Audio to USB interface for multi-tracking audio to a DAW?

Audio to USB interface for multi-tracking audio to a DAW?

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MitchT

Original Poster:

15,874 posts

210 months

Monday 5th December 2016
quotequote all
Does anyone know if there's a simple interface available that would enable me to simultaneously record to multiple audio tracks in Logic Pro from multiple external sources? I'm thinking of a process like the following ...

Write music in Logic Pro using midi to drive a number of synths, the audio from which would go into some kind of interface which would be connected to my Mac via USB, enabling the audio from all the synths to be recorded simultaneously when I play the sequence.

Here's a diagram to explain what I mean ... what device would the '?' be?


MitchT

Original Poster:

15,874 posts

210 months

Monday 5th December 2016
quotequote all
As there are 16 midi channels and I have enough synths to fill 16 inputs I'd ideally like 16 channels. Ideally I'd like to be able to record all 16 channels at once. I wouldn't need the interface to have midi capability. I'd use a USB-midi connector to chain my synths from my Mac so I could use the sequencer to play them and then cable outputs of the synths into the interface with the interface connected back to my Mac via USB to take the audio into Logic Pro.

Really the interface would just need 16 jack sockets for inputs, the ability to convert the audio to digital and a USB cable to carry the digital audio as 16 separate simultaneous streams into the Mac.

Budget? No idea! Whatever it costs I guess.

MitchT

Original Poster:

15,874 posts

210 months

Monday 5th December 2016
quotequote all
I think this might do the job: http://www.allen-heath.com/ahproducts/ice-16/

It appears to record up to 16 tracks of audio simultaneously to a hard drive or USB stick. They could then be dropped into 16 audio tracks in Logic Pro if there wasn't a method of sending the audio directly into Logic.

MitchT

Original Poster:

15,874 posts

210 months

Monday 5th December 2016
quotequote all
That looks good thanks - definitely worth further investigation.

MitchT

Original Poster:

15,874 posts

210 months

Tuesday 6th December 2016
quotequote all
davidd said:
Our little digital desk would do that.. Behringer XR18 https://www.amazon.co.uk/Behringer-XR18-X-Air-Mixe...
That looks great!

Would this enable me to monitor the incoming audio in Logic Pro before actually recording it? This would be a big help as it would enable me to tweak the sounds on my external synths if I wanted to change a sound after adding EQ and effects within Logic Pro, without having to re-record the track afterwards.

Interesting website BTW - looks exactly like the kind of place I'd love to work, although I'm in Yorkshire.

MitchT

Original Poster:

15,874 posts

210 months

Monday 12th December 2016
quotequote all
Interesting stuff. Plenty to go on there.