How to connect several mics and instruments to PC

G

Geoff_L

New member
Sorry for the ultra-newbie query. Currently I'm using a Steinberg 2+2 USB interface with Tracktion DAW under Windows 7 to record my efforts. However, I'm also in a 5-piece band that wants to cut a demo CD and I'd like to be able to record the whole band in one go with each vocal microphone and instrument having its own channel in the DAW. I need a minimum of 8 channels (3 lo-Z, balanced and 5 hi-Z unbalanced) but 12 or more would be better. Most of the USB interfaces I've looked at only have some of their channels directly accessible with the remainder via some other interface/adapter. e.g. PreSonus Studio 18/10 seems to have 4 mic intputs, 4 line inputs and channels 11-18 via ADAT.

So how does everyone do this sort of thing on a budget, and what equipment other than the USB interface are required?

Thanks for looking, Geoff
 
Hi Geoff,
You're right, a lot of the smaller interfaces offer additional I/O via digital formats or line inputs,
but you do also get interfaces with 8 mic preamps built in.
Many of them have their drivers written so that multiple units can be recognised and used simultaneously.

If, for example, you had the Presonus 18/10 that you described you could pick up and 8 channel preamp with Adat digital output; That's another way to go.
That sort of expansion, or using dual interfaces, is probably the way forward where > 8 channels are needed.

I'm sure they exist, but I cant think of any USB/FW/TB interfaces with > 8 mic preamps built right in.
 
If you go the ADAT route, the Behringer ADA8200 is pretty remarkable for the price. 8 Midas preamps with TRS line or XLR mic inputs, and 8 XLR line outputs, all for about $200 USD. If you're working at 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz sample rates, I don't think there's a better bang-for-buck option out there for expanding I/O on your ADAT-capable interface.
 
The operative word here Geof is "budget". What is it? For example, a Focusrite i818 will give you 4 mics and ADAT for around £250 and the Behringer ADA8200 adds the other 8 for £150.

Add to that 8 mics, 8 XLR cables (at least) 8ish mic stands, but you can buy a very cheap stereo bar that allows two mics per stand where appropriate.

That lot leaves a bag of sand behind in my estimation? Do you have many mics atmo? If so, can you hire/blag/steal a modest mixer? 8 mics is good, 12 better. You then mic up the band and attempt to get a decent mix as you would "out front". Record that with the 2i2.

This is 'how it was done'. If the band is pretty tight and well balanced internally you should get a very decent demo out of it. I know the idea of a multitrack session seems appealing but I doubt it is THAT easy! You still have all the hard work to do positioning each mic (drums can be a nightmare I am told!) and post editing not all that easy due to spill.

Dave.
 
My thanks to all.

The budget is as low as I can get away with. A local professional studio charges £200+VAT per day; two days-worth is about the limit.

We already have our stage gear, which includes mics, backline amps with line-out and a Behringer 8-channel analog mixer (but no USB). I suppose I could get a stereo image by feeding the main outputs of that mixer into my Steinberg UR22 or by using my matched pair of Behringer C2 pencil mics with the UR22. However, I suspect that post-production editing would be a lot easier with one channel per instrument or mic and offer more flexiblity (e.g. by allowing us to apply reverb etc. on a per-channel basis) even though we may get some overspill to adjacent channels.

Thankfully, we don't have a drummer and so don't have the complexity of miking up a kit!
 
As others have said, a preamp with ADAT input capability and the Behringer ADA8200 (which I have and have used) is about as entry level as you can get, assuming you've got everything else and a computer capable of tracking that many tracks at a time. (Even my 2010 MacBook Pro can do 12, but it likes it to be on an external drive - haven't bothered to argue or workaround that, since I only need it rarely and small but big-enough drives are laying around all over the house, since they've usually been replaced by bigger ones wherever they were before.)
 
Tascam makes a pretty good 16 channel. 8 mic pres, 2 line pre's, the 6 1/4 plugs for mixer outputs or however you can get the mic sound to the inputs. Price is pretty good and many have had few problems. One person on the board did have an issue with that unit, but I have had pretty good luck over the last several years with it.
 
DM60 said:
Tascam makes a pretty good 16 channel. 8 mic pres, 2 line pre's, the 6 1/4 plugs for mixer outputs or however you can get the mic sound to the inputs. Price is pretty good and many have had few problems. One person on the board did have an issue with that unit, but I have had pretty good luck over the last several years with it.
Click to expand...

That Tascam 16x08 USB looks interesting. The lack of preamps on line inputs 11 to 16 isn't an issue because the level can be adjusted on the line out of the backline amps. Thanks
 
Geoff_L said:
That Tascam 16x08 USB looks interesting. The lack of preamps on line inputs 11 to 16 isn't an issue because the level can be adjusted on the line out of the backline amps. Thanks
Click to expand...

The Tascam M'track interfaces have been around for a long time (in HR terms) and I have read few if any complaints. Our top amp designer had one and he is no mug!

Dave.
 
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