OT: Digital Splitter solutions?

[UpTilDawn]

I currently use a 48 ch analog passive splitter. I'll typically take my split just in front of the FOH mixer when I'm hired to record and/or send a live mix to radio/video (and rarely, from the stage monitor position).

At any rate, I'd like to trim down the bulk a bit by changing my leg of the split if possible. Problem is I don't know if it's possible to do for a reasonable sum of money and I'm not sure how I should modify the existing analog setup. Any suggestions?

There's room in the splitter case to add a converter of some kind.
The PC side of things is set up with Presonus Digimax and ADA8000 pres into a pair of RME Digifaces with PCI cards to the lunchbox pc.

DanT

[IraSeigel]

There is currently at this website, http://www.atlasproaudio.com/usedgear.html, an excellent optical splitter/patchbay by Z-Sys called the Optipatch. I'd been considering this unit sometime ago. Excellent price right now. Scroll down to the bottom of that page.

Ira

[Trackzilla]

or slightly cheaper on fleabay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Z-Sys-Optipatch-...ht_5529wt_1170

[UpTilDawn]

Correct me if I'm wrong about this, but I don't see any way to re-wire my analog split and convert the mic lines to digital with the systems you've linked to. How do I change one leg of my analog splitter to digital so that I can then use a system such as this to feed SAC/SAW?....

And at the pc side, how would I re-convert the digital signal to analog to plug into the Digimax preamps..... or would I have to replace them with a rack of pres that have digital (ADAT) inputs, as well as outputs?

DanT

[Bud Johnson]

Well, you could run the stage to you, insert SAC and send the channels to the board. That is essentially double the cable so no benefit over your splitters.
Of course you could also mix it in SAC, send the board a 2trk, and take the FOH engineer pay as well

[UpTilDawn]

...Of course you could also mix it in SAC, send the board a 2trk, and take the FOH engineer pay as well

That'd be great! But I doubt the FOH engineer would think of it the same way.

I'm just thinking about revamping the snake this Spring, changing the pair of mic-pre rack side of the multi-snake to a better connector. I don't want to have to spend a bunch of energy and time on soldering and crimping if I can find a better, lighter way to get what I'm after.

[Phil]

I have only read about the audio rail adat units. I think they'd allow you to use your micpre's. Analog-Adat input split to RME/PC and to Adat-Analog for FOH.

[UpTilDawn]

I have only read about the audio rail adat units. I think they'd allow you to use your micpre's. Analog-Adat input split to RME/PC and to Adat-Analog for FOH.

So far, this seems like the only real solution (or at least the best example of this solution), but requires the FOH to get their inputs after passing through my system. I get the feeling that most sound guys I've worked with would feel much more secure getting their lines directly after my splitter box, which sits right under or near their console... In fact, they'd feel better still if I wasn't there at all most of the time, I think.

Anyway, this is why I've been considering coming up with a way to take their analog snake, pass it through my splitter, returning analog lines back to them for the console and converting my side of the split to digital for the run back to my preamps and PC... at which point I'd have to turn it back to analog to plug into my own preamps.... unless I change them all out to pres that contain ADAT IN's as well as outs.

The more I think about it, I don't think it's cost effective.... unless I put the preamps and the splitter together, maybe. But then I have the problem of not being able to control my preamp levels remotely...

DanT

[ssrsound]

You could use M-audio Octanes as your pre-amps. The audio-out on those is a 'thru'. So in effect it works as a splitter. You run your audio in, send the ADAT to the recording system and the analog to the board.

But for that price, you could just buy SAC and SAW, and do both FOH and recording in the same computer. That'd be the lightest weight setup.

[UpTilDawn]

...But for that price, you could just by SAC and SAW, and do both FOH and recording in the same computer. That'd be the lightest weight setup.

Thanks for that idea.... after all, everybody always comes to me with their gripes about the sound in the room. ... although... I do get a lot of the praise when it sounds good, too, so I might as well be the sound guy.