Gasp....shock! Digital Stand Alone???
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Posted on Jan 11, 2005 07:20 am
cocofromscotland
Hello!
Member Since: Jan 12, 2004
Hi Guys
Im possibly gonna be in the market for a digital stand alone multi-track recorder to enable me to record bands live or in a rehearsal room with amps/drums and a pa etc.
Basically, I may be gettin ma hands on a grand due to me ($2000 approx) and would like to invest in the gear to go out and record a band anywhere using a digital tracker (analouge aint an option as I want to get it all to PC as easy as poss when recorded).
I then wanna take this back to the PC, export the WAVs and mix down as normal. Or, if there is a better way, say laptop/card with pre's (though I dont think the grand would cover it), I'd consider that.
What I am aiming to do is capture any band, anywhere so I'll need pre's too obviously. I aint too worried aboot the MIC's tho have considered the number I'll need.
So, if YOU were me, wanting to do this, how would you do it and how much do you reckon it'd cost i.e. if over £1000 ($2000) how much. I may be able to spring £500 ($1000) more....possibly :-D !!
However, I may just be SOooooooo tempted when I get the dough and buy me a big ole fat Gibson Les Paul instead tho I dont wanna do that...ah, yous guitarists oot there know what I mean...its an addiction!!!
Anyways, cheers for the advices in advance guys.
Coco.
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Jan 11, 2005 08:10 am Coco,
You know dang well that I'd probably go with the Les Paul and then worry about a multitracker later.
Here's the setup I'm using to achieve a similar purpose:
Fostex VF-160: $800 US
service.bfast.com/bfast/c...mp;bfmtype=gear
Behringer ADA8000 UltraGain Pro: $230 US
service.bfast.com/bfast/c...mp;bfmtype=gear
These two in combination give you 16 simultaneous tracks, plenty big enough for most full band recording situations.
On the VF-160, all tracks can be exported to the internal CD burner as .wav files, for easy importation into Cubase, etc. Or you can buy an ADAT interface card for your PC for $150, like this one:
service.bfast.com/bfast/c...mp;bfmtype=gear
That would allow you to export 8 tracks at a time directly to your PC, without having to worry about using CDs. (This is the route I'm persuing!)
This apparently also gives you the opportunity to use the Behringer unit as an 8-channel digital mixer (it has preamps) for recording directly ito your PC instead of your Delta 44.
But, like I said before, I'd go with the Les Paul and then see about the digital recorder!
Hope this helps!
Jim
Jan 11, 2005 08:13 am Hey Coco...congrats...everyone is due a windfall from time to time.
My son does sound for teenage bands...he just takes his home studio stuff with him...but he'd like to be able to record them too...so this is a great thread you've started.
Cheers Coco and good stuff...
BM:-)
flame...bringing sexy backMember
Since: Jul 01, 2002
Jan 11, 2005 08:16 am i got a #500 laptop and thatll record single tracks fine, and i can have anything up to 16 running before i get any drop outs or anything, or do you need multiple tracks running at once?
id have a laptop, some sort of usb interface and a usb host bridge cable to transfer suff backwards and forwards. indeed, that IS what i got, and a grand will buy you some sweet equipment.
also, try dixons or pc world, and take out their insurance thing if you decide to get one there...then in 4 years time return it and youll get a brand new model! only 3 1/2 years to go til mine gets replaced...
Jan 11, 2005 08:38 am Aha...thanks folks and Jim, thanks for that - just what I need.
However, I would love a LP but I would also like to be able to record bands so I thinks, I'll have to see what way the magnetic forces are pulling me with the cash in ma pocket. Good man tho - thanks for the informative answer.
BM - aye, this is what I wanted to do for some time so I will maybe explore this. Your son should be a top engineer before he's even 20!!! Nice one...
Flame, good call bud but I'll need simutaneous recording to do a band so that wouldnt work my friend. Well it would, but I'd need a BIG MOMMA sound card which'd cost me a buck or two.
Jim, I reckon if those prices are roughly half here, I could get me the 2 items you mention AND....a cheeky wee guitar with the change!! Maybe a secondhand LP or SG or something....nice.
Thanks folks...
Coco.
P.S. Jim, can you export individual wav tracks i.e. track 1 to cubase, track 2 etc very easily or do I need the whole thing on a cd.
Jan 11, 2005 08:49 am Laptop...good, standalone, bad.
Jan 11, 2005 09:31 am Thanks Coco...you've had a bit of an influence there too...he should know a thing or two by the time he is twenty...touch wood...but I don't think he will make his living directly, from being an audio engineer.
But in the meanwhile we keep on listening and learning.
Cheers as always Coco...
BM:-)
Jan 11, 2005 11:01 am Yes, you can export individually or all or (I think) any combination of tracks that you want.
Laptop...good, but pricey for the actual amount of computing power that you get.
Standalone...good for doing one thing and doing it very well, IMHO
TadpuiI am not a crook's headMember
Since: Mar 14, 2003
Jan 11, 2005 11:42 am Dell notebooks are actually pretty well priced. throw in a USB sound card, and you might have a winner.
www1.euro.dell.com/conten...;l=en&s=dhs
Looks like the Inspiron starts at 499 pounds (where's that pound symbol on our western keyboards?). They have a Celeron processor if you're OK with that. I've been using a Celeron for as long as I've been recording and I've only pushed up against its limitations a few times.
You'd probably have to factor in a huge hard drive also. If you get into double-micing guitars, micing drums, vocals, bass, room mics, etc. the you're talking about a lot of tracks. figure 50 megs per track, and that's a lot of HD space! It'd be a pity to run out of HD space in the middle of a session!
Jan 11, 2005 11:45 am You can add extra PCI cards to Dells. If you get a decent one they have the slots and they can do it, I've done it, with some very sensitive cards too...
Jan 11, 2005 11:57 am Nice one..my mate got a Sony Viao thing and it has zero PCI slots apparently! He got the M-Audio Duo USB recording interface...some probs setting it up, a real pain but Im sure the quality will be there.
RE: My setup...I'll look at both options. I know he paid £1000 for the laptop alone and I need, recording medium (i.e. Laptoop or S/ALone WITH HD, pre's and mics!!!).
So, if I can get this for a reasonable sum and the same quality on each, Id be happy. I considered the stand alone I could use for my own personal use i.e. my songs tae which would be doubly handy I guess....but, I dunno.
I'll check it for sure...nice one folks.
Oh aye, cheers BM...good to hear.
Hey, how about the Behringer DDX3216 - from Berhri "32 channels, 24 bit, 16 busses, 12 ULN pres (with possiblity of adding 8 more via Behri ADA8000), digital effects and masses more..all for under £500! (well not the ADA8000 obviously but the main 12 pres which may do for live bands anyway on its own!). Band news - no CDR/RW drive BUT, Id be exporting to PC anyway - thats what I planned all along so it MAY do huh??
That'd leave me £500 for mics, cables and whatever...some 57's and 58's methinks...
Coco.
Jan 11, 2005 12:05 pm argh, Viao's suck...but hey, they keep PC techs in work...
Oh, and I just realized Tadpui was talking about notebooks, so yeah, PCI wouldn't work so well in those LOL
Jan 11, 2005 12:16 pm Coco,
If I'm not mistaken, the Behringer DDX3216 is just a digital mixer...not a digital recorder. You would still need some type of recording medium...i.e. a computer with a couple digital audio interfaces.
HuePinnipedal Czar (: 3= Member
Since: Apr 11, 2004
Jan 11, 2005 10:44 pm How 'bout that DDX3216, a rack-mount for your current computer, a 10/10 card, and... oh, guess that'd be about a grand . Be sweet, if you could rack-mount a 'disposable' 15" monitor in a rolling-rack ! heh heh
Hilarious thread title !
drakeMember
Since: Apr 13, 2004
Jan 12, 2005 12:39 am what i would do is get a laptop with firewire, then get a firewire interface like the aardvark Q10 or presonus firepod. you then have 8 preamps that you can multitrack to your laptop. with $2000US you should be able to do that. (1400 laptop, 600 interface) not to mention you can use your laptop for other purposes too! who doesn't want a laptop?!
have fun shopping! we are all lealous :)
Jan 12, 2005 06:57 am Nice one guys..aye, this is turning VERY Interesting.
What Im doing here is looking to record bands in other PEOPLES studios hehehehe! Cheeky huh!! Well, over here, we call a rehearsal complex with recording facilities generally a "studio". Now, said facilities offer rooms for rehearsal, complete with full backline for around £10 ($20) per hour. They charge from £20-£25 per hour to record ($50-$60). They arent that good...neither am I but I am equal to some of these conning punks and, I will do my best to do a good mix!!! Some of these swines rip people off seriously...claiming "I use pro-tools - it'll be good". I am just finishing REMASTERING a mess created by some "expert" using pro-tools.
IT proves what we all know - system makes a difference but NOT if the person using it is in fact a GOAT in disguise as a recording engineer!
So, I am looking to setup a little side line/expnad my hobby by recording bands on the go either in "studios" or live at gigs. This is why I need this portable device.
For info, I will still mix/edit and master on PC. I'll dump the audio I gather from this little portable job right into my PC and do it all there...
So - thanks for the input guys.
OldDog - that looks awesome by the way. That could be REAL cool. I also like the idea of the laptop but heard a lot of bad things about the Q10 of late...dunno.
Cheers
Coco.
Jan 12, 2005 01:13 pm i'm kinda in the same boat, i've got the mixing tools and skills, but have no place to call home, all my equipment is in my bedroom!! (immagine what my q-10 has to say about that)
i'm starting a project for a band this sunday, we're gonna track at a local studio, burn the clean, non-clipped, dry tracks to cdr's and i'll take 'em home and have my way with them.....the band is real happy because they only gotta pay for the tracking time in the studio and not the mixing, as for i'm a close friend and need practice honing my craft. this could be my first steps tward becomming a freelance mixing engineer (wow, nice ring ay!). I'm understanding that these bands you're wanting to record do not have any digital recording devices of their own right? i'd look into used gear if i were you. not e-bay or anything like that, something you can play with on the spot and check out before you buy...ya might find someone with some kinda digital multi-tracker that has some internal problem, like the effects don't work or something, and the person thinks it's junk. as long as you got you're preamps, and good, clean, non-clipped, dry tracks, you're good to go.
peace
wyd
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Jan 12, 2005 08:28 pm OK, read this carefully, this is important!
Do not purchase a Q10 right now. Aardvark is out of business at the moment! There are rumer's that they may come back but as of right now there is no Aardvark!!!
So if you purchase one of their interfaces you will be left with no customer support or anything.
