QU32 outputs to 24 track 2" recorder?

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  • #98644
    Profile photo of MarkD30
    MarkD30
    Participant

    Hello and I’m a newbie,so apologies if this has already been covered.

    I use a QU32 in my studio by connecting the USB cable out to a PC running Cubase, and this works well.

    I also have a 24 track 2” machine and would love to be able to record the initial backing tracks (usually drums, bass and guitars) into the 24 track for the analogue sound, then transfer them into Cubase for overdubs and the rest of the session.

    The 24 T tape returns are no problem as they go straight into the desks line inputs, but I don’t know how I can record to the 24T via the desk as it doesn’t have direct outputs.

    I could possibly route some individual outs via the mix / group / matrix outputs but this could get messy and untidy, especially as a lot of those outs are already needed as headphone mixes for the musicians.

    Probably the best solution would be if there was some kind of USB digital interface / splitter between the Qu32 USB out to Cubase, which also provided parallel outputs to a bank of jacks or XLRs (16 would probably be enough) that I could plug in to the 24 T.

    Does anyone know of such an interface please, or is there another way of achieving this?

    Thanks very much!

    #98645
    Profile photo of volounteer
    volounteer
    Participant

    @markd30

    I do not know of such a device. Some of the pros may so check back later.
    Just what interface(s) does your tape machine have?

    Based on what you describe I am not sure that you have a problem at all but may be trying to solve it the wrong way.
    Please be more clear of the time flow and signal flows you envision, and which are in parallel and which ones can be sequential.

    You would do just as well to record direct to the PC than the tape machine.
    Digital is truly better except for the noise and distortion you remove but some people want to keep.

    #98646
    Profile photo of garyh
    garyh
    Participant

    I think a patch bay for your inputs that has three routes for each input. To Qu, to 2”, and split to both.

    #98651
    Profile photo of DoctorG
    DoctorG
    Participant

    It seems to me that you don’t need all the 24 channels from the QU to your tape machine. The QU has 10 analog outputs that should work for you. You can get two more outputs by using an AR2412 and the dSnake output, but this is an expensive solution. I suspect that you can accomplish what you want to do in your DAW.

    The digital domain is so much cleaner than tape that I find it hard to believe that you want to do this. Just learn all the capabilities of your DAW.

    #98652
    Profile photo of volounteer
    volounteer
    Participant

    +10E99

    #98665
    Profile photo of MarkD30
    MarkD30
    Participant

    Thanks to everyone for your comments – much appreciated.

    The 24 track tape interface is via mono jacks or XLRs, but I would need to access them after the Qu32’s mic pre amps – some mics require phantom from the desk and all would need to be fed to the musicians headphones whilst recording the backing tracks, which will reduce the number of analog outputs available.

    That’s why I wondered if there was a way of splitting the main USB out at the end of the audio chain – in other words, if all the individual audio stems are digitally embedded in the USB cable sent to Cubase, can it also be sent to an external converter that recognizes these individual stems and decodes them back to analog via a bank of jack or XLR sockets?

    Basically a 16 or 24 track digital splitter / decoder to analog, where one USB cable goes to Cubase and the other goes to the convertor.

    #98669
    Profile photo of Mike C
    Mike C
    Participant

    Some of the digital IO interfaces have 10 to 12 outputs. The QU USB output
    patching will let you assign any of the mixers input channels as well as the output mixes to a USB output track/channel.

    I’m impressed you have a working 2 inch 24 track machine with tape!

    #98671
    Profile photo of Mfk0815
    Mfk0815
    Participant

    I dont think that USB splitter stuff will work at all, because the data format of the audio streams is not standardized at all. I would go the analog preamp or mixer route instead. Use an analog mixer ( MixWiz or GL2400) with direct outs to feed the tape machine. You can use pre head monitoring of the tape machine to feed the inputs of the QU for monitor mix for the musicians. Or you use analog splitter between the sources and the analog mixer/preamps as well as the QU.
    BTW: the only digital consoles in the price range of the QU I know with analog direct outs were the first two generations of the StudioLive series.

    #98673
    Profile photo of Mike C
    Mike C
    Participant

    I dont think that USB splitter stuff will work at all, because the data format of the audio streams is not standardized at all. I would go the analog preamp or mixer route instead. Use an analog mixer ( MixWiz or GL2400) with direct outs to feed the tape machine. You can use pre head monitoring of the tape machine to feed the inputs of the QU for monitor mix for the musicians. Or you use analog splitter between the sources and the analog mixer/preamps as well as the QU.
    BTW: the only digital consoles in the price range of the QU I know with analog direct outs were the first two generations of the StudioLive series.

    In all fairness with today’s used prices you could probably get a late model MixWiz or GL2400 for less than what any (if there is one) digital interface would cost.
    Maybe get a boutique pre amp for a channel or two if you feel the need.

    #98723
    Profile photo of DoctorG
    DoctorG
    Participant

    MarkD30: Can you explain to us why you feel that Cubase can not do what you want to do? I don’t use Cubase and so am not aware of its possible limitations. Search the internet for Cubase Overdubbing, and you’ll find several tutorials on this. It this what you want to do? If you try to go to tape first, you will end up with lots of hiss and other noise.

    #98724
    Profile photo of
    Anonymous

    @markd30
    Pick your self up a used GSR24. [it will always come in handy for other scenarios]
    Super clean unbiased preamps with excellent EQ and routing.
    These have direct outs you could feed also into your QU32 for headphone mixs.

    Trying to use QU32 and also head phone mixs is pretty messy.
    AND are the inputs on the tape balanced?
    Check out: Gearslutz forum : Allen & Heath GSR-24M

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