Integrating rack FX with a DAW

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

In article <20040807000219.05745.00002711@mb-m14.aol.com> jsvice@aol.com writes:

> Let's say I'd like to integrate several hardware FX boxes into my DAW rig.
> Since I'm a purist to an extent, and since I don't want any added latency from
> A/D D/A conversions, I want these boxes to be in the loop digitally.

That won't solve all your problems. Digital interfaces typically have
some latency too, as well as whatever latency your hardware box has,
plus whatever it takes to get your hardware box's I/O into digital
form. If you're dreaming of no latency with a digital equalizer or
compressor, dream on.

> Unfortunately, unless you buy a $15,000 plus digital board, the number of
> s/pdif i/o on a DAW is usually pretty limited. I have a RME interface that'll
> give me 24 ADAT i/o, but only 2 channels of S/PDIF. So it's fine to hook up a
> PCM91, but what if I have another box with great fx that needs S/PDIF?

Get a Lynx AES16 and add that to your computer. That will give you 16
channel pairs of AES/EBU, which, in most cases, can be used directly
with coax S/PDIF with just a wiring adapter, or with optical S/PDIF
with a $15 Radio Shack converter. Most systems today can have two
audio interfaces living together fairly happily.

> So here's the general idea (finally)... How (im)practical is it to have say a
> firewire breakout box with 4 or 5 S/PDIF (or AES if you prefer) jacks on it?

The hard part is to sell it to a marketing department. If you and
20,000 others want it, they'll make it and it will be affordable. If
you and 5 others want it, they'll make it and it will cost about
$10,000.


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