information overload

[Yadi]

Hey all. Great forum. Always nice to find people connecting. Anyway, nuff smoke...

I bought too many magazines, spent way too much time surfing and I am WAY overloaded with information that I can't tell facts from fiction (aka advertising hype). My head hurts.

Here's the situation: I have pretty much settled on the Layla24.....UNLESS I can get a real world testimony to convince me otherwise. Here's my proposed setup:

PIII-850 or faster, 256mb, 2 ata-100 drives, purely built for my music.

Now, I feel that the best way to assure super low latency is to monitor directly. This supposedly can be done with the Layla or even other cards with dsp mixing. I like the Layla for this and for the integrated MIDI, not to mention, the converter specs.

I basically will be layering my tracks solo. Start with guitar using click track, add bass, midi-drums (roland td-5), Gigasampler (via midi controller) and vocals.

Does any see any fault with my logic (not Logic)?

[drstawl]

If you're just layering tracks one at a time, why not save some dough and get the GINA 24?
What use will you have for the 8 analog ins on the Layla?
You can get a better MIDI interface for less money than the difference between these two cards.

[c7sus]

I gotta wonder the same thing...... do you really need all those inputs?

Plus, an outboard MIDI interface is gonna be way more useful than a single MIDI port.

I mean, I would love a Layla too. But the Gina probably fits the bill better. And it has SP/DIF too, just like Layla.

With the bread you save by going with less inputs, you could get a board, or a mic pre, or reverb, or an NT2 or 4033..... the list goes on and on.....

[CMiller]

Yeah, I second and third what everyone else has said. Don't overspend if you don't have to. You can always upgrade if you want to. Also, don't confuse inputs with the number of tracks you'll have. The software and power of your PC will determine the number of tracks you'll be able to have...and from what it sounds like, you should be fine in that regard.

At this stage of your studio you might want to put that cash into other more pressing needs.

[DavidK]

Yeah, what they said!!
If you only need two inputs, how bout the
Darla24? Its only $ 250. A midiman midisport
2x2usb interface is only 75bucks. Might save
you enough to pick up a nice little Mic.

[Yadi]

Thanks for the responses..all good common sense. I guess there is a strong possibility of recording an occassional live drumkit as opposed to my midi'd TD-5. Yet I have been think along the lines of your responses since I originally was sold on the DAL CardDeluxe (good feedback on the converters) with a USB 2x2 midport.

Also, I plan to buy Gigastudio someday and use that for drum samples and other instrument samples. Does anyone know of limitations regarding Gigasamplers and 2 in/2out cards? I know to buy one that is Direct Sound, GSIF or known to support the Gigasampler, but how the heck do you pull your "gigatracks" into the audio sequencer prior final mixdown???? If you had multiple outs and ins, couldn't you theoretically loop it out of the box and bring it right back into DAW software?

And...the Layla has multiple outs, giving me some flexibilty to most of the monitor mix outside of the computer (latency issues). I know too many people who insist on monitoring with reverb. I guess with a decent mic pre (ie Blue Tube), you can split the outs on that, one to the monitor mix, the other to card in.

These might be dumb questions, but I need some certainty before I drop a muther load of cash on any "hobby equipment" <= thats what my wife calls it...
Guess thats why I dig this forum. Sorry for the babble....call it pre-consumer nerves.

Thanks guys!

[Onyria]

Before you do anything, BE sure that Event provides the Layla24 compatible drivers for your operating system. I wasn´t able to use properly my Gina during a year. Now it´s pretty good. But I cried a lot!

[Slackmaster2K]

I would have to disagree with everyone above

I can use up 3 inputs in my sleep and would use 4 if I had one more stinking preamp. I also commonly use 3 outputs.

Don't limit your number of inputs based on the number of instruments you can play at one time That is, unless you plan to record the same old shit the same old way over and over and over..........................

Slackmaster 2000

[drstawl]

But Slack: remember that GINA does have 4 ins! Two analog and two digital. I always use the digital outs on my pre-amp for recording and the analog outs for monitoring. And GINA has 8 analog outs just like Layla. The DAL Card D does have some nice converters, but it's not as flexible as the GINA and if it's still being made the way my old Card D was it uses RCAs instead of 1/4" jacks for the ins and outs right on the card instead of on a breakout box. Yukk.

[scooterr]

If I had it to do over again I wouldn't have bought the Layla. I have never used all those inputs at once, drums or a full blown live recording would be their only use.
I wish I had spent the money on a nanoverb and a decent preamp instead. Also the Layla can't play back a CD, which is a pain, so you'll need another sound card to do that. It doesn't have an onboard synthesizer on it either, so you'll have to deal with that issue , even if all you want is a metronome sound, you'll have to patch in an outboard synth to get it, or have another internal card with one. I am happy with the sound quality tho.
scooterr

[Onyria]

Yeah, I forgot to mention what Scooter says... it seems that there are other cheaper options available.

The software included with Event soundcarsds use to be very useless (except for Cool Edit Pro, but this app is an extra even in cookie boxes!).

Event´s customer support is (as many other companies), really awful, so don´t hope their reply in case of any trouble you find (and sure you´ll find a lot!)

So, look for another soundcard, and if you want, spend the rest of money on synths, effects, etc.

Good luck!

[Yadi]

Any thoughts on the Wamirack24? I haven't heard of any real world experiences. I have read some positive reviews but don't know my own ass from paid advertisements (everytime I read one I go "honey...I just found my new love").

I would be using an external pre-amp with phantom power (wami only has a 12v phantom.....never knew one existed until now). The 4 in/out midis are ideal (would never need anymore). The published converter specs seem very good.

The thing is made in Korea, but I guess that doesn't matter since it seems no matter what you buy you are practically on your own as far as support.

Also, anyone using Gigastudio w/ Cakewalk Pro? I tried following all kinds of threads but can't seem to determine limitations how you get your Giga tracks into your Cakewalk so you can master it on the PC.

I wish I could say that money was no object, but I don't mind paying now so I don't have to pay later. I have been saving and planning this for a long time.

Thanks for your opinions guys. Always appreciated.

[JFogarty]

you should check the Aark 24 http://www.aardvark-pro.com/aark24_lit.html