Arturia AudioFuse 16 Rig

The Lounge Other Gear
#43

This looks pretty interesting TBH. The 16x TRS inputs, 16 ADAT channels, the 8 DC coupled outputs and the x2 stand alone mixers (one MIDI controllable) make this quite appealing.

I’m currently all set in terms of the functionality offered, but if I was re-building my home studio setup from scratch this would be high on my list of interfaces to consider as it would simplify and consolidate a number of separate units.

This plus a patchbay should satisfy the vast majority of most synth-focused users needs with plenty of room to grow. For example:

  • If you wanted to add more high quality pre-amps (this only has 2 inputs w/preamps) you could use 8 of your ADAT inputs to attach something like the Clarett+ OctoPre. This would still leave you 8 ADAT input to use with something like the Push 3.

  • If you wanted to maximize your TRS inputs for your vast synth collection you could use all 16 ADAT input with something like the Ferrofish Pulse 16.

4 Likes
#44

Looks pretty amazing! As far as I know it‘s the only interface that can work as a standalone mixer with controllable gain/pan/aux via Midi CC.

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#45

The thing is, most digital rack-mount mixers can route audio to a PC via USB, can’t they? Which effectively makes them audio interfaces? And, of course, they still operate as mixers when not doing that.

So I guess it’s just that they’re mixers that can operate as audio interfaces instead of an audio interface that can operate as a mixer. But I’m not sure there’s a real distinction, there.

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#46

It’s poor form to remove the meat of the matter from a quote. There are a ton of audio interfaces that have an built-in mixer, that isn’t anything new. Proper MIDI control however is very unusual.

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#47

All of their stuff has been outta stock for so long now, I’m wondering if they are next in line to be bought out by InMusic, and the inevitable “big companies are bad” thread to be made

#48

Reminds me of what Fabio says when they give him the Slashie award.

On a more serious note, I’d wait for reviews from real humans on this one. My experience with Arturia has been a bit hit or miss, and although the fuse interface line historically has some renown for quality, I think that the audio interface market is now drastically different than it was 10 years ago where a lot of that prestige originates from.

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#49

Is it time to update the thread title perhaps?

@StreetDeezy

#50

My Roland MX-1 would like a word :stuck_out_tongue:

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#51

My sincere apologies. I honestly didn’t think specific MIDI CC control of gain/pan/aux to be the meat of the ask. Especially as the 7bit CC resolution (as, I think, used by the Behringer X mixers?) and potential latency are not ideal in a lot of cases.

I had assumed (which I shouldn’t have — and again, apologies) that general remote control over mixer params was the important part. And this is obviously possible in rack mixers as there’s often no other way to adjust settings :wink: But as you say, it’s traditionally done over something more robust like USB, ethernet, or WiFi rather than MIDI.

Still, it’s not like MIDI is an unknowable mystery to mixer makers. That so few of them implement it might be a sign that CC messages are not a great way to simultaneously remote control a bunch of channel params? Either Arturia has discovered something here… or they are about to!

1 Like
#52

This is actually quite interesting. With the midi implementation you can add a midi surface like MX12 and control levels with the faders. Even a Novation XL or Akai midimix will do.

I currently use two 18i20 and there’s no midi control so miss not having physical controls for levels (you have only for gains) so I see myself replacing them with one Audiofuse 16.

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#53

The software looks leagues better than the Focusrite software, too.

1 Like
#54

Here is a really good video review with round trip latency numbers and converter quality assessment. I would recommend watching if that is in your interest.

I really dig the massive functionality & connectivity that Arturia put into just 1U.

5 Likes
#55
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#56

From the point of view of someone who has almost jumped at an Audient EVO with adat, or Motu 16A, or similar (of which there isn’t much), this looks very very tempting.

To me the midi control of basic mixer parameters makes sense when targeting the synth owning set, vs a full featured browser or tablet gui from the digital mixer first type devices.

Just let me plug in any of the seven controllers I already own so I can make some basic tweaks.

#57

Could potentially replace a patch bay

#58

That’s a gateway to way too many hardware upgrades for me…

“Oh sweet, available inputs!!!”

7 Likes
#59

Also the presets feature allows you to have a preset for standalone and another for daw or anything else.

Regarding routing 8pre lacked it, there was some workaround with cues but not the same. Now you have a full blown matrix which can be used with 8pre through adat.

I still see 8pre as a nice addon if you need 8 extra mic pre inputs or just more synth inputs on top of 16rig, just connect it with adat.

1 Like
#60

One of 16rig’s best features that seems to be getting glossed over is their matrix mixer.
Comparable digital patchbay options like Flock Audio are typically starting at 2k for that feature alone.

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#61

Is the difference with the Flock that it’s digital control over an analog signal path, whereas the 16rig the matrix is part of the digital mixer?

#62

As mentioned, this isn’t quite the same as it’s entirely digital, like the Motu AVB interfaces, whereas the Flock Audio is a digitally controlled analog patchbay, which contributes to the much higher cost.

I think the 16Rig is a good value though when compared to something like the Motu 16A. Similar digital mixer/patchbay design, a bunch of line-ins, I’m assuming good converters, but with some more modern features as well, and external MIDI control. I have an AudioFuse Studio and it’s a great all-in-one interface. This seems like it would pair very well with that for extra I/O.

Of course if you need a ton of I/O, especially at high sample rates, the Motu is going to be much better for that, and is easily the best value out there without having to spend thousands of dollars on something like a Dante or Madi setup.