M
MattESP
New member
Ok so this isn't exactly anything new, but its also not a "Which solution should I buy?" its more of a help me fill in the blanks in my knowledge about these products and known problems...
So I've been lurking here for a week or so, and I'd previously been recording with Cubasis and my SB Live!, and decided I needed to move up a step in the quality of my recordings. Plus I just upgraded to XP and Cubasis doesn't want to install on it (but I intended to switch/upgrade software anyway).
So I went ahead and bought an M-Audio Omni Studio (Omni IO + Delta 66) despite reading about all the problems people had with them, and despite having a VIA KT133 chipset on my motherboard (Asus A7V) and what a surprise, I get tons of popping and clicking and other unpleasantness in my recordings. Plus I wasn't too thrilled with my first impressions of Logic Delta.
So I tried a few of the suggested solutions with no luck and started to wonder if its really worth it. The only 100% solution seems to be to get a new motherboard, and if I do that, I might as well return the Omni Studio and get something more expensive (and probably better quality).
So here's what it comes down to. My primary options that I've researched are Echo cards (Gina probably), the Omni Studio (which I have but may return) and the Digi001.
The biggest problem with the Echo cards, other than hearing of similar compatability problems from some people, is that it has no mic-pres, so I have to run a mixer in front of it to use my condenser mic, etc. A mixer I was hoping to cut out of my recording process by having mic pres built into my new sound-card/breakout-box recording solution.
As for the Digi001, it benefits include what seems to be the most complete software solution of these options (its still low end compared to real ProTools maybe but its quite a few steps up from Logic Delta (halfassed bundle software) or Cubasis (halfassed bundle software) and I can't really afford full priced Cubase or Logic or whatever. I'm not attached to any software solution, and as some have said, most of them will get it done, though I wouldn't mind being forced to use protools for awhile, since it seems helpful to know in the industry (I'm very far from pro here, I'm a college student, but I have thoughts of someday doing something professional, and at the very least, being able to produce my own pro recordings, even if its someone else's studio, I'm a musician primarily, just getting into more serious recording/production/etc recently).
Also the few things I DO specifically want my software to have, ProTools LE seems to have, ie: graphical node-based automation?
So my biggest question is: am I just going to have problems with these other two cards with my motherboard anyway? DigiDesign's site says something about incompatabilities with AMD/VIA combined chipset motherboards. Does my motherboard have the mark of the beast on it or something? Am I better off just keeping the Omni and getting a new motherboard?
Also, how are the mic pres on the Digi001? I've heard raving about the
My price range is ideally in the $400 area (I'm a poor college student! I'm spending what's left from my summer job), but I was considering going up a few hundred to the Digi001 since it covers me better software wise it seems. Though this would leave me quite broke, it might be worth it, especially if the Digi001 will work with my current motherboard, making it close to the cost of another card + motherboard.
So I think I've babbled on long enough. Hopefully this is specific enough to not piss anyone off sick of hearing "which of these should I buy?"
Any and all help is greatly appreciated.
Matt
So I've been lurking here for a week or so, and I'd previously been recording with Cubasis and my SB Live!, and decided I needed to move up a step in the quality of my recordings. Plus I just upgraded to XP and Cubasis doesn't want to install on it (but I intended to switch/upgrade software anyway).
So I went ahead and bought an M-Audio Omni Studio (Omni IO + Delta 66) despite reading about all the problems people had with them, and despite having a VIA KT133 chipset on my motherboard (Asus A7V) and what a surprise, I get tons of popping and clicking and other unpleasantness in my recordings. Plus I wasn't too thrilled with my first impressions of Logic Delta.
So I tried a few of the suggested solutions with no luck and started to wonder if its really worth it. The only 100% solution seems to be to get a new motherboard, and if I do that, I might as well return the Omni Studio and get something more expensive (and probably better quality).
So here's what it comes down to. My primary options that I've researched are Echo cards (Gina probably), the Omni Studio (which I have but may return) and the Digi001.
The biggest problem with the Echo cards, other than hearing of similar compatability problems from some people, is that it has no mic-pres, so I have to run a mixer in front of it to use my condenser mic, etc. A mixer I was hoping to cut out of my recording process by having mic pres built into my new sound-card/breakout-box recording solution.
As for the Digi001, it benefits include what seems to be the most complete software solution of these options (its still low end compared to real ProTools maybe but its quite a few steps up from Logic Delta (halfassed bundle software) or Cubasis (halfassed bundle software) and I can't really afford full priced Cubase or Logic or whatever. I'm not attached to any software solution, and as some have said, most of them will get it done, though I wouldn't mind being forced to use protools for awhile, since it seems helpful to know in the industry (I'm very far from pro here, I'm a college student, but I have thoughts of someday doing something professional, and at the very least, being able to produce my own pro recordings, even if its someone else's studio, I'm a musician primarily, just getting into more serious recording/production/etc recently).
Also the few things I DO specifically want my software to have, ProTools LE seems to have, ie: graphical node-based automation?
So my biggest question is: am I just going to have problems with these other two cards with my motherboard anyway? DigiDesign's site says something about incompatabilities with AMD/VIA combined chipset motherboards. Does my motherboard have the mark of the beast on it or something? Am I better off just keeping the Omni and getting a new motherboard?
Also, how are the mic pres on the Digi001? I've heard raving about the
My price range is ideally in the $400 area (I'm a poor college student! I'm spending what's left from my summer job), but I was considering going up a few hundred to the Digi001 since it covers me better software wise it seems. Though this would leave me quite broke, it might be worth it, especially if the Digi001 will work with my current motherboard, making it close to the cost of another card + motherboard.
So I think I've babbled on long enough. Hopefully this is specific enough to not piss anyone off sick of hearing "which of these should I buy?"
Any and all help is greatly appreciated.
Matt