Audio Interface: Adding inputs

dragonb4llz

I'm a beginner at setting up my home studio. I've got a Tascam us 4x4 which has four inputs and is serving me well for the past few months.

I now need to add ~4 more inputs which I had thought would be a case of buying another interface... But I've read that it's a bad idea to use more than one interface and my best option is to sell my current one and upgrade to an 8 input unit.

I'm loathe to do this though cos it'll cost more overall. Any other ideas or is this really the best way?

I'm using Windows, usb connection and Reaper DAW by the way.

Cheers,
Harry

Cirrus

You're going to have to get another interface. They work as your computer's soundcard, and you can't use two of those at once. Some interfaces have ADAT or SPDIF digital inputs and/or outputs, and you can daisy chain multiple interfaces that have those connections - one will act as the master soundcard which is what your computer will see, the other will just dumbly send its digital output into the master, which presents that as extra channels visible to your computer.

But the Tascam us4x4 doesn't have those, so it can't be expanded or used to expand something else in that way.

guitarfishbay

You can aggregate on Mac but honestly I find it more stable to use a single card and expand through its own ADAT/SPDIF ports if necessary.

dragonb4llz

Damn ok, cheers for info.

Strangefan

Why don't you just buy a mixer? 

dragonb4llz

(Deleted duplicate)

dragonb4llz

Haven't thought about mixers. I want to have reaper see l+r tracks per instrument so I can do post recording mix and effects. Can I do that with a new mixer?

ToneControl

Why do you need lots of inputs?
Usually all the post-recording mix and effects will be in the computer DAW

I used to have 16 in and 16 out, but the convenience was simply to not re-jig every time I switched instrument, few people record 16+ tracks in parallel, unless they are recording a live performance

If you do need more, you need a new IO: shop around for an 8-channel one that has ADAT sockets, and on which the instrument input actually works properly for electric guitar DI - many don't and sound awful
(the Scarlett 18i20 was the best I could find recently)

you can get a cheap ADAT IO unit to add on for more inputs, Behringer do a cheap one

guitarfishbay

Actually if you have outboard gear it’s definitely preferable to be able to leave it permanently set up, to keep results repeatable.

Right now I only use 10 inputs, 8 on the interface and 2 via SPDIF, but I have the option to add more by ADAT again if I ever record drums in the future. But they’re all set up for various things and I only have two ‘free’ channels that switch about, the rest have dedicated jobs.

I personally would not buy an interface that didn’t have ADAT and SPDIF, the 18i20 is a good choice for something reasonably priced and expandable. Right now I use the Clarett 8preX which has 2 ADAT ports but I’m not using either currently as I’m mostly recording vocals and DI’d instruments at the moment 

dragonb4llz

I've been jamming with two other guys for years and we've recently decided to have a stab at making our own LP. We've gone for silent home recording so need to record three stereo signals simultaneously.

Yea looks like I'll replace my interface with something like the 18i20. Seems like the most sensible option.

Cheers guys!