Akai DPS24

[Treeline]

OK, let's hear it. Anyone worked on one of these? (drool, drool)...

[darrin_h2000]

I dont even know anyone who can afford this peice,the DPS16 is a good deal so I expect this one to be the top of the food chain.

[MISTERQCUE]

Brutha' Tree, I've notice recently that you've been inquiring about multi-trk rec'ders. What features are you looking for?
How many Trks? Sample rates? ease of operation? Price range?
etc, etc, etc,!

[lazyboy]

Tree,

I can only imagine that they've taken everything that's great about the DPS16 and made it better. Motorized faders? Come on!

The 16 is a great unit. The only complaint I have is that they can now be had for $800 less than I paid for mine 2 years ago. Who knows if the 24 will have the same depreciation.

[Treeline]

QQ:

You know me. I want it all!

In the meantime, I'm looking for something more or less portable, with maximum connectivity, open architecture, mixing and mastering capabilities, and an onboard CD/R. I got all tangled up in trying to find something that would work seamlessly with my computer ('bye Roland) yet still be something I could take into the field. I'd like to have the capacity to record one or two tracks at a gig, or an entire bluegrass band at a concert. The sound has to be good enough so I can do a decent job of tracking a soprano voice, a grand piano or a solo violin, as well as the garden variety stuff.

So it looks like a C-1, maybe a couple of NT5s or perhaps a Marshall set, an M-audio preamp, a Presonus AcoustiQ preamp (for that Taylor) and ... well, I started getting serious when I saw the KORG D1200. I can't get past the sound of the AKAI, though. The DPS16 is out of production and we haven't seen a replacement. But the DPS24 is like the top end Roland without the bugs. Hmmm....


Maybe a small Yammi...


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At least he don't want much...

[darrin_h2000]

I saw DPS16 in the new MF catalog. I would pass on the presonus acoustic pre and go for that New great River pre for a few hundred more. A neve pre on that front end will be good for alot more things, and that Taylor should be Miked.

[MISTERQCUE]

Well Tree, ya' didn't mention anything about your budget, so assuming you got cash to burn, check out the Yamaha AW4416-HDCD! It has EVERYTHING you just mentioned in your prev post
plus the capabilities to fry chicken!!!!

[Treeline]

Don't have cash to burn, but I'm intending to get irresponsible a few days after we refinance the house...


Actually, I'm trying to find something versatile, with an open system, but without a basket of compromises. The big Yammi is tempting (assuming the $$ were there) but it has developed a reputation for hard drive issues. That's gotta get fixed before I look any further. I would like to record recitals and so forth.

So far, the DPS16 has everything in its range beat hands down, but there's that SCSI interface - and another $300 for a burner... and it's now out of production...

[PeteHalo]

Originally posted by Treeline
In the meantime, I'm looking for something more or less portable, with maximum connectivity, open architecture, mixing and mastering capabilities, and an onboard CD/R.

It looks like you're describing the Fostex VF-160.

[Treeline]

Well, I am, except for three things.

Downside -

1. The Fostex preamps are not as good as what I have right now (Mackie preamps) and I'm looking for something better.

2. The Fostex is limited to 16 bit depth / 44.1 sampling rate. Although a final master to CD will convert anything to 16 / 44.1, the advantage of the others is that all manipulation of the signal is done at a much higher bitrate (if that's the right term) - at about four times the resolution (or better). With the AKAIs, I can capture the signal at 28 / 88.2 and still have resources left. If I am doing one voice and one instrument, I can do the whole thing at 28 / 96. So the signal that eventually gets converted to 16 / 44.1 is better to begin with and the weak link of the chain is found only at the very end - in the CD/R disc itself.

3. The VF 160 EQ is missing a basic spectrum - the lower frequencies. If I'm going to try to master on the unit, that's the biggest problem of all.

Upside:

1. Jeez, willya look what you get for a thousand bucks!

2. Hit the ground running with it.

3. Reputation as tough and reliable.

4. Nearly unsurpassed .wav file archiving and management, especially with the onboard ADAT optical interface. This is an open architecture. I can keep using n-track without a hitch. (OK, so I have to reinstall that $35.00 Hoontech digital card. Big deal).

So I'd have to concede that for pure value, the VF160 seems to be the top of the heap. And if the money becomes the determining issue, I might end up with one - it sure would be an improvement over what I'm doing now. I think I would have to get a couple of preamps, and that's still about a hundred bucks a channel.

But first I'm nosing around for sonic perfection... and we'll see what happens when the calculator kicks in with the bad news.

[jeffree]

Tree, a bit off your question, but you might want to give the new Jon Anderson (Yes vocalist) CD a listen. It's out, or will be soon, and I just read that he performed all parts (many, many) himself on the Yamaha 4416 and had great things to say about it. And he's a guy with bucks to burn.

J.

[darrin_h2000]

How is it that the DPS16 model is in the new catalogs but is out of production. Maybe just your store discontinued it or something.

I still reccomend it over the yamaha, especially if you can get yourself a Hotrod preamp and still have money left for mics.

[darrin_h2000]

You have a computer right? Put a burner in it god sakes, how many times must I reccomend this? You would think they could figure this one out.

[Treeline]

You have a computer right? Put a burner in it god sakes, how many times must I reccomend this? You would think they could figure this one out

Heh... Yeah, I have a computer with a burner and everything. I use n-track, a Mackie mixer, a couple of dynamic mics and a Class A dual source setup inside my Taylor. Gotta page and all.

The idea is to find an improvement...

Re: the DPS16: The unit is available lots of places, and has been in the catalogs (including MF) for about a year now. I got suspicious that it might be on the short list after waiting for AKAI to introduce a version with a burner onboard, which, of course, didn't happen. Then I saw some blowouts at Shreve Audio for $999, then $1199, over a few days and figured that some old units with smaller drives were being dumped. I contacted AKAI and they confirmed the unit is out of production.

Now does that mean I should avoid it? Hell No! I figure it means AKAI will come out with a replacement model, but they missed this NAMM and will bring it out next year.

The only issue I have with the DPS16 is the burner, and I don't have the patience to dump only two tracks at a time to my computer to burn it there, and I don't have an SCSI system. That's where the Fostex has an edge with its 8 track simultaneous transfer / ADAT optical links. The sound quality is where the AKAI has everyone beat.

[darrin_h2000]

I tend to use the mixer built in the thing, then go through the mastering rack, and then into an audiophile soundcard then burn the tracks after screwing arround with sound forge. theres no coasters that way.

[Treeline]

My furnace just died. I've been up since 3 AM and spending money every minute of it - just to get back to zero... Agg.


(Regroup) Maybe the DPS24 is a little overkill, after all...


Grr..













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P.S. Anyone want a Heatmaker boiler? Cheap. Works, at least today. Super high tech; super efficient, super .... quiet... (damn.)

The Pugeot of home heating systems.

[lazyboy]

Tree,

I just bought a refurb'd plextor 12/10/32 last night for $210. It's by far the best price I've seen. With the v.3 software update, you can burn tracks as individual waves files. So my thinking is that I should be able to burn to wave, dump into the computer and jockey it around, burn to wave, reload on the DPS.

It might not play out that way (I'll keep you posted if you're interested) but it's my plan so far.

[Treeline]

Boy, would that be nice. There's a DPS16 sitting at my local favorite guitar shop, too...

(shameless plug warning: not spam!!) www.guitarsam.com

I've got a local used computer guy looking for a SCSI burner as well. I'd be happy to have it working in one direction - but I suppose if it works one way, it'd work that other as well. Lemme know how this works!