Expert advise needed!

[Trinity]

Help guys!! been reading up GS for the past couple of months and learnt alot from this forum. thumbsup I have a few problems here and i'll try my best to explain.


1) Im using a RME fireface 800 and im looking to add some mic pres to my setup.
Was pretty sold on the pacifica, unitl i read the raves going on about the 500
format and now im on the verge of ordering one. the pres will be for mainly
vocals, guitars some samplers and synths. I do not record drums. So what
would you guys suggest, 2 chs of P1s? or should i get a couple of purple biz,
512c or mono gama? why would anyone need 2chs anyway except for OHs or
stereo mics? or maybe even stereo buss?

2) A cool friend of mine recently lend me his 2 RNCs built into a funk logic 1U for
me to try it out, while he's away for a holiday. no problems with the compressor
and in fact it rocks! However, is there a better way for me to connect it to the
fireface 800 as an insert? i am just curious, where do you guys connect the RNC
normally? i dont want to keep plugging in and out of the RNC,
everytime i want to compress an instrument im playing.

2b)Another issue is that,

why are there 2 RNC units (4 channels)? any suggestions for applications? Do
you guys connect one of the RNC for individual instrument compression and the
other RNC connected to the 2buss?

3) I had recently bought the protools m-powered software. However, i would
require an m-powered device to run it along side the fireface. Do you
guys suggest getting another standalone unit like maybe a m-audio firewire
solo or a transit? Some guys here in GS suggest getting a profire lightbridge.
What are the pros and cons for the options? which one would suit my setup
better? Hope to hear from you guys.

Lastly 4)

Im running out of connections for the fireface! it has 8 inserts at the back which means 4 instruments (stereo) only. i have a couple of keyboards and some outboard synth racks. I thought about adding a patchbay, but lengthning the signal chain would only worsen the signal quality? no? Im sure you guys have a lot more outboard gear that needs to be plugged into your interface.. plugging in and out everytime i want to start recording something is definetly the last thing on my mind.

okay...last quick one 4b)

I am currently just using normal cables for all my setup and im seriously thinking of upgrading my cables. im sure it would be beneficial. what are the options? As mentioned i have several outboard gear and having something compact and neat for all my cables is definetly on my list this month. Any suggestions?


Hope im not troubling anyone too much with all these newbie questions. Any help is very much appreciated. thumbsup thumbsup


rdgs,
desperate...

[Kip]

bumpty bump

[emptyman]

dude - post one question at a time and you'll get more responses.

[Kiwiburger]

Consider buying a patchbay if you are freaking out about pluging cables in and out all the time. I personally wouldn't, because it's just more connections to go wrong. A patchbay really only changes the location of where you do the plug swapping - and would be a convenience in a busy studio - but it's never going to improve you sound.

Why not just dedicate the compressor to two channels, and leave it there.

You don't need to track with compressors. Software compressors do a fairly good job. Maybe for live you might want a whole bunch of hardware compressors. Maybe.

Why not track with Reaper, or something simple but decent, and then open up the wave files in Protools for mixing etc. Digidesign are just playing everyone for fools, trying to force them to buy their hardware. Get the cheapest thing that can run M-Powered (maybe an Audiophile 2496) so you can monitor via s/pdif. I see no reason to jump through hoops just to be able to track with Protools.

[Kiwiburger]

I personally wouldn't buy a bunch of RNC because they use unbalanced i/o. They made sense in the days of tracking through Mackie mixers. Or for live desks. But I think most people have moved on from there and want to use decent preamps with balanced i/o.

Consider getting an API A2D (i've got two and plan to get more). You should have a spare s/pdif input - and this will add two very high quality channels of preamp and conversion. Not sure how you would interface an RNC - it has balanced send and return, like most high end preamps. Adapters might work.

[synthoid]

I gotta disagree about the patchbay. I think a well-designed patchbay makes a huge difference in how fast you can work, and also what kinds of things you can do. If it's done properly, there is no hit in signal quality, and in fact between normalled connections and the fact that lots of connections will end up being very short, running through good console cable or patch cables, you might even see a reduction in noise. Especially if you're running out of connections to your audio interface, your situation is crying out for a patchbay IMO.

-synthoid