Professional Options?

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Member Since: Aug 17, 2005

I'm getting ready to start putting together a commercial studio. M-Audio interfaces are fine for home recording, but what would you do as far as commercial? I'm open to all ideas except pro tools, because it's a terrible program.

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Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Apr 27, 2006 12:28 pm

Well, let me ask you this...at 24/96 or higher resolution, why wouldn't M-Audio be acceptable for commercial recording? They have devices up to 8 inputs that can sync together with more...and handles it all pretty well...I don't see why they wouldn't work...

Czar of Cheese
Member
Since: Jun 09, 2004


Apr 27, 2006 01:13 pm

Agreed. If you're not tying yourself into ProTools (which arguably is the way most commercial studios go...but that's another thread...) then you have a wealth of quality products at your disposal. Try not to focus on the name outside of the box, but rather on the results that can be achieved with what's inside the box.

Pinnipedal Czar (: 3=
Member
Since: Apr 11, 2004


Apr 27, 2006 01:21 pm

I would consider the 'best' professional audio interface to be a knowledgable human . Think of what has been put out in the last 20-30 years... amazing ! Some of which has been done with little more than a 4-track . 'Taint nothin' wrong with M-audios stuff... it's good stuff . : )

I'm with you on the ProTools bit, though... I got a saying: Pro Tools is good for pro-tools . : p

Want everything that PT can give you(and more) without the PT$$$ ?... Sonar 5PE . Hell, that on a 64bit system with a 24/96 interface, and your'll boldly go where no PT has gone before !






Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Apr 27, 2006 01:29 pm

::sniff, sniff::

is that the fire of an emminent huge debate and flaming I smell?

Czar of Cheese
Member
Since: Jun 09, 2004


Apr 27, 2006 01:41 pm

Psalm 24:96

"Let thy audio interface be thy guide, lest ye be struck by the fires of a ProTools debate."

Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Apr 27, 2006 01:42 pm

ROFL

Pinnipedal Czar (: 3=
Member
Since: Apr 11, 2004


Apr 27, 2006 01:54 pm

Ok, ok, maybe I was being a bit silly with that statement... what I mean is that if someone comes into my studio demanding that I have PT to record them, then I don't mind not recording them . It's peeps like that that turn me off . Not because I don't want/own PT, but because it's a rediculous argument .

Hey, if you use PT and like it, more power to y'a !

Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Apr 27, 2006 01:58 pm

You are right, but, I would be a liar if I was to say when I was first getting into music I didn't feel I had to have a Fender P-Bass cuz thats what I was told, I have since learned P-Basses are actually among my least favorite basses of all time...

Point being, I don't really blame young people for following what they deem as credible advice from people they trust...and ProTools isn't a BAD application, the mistaken assumption is that's it's the only pro level application. Ultimately, I dare to venture a guess that youhave the same person and same band record the same song on ProTools, Cubase, Sonar, Vegas, Logic or any other number of apps nobody could tell the difference...and furthermore, most people won't care, they just care that it sounds good.

The Quiet Minded
Member
Since: Jan 01, 2003


Apr 28, 2006 12:04 pm

Whenever I meet this kind of discussion about technology I think about Pink Floyd´s Dark Side of The Moon. Did they use PT, M-Audio, Maya......? Dont think so. They relied all their faith on godlike sound engineers and outstanding creativity and musicianship.

Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Apr 28, 2006 12:05 pm

Yeah, but did you hear dark side of the moon in it's latest digital surround sound mix? wow.

Prince CZAR-ming
Member
Since: Apr 08, 2004


Apr 28, 2006 12:11 pm

Hey Andy, if you're still looking;

www.sweetwater.com/feature/motu/

(kind of a 'back on topic' kick)

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002


Apr 28, 2006 09:53 pm

pjk, dont wreck a good thread hi-jacking. :-)

I agree completely on the M-Audio and others being profesional level interface. If it is capable of 24/96 or higher, and can function without major latency and distortion issues, then it is a hgih grade sound card. I have switched to all ESI interface, which can all do 24/192. And as well, I do profesional recording and sound work with them.

Jim, that was priceless!

Anyone for more PT bashing?

I can't spell.
Member
Since: Nov 10, 2005


Apr 28, 2006 10:59 pm

I had a band leave me one time for somebody who had pro tools. I asked them why they decided to go with him after already starting with me. They said, "ProTools is for pros, we've never even heard of a firefox." I contacted the guy as a, "curious band," he didn't even have PT, he was just telling people since he knew it was a name people out of recording knew.


?cixelsid I mA
Member
Since: Jul 30, 2005


Apr 29, 2006 08:55 pm

You may want to start with a good clock. It will improve the A/D conversion with any decent quality converter such as the Delta 1010. I use the Apogee Big Ben. For less than a P/T HD system you could buy a 8 or 16 channel high end converter, a 64 bit AMD based PC, Sonar 5 PE a couple xtra 300G hard drives, and some excellent plug-ins along with a couple high quality pres. No foolin around with I-locks taking up your usb ports, etc. If the musician is so ignorant that he/she thinks pro tools will make it sound better, maybe you coud educate them with a few web site visits.

If I remember correctly, the last Jackie Chen movie was scored with Cubase, or maybe Nuendo. Mission Impossible III was scored with either Nuendo or Sonar...i'm not sure which so you may want to check on that. I'd get the info, some DVDs of these titles, and play them for them and ask what they thought was wrong with the sound.

One other thing you may want to think about is how much above 48K do you need for stereo recordings. I've read that 48K is quite sufficient for stereo audio work, 88.2 at the most. 48K covers frequencies up to 24khz and we can only hear up to 18-20khz. If you think you need to record the harmonics too, 88.2 should definitely cover that sufficiently.

SM7b the Chuck Noris of Mic's
Contributor
Since: Jun 20, 2002


Apr 30, 2006 12:22 am

just to add about the Pro tools thing is , Avid owns both M-audio and digidisign , if that matters (i don't think it does). There are tons of opptions out there MUTO makes some great interfaces that are top notch "pro" level that work on both PC and mac. PT is just another program that works much like the rest(logic, digital performer, Sonar, Nuendo ect) and they all get the job done.

Conjurer of Emotion
Member
Since: Jan 14, 2006


Apr 30, 2006 10:55 am

It is definatly all in the engineer. My friend is a genius, he uses a sampler which is really a game for Playstation 1! He then records it to PC with a stock sound card and then uses that same card to record some real instruments all into Cooledit pro v1.2 and then works his magic with the built in effects. The results are very impressive.

...bringing sexy back
Member
Since: Jul 01, 2002


Apr 30, 2006 01:13 pm

I've said it before and I'l say it again. I recently made a piece of audio for the world's best known football team with Cubase SE (eg : the cheapest one), an M-Audio Audiophile (eg : the cheapest one) and a £50 Behringer mixer (what was the cheapest one until they made an EVEN cheaper one). Every home game said club plays this audio to 70,000 fans over the tannoy system at the ground, three times per game. Who says commercial recordings need expensive gear?

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002


Apr 30, 2006 04:53 pm

Hey flame, think back to some of your very first tunes on HRC. Like No Cigerettes which you made with nothing more then the stock PC card and a cheap plastic PC mic. I still have those original recordings you did and there is absolutely nothing wrong with them at all.

So I completely agree on it being in the hands of the person behind the controls, not the kit or software being used.

Ultra Magnus
Member
Since: Nov 13, 2004


May 01, 2006 06:49 am

Woid.

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