1604 to HD24 Scenario

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lomky

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First off, love the board. I've been a lurker for about a year. I've learned sooo much, this is what the internet is all about.

Let's say I'm recording 12 tracks to the HD24 from the Mackie 1604.

So, I think I get that the 1604 inserts can be run as direct outs to a HD24 post fader correct? I believe this is done by inserting only to the first click. Would I use Y adapters on the inserts to review what has been recorded to the HD24, or is there a better way? Is there anything else I should be aware of?

I am renting said gear in a couple of weeks and I do not want to waste any time w/ hook-ups. So I have read both manuals and answered most of my questions. There was also alot of info on homerecording.com, I discovered the insert thing in an answer by Track Rat.

Also, this may belong on the Alesis group but I do not want to cross post. So as I understand it the HD24 can record 24/96, however, you cannot review out of the analogue outs at 24/96. Am I understanding this correctly? Can any users of the HD24 explain how they use 24/96. I do not have a light pipe so I will be using the ethernet to get the tracks to my DAW (I know it's slow, but I do not have a choice right now). If 24/96 is not an option is 24/48 the best available option?

Sorry for the lengthy post.

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On re-reading this maybe it belongs in the Newbie section. I'm really not this stoopid
 
Last edited:
lomky said:
So, I think I get that the 1604 inserts can be run as direct outs to a HD24 post fader correct? I believe this is done by inserting only to the first click. Would I use Y adapters on the inserts to review what has been recorded to the HD24, or is there a better way? Is there anything else I should be aware of?

The inserts are Pre Fader. If there are Direct Outs they will be Post Fader. When you plug the cable half way (first click) the signal will still continue through the board for monitoring

Also, this may belong on the Alesis group but I do not want to cross post. So as I understand it the HD24 can record 24/96, however, you cannot review out of the analogue outs at 24/96. Am I understanding this correctly?
Click to expand...

That doesn't seem right. There has to be some way to monitor and mixdown the audio. In either case when you record at 24/96 you are probably going to lose half of your tracks. That is usually how it works. I would recomend 24/48 if you are doing an analog mixdown and 24/44.1 if you are doing a digital mixdown.
 
This is the quote from the manual:

"The HD24 can always record and play back highresolution
signals via its ADAT Optical ports. But
its analog I/O, as shipped from the factory, is only
capable of operation up to 48 kHz."

So I guess I answered my own question on this one. So I guess I should record at 24/44.1 no? I guess it's better than the 16/44.1 I have been using.

My original problem regarding the 1604 is still ongoing however.

Thanks.
 
The old 1604 had 8 ditect outs and inserts(?I think?) the VLZ has sixteen inserts. But assuming you'll want to be able to hear both the mic inputs and the playback, you might either have to repatch (no tape return switches), or use 8 ch. for ins, 8 for p/b, somthing like that.
Did you want to go mic-in, insert out to tape, then tape return to the other side of the insert for play back? Maybe use the 'all input' or 'auto input' mode to hear the mic signal?
It could work...seems like it should. Could be missing something important here.
Wayne
 
What is the problem with the Mackie? If you only use the send from the insert than the signal still passes through the board. You can still monitor everything. Monitoring after the HD24 would probably have some latency.
 
Absolutely no problem monitoring through the 1604, that is what I'm planning to do. The problem comes in playback to ensure we got the take, I do not want to have to waste a tonne of time repatching the board from the HD24. I dunno, I feel that I'm totally missing something here. In the past I simply recorded using an ADAT XT 8 track, so there was no problems. 8 tracks out direct, 8 tracks back in, play record etc. I was just hoping that for this project I could keep the guitar bass and vox on seperate channels and still have 8 tracks for the drums. It seems like kinda a waste to only record 8 tracks on a 24 channel unit.

Thanks for the help guys.
 
Tex, you're forgetting that you HAVE to hear what's coming from the HD if you ever want to do overdubs or punch-ins, or even just evaluate whether a just-recorded take is a "keeper".

Sounds like you need a board with tape returns. With only 16 channels (and no tape returns) there's no way to be able to monitor all your HD tracks without repatching, unless you aren't using all your HD tracks.

But there is a cheap work-around. You can pick up another relatively inexpensive board, and use it as a submixer. That is, run all the analog outputs from the HD into the 2nd board, then take the stereo output of the 2nd board and run it into a stereo aux return on the Mackie. (That way you can route the sound from the HD to your studio monitors or headphones without any repatching. If you are using the channel aux sends to set up cue mixes, you can instead run the submix into two extra channels on the Mackie. This will let the musicians hear the tape tracks through their headphones if they need to make punch-ins.)

If you have doubts about the sonic quality of the second board, you still may want to repatch everything directly to the Mackie when it comes time to actually mix. But for tracking, this system should work ok.
 
I noticed that you said you were renting this gear.

The easiest solution is to choose a dedicated 24 channel eight-buss recording console to rent and be done with it.

Why make it more complicated than it has to be?

Instead of the uncertaincy, frustration, and re-patching, along with the time that it wastes, spend a few more rental dollars and do it right.
 
I'm totally considering it (renting an 8 bus 24 channel). My rental guy is on holidays 'til the end of the week, so I have to wait til then to see if they offer one. Again thanks for your help.
 
As Im reading this post it triggered my reason for avoiding mixers without tape returns. I was once upon a time looking at small mixers to do some ADAT stuff and noticed the mixer had no tape returns, why no returns I asked. The answer is that its what separates a recording console from mixing console. Rent the recording console and be happy you won't have to repatch. WR-T820 are pretty cheap to rent still and they have good EQ, even though its only 20 channels. Or rent a Ghost 24/8...

SoMm
 
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