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Thread: OT: Audiorails

  1. #1

    Default OT: Audiorails

    Hi folks, anyone still using audiorails?

    I'm pulling apart a system I built years ago that has a working pair of audiorails units. I thought it might be worth a mention here in case anyone is using these and would value working spares. The gear hasn't come out yet, hence why this isn't in classifieds as there isn't anything to sell yet... they're also not mine to sell, but drop me a PM if it's something that might be useful to you.

    It's a shame this system is being pulled apart to be honest. I built it on a shoestring and it's been superb. Always stable and sounded great. Lack of maintenance etc has meant it's started to become unreliable of late. Being replaced with an M32, which is a shame because the problems with the SAC system could have been solved with some new PC hardware and better preamps.... cest la vie.

  2. #2
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    Default Re: OT: Audiorails

    Mattseymour,
    Hi folks, anyone still using audiorails?
    ...These look very similar to the ADAT Extenders - which are still being made.

    You stated:
    ...which is a shame because the problems with the SAC system could have been solved with some new PC hardware and better preamps.... cest la vie.
    ...Matt, just curious, can you explain, "the problems with the SAC system could have been solved..."? So, what problems?

  3. #3
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    Default Re: OT: Audiorails

    I have a couple of venues that are still using the audiorails. But both spaces are here in the US and I suspect are not really interested in investing any more money in Audiorails. If they spend money at this point it will be to move on to Dante.

    Doesn't surprise me that places go with the X32. They have become very familiar to a whole generation of sound engineers that work at that price point. So it's easy to get another one if the one you have breaks. I personally don't care for them because of the way their patching system works and most days it's just not enough channels so I need at least two of them. And I don't really care to go back to the days of 2 or 3 separate consoles that I have to manage each one separately by hand and use a third party application to link together for cueing.
    Richard B. Ingraham
    RBI Sound
    http://www.rbisound.com
    Email Based User List: http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/sac_users/

  4. #4

    Default Re: OT: Audiorails

    Quote Originally Posted by mr_es335 View Post
    Mattseymour,
    ...These look very similar to the ADAT Extenders - which are still being made.
    That's exactly what they are. Well designed and nicely over-engineered for a really reliable product. I was lucky to get hold of a pair when I first built this system. They've done well. They're not really worth anything now because anyone sensible will go to Dante, etc... I mainly mentioned it here in case someone was still using them and would value spares. They were discontinued some time ago. http://www.audiorail.com/simple.htm

    Interestingly most of the adat extenders use RS485 over twisted pair, so can carry four adat interfaces over cat5. The audiorails use ethernet chips. I think, in theory at least, you could hook these up to a fibre media converter and take the adat a really long way if you wanted to. They're an interesting product, from a historical pov.

    Quote Originally Posted by mr_es335 View Post
    You stated:
    ...Matt, just curious, can you explain, "the problems with the SAC system could have been solved..."? So, what problems?
    It's hard to get a handle on exactly what the problems are. I get reports from people who don't seem to be able to provide any meaningful troubleshooting information. At least one of the major issues was a loose cable in a switch box somewhere, nothing to do with the console at all. The PC running SAC has been known to crash. I suspect it has some faulty memory, but again I've failed to get anyone to take responsibility.

    It pains me if I'm honest. I was really pleased and dare I say a little proud of this setup. It's incredibly flexible, a wide variety of inexperienced novice operators could use it with minimal training, and it always sounded great. But, in truth, it's getting old. The audio interfaces are Motu 2408 mk2, so are showing their age. The preamps are ada8000 (cases butchered and modded with fans so they've kept working). To keep the system going reliably would, ideally, take a Dante card, dante stageboxes, probably new PC hardware etc etc... and by the time all that has been done the price of a Midas M32 isn't really so far away. More to the point they've found the budget to buy it. I suspect if I'd had that option back in the day it's what I would have done.

    There are pros and cons, but it is what it is.

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