Avid Carbon interface brief review and 1st recording

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by jim1960

Kev, sorry to hear about your health issues but glad to hear you’re on the mend. And thanks for the in-depth response.

If I decide to get the Carbon, I’ll probably use my X16 as the 2nd device. I’ve spent a bit of time looking at other options and I don’t see any that make me think selling the X16 right now makes sense. I think you’re right about some expansion unit for the Carbon being on the horizon at some time. In that video I linked, a guy from AVID seems to be hinting that the Carbon is the base of what will be a modular system.

That video also made it sound like all the I/O mapping would take place in PT. I’m unclear whether I’d need to use the UA software to get that set up. I don’t see why I’d need to but I’ll find that out. If it’s that simple, I’d be good until AVID releases a Carbon expansion unit at which point I’d probably sell the X16.

That the preamps sound good is welcome news. Maybe I could sell one of my pres to offset the cost at some point.

Have you run into any latency issues when using outboard gear?

No latency with my outboard gear

Your are talking about an Apollo X16 correct ? Does not seem like the X 16 has ADAT out, so I am not clear on how you would use it as your second device ?

For me I thought if I needed more channels I would probably go with the Audient ASP880 8-channel Microphone Preamp @$1200
Or If I was biding time until Avid comes out with something the
Focusrite Clarett OctoPre @ $750

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by KevWind

No latency with my outboard gear

Good to know.

Originally Posted by KevWind

Your are talking about an Apollo X16 correct ? Does not seem like the X 16 has ADAT out, so I am not clear on how you would use it as your second device ?

Crap. You're right. The X8p I used to have had ADAT connectors and that's what I was remembering.

Originally Posted by KevWind

For me I thought if I needed more channels I would probably go with the Audient ASP880 8-channel Microphone Preamp @$1200
Or If I was biding time until Avid comes out with something the
Focusrite Clarett OctoPre @ $750

I'll have to think on what I'd want to do about the extra channels. I don't like the idea of spending that much on a temporary solution. I wonder if AVID might have something for this summer's NAMM.

[jim1960]

I'm going to list my Apollo X16 for sale today and put the proceeds towards a Carbon. I'll have to pick up something to get the other 8 channels at some point. I thought I might grab a Rosetta 800 on the cheap but for some reason the price of those has gone up quite a bit. I may just wait it out and see if AVID releases an expansion at NAMM this summer ...or maybe by then the price of used Rosettas comes back down to Earth.

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by jim1960

I'm going to list my Apollo X16 for sale today and put the proceeds towards a Carbon. I'll have to pick up something to get the other 8 channels at some point. I thought I might grab a Rosetta 800 on the cheap but for some reason the price of those has gone up quite a bit. I may just wait it out and see if AVID releases an expansion at NAMM this summer ...or maybe by then the price of used Rosettas comes back down to Earth.

FYI. (if you have not already been surfing this) there is this thread specifically about Carbon over on the DUC

http://duc.avid.com/forumdisplay.php?f=161

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by KevWind

FYI. (if you have not already been surfing this) there is this thread specifically about Carbon over on the DUC

http://duc.avid.com/forumdisplay.php?f=161

Thanks, Kev, I did see that a couple of days ago. I listed my X16 today in all the usual places. I'm happy if I net the $2700 I paid for it. I'll put that towards the Carbon.

I was also looking for other options for additional channels. Can you see any reason this unit wouldn't work? I wish it had DB25 connectors on the back but that's the trade off to have 16 channels available rather than 8. I'll still wait until at least July to see if AVID comes out with something. Maybe by summer, these will show up used rather than new.
Motu 16A

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by jim1960

Thanks, Kev, I did see that a couple of days ago. I listed my X16 today in all the usual places. I'm happy if I net the $2700 I paid for it. I'll put that towards the Carbon.

I was also looking for other options for additional channels. Can you see any reason this unit wouldn't work? I wish it had DB25 connectors on the back but that's the trade off to have 16 channels available rather than 8. I'll still wait until at least July to see if AVID comes out with something. Maybe by summer, these will show up used rather than new.
Motu 16A

The Motu looks like it would work with the 2 ADAT outs you should even be able to go to 96 k (if you do that)

Also I just saw this Midas for $500 off at Sweetwater $999 might be a good deal (probably coming out with anew unit at Namm )?

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...B&gclsrc=aw.ds

Midas website
https://www.midasconsoles.com/produc...odelCode=P0AJI

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by KevWind

The Motu looks like it would work with the 2 ADAT outs you should even be able to go to 96 k (if you do that)

Also I just saw this Midas for $500 off at Sweetwater $999 might be a good deal (probably coming out with anew unit at Namm )?

I've been digging for information on this and my head is spinning. I started a thread over at the AVID forum People are trying to be helpful, and one recommended the Midas unit you mentioned, but I'm still not sure exactly what makes a unit viable or not. Is it as simple as having the ADAT connectors on the second unit? I can't seem to get an answer to this ...not yet anyway.

I made a similar post in the AVID Pro Tools Users group on Facebook. There's a manager from AVID who posts there so many I can get some more specific information from him. The more I think about this, the more I'm leaning towards wanting the option to go beyond 16 line-ins. On paper, it looks like that's possible. It would limit me to 44.1 or 48, but I'm fine with that.

I'd like to get a plan figured out before the X16 sells so I know what I'm buying on the other side of the sale. I'm trying to avoid both being disappointed by thinking I can get more channels than I is possible and by buying something that winds up being incompatible for some reason.

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by jim1960

I've been digging for information on this and my head is spinning. I started a thread over at the AVID forum People are trying to be helpful, and one recommended the Midas unit you mentioned, but I'm still not sure exactly what makes a unit viable or not. Is it as simple as having the ADAT connectors on the second unit? I can't seem to get an answer to this ...not yet anyway.

I made a similar post in the AVID Pro Tools Users group on Facebook. There's a manager from AVID who posts there so many I can get some more specific information from him. The more I think about this, the more I'm leaning towards wanting the option to go beyond 16 line-ins. On paper, it looks like that's possible. It would limit me to 44.1 or 48, but I'm fine with that.

I'd like to get a plan figured out before the X16 sells so I know what I'm buying on the other side of the sale. I'm trying to avoid both being disappointed by thinking I can get more channels than I is possible and by buying something that winds up being incompatible for some reason.

So I think you are correct , the way I understand it given the Carbon is spec'ed to a (24) input total it is 8 on board the Carbon itself and up 16 more via ADAT @ 44/1 or 48 over the two ADAT optical connecters 8 channels per connecters.
I think I just saw your thread over on the DUC.
I think the last answer from dominicperry is spot on

Also if you go to this thread http://duc.avid.com/showthread.php?t=414703and quote and then ask Kyle Splittgerber (head design engineer for Carbon ) directly,,, he is pretty good about answering although sometimes take a few days.

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by KevWind

So I think you are correct , the way I understand it given the Carbon is spec'ed to a (24) input total it is 8 on board the Carbon itself and up 16 more via ADAT @ 44/1 or 48 over the two ADAT optical connecters 8 channels per connecters.
I think I just saw your thread over on the DUC.
I think the last answer from dominicperry is spot on

Also if you go to this thread http://duc.avid.com/showthread.php?t=414703and quote and then ask Kyle Splittgerber (head design engineer for Carbon ) directly,,, he is pretty good about answering although sometimes take a few days.

Something another poster said has me wondering. albee1952 said, "I am not a big fan of using a full-blown interface as an expander for another full-blown interface. The reason being all the extra software needed to make it work."
Does that mean I'm trading UA Console for a similar headache or is he simply saying it's not a plug-n-play scenario and some settings, like the clock for example, have to be adjusted.

Perhaps the simplest solution is to give up the idea of expanding an extra 16 channels. I'm starting to lean in that direction now. The only downside is that I'd have less room to create inserts for future outboard purchases and will have to physically patch them when I want to use them. But it opens the door to more and less complicated options and I think keeping it simple might be the right direction for me.

EDIT:... just got this response so now I'm back to thinking the MOTU is the way to go.

"I run the 16A with Carbon. The +24dBu input max is a perfect match to Carbon, the +20dBu output max is 4dBu lower on the MOTU, but if I'm running that hot on an output it's most likely 2-bus via the Carbon's monitor out.

If I'm using any 'interface pres' they'll be the Carbon's, they're very good, I want pure conversion on the expander. The MOTU can be set as a dedicated analog-to-adat and adat-to-analog box, I just save one set-up for routing up to 48k, another for up to 96k and recall them via web browser.

The 16A conversion is the best you'll find anywhere near that price point and it makes for a very capable 2U, 24 in/32 out Pro Tools rack. "

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by jim1960

Something another poster said has me wondering. albee1952 said, "I am not a big fan of using a full-blown interface as an expander for another full-blown interface. The reason being all the extra software needed to make it work."
Does that mean I'm trading UA Console for a similar headache or is he simply saying it's not a plug-n-play scenario and some settings, like the clock for example, have to be adjusted.

Perhaps the simplest solution is to give up the idea of expanding an extra 16 channels. I'm starting to lean in that direction now. The only downside is that I'd have less room to create inserts for future outboard purchases and will have to physically patch them when I want to use them. But it opens the door to more and less complicated options and I think keeping it simple might be the right direction for me.

EDIT:... just got this response so now I'm back to thinking the MOTU is the way to go.

"I run the 16A with Carbon. The +24dBu input max is a perfect match to Carbon, the +20dBu output max is 4dBu lower on the MOTU, but if I'm running that hot on an output it's most likely 2-bus via the Carbon's monitor out.

If I'm using any 'interface pres' they'll be the Carbon's, they're very good, I want pure conversion on the expander. The MOTU can be set as a dedicated analog-to-adat and adat-to-analog box, I just save one set-up for routing up to 48k, another for up to 96k and recall them via web browser.

The 16A conversion is the best you'll find anywhere near that price point and it makes for a very capable 2U, 24 in/32 out Pro Tools rack. "

To my thinking you would not go wrong with either the MOTU or the Midas. The Motu is of course a "full blown" interface But allows up to 16 additional channels (albeit they are all via 1/4 jacks ) but it sounds like it can be used simply as 16 channel extender box into the Carbon ... But it does have AVB ethernet for expansion (which is What Carbon has 2 of and the 2nd one would likely be the connection protocol for any future Avid extender type box as well , so it could be if that happens the MOTU could possibly use that connection to the Carbon ???, but that is of course all still speculation at this point.



The Midas is only an 8 channel extender box (not a full blown interface), It has 8 e XLR only (not combi) inputs and is simply a Mic pre with converters Either way it look promising

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by KevWind

To my thinking you would not go wrong with either the MOTU or the Midas. The Motu is of course a "full blown" interface But allows up to 16 additional channels (albeit they are all via 1/4 jacks ) but it sounds like it can be used simply as 16 channel extender box into the Carbon ... But it does have AVB ethernet for expansion (which is What Carbon has 2 of and the 2nd one would likely be the connection protocol for any future Avid extender type box as well , so it could be if that happens the MOTU could possibly use that connection to the Carbon ???, but that is of course all still speculation at this point.

The Midas is only an 8 channel extender box (not a full blown interface), It has 8 e XLR only (not combi) inputs and is simply a Mic pre with converters Either way it look promising

For the extra $500, I get 8 extra line-ins and the possibility of some future use of the AVB port. That's a no-brainer for me and I'm feeling pretty good about it now that someone using the same combination has weighed in. I think that's going to be the plan. Now I just need the X16 to sell.
BTW, want to buy an X16?

I'm not too worried. It will go eventually. I've already had offers, just none high enough for me to jump. Although if they had come through outside of Reverb, I'd have accepted one of them. Reverb takes too big a chunk though.

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by jim1960

For the extra $500, I get 8 extra line-ins and the possibility of some future use of the AVB port. That's a no-brainer for me and I'm feeling pretty good about it now that someone using the same combination has weighed in. I think that's going to be the plan. Now I just need the X16 to sell.
BTW, want to buy an X16?

I'm not too worried. It will go eventually. I've already had offers, just none high enough for me to jump. Although if they had come through outside of Reverb, I'd have accepted one of them. Reverb takes too big a chunk though.

Ha! thanks but no on the Apollo, at 71 years of age I am trying to scale down not up want to buy an A Designs MP2A.
I was reading the Motu info and it claims up to 48 channels expansion via the AVB with other Motu stuff so that could indeed be a future benefit. Plus if you ever decided you needed two systems for two rooms or something it could work for that as well

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by KevWind

Ha! thanks but no on the Apollo, at 71 years of age I am trying to scale down not up want to buy an A Designs MP2A.

The MP2A is a very nice pre. Way back when I was shopping for my first tube pre, I narrowed it down to the MP2A and the Demeter VTMP-2c. I wound up going with the Demeter and it's a great pre but I'm sure I'd have been just as happy with the MP2A.

The Demeter has an amazing ability to make any FET mic sound like something much better than what it is. It's not my favorite pre for pairing with a tube mic but for any FET, it's the first pre I reach for.

Originally Posted by KevWind

I was reading the Motu info and it claims up to 48 channels expansion via the AVB with other Motu stuff so that could indeed be a future benefit. Plus if you ever decided you needed two systems for two rooms or something it could work for that as well

Yeah, that's what I figure. None of know what direction AVID is going to go in with this system. I figure having the AVB on the MOTU at least leaves open the possibility of it being useful. My first priority though is the conversion and the channel count. I'm feeling kind of lucky that the 16A even exists. I searched as best I could but it's hard to isolate what I need in a search. In that AVID thread, someone was calling what i need an "expander" but I've never heard that term. I suppose in it's most basic form, it's a preamp with ADAT but searching preamps leaves out the interfaces that could play the same role.

[jim1960]

Just sold the X16. Carbon, here I come!

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by jim1960

Just sold the X16. Carbon, here I come!

Congrats I think you will really really like the sound when recording and overdubbing is like jamming live