After years of silence due to other priorities, a few months back I threw myself back into music.
Things go faster as I expected, and it looks like soon, all my inputs of the Ultralite MK5 will be occupied by permanent instruments. But sometimes there is a guest, so a few inputs extra feels a little more comfortable.
I was wondering: has MOTU an expansion to plug in the ADAT input, so I can expand my interface with 4 or 8 line inputs?
I like all my preamps to be as much the same as possible.
If not, what other options are there?
A 2nd interface is a bit overkill, imo, for receiving guests from time to time. Or am I wrong in thinking an ADAT expansion would be much more affordable than an extra interface?
Ultralite Mk5 ADAT expansion
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Discussion related to installation, configuration and use of MOTU hardware such as MIDI interfaces, audio interfaces, etc. with Windows
Discussion related to installation, configuration and use of MOTU hardware such as MIDI interfaces, audio interfaces, etc. with Windows
- stubbsonic
- Posts: 4697
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Re: Ultralite Mk5 ADAT expansion
One inexpensive and fairly versatile option is made by a horrible company. The model name is ADA8200. At around $230 USD for new, it will provide 8 mic/line inputs.
More expensive, more swanky, and (I would expect) more reliable, is the Scarlett OctoPre at around $500 new. There's a swankier Clarett+ version now available for $800.
If an interface has an ADAT port, that should mean that it has the bandwidth to support those additional channels of audio. And I agree that this would probably be a more reliable and turn-key way to add channels than to use two interfaces. And it could be less expensive than upgrading to an interface with tons more i/o. That's why MOTU, RME and others put those ADAT ports on there-- expandability.
More expensive, more swanky, and (I would expect) more reliable, is the Scarlett OctoPre at around $500 new. There's a swankier Clarett+ version now available for $800.
If an interface has an ADAT port, that should mean that it has the bandwidth to support those additional channels of audio. And I agree that this would probably be a more reliable and turn-key way to add channels than to use two interfaces. And it could be less expensive than upgrading to an interface with tons more i/o. That's why MOTU, RME and others put those ADAT ports on there-- expandability.
M1 MBP; OS 12, FF800, DP 11.3, Kontakt 7, Reaktor 6, PC3K7, K2661S, iPad6, Godin XTSA, Two Ibanez 5 string basses (1 fretted, 1 fretless), FM3, SY-1000, etc.
http://www.jonstubbsmusic.com
http://www.jonstubbsmusic.com
Re: Ultralite Mk5 ADAT expansion
I use a Behringer ADA8200 as an expander. Only 44.1 and 48K. No complaints.
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail ... one-preamp
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail ... one-preamp
DP 11.31 PT 2024.3 VEP 7.x with various VIs
NI Komplete Audio 6 on HP Envy 8G i7 Quad Laptop Win11
MOTU 828es ADA8200 MTP-AV on HP Z2 G4 Xeon Workstation Win11
MOTU M4 on MacBook Air M2 2023 Sonoma.4.1
NI Komplete Audio 6 on HP Envy 8G i7 Quad Laptop Win11
MOTU 828es ADA8200 MTP-AV on HP Z2 G4 Xeon Workstation Win11
MOTU M4 on MacBook Air M2 2023 Sonoma.4.1
Re: Ultralite Mk5 ADAT expansion
Another low cost option might be an old MOTU unit like the 2408 or 828, if you can get one cheap, and there is a driver that will connect it to your current computer/OS. I use the latter occasionally connecting it to a Scarlett 18i8 via ADAT to get extra channels. In a pinch, the 2408 will do a load of other stuff that might come in handy.
2018 Mini i7 32G 10.14.6, DP 11.3, Mixbus 9, Logic 10.5, Scarlett 18i8
- mikehalloran
- Posts: 15296
- Joined: Sun Jan 25, 2009 5:08 pm
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- Location: Sillie Con Valley
Re: Ultralite Mk5 ADAT expansion
Many of the older interfaces with ADAT I/O that operate in stand alone mode will work. I have used my 2408 and 828mkII that way. IIRC, the original 828 is one of the few that does not work as a stand alone converter.
DP 11.31; 828mkII FW, micro lite, M4, MTP/AV USB Firmware 2.0.1
2023 Mac Studio M2 8TB, 192GB RAM, OS Sonoma 14.5 b4, USB4 8TB external, M-Audio AIR 192|14, Mackie ProFxv3 6/10/12; 2012 MBPs Catalina, Mojave
IK-NI-Izotope-PSP-Garritan-Antares, LogicPro X, Finale 27.4, Dorico 5.2, Notion 6, Overture 5, TwistedWave, DSP-Q 5, SmartScore64 Pro, Toast 20 Pro
2023 Mac Studio M2 8TB, 192GB RAM, OS Sonoma 14.5 b4, USB4 8TB external, M-Audio AIR 192|14, Mackie ProFxv3 6/10/12; 2012 MBPs Catalina, Mojave
IK-NI-Izotope-PSP-Garritan-Antares, LogicPro X, Finale 27.4, Dorico 5.2, Notion 6, Overture 5, TwistedWave, DSP-Q 5, SmartScore64 Pro, Toast 20 Pro