HD24 or soundcards?

[Idgeit]

Hey all,

I've been working with soundcards for a good while now. But im interested to find out, What would be better and easyer to use and have more advantages. A soundcard with 10 inputs, or say something like the HD24? I've never used a harddisk recorder. So any input would be great,

Thanks

- Idgeit

[Nate74]

I came at it from the other direction, but am now VERY glad I ended up with the HD24XR. I was using an older analog 8 track 1/2" machine and wanted 24 tracks, but didn't want to deal with 2" tape costs and maint, but I did want something that would be similar to what I was used to. I got a 24 channel board and the HD24XR.

That of course opened up the world of "in the box" editing, etc. to me. I now use Cakewalk HS2XL and love the combination. I have 24 really good A/D converters, the freedom to mix on an analog board or in the box or any combination there in. I also recently did a demo for a band that wanted to do a "live" recording. I ended up needing 15 tracks of simultatneous recording which of course at 44.1 or 48kHz is no problem for the Alesis. Sounded great.

I do have a 2 channel A/D converter for my PC that I sometimes mix to from my analog board so I can speak a bit to that. I had a mess of trouble getting it set up right in the beginning. Eventually I just started mixing to tracks 23 and 24 on the HD24 and transfering the stereo track from there to my PC via the Fireport rather than mess with the extra converter, which I eventually traded off.

Bottom line, I don't think there's a better way to get 24 really good A/D converters, almost infinite storage space and still be able to mix analog or in the box.

One vote in favor...

[Scinx]

It really depends on your style and how you work. You will definately get better converters for the money spent by going the HD24/XR route. You also have the option to mix in the box if you so desire through the lightpipe or the firewire device. I personally would not have any interest in going back to using a straight-up soundcard. I love making music while having the computer shut off. To my style, the computer takes away from making music, whereas, to others, it is a significant aspect.

This is why I say - it really involves how you work and how you are comfortable. I personally chose the hard disk recorder over the soundcard - but you could do that and hate it...

[Adam P]

I just got a HD24 last week and already I find it much easier and more intuitive to get going with. You route your signals to the HD24's inputs, arm the corresponding tracks, and press record. Doesn't get much easier than that. I don't have to set up session templates or worry about accidentally deleting the wrong files in Cool Edit Pro. I still want to get a decent two channel A/D and mix down into my computer, but I'll worry about that later.

In short, another vote for the hard disk recorder here.

[mshilarious]

I use both. Get something like an RME HDSP card and your HD24 becomes a front end for your computer, you can mix in, mix out, edit, record remote, transfer back and forth. Very powerful.

[Idgeit]

thanks for all your help guys . What exactly are A/D converters?, I know they change analogue to digital. But what exactly changes?, and when would you use one?. I was just a little confused with that.

Thanks

- Idgeit

[carelessorc]

Basically a hard disk recorder IS a computer, but it's dedicated to just one task. If you want to get a noise (say an electric guitar) onto a hard disk you have to change it from the physical pattern in the electricity to something the hard disk can record - digital data, 0s and 1s. This change is analogue to digital conversion.
In the case of the HD24 the converters are included in the box. Computers usually come with AD converters, in the sound card, but mostly they're not good quality, and there are only two of them. So if you want to do serious recording on a computer you need better quality converters. These can be added as a card fitted into the computer, or by USB or Firewire.
Personally I find recording on computer distracting, although mixing is easier in some ways.

Orc

[Idgeit]

Nice and clear, Thanks for that =)

- Idgeit