Using an old Alesis ADAT as in/out for scope

[ehasting]

Hey,

Anyone have used an old Alesis as DA/AD converter for ADAT interface before? They have some 20-bit converter on the XT model which should be rather good quality, and they goes dead cheap.. which could be a good interim solution for getting input and output to my scope platform.

I have heard that you can do that, have anyone tested it or use it today?

[jksuperstar]

The Alesis is ok, doesn't sound half bad, and can be modded for better frequency range (see Black Lion Audio link here:)
http://www.blacklionaudio.com/content.php?p=11

If you are after a cost effective interface, I use a Behringer ADA8000, and it works great. It's fairly transparent, which is fine with me. There's also BlackLion mods:
http://www.blacklionaudio.com/content.php?p=38

"Now, we have been modifying the ADA8000 for a few years now (only upon customers' requests), but it wasn't until we recently had the opportunity to actually shoot it out against a stock Apogee Ensemble that we decided on making this mod public and officially adding it to our website. After we compared the two units together, we were astonished that our basic op-amp upgrade so easily brought the ADA8000 to comparable sound quality as the two-thousand dollar Ensemble!"

I intend to do the mod myself sometime in the next two months. And although the pre-amps aren't great, they are still nice to have just in case you need one or two more mics or XLR inputs. Where as the Alesis doesn't have that option.

[ehasting]

Sounds like next step! I can Get two Alesis for 130 usd.. So I consider it as a start. I have a Motu 828mk2 which I use today.. The Alesis can't be that bad in compare. I just want to start using the scope as my mixer! Then next step would be to improve hardware.

The Ada mod seems like a great alternative!!

[dante]

I have used the Alesis ADAT since 2000 or so. Its a good unit, I've also used it at 96Khz (smux). Two for $130 sounds like a bargain.

[ehasting]

Perfect.. i will go on with the trade then!

thanks for the feedback!. then i got 24 in/out on the scope.. and can use it fully as a mixer!!

[ehasting]

Another question in the same street.. i never got the boxes sendt to me, so i found another deal where i can buy a Alesis HD24 rather cheap.. that box has 24 I/O and 3 adat I/O, can it work the same way.. as converters for my creamware cards?

rather cheap entry cost to start mixing on the scope if it works

[garyb]

the HD24 has nice converters and it works, EXCEPT that you cannot get signals in AND out. you can only get signals in OR out. the boxes are not made for that use and they aren't full duplex.

[ehasting]

you know, i accepted the deal.. it was 620 USD for the unit!

I am going to do all mixing in scope, so i actually need only inputs. so the unit only offering half-duplex isnt a problem.
i also heard its possible to do grouping, so you could have 16 as in, and 8 as out.. is that true?

But looking forward getting the device!

My next headace is to figure out best way to mix this thing. is one of the SpaceF mixers preferred over the STM2448?
I have a BCR2000 which i would love to map up, and use as a mixer controller.. having several presets for channel 1-8, 9-16, 17-24.

What about dsp load on spaceF vs STM2448. (having 21chips)

[garyb]

it'll probably work like that.

i believe that the Space F mixer uses more resources. it does more things, though.

i use the stm, it's plenty for my work.