Audio Interface Upgrade, ADAT Advice Needed

[The Flying Sloth]

*copy of a post I made on GS with no replies*

Hi all,
I'm currently using a Behringer UMC1820 interface with ADAT populated and am looking to get some extra input and output options for upgrading later. I found the RME Digiface USB (or Marian Seraph A3 possibly) and it seems to be a really killer deal. Can I use my old interface as a mic pre over ADAT to the Digiface or do I need to get another ADAT pre to not lose IO upon upgrade.

Many thanks,
Sloth

Edit: If I have to purchase another mic pre is there any reason to not just get a Behringer X32 Rack instead? From every review I've seen it's a more featured option with no apparent downside and allows for outboard processing for monitoring.

[kasugatei]

5 hours ago, The Flying Sloth said:

*copy of a post I made on GS with no replies*

Hi all,
I'm currently using a Behringer UMC1820 interface with ADAT populated and am looking to get some extra input and output options for upgrading later. I found the RME Digiface USB (or Marian Seraph A3 possibly) and it seems to be a really killer deal. Can I use my old interface as a mic pre over ADAT to the Digiface or do I need to get another ADAT pre to not lose IO upon upgrade.

Many thanks,
Sloth

Edit: If I have to purchase another mic pre is there any reason to not just get a Behringer X32 Rack instead? From every review I've seen it's a more featured option with no apparent downside and allows for outboard processing for monitoring.

It doesn’t look that Behringer interface can be used in a slave mode via ADAT. 
 

RME stuff is killer, but if you need more I/O, why don’t you just buy something like Audient ASP800 series for great preamps and decent price or Behringer ADA8200 and expand your current interface? Behringer ADAT is really great device for the money. 
 

Also X32 is not an audio interface. It is digital mixer. Completely different device. 

 

 

 

[The Flying Sloth]

33 minutes ago, Niksa said:

It doesn’t look that Behringer interface can be used in a slave mode via ADAT. 
 

RME stuff is killer, but if you need more I/O, why don’t you just buy something like Audient ASP800 series for great preamps and decent price or Behringer ADA8200 and expand your current interface? Behringer ADAT is really great device for the money. 
 

Also X32 is not an audio interface. It is digital mixer. Completely different device. 

 

 

 

Thanks for the reply,

If the 1820 can't function in slave mode it ends up being cheaper for me to grab the X32 rack and s16 than the Digiface and even just basic ADA8200s (yes, I agree, it is a great pre and blind tests on GS found that people prefer it over lynx aurora 16 converters) and the cheapest talkback system on the market while doing monitoring in-box. 

This next bit sounds rude, trust that I don't mean it to be.
As I said ADAT is populated on the current interface and that's why I'm looking to upgrade. The 1820 can only connect to a single ADAT preamp so getting more really wouldn't help me at all.
The X32 (in desk form) is primarily used as a mixer you are correct, however, it comes with an expansion card that allows it to function as a 32x32 interface (over usb, Dante  or Madi if you want to drop the extra cash) now, the X32 rack only has 16 analog ins so I'd have to use an S16 to get the full 32 channels and this is is a fairly common use case for the x32 as far as I can tell.

Again, thanks for the help, I think I'll keep checking around for a bit to see if I find an obvious option I'm missing or if anyone with hands-on experience with the products thinks my ideas are stupid.

Regards,
Sloth