I need?
been to the RME site and, well non capisco un cazzo
I'm seriously contemplating ditching PT for recording and maybe even apple.
I've never had a virus on apple though, this scares me the most because I have better things to do than worm hunting.

[Ifrit]

Does anybody use MADIFace with Pyramix and actually use all 64 channels on inputs?
How does it work? What laptop you use?
Thank you!