Interface Recommendations

[StarTrucker]

What are y'all rocking for a ADAT to computer interface?

Running Apogee AD16 and DA 16 converters with ADAT out but need to hit an interface to convert to something the CPU can read. Looking for at least 16 channels.

I've seen good things about the Antelopes but don't need anything state of the art for this project.

 

[wlinart]

If you just want something super easy, cheap and updated for a long time: RME digiface USB. A little bit more than €400 here, and just does the adat to usb conversion

 

[soulsonic]

I have the RME RayDAT card and it is fantastic. The USB version mentioned above should also be an excellent choice. I can't recommend RME highly enough. They're head and shoulders above the rest when it comes to drivers and rock solid stability. The included TotalMix DSP mixer allows anything-to-anything routing and applications can share the driver without problems.

 

[john12ax7]

RME and Lynx are generally the way to go when it comes to drivers.

What format do you need the adat? Pci, pcie, usb?

Antelope makes nice sounding converters, but their support leaves something to be desired.

 

[StarTrucker]

That's what I've run into in the past with Antelope. Looking for USB since my computer (Intel NUC) won't run external cards like PCIe. I like the RME route, anything comparable in the ballpark? The lynx options I've seen (auroras) are too high budget for this.

 

[Michael Tibes]

+1 for RME. I recently upgraded to a madiface usb, it is running without any hiccups so far. It is crazy what they squeeze out of a usb 2 connection.

 

[totoxraymond]

Not crazy, they even made a video about that on their youtube channel. USB2 is plenty enough for audio.

I vouch for RME too. It's rock solid and they keep updating drivers even for very very old hardware my fireface 800 is about 20 years old and still running great.

 

[Rob Flinn]

I've been using a Raydat card for years. As others have said RME stuff just works with no issues.

 

[inkster]

I acquired the MOTU 24Ai and 24Ao after considering the Antelope stuff...I was strongly advised by my engineer clients from around the world not to go with Antelope, I was told(without personal experience) that their gear tracks what you're doing and has ads when booting up.
The MOTU works great, they have supplied replacement parts when I needed them at a great price(the 24Ai needed a new display...$35!).
The AVB network performs well and although a headphone jack and control would be nice I don't need it or mic preamps.

 

[zzzzz]

RME is rock solid. Antelope seems like a bad deal in terms of terrible customer support and planned obsolescence of their products, where as RME is still out here updating drivers for 15+ year old hardware.

 

[Di_Sousa]

What are y'all rocking for a ADAT to computer interface?

Buy a RME Fireface 800 interface if you have Firewire

or if you want to use UBS just buy a RME Fireface 802 interface

both the FF800 and FF802 have 2x ADAT ins and 2x ADAT Outs

 

[kags]

I agree that Antelope has poor product lifespan. I cringe when I hear that a friend or client purchased an Antelope interface. The studio I'm installing this week bought a Galaxy 32, which has great features and sounds excellent, but in two years it will likely be a doorstop unless the owner never updates the computer OS.

I keep an old white plastic Macbook around (running Sierra) in order to use my old Antelope Eclipse 384. The interface still sounds great and has some amazing features (Vari-speed sample rate!), but the OS never updated since around 2013 - only one or two years after its release. That's shameful for a $7k device...

+1 for MOTU and RME

 

[Uk03878v2]

I still can’t believe I skipped my RME Fire 800 bought years ago when I was boxing to move to Spain. I am now looking at new interfaces .. idiota! And yes it was put in the bin

 

[Di_Sousa]

I still can’t believe I skipped my RME Fire 800 bought years ago when I was boxing to move to Spain. I am now looking at new interfaces .. idiota! And yes it was put in the bin

FireFace 800 still runs well up to this day, the only problem is that it's firewire so many people might not have firewire available, but anyway as far as I know at least up until 2 years ago Apple was still selling adapters (interface) from thunderbolt to firewire for Mac laptops.

The only known failure for FF800 is that after 15 years the Lytic caps in the PSU go bad, and the PSu stops working, but it's an easy fix, it's just a matter of recapping the PSU with 105c rated good quality (Panasonic) Lytic caps and then it's up and running

FF802 is almost the same unit as the FF800 but with an USB interface