new digital studio

[FBstdminime]

I'm getting rid of my current daw, and I need help in choosing a new one (under $3000). My top choices are:

1) Tascam Dm-24 and Sek'd card ~ $2700
2) Motu 1224, Lucid 96k clock, Soundcraft m8, and Motor Mix ~ $2400
3) The new pretty Digi 002 ~ $2500

Which would you recommend? Or is there something great that I'm missing?

Thanks in advance,
Eric

P.S. - #2 invloves getting stuff off of ebay, so that's the reason for it being so cheap.

P.P.S. - The number of simultaneous tracks is not a big issue, 8 is fine.

[knightfly]

You didn't mention what software you'll be using, whether you care about high sample rates (which if you do, the 1224 is OUT) or whether you already have a fast computer and what the chipset is on the motherboard. That can all make or break you.

The DM-24 will give you a couple of things the others cant - good quality, quiet preamps and a motorized fader, comprehensive MIDI control surface. If used with Samplitude, you can control almost anything you can think of in software from the DM-24. Other competent DAW programs can give you at least faders/mutes/pans per channel.

SEK'd claims that in about a month they will have high sample rate drivers for their PRODIF T card, that will allow direct interfacing between the DM-24 and software on either 16 channels at normal sample rates or 8 channels at high sample rates thru TDIF cables. Also, Samplitude's summing bus algorythm sounds better (to me) than anything Digi has, not having heard the 192 stuff.

MOTU doesn't even seem to know what a PC is, so if you're considering PC instead of Mac, I'd run away.

I have a DM-24 and Samplitude/Cake9/Sonar, and am going to order the PRODIF T next month ($469 from Soundchaser.com), and would recommend system #1 hands down over the other two. I would, however, recommend adding an analog expansion card and a meter bridge into the system as soon as you can, especially if you intend to do any writing on spec or recording others, where you'll need speed and professionalism... Steve

[FBstdminime]

I've got a Pentium 3 866 MHz computer with 256 MB or RAM and I'll be adding a 40 GB hard drive (7200 rpm) to accompany the othe one of the same size. I will also be upgrading Windows ME to Windows XP, cuz XP kicks butt (Have it on my home computer). As for software, I'm leaning towards Cubase SX. I guess that means I should get the Dm-24.

P.S. - I mentioned a lucid 96k clock for 1224, so high sample rates are still IN for that.

[doulos]

i wouldnt get the 002