Best Affordable 48 i/o interface combos

[m. chan]

If I had a 48 Channel mixer, such as the Onyx 4880, and wanted to i/o on all the channels going to DAW then what is the best way to do it?

I first thought of using two MOTU 24 i/o but it's a PCI interface and a new mac pro wouldn't be compatible. But say I did have 48 i/o interface then how could I hook it up? I'm thinking plugging mics in preamps, then run the interface i/o on the channel inserts. In theory, the inserts send the signal post trim, pre-eq and Aux. So the signals go into the computer hot enough, and dry. Then I could have the option of plug-i processing before it goes back into the mixer and through the analog eq and aux sends. Would this set-up work? And then in the mix phase I could just use the outputs on the interface to feed each channel on the board through the inserts, thus I don't have to disconnect the microphones right?

I might not know what I'm talking about but I'd like some guidance on how I could get an affordable 48 channel digital recording and live monitoring system.

[rokn4jc]

You can get the 24i/o in PCIe which is compatible with the new mac pro (or PCI-X for G5 mac pro).

The onyx has direct outs on each channel, so you would just run the direct out to the motu in's. You could then run the outs of the motu back to the board if you wanted to mix that way. A patchbay (or two) would probably help with this as well.
There are other options, but if you already have the mixer han, I can't think of an easier or less expensive way to get that kind of i/o.

[TheSweetener]

Just buy a SSL Mixander card + Breakoutout (one of them) and you'll have 48 or 64 in/outs (depends on the breakoutbox). The realtime softwaremixer of Mixpander can do much more than ANY hardware mixer. It's completely modular and sooo flexible.

Then you just need pres + (if needed) a hardware controller.

But beware, it's PC only!

[warmer]

or sticking with MAC use an ADAT card to interface with the SSL (soundscape) boxes, although you will need two. RME PCIe card?

I would go with the option above me, but it is PC only.

[m. chan]

Originally Posted by rokn4jc

You can get the 24i/o in PCIe which is compatible with the new mac pro (or PCI-X for G5 mac pro).

The onyx has direct outs on each channel, so you would just run the direct out to the motu in's. You could then run the outs of the motu back to the board if you wanted to mix that way. A patchbay (or two) would probably help with this as well.
There are other options, but if you already have the mixer han, I can't think of an easier or less expensive way to get that kind of i/o.

I don't think the Onyx Live mixers have direct outs. I know that the 1640 Onyx has them and also has firwire, but it's 18/2. I think if the motu comes in PCIe i might go with that.

I dont want to use a PC system so I cant really go with the SSL interfaces suggested. Thanks for the help so far though!

[littlenemo]

well, that's exactly what I'm also looking for, a 48I/O converter system to hook to my 48 channel Neotek console. For now, the least expensive seems to be 2x MOTU 24I/O boxes with a PCIe 424 card but I'm afraid the stock converters are not very high end so I was and I'm still looking for opinions on the black lion audio modified units with or without the external microclock to know if there's a significant enough improvement to bring these converters to the higher end range. there's also the MOTU HD192 but I would need 4 of them and I don't know if they're worth the expense. another option is the SSL alphalink converters, they're more expensive but from what I've heard they're almost in the same league as apogee or lynx, but for us mac users the only way to get 48I/Os is to get one alphalink AX connected to one alphalink with MADI (much more expensive) connected to an RME MADI PCIe card, that's a lot of money... I wish there was a mac mixpander card so I could just buy 2 alphalink AX which are the cheapest ones...

[m. chan]

wait a second, the Mackie board does have direct outs! on DB-25 connectors. Hopefully the MOTU system works, ive heard good things.

[uncle duncan]

Motu + Black Lion sounds fine. Stock Motu sounds a little wooly, and suffers from a lack of headroom, in that the closer you get to max input level, the crappier it sounds.