I am going to buy a HD24, need mixer advice

C

capnreverb

New member
Going to make the plunge. But, i need to get an "affordable" 24 channel mixing board to go with it. Yamaha? Mackie?........ What are you using or what do you suggest?

Also, i will not be using a computer with this. It will be just HD24 and the mixer.

Thanks
-wietlispach
 
Used Tascam Dm-24 around $1200.00. You can add some Adat cards now or down the road.

You could also drop the HD24 all togather with the DM-24's firewire card. It lets you send 24 tracks I/O to a DAW. I'm wondering if I even have a use for my HD24 now since I've ordered that card for my Dm-24. I'm sure I'll keep the HD24 that way I can have the best of both worlds.

Read this -
http://www.tascam.com/Products/IF-FW_DM/IFFW_AppGuide_new.pdf


I might be willing to sell you my DM-24 for $1200.00 shipped. I'm digging the new DM3200 from Tascam.
 
What i have now is a fostex d-108, and an 8 individual channel alesis mixer. I love the ease of the set up. It's just like using an analogue recorder in it's ease and simplicicty. I was hoping the HD24 would be similer in its ease if I had a board with 24 individual channels. Im not into bells and whistles, just to capture what i record and then mix it down. I have outboard racks for when i want bells and whistles.

Can a HD24 be used in such a simple striaghtfoward way with no lightpipe/computer/digital mixer? Just a board with 24 channels and the HD24 and I am set to go?

Thanks!
 
The HD24 analog inputs and outputs are +4 balanced so that should drive your search for a mixer. Many of the budget stuff's line level is -10 unbalanced which can be a bit of a problem.
 
capnreverb said:
Can a HD24 be used in such a simple striaghtfoward way with no lightpipe/computer/digital mixer? Just a board with 24 channels and the HD24 and I am set to go?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
While I do edit in the computer, this pretty much how I use mine.
 
You can always get a Mackie 24/8 or a Soundcraft. But for the same money a Dm-24 is the awesome. Great effects, dynamics on every channel just a wonderful board.
 
Whats the Budget? For features and decent sound, Soundcraft Ghost. For less features but incredible sound, Midas Venice.
 
capnreverb said:
Going to make the plunge. But, i need to get an "affordable" 24 channel mixing board to go with it. Yamaha? Mackie?........ What are you using or what do you suggest?

Also, i will not be using a computer with this. It will be just HD24 and the mixer.

Thanks
-wietlispach
Click to expand...
You can always opt for the MX9000 by Behringer. Forgoing all the bad mouthing of the B products, this is an affordable decent sounding 24 channel mixer. Recording send/returns on each channel and 8 subs. Around 1K for B-stock at most online retailers.
 
deepwater said:
Tascam Dm-24
Click to expand...

I looked this item up on their website and its only got 16 faders. How can i run 24 tracks with only 16 faders without bouncing/combining tracks?


trackrat said:
"The HD24 analog inputs and outputs are +4 balanced so that should drive your search for a mixer. Many of the budget stuff's line level is -10 unbalanced which can be a bit of a problem."
Click to expand...

Does mackie/behringer/yamaha make a 24 track mixer with 24 balanced in/outs that can go the the HD24?

My budget is about $1500 for the mixer.
 
"I looked this item up on their website and its only got 16 faders. How can i run 24 tracks with only 16 faders without bouncing/combining tracks?"

With fader layers.
I have a Ramsa/Panasonic DA-7 digital board for my HD24.
It has 32 channels/8 busses/ and 8 Aux channels.
You have to flip between "fader layers" ..... i.e. the faders control multiple channels.
Fortunately, it has full (relatively) automation and motorized faders..... as well as compression, delay, and 4 band parametric EQ on ALL channels.

I got mine for $600 with meter bridge and Tascam TDIF cards which I traded for ADATS cards.

Typically this set up has been going for $1000-$1600 on ebay.

I got a steal on it because the local shop that had it couldnt move it and had no-one that could "sell" it.

I run 24 channels of ADAT out and then SPDIF to my computer for mixdown.

I dont use it for inputs on recording, I have another mixer and some outboard for the input channels ....... so it basically just a mix down board ..... but it is really nice and sounds good.

A nice alternative to the Berri or Tascam, imo.

........... and yes, you could always just get a 24 or better yet a 32 channel analog board and just use the HD24's converters.

-mike
 
Where are you going to get the hd24 from? i know where you might be able to get a good deal on a brand new unit from a reputable music store.
 
Why did Alesis make it a +4 machine only? Its not like its a pro machine.
Most people that are going to be using these are guys that are not going to be running 100 feet of cable from the mixer.
Plus I would stay away from the mackie 8 buss analog mixers. With the combination of Mackie preamps and the adat it will sound like finger nails on a chaulk board.
Been there and done that :rolleyes:
 
"With the combination of Mackie preamps and the adat it will sound like finger nails on a chaulk board. "

Herm, I'd have to dissagree. I've done three or four full length projects for local bands, and a bunch of demo stuff for my own band and never noticed that particular effect with my Mackie and HD24...

Would I prefer a Ghost? Probably, but I read a great comparison between the Mackie 24/8 and the Soundcraft Ghost on here a while back. As I recall the author concluded that the $2k difference in price (used) was better spent elsewhere. Of course if you have everything else you could possible want and still have 20 Bens sitting there, knock yourself out.

I guess if you really can't stand the pres, get a DMP3, run it straight into the Alesis and use the Mackie only for playback and mixing. A way less expensive option and one that covers about 90% of what I ever have to record.

Pro? Probably not. But still a great first step into digital for all of us who reluctantly gave up our old 1/2" or 1" machines.
 
I think there is much more value than just $2k more in a ghost. Think about it.... A 24 channel ghost gives you 24 preamps that you can actually use to your advantage, and 24 channels of EQ that you can just plain old use. Not only that, but I like the Ghost preamps better than the DMP3's. Adat's are notorious for having a hard time syncing (which is frustrating) and having pretty weak convertors. Mackie's are notorious for having a preamp that just doesn't do anything. Doesn't really help you or hurt you. Their EQ however is notorious for just plain old being devastating to a signal. Even if you are just making cuts. I think a Ghost is easily worth 2 thousand more than a Mackie 24x8. For one, the $2k is made up for by not having spent $2k on the Mackie, which is worth less than half that the second you open the box. It takes a whole lot more skill to make even a decent recording on a Mackie 24x8 than on a Ghost. This all before even mentioning the endless amount of maintenance issues that the Mackie x8 series seems to develop.
 
Certainly not looking to start yet another Mackie Vs. Soundcraft debate. Soundcrafts are certainly better boards. To me it was a choice between a $900 Mackie 24x8 at a local shop with enough money left to buy the Alesis HD24XR or a used Ghost 24LE (as I recall I saw one recently on ebay at about $2.5k) ... and another three or four months saving for the HD24, which I suspect is the case with the original poster here.

Of course now I'm starting to wonder, if I LIKE my sound with a Mackie would I LOVE my sound with a Soundcraft? Also, what about some of the older Soundcraft boards. I saw a Spirit Studio go for about a grand last week on ebay. Do the older Spirits have the same preamps as the Ghosts? I'm assuming the eq will be very similar. Heck, I could probalby even get by with a 16 channel, given most of my projects max out around that...

See what you did xstatic... must resist GAS...
 
Here's what I was remembering. I must have imagined the mention of the $2k difference, or maybe that was a different post. Anyway, this is from a post from MISTERQCUE from this post:

https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=26584&highlight=mackie+24/8

----
Home Recordist with tight budget: Mackie.
Home Recordist with $$$ to spare: Ghost.

Home Recordist seeking quality project mixes: MaCKIE.
Home Recordist seeking quality PRO performance:Ghost.

Home Recordist requiring excellent 'pres:Mackie
Home Recordist requiring Neve-like 'pres:Ghost

Home Recordist in need of 60mm faders:Mackie
Home Recordist in need of 100m faders:Ghost

Home Recordist wanting reliable construction:Mackie
Home Recordist wanting indestructible construction:Ghost

Home Recordist desiring multi-buss/aux options-Mackie/Ghost

Home Recordist wishing for a 24/48 channel Mixer for 150.00 and poor construction with hi s/n ratio: Behringer.
----

Just something to ponder.
 
First off, I would not actually place the Ghost in the "Pro" category. I also would not sya neveish pres when describing it. mackie 24x8's have lots of quality issues as far as breakdowns go, and the Souncrafts are built well, but certainly not indestructable.

The tough thing is that it really is hard to realize just what you are mising until you get something better, which usually requires money:( I am not saying you can't do good stuff on a Mackie, and I am not saying you should run out and buy something else. That is a decision for you to make yourself. I purely wanted to make sure that all the facts were there (and of course my opinions).

Also, I would keep your Mackie before you bought ANY spirit board. The only thing "Soundcraft" about a Spirit is the screenprinted Soundcraft name. The older Soundcraft stuff though (220, 400, 600, 6000, TS12 and TS24 etc....) absolutely smokes the sound of the Ghost in my opinion. I guess it is true that they just don't make them like they used to:)
 
I've read a bit about reliability issues with the Mackie 8 buss boards, but fortunetly 2 years into owning one, I've had zero problems. Of course, it is packed up right now for my move...

I suppose what you say is true "you don't know what you don't know." Of course if I get serious about ditching the Mackie, I have to really think about moving entirely into the box. Maybe keeping just a 8 or 16 channel board around for tracking drums etc.

Interesting thought comes to mind on that topic. Is there a smaller Ghost-like board out there, with maybe 12 to 16 channels? I could see being very happy with 16 channels. In fact, even with the 24, I usually use 17-24 as effects returns, etc.
 
For a smaller board I'm very partial to my A&H MixWiz. The newer v3 model (which I don't have) has internal jumpers for changing the auxes and direct outs to pre/post fader & EQ, which is very nice if you like to customize your workflow.
 
just a daft question...

I noticed the Tacam DM24 has a record button on it. This is not a multrack SIAB so why does it have a record function? Thought it was just a mixer?
 
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