STACKING Audiophile 2496 CARDS

[bell]

I understand that there are limitations with the software as not to interfere with HD .
But I would like to know If we can stack the CARDS for more digital IO , ect.
EVEN have a Audiophile 2496 with a Audiophile 192, just for the different RCA / TRS inputs, ect...
And If we were to put 2 CARDS on the PCI busses, would It only recognize one ?

[Trood]

i have two AP 2496 stacked, both cards works and shows up in MPow PT as one interface.
The bad thing about the AP 2496 card is that you need an external clock for the digital input, otherwise it will not record anything.

[bell]

So are you able to use both spdif outs at the same time ?
....( one for effects, and one for master fader out)?
Do you also mean that the cards need to be synced up .
thank you ,

[bell]

For Digital in , I understand it of course gets clocked with/from the external converters.
but can we run 2 sets of converters in , ( like 2 apogee psx100se )

[dam_studio]

Trood,

You say you have two cards working well and seen as one so am I right to assume you have 4 in 4 out analog? This is what interests me as I already have one audiophile card but need at least 4 in and out to function properly. Digital i/o issues aside, if M-powered PT does allow for multiple cards (and as you say sees them as one) then it seems a no brainer to me to finally jump in and see what PT is really like.

I tried PT Free a couple of years ago and HATED it. I've been using Vegas ever since which is great but it seems Sony is driving the app more and more toward the video side (last upgrade was VERY sparse on audio features) so now seems like a good time to give a real version of PT a try. I like the M-powered demo and so am interested in adding more cards.

Dave

[bell]

CAlled M-Audio , and they said that It wont be seen or suported with PT app. ???

[dam_studio]

Bell,

Are you talking about digital or analog? Trood's post above seems to say that all four analog inputs are usuable on his cards but I'd like to be sure before buying another card.

Dave

[Trood]

dam_studio,

I cant test the AP stacked right now, give me a couple of days and I get back to you with some results.

In the case of digital in and clock source: I got a couple of TC M300 and they dont send any clock so I always have to chain in another clock (like a triple c) to record them (my old AudioMedia III could send digital clock).

cheers

[bell]

They said that multi interfaces are not supported right now, so we cant mix and match, or add 2 or more of the same.
it is the same way with the 002 . and all the LE stuff, so many people would buy more interfaces , as long as they could link them all together,
So I doubt that M - powered stuff would get any extra then the LE systems.....
Remember ; they have to protect the HD interfaces,

[dam_studio]

Bummer.

I like the M-powered demo but am hesitant to do it if I am limited to 2 in/out. Since M-Audio says multiple cards (of the same or different types) are not supported, I wonder what happens when someone like Trood who already has two cards installed tries to use the M-powered program. Is Protoola able to see all the cards but somehow limited to only accessing one? If so which one? Does PT choose whichever card is the system default? Does PT give the user the option to choose which card, and if so can the choice be easily switched back and forth, or is it pretty much set? What if there's yet a third card in the system, not of the M-Audio variety, set as the system default? What does PT do then in terms of which M-Audio card to choose?

Dave

[destroy_all_monsters]

I think we'd have to get digi and M-Audio's positions on this. OTOH I don't know why someone would get multiple 2496s instead of a used 1010 (which is running in the low 2-300 dollar range) or a 192 if the additional overhead is needed. It seems to me the ultimate interface here would be the FW 1814 (and I include the 002 when I say that). Could be that some group "unlocks" the capability to use multiple cards down the line as well.

[dam_studio]

You are right, destroy, in that it makes little sense to purchase two new 2496 cards but my dilemma is that I already own one and so could step into Protools for the purchase of the M-powered version of the software plus only one more 2496 (or the 192), possibly under $400 total. I have another multiple input output card that I use with other software (egosys waverterminal 192 M) so I'm not in the market for a FW 1814 or 002 or the like. However, if I'm going to use Protools M-powered in a client situation I need more than two analog ins and outs.

I would very much like to hear from Digi or M-Audio regarding my previous questions of multiple cards and how M-Powered PT handles them. Guess I'll just contact them directly rather than wait to see if they reply here.

Dave

[destroy_all_monsters]

Seems like a good idea. I hope you post what you find out so we all know. Still, it seems like a limitation of the LE series (that's deliberate) to only allow one interface at a time.

Edited to add: I forgot to ask a couple questions 1) is cash part of the equation? I can totally understand if it does but since you can get a 1010 used so cheaply these days it seems like the cost difference between that and a 192 or new 2496 isn't that great ($225 seems to be about the going rate around here) and if I'm understanding your issue it's one of needing more analog ins and outs. 2) If one of your other interfaces has a a/d converter couldn't you patch it into the digital ins on the 2496?

[Ant B]

I think it will work. So much so that I'm not even considering calling M-audio or digi to find out. The reason I'm so confident is because I believe I understand how the M Audio Delta Control Panel works with dual cards and how it interacts with protools. Without mpowered, using just the m-audio cards as cards on your system when you add a second card you introduce a whole new set of inputs in the delta control panel patchbay. This allows you to select what you want to monitor/send to/from that card. However, the control panel/patchbay acts as just that. Protools sees the control panel/patchbay output. Protools doesn't actually interact with the physical card (this is my strong belief). So if the patchbay itself is designed to handle this extra load, and the member above (can't recall his name) already confirmed that protools sees the extra card as 1...then this confirms my thought. That protools sees the control panel/output of the control panel and nothing further. This being the case, it should work seamlessly. The only thing at question is whether or not protools would allow for more inputs to be "seen", and the member above already confirmed that it does.

My only question about the matter is the clocksource for multiple s/pdif inputs. Currently I have a mpc4000 and it provides source for the s/pdif out of it into my 2496. However, when I add a second card, I'm not sure if my mpc will remain as clocksource, or if the control panel will try to read clocksource from the 2nd card (for whatever reason). This would be bad because the 2nd s/pdif in will be coming from an audio source that does not provide clock. So if anyone has that answer please let me know

Thanks

Ant

[Fez]

have we had a confirmation on this at all yet i wouldnt mind getting another 2496 if i know its guna work they are goin stupidly cheap at the moment !