Which to Buy

[tntmail]

Options:
1. Alesis HD24 with Studio 32 Mixer
2. Roland VS-2480
3. Mackie HDR w/ Studio 32
4. Mackie MDR w/ Studio 32

Need portable recording. Please give your opinion.

[bigbear]

The 2480 is really a different animal than the other three machines mentioned. Even with the mixer, you would need lots of outboard gear to begin to approach the recording power of the Roland (compressors, effects, mastering, etc.). The 2480 is an all in one machine while the Alesis and Mackies are really designed as recorders only.

So the question becomes, how much outboard gear do you presently own, and how much are you willing to purchase. As far as portability goes, you can't beat the Roland. You could basically take it to a recording session by itself and get the job done.

Hope this helps... BigBear