Remote w/ Aurora 16 & MacBook Pro

[Spindrift]

Hi All:

Anyone using this setup w/ the AES PCIe card? It appears that Magma makes the only expresscard --> PCIe extension product out there...but for $750? And if you want more, get ready to spend 2K and up.

How are others recording remote (96/24) with their Auroras and a MacBook Pro? Firewire??

Any alternatives to the Magma that is rackmountable?

Spindrift

[Marlan]

If you're just tracking why don't you get the Lightpipe card (only $225!!!) and a used Digi 002 or a M-Audio Lightbridge if you need 16 ADAT channels. Choose Metric Halo, RME, or TC if you want better quality on the analog side should you choose to use it.

Then Firewire to Protools and Whoop there it is!

Btw, get a HUGE 24 inch 2.93GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Imac and remove the base and put it in a Pelican style case with a wireless mouse.

$1000 less then a standard 17inch Macbook pro with a much bigger screen, larger drive and faster!!!!!!!!!!




Sorry for all the exclamation points. I've had a too much coffee.

[Daniel Stark]

I think a 24" Imac in a Pelican case warrants eight or nine !!!!!!!!!!! Very cool idea. Is there a particular case that fits well?

[Spindrift]

Originally Posted by Marlan

If you're just tracking why don't you get the Lightpipe card (only $225!!!) and a used Digi 002 or a M-Audio Lightbridge if you need 16 ADAT channels. Choose Metric Halo, RME, or TC if you want better quality on the analog side should you choose to use it.

Then Firewire to Protools and Whoop there it is!

Btw, get a HUGE 24 inch 2.93GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Imac and remove the base and put it in a Pelican style case with a wireless mouse.

$1000 less then a standard 17inch Macbook pro with a much bigger screen, larger drive and faster!!!!!!!!!!




Sorry for all the exclamation points. I've had a too much coffee.

Thanks Marlan, but I already have the 2.93GHz 17" MBP and an Aurora w/ Logic. Right now, the $750 option is my least expensive and best option at this point. I like that iMac idea though...if I didn't already drop the $$$ on the laptop!

Don't worry about the exclamation points man, I'm just getting to my 2nd pot!!!!!!

[Thomas Grubb]

My Aurora 8 with the firewire interface works really well with Logic and my MBP (2008 model with TI chipset). I've done location recordings at 96 and 174.6kHz without problems (with buffer settings around 512). On my Mac Pro 8-core it also works flawlessly at low latencies.
Trouble is others have had problems, but then again, there may be problems with the Magma solution. I think Lynx may have finally ironed out their FW interface.

[Spindrift]

Originally Posted by Thomas Grubb

My Aurora 8 with the firewire interface works really well with Logic and my MBP (2008 model with TI chipset). I've done location recordings at 96 and 174.6kHz without problems (with buffer settings around 512). On my Mac Pro 8-core it also works flawlessly at low latencies.
Trouble is others have had problems, but then again, there may be problems with the Magma solution. I think Lynx may have finally ironed out their FW interface.

Thanks Thomas. From talking with Lynx, it always seemed to stem from the Firewire drivers on the Apple side. Firewire was never designed as an audio interface (from the ground up like AES) so they were having some issues getting it all in order.

I really don't want to go down that road...I think I'll just buy a case for my Mac Pro and travel with it instead. Once you go MacBook Pro, then you need a Magma + accessories, PLUS a solid storage solution (RAID via Firewire (does this work well?) or ExpressCard eSATA). Starts to get complicated and EXPENSIVE FAST....when you consider I have all this & more built in or setup on my Mac Pro already.

Spindrift

[Spindrift]

Just an update. I'm going to give the LT-FW Firewire card a try and I'll update back here with the results in a few weeks.

Thanks,
Spindrift

[Thomas Grubb]

Worth a try. I've been using a Western Digital Studio drive set up as RAID 1. It does have eSata, but I've been using USB2 for years without issues (I think the Sadie LRX uses USB, and they seem ultra-reliable).