MOTU 828 + Mackie VLZ vs MOTU 896

[whalenjd]

My band has a Mackie VLZ mixer. We want a firewire recording solution, and the question is, should we record through the mixer into a MOTU 828 (which only has 2 mic preamps and goes for about $700), or get a MOTU 896 (which has 8 mic pres and goes for about $1200) and record without the mixer.

So one question is the quality of the VLZ mic pres vs the MOTU mic pres. Another is the impact of having the mackie in the signal chain vs. the flexibility of using the Mackie for setting levels etc.

Any advice? thanks!

[chessrock]

Why are you asking if you should spend more money on a unit with a bunch of pres when you already have a Mackie board that can supply them? Unless you like spending money needlessly, I would say the answer is simple.

Sorry if my tone sounds rude, by the way.

[whalenjd]

No need to apologize. I'm pretty new at all this. I've heard that there are advantages to recording direct into the multitrack and avoiding adding noise, etc. by having a mixer in the chain, esp. since you can mix on the computer.

[Flack]

One thing I've found is, it really depends on how you are recording.

If you are trying to record a "live" type setting, a mixing board really helps out. Sure, you can set all your levels on the computer, but in a live type situation a mixing board "feels" better and is quicker and easier to make changes on.

If you are recording straight into a computer one instrument at a time, you can get by without a mixer and just set your levels in the computer. A couple of words of caution though -- it is hard to make real time changes with those levels, so you might want to apply some compression either while recording or afterwards to even out levels.

I am recording through a Mackie 24/4 into MOTU's 24i unit, which I adore. 24 digital tracks, straight thru to my PC. I feel it's a great balance -- the digital gets me the quality and clarity that I'm looking for, but the Mackie adds that "mysterious" analog "airy" sound that people are always looking for.


Hope that helps! With anything, you will find that there are as many answers as there are recording music. The best you can hope for is to find someone who's doing something remotely similar to what you're trying.

Flack
www.whitetrashdevil.com
www.oharanet.net/studio