Hello everyone,

I need some serious help. I'm so confused in this studio buisiness.

I started with a Tascam FW-1082, directly to my pc (using Cubase.)

Then I added a Cambridge Audio DAC Magic on the digital out of the tascam, going into my Sugden amplifier, going out to ProAc Tablette 2000 monitors.

That is my basic setup.

But now, I realise that I want to change, I need to change. I would like to go with outboard pre's so I need a new card, and I also want to be able to master using hardware.

I've just ordered a Focusrite ISA428, with digital card (AES+ADAT 8 channel output.) But I realise that I do not have the necisary digital inputs to use this option, should I call my dealer and tell him to nevermind the digital card? Would I be better off simply getting a new interface and use it's analog inputs? Considering a need one anyway... Or would you recomend keeping the digital out as it might save me some room later... And I hear it as some pristine A/D...

So what I need are recomendations and help...

Again, my goals:

Use outboard pre's
Master with hardware
(I would also like to keep a control surface, I like the interactiveness... I think I could just keep using my tascam for this... But again, recomendations would be apreciated.)

Money-wise, I have a few thousand dollars right now, maybe 3... But I am very willing to save up and buy everything slowly but surely.

Thank you very much,

William Poulin

Please I would really apreciate some help here... I'm having trouble understanding exactly what I need to be able to master out of the box... How to set up everything...

Bump?

Okay, here's what I got.

I've had a good deal of experience with the Tascam 1082. It first appealed to me for the control surface. After playing around with it for a while, I realized that's about all it's good for.

Check out the new-ish Focusrite Saffire Pro 40. The first thing you'll notice is the conversion in the Focusrite just blows the Tascam out of the water. Then you'll notice the same thing with the preamps. And, eventually, you'll notice that every other aspect is far surpassed by the Focusrite.

In fact, I don't really understand how they can sell the thing at the price they are and still make a profit.

And, if this helps, it has a total of 10 analog outs (2 are dedicated monitor outs, but can be flipped whenever the urge arises). It will help incorporate your outboard quite well.

Hope this helps,
-Michael

I've taken a look at the Saphire, but... You might think me an idiot for this one, I don't really like it due to the fact it has so many mic pres. I really want to go with outboard pres in order to have a a lot of different flavour: and I feel that plugging a pre into a mic/line input just defeats the purpose of using outboard pres, considering I would then be going through two gain-stages... As I am doing right now with my Tascam.

Thank you for the suggestion though... They do look very interesting. I was also wondering how people go about using hardware compressors/eqs/etc on digital files... I.e. mastering out of the box...

Wait, I think I understand... To use outboard gear: Do I feed the output of whatever channel I want into a i.e: Distressor, and then run it back into one of the inputs and re-track it?

Thank you,

William

I think you went and got yourself confused.

Yes, the line outs are how you feed your signal to your outboard gear.

No, the line inputs will not color your sound as they are line inputs and not mic inputs. In order to use outboard preamps, you will have hook the output of the preamp to the input of whatever interface/converter/whatever else you have. The "extra gain stage" should be minimal, as you are working with a signal that, theoretically, is at line level.

Now that I've said that, I must ask a question of you:

Do you really own a Distressor when your only converters are the ones in your Tascam? If so, then you need to really re-evaluate your priorities with your gear lust.

No I don't own a distressor, that was just an example :P Sooner or later though, I will.

But this is why I am looking to buy an interface first. I want to settle that... I want something like 8 or 16 inputs... I think I will start with a good 8 input interface, and add another later if I need 16 channels simultaniously. I'm looking for good gear here... I'm not looking to buy over and over again. That's why I need your help!

As I mentioned I will be receiving a Focusrite ISA428 shortly, with digital card, and it has 4 ADC line inputs... I hear the A/D conversion is great on the Focusrite, so I aim to use it. So I would like an interface with either ADAT or AES inputs. (8 Channel) That will give me 16 channels if I have an 8 i/o convertor with digital input.

So you say that the saphire inputs with the gain stages will not color my pres... And it has an 8 channel ADAT input, and a stereo digital coaxial output (To go to my Cambridge Audio DAC Magic, and then to my monitors...) I'll have to check which of the 2 DAC's sounds better... This seems like a great investment, but I just want to be sure... I really was aiming more for just 8 ins and outs, no pres+Digital i/o's... I was really under the assumption that the line/mic inputs would colour my pres...

Thank you,

William

I apreciate your help,

Thank you,

William