Can you connect and use multiple FireWire interfaces in OS X?
MOTU’s drivers support multiple interfaces. You will also need software that supports multiple Core Audio drivers like Digital Performer, or Mac OS 10.4 (see this tech note for more info on aggregate devices).
If you are using OS 10.3 or earlier, the application must provides its own support for multiple drivers. Digital Performer does this (see this tech note for more details), but with other applications only one FireWire interface can be used at a time.
As a workaround, you can use one interface directly with the computer, and use the other in standalone mode. In this example, we’ll use an original 828 directly with Logic, and an 828mk2 as a standalone A/D convertor connected to the original 828 via ADAT lightpipe.
- First, connect the 828 and 828mk2 to the computer via FireWire and power them on.
- Then launch the MOTU FireWire CueMix Console.
- Along the bottom, click on the Bus 1 tab.
- Along the right side of the window, you will see a Master Fader. Click on the Output button above the fader, and choose “ADAT 1-2”. Make sure the Master Fader is all the way up to 0 dB.
- Bring the faders all the way down except Analog 1-2. Bring Analog 1-2 up to 0 dB, and pan them hard left and hard right.
- Now click on the Bus 2 tab.
- Click on the Output button above the fader, and choose “ADAT 3-4”. Make sure the Master Fader is all the way up to 0 dB. Bring the faders all the way down except Analog 3-4. Bring Analog 3-4 up to 0 dB, and pan them hard left and hard right.
- Repeat this process with Bus 3 and Analog/ADAT 5-6, and Bus 4 and Analog/ADAT 7-8.
- In the MOTU FireWire Console, set the clock source of the 828mk2 to Internal, and the 828 original to “ADAT Optical”.
- Now you can power off the 828mk2, disconnect its FireWire, and power it back on.
- Connect ADAT optical out of the 828mk2 into the 828 original.
This process can also be used in any other setup that does not support multiple drivers.
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