I believe the new AI-3 are 24 bit , and may be the same converters that =
are in the ADA-8000=20
( the ones in the ADA-8000 are made by Alesis)
They are available from a few different places for $370-$400 new .
NSL has them for $370.05 delivered=20
=
http://www.northernsound.net/Sales/p...os/alesis/ale=
sismultitracks.html#AI3
There are new ADA-8000 's on Ebay from a dealer for $207 delivered.=20
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...&item=3D373 =
2638347
There is also the Creamware A16 Ultra 1RU with 16 channels of 24/48 =
(ADAT) or 16 at 24/96 (ZLINK) $849

I have done business with NSL without any problems but not audiobargain =
, I am not endorsing either...

Good Luck
Port
--=20

"Garth D. Wiebe" wrote in message =
...
Handywired wrote:
This looks like the least expensive way to get eight more channels =
of I/O for
my ProTools LE setup. Anyone tried it?
=20
It appears that I can choose between several products in the $500 =
range, or
then it jumps to more like the $1500-$3000 range. I can't spend =
that kind of
dough.=20
=20
Right now I can transfer my 16 tracks "from the analog" in two =
passes with
SMPTE, so it's not a crises, but it would sure be nice to have 16 =
I/O at so
point!
=20
-jeff
=20
We have two Alesis AI3 units. We use one in the studio and one in =
live=20
sound, and have had no problems with either.
=20
We also have the Behringer ADA8000, which is a bit less expensive, and =

have tested it. (See http://www.audiorail.com/ADA8000.htm) We use =
this=20
for live sound and have had no problems with it either.
=20
Differences:
=20
AI3: $400
ADA8000: $230
=20
AI3: 20-bit converters
ADA8000: 24-bit converters
=20
AI3: 8-line in TRS, 8-line out TRS
ADA8000: 8-line/mic in TRS/XLR, 8-line out XLR
=20
Problem with AI3: No word clock select, no word clock output =
connector.=20
If optical input is present, it syncs to that. If not, it generates =

its own clock.
=20
Problem with ADA8000: Analog output signal is inverted with respect =
to=20
digital input. XLR outputs mean adapters if you need TRS, raising=20
effective price of unit. There is no word clock output BNC connector.