connecting "500"series pres' to a/d converter to digi 003

[theshizon]

i was wondering if the digi 003 rack is capable of taking in 8 ,500 series or other preamp channels through an a/d converter (if i even need one). so the signal chain would be for ex. drums (8 mics) thru 8 api 512c's (8 xlr --> db25) to lynx or apogee a/d (db25 --> 8 1/4" trs) to digi 003 rack. I'm not sure if the connections can be made because the digi 003 only has 4 xlr inputs (ch 1-4) and 4 trs (ch 5-8). so can i switch ch 1-4 to line/di mode and connect the a/d converter to the rack with a db25 to 1/4" trs snake? or can you get a db25 to 4trs 4 xlr (half and half). i need quality but a protools HD is beyond my budget. any other suggestions to get world class drum tracks into a digi 003. i rented a mackie onyx 8 channel and also tried a focusrite octopre optical into the digirack. they were ok. all i ever read on here is the raving about api, BAE, and Daking so i want to slowly build up a lunckbox or rack.

thanks , cheers.

[casey_outlaw]

Originally Posted by theshizon

i was wondering if the digi 003 rack is capable of taking in 8 ,500 series or other preamp channels through an a/d converter (if i even need one). so the signal chain would be for ex. drums (8 mics) thru 8 api 512c's (8 xlr --> db25) to lynx or apogee a/d (db25 --> 8 1/4" trs) to digi 003 rack. I'm not sure if the connections can be made because the digi 003 only has 4 xlr inputs (ch 1-4) and 4 trs (ch 5-8). so can i switch ch 1-4 to line/di mode and connect the a/d converter to the rack with a db25 to 1/4" trs snake? or can you get a db25 to 4trs 4 xlr (half and half). i need quality but a protools HD is beyond my budget. any other suggestions to get world class drum tracks into a digi 003. i rented a mackie onyx 8 channel and also tried a focusrite octopre adat into the digirack. they were ok. all i ever read on here is the raving about api, BAE, and Daking so i want to slowly build up a lunckbox or rack.

thanks , cheers.

What you have outlined is AD and DA conversion, not just AD. Using the lynx for example, you go 8 XLR out of the 8 API's to the lynx (db25 I guess/not a lynx user, yet) and then you would need the ADAT card for the lynx to go into the digi 003 through it's ADAT in port. The lynx has lots of other cards, but this is the only one that will work with the 003. The other half of your question, no you cannot bypass the preamps on channels 1-4 on the 003. If you plug into the channels 5-8, you are using the 003's AD converters, which popular opinion says are not as good as the lynx/apogee stuff. Best bet is to get a good AD converter with ADAT connectivity, and hook up your lunchbox with pres to that.

[theshizon]

. i dont have adat connection on my digi rack, its an optical in/out (same thing i think). but after your post i checked out apogee and lynx websites and they have firewire expansion cards and my 003 rack has an open firewire port. SWEET.
thanks again. thumbsup

p.s. anybody with a similar setup. how does it perform?

[casey_outlaw]

The optical in is the ADAT port, same thing. The firewire card will not work in the digi 003 firewire port. The digi 003 only accepts audio from the mic ins (4 mic pres 1-4), the line ins (5-8), the ADAT/optical in, and the spdif in. The firewire works with peripherals, not audio or converter ins. It would be great if it did, but no such luck.

[bwaudio]

Yea, and there's no reason to spend the extra money on the firewire card (which wouldn't even work) when the adat out is already there.

Would using an 8 channel converter through adat into the 003 allow you to also use the other 8 003 inputs simultaneously? A total of 16 inputs? That would be pretty sweet.

[casey_outlaw]

Originally Posted by bwaudio

Would using an 8 channel converter through adat into the 003 allow you to also use the other 8 003 inputs simultaneously? A total of 16 inputs? That would be pretty sweet.

You can get 18 inputs max on the 003, and all are available simultaneously. The 4 mic pres (1-4), the 4 line ins (5-8), the 8 channels through ADAT, and 2 channels through spdif. The ADAT and spdif channels require external AD converters. The 8 analog 003 inputs are locked to the 003's AD converters.

[theshizon]

thanks for the advice. after some searching i found the best bang for my buck would be the apogee rosetta 800 or lynx aurora 8 w/ adat expansion card.

also thanks for the info on the firewire port. i checked my manual and it didnt really specify whether the port accepted audio.

[bwaudio]

Thanks Casey. I'll end up grabbing the apogee sometime in the future...