Implementing an OOTB summing setup

[josh]

Hey fellers.  I'm looking for some opinions on how to integrate out of the box summing into my current setup.  Obviously this is something that is going to take many months to incorporate.  The "summo" box in this thread is sounding nice to me if I can couple each channel with a tranny easily.
http://www.groupdiy.com/index.php?topic=30806.msg380485;topicseen#new

But if lose my patience, then I'll just get a nice line mixer from Speck.  The "what" in this situation is beside the questions I have on the "how" to do it.  My other goal is upgrading my motherboard, but I need to run that one by the folks over at the UAD forums since accomodating that is priority 1 in that endeavor.

Right now I use an Echo Audiofire8 & Audiofire 12.  Plenty of connectivity to put every fx processor I have on a send into and out of my DAW, as well as whatever pedals I'm using at the time.
See here:

What I want to do is have a decent audio path out of my DAW and into the summing box, summed into a stereo pair and then into my buss compressor to be presented back into the DAW for recording.  Something like this:

What are your thoughts on getting the signal from the computer and into the summer?
Then how about the stereo pair to go back in?

Feel free to ramble on in as great of detail as you see fit.  I know I can just keep the interfaces I have and they would suffice, but I'm looking to upgrade.
I have one more question before I unleash this unto you what are these mulitple pin connectors on the back of the Apogee Rosetta 800?

What do they connect to?

 

[PRR]

> I have one more question

http://www.apogeedigital.com/support/documents.php?show=rosetta800

 

[josh]

anyone else have some suggestions here?

 

[alexc]

For a pure summer (no attenuators, pan or routing),
I would do one based on the Lawo 975/4 module which you can get on Ebay Germany
for around 50euro + 10Euro for a 31 pin connector to suit (+ shipping of about 20euro)

In fact, that's what I'm doing currently. 
There is plenty of info on the board about it.

May as well - just as hard or easy as anything else,
but you get an outstanding summing box.

 

[radiance]

Here a treadh about making a summing box with one of these German summing amp cards....

http://www.groupdiy.com/index.php?topic=13857.0

Photo's are gone though...

 

[sodderboy]

It depends on what you plan to do with the setup.  There are a few different ways I would do it, depending on conversations with the user(s).
Some musicians like a separate "programming" mixer with all synths normalled through a patchbay.  They program and monitor through the mixer as needed and when they are ready to record they patch through a quality recording chain into the DAW.  The mix is in the box, external passive, a different mixer, or through the same programming mixer.   Others program, track and mix in the DAW, no outboard no bay.  You have a mixture, so at the least you will want to have a patchbay with intelligent normalling to get the most from your equipment.
Compare how you work now with how you would like to work.  Your design should make composing/performing easier, and the technology invisible.  Don't upgrade just for the sake of upgrading, unless that is your goal.  Learning electronics/ DIY hobby is one of your goals, you should prioritize it on your list .
I recommend looking at setup diagrams in Dangerous, Lexicon, Speck, Mackie, Behringer, etc. monitor and mixer user manuals to get a feel for different setups.
Mike
PS: I like the Speck as a programming mixer.  But my goal is integrating someone's setup for maximum workflow, and not building DIY equipment for the person.