Why not just use the AES i/o with an AES PCI/e card? The Lynx AES16e is only $700 or so.

Just a suggestion.

That way you can get 96kHz without dropping channels.

Cheers

Around 12 tracks simultaneously.

12 mics simultaneously means a live band? Or at least a drum kit? Grand scheme, if you're starting from nothing--I'd get an analog mixer myself. A simple Mackie Onyx will give you all you need for years of learning curve.

I was reading back to the fist post...if you're struggling to afford the Symphony...where do all the mic preamp money and mics come from?

I'm not starting from nothing, I already have mics and a Digi 003+ as I posted a few days ago. I also said that I could be spending more in getting quality preamps, but as you point out, this type of conversion might not be affordable for my situation. At first it seemed that using the AD+DA 16X plus a Digital Card (such as the Lynx AES16e that Mo Facta recommended) would be a bit cheaper, but then at around 3K without pres, it's getting expensive and unnecessary to invest in something of this nature.

Thanks for your advice on the Onyx.

If you are interested PM me.

The aes16e is not only cheaper but like I said will allow you to use higher sample rates without dropping channels, which is what happens with ADAT. You lose half channel count.

It's just a more robust protocol over all.

Cheers

I was running AD16X into the RME RAYDAT. I stay in the box after that so the only DA I needed was for headphones, so I bought a Behringer ADA8000. That works perfectly. Zero latency with Totalmix and I everything clocked from the Big Ben in the AD16X.

Actually with my RME FF800 + AD16x + DA16x setup I can do a total of 26 channels at a time into Pro Tools 10, that is not including SPDIF. That is the channel count for 44.1k or 48k sample rates, and only when I go over 48k do I loose the channel count as it then takes twice as many ADAT jacks to move the additional digital data.

That would be 16 channels through the Apogees, plus 10 more on the FF800. I still mainly look at it as 16 channels of high quality, and then another 10 channels of lesser quality 4 of those with mic pres.
I usually use my FF800 inputs for scratch tracks and talk back mics only.

I have 12 outboard pres to drive my AD16x, so I'm still short 4 pres to fully equip the system but the 12 usually gets the job done.

Keep in mind Totalmix still ends up having some monitoring latency once the signal goes through the converters IN and back OUT. Still, with the RME converters or outboard converters via ADAT it will still probably be less than 2ms total latency from the mics out to the phones which personally I can't hear nor feel. I measured my system latency (RME FF800 AD/DA16x via ADAT) and it was right at 1.6ms. That said, once things get up to 5-6ms it becomes unworkable for me and I also tend to think of Totalmix as feeling like zero latency even though it's a tad over that. Currently in the digital world their is no way around some converter latency.

Thanks for your answers, guys. Now it seems clearer... or puzzling.

I guess it all comes down to compromise, whether if it's by sacrificing sampling rates or by decreasing channel count. The workarounds you have provided still sound like good alternatives.

To me there is nothing like the Apogee ad16x, way ahead of it's time.. The bottom end is outstanding and is as close to 2 inch tape like no other... Got mine on ebay for 1150 with the X-card!!

I own the 16x's, and have no desire to replace them. I've used the new Avid interfaces, but not the Symphony.

A big factor is that the 16x's are silent. No cooling fans. They need a half rack space above and below, but that's it.

The on / off switches are a pain, but once you learn to "flick" them they work fine.

Best...H

The apogee AD/DA-16x series is a GREAT converter system, it gives you high quality 16 I/O conversion. Many records were made on these, I have a pair, I intend to use them as long as I can, I have api/Neve pre's high end comps/eq's, I don't feel my converters are holding me back at all.

There is always going to be bigger, better, newer.

Agreed.