Helping a friend out who just got an Avantis Solo. He’s got a bit of a piecemealed system and here is the relevant equipment:
1x Avantis Solo (no I/O cards)
2x AR2412
1x AR84
1x iDR-32
From my understanding it is impossible to connect both AR2412s to the Avantis. But, with an iLive M-ACE card and an M-DL-ADAPT card, the iDR-32 could be used for additional I/O - correct?
If so, with the combination of the AR2412, the AR84, and the iDR-32 this would give him the full 64 inputs he needs.
TBH, the iDR32 is a complete mixer in it’s own. And you can’t control it from the Avantis. The M-ACE card isn’t that good integrated into the Avantis.
For 64 inputs, he needs a GX4816 and a DX168.
The combination of 4 DX168 with a DX-Hub is also possible.
Both systems can work without an additional card. And both are 96kHz.
As Steffen said, connecting the iLive system (along with any I/O connected to the iLive) will allow you to pass audio between the two systems, but the Avantis will not be able to control any of the preamp settings (gain, phantom power, polarity, etc) of the iLive I/O. You will have digital trim on the Avantis for those inputs which allows a +/-24db range. Therefore you will need to concurrently run iLive software on a computer in order to be able to access those preamp settings. That is certainly an inconvenience, but not a insurmountable obstacle IMHO.
I am unware of how well the ACE card will work in the Avantis. You might want to reach out to A&H support via the main A&H website just to make sure it will all work as expected. Alternatively, if both systems had matching I/O cards (both have Dante, or both have Waves, or both Madi), you could connect the systems that way. If the iLive system had Dante for example, you would be much better off buying a new Dante card for the Avantis and connecting the systems together that way vs buying the ACE card and the iLive converter card. The old iLive cards are going to have little flexibility or value moving forward IMHO vs the Dante card which is going to be much more flexible to have.
I realize it seems silly to purchase new I/O for the Avantis when there is potentially a way to make the old I/O work. But I would seriously consider selling the old equipment and purchasing DX/GX stage boxes for the Avantis instead. Not only are you getting the advantages of the 96k audio chain, but you will have a warranty, and a single point of control vs having to run two independant consoles with the existing I/O. Of course it always comes down to budget however and you aren’t going to sell the existing equipment for what it would cost to replace it with DX/GX boxes. So there would be some “out of pocket” expense to go that route.
Thank you both for your replies. I see the iDR-32 is definitely out of the question now.
Just to check, would there be any way to use the AR2412s with the DX system - either by daisy chaining off of a GX4816/DX168 or by plugging it directly into a DX Link/Hub?
Related question- how many DX168s can be daisy chained together before we need a DX Link/Hub?
No. Different protocol and sample rate mismatch.
Only two.
Looks like he’ll be going with the GX4816 and DX168 option.
Thanks again for the info.