Aardvark Direct Pro 24/96

  • Thread starter Thread starter Emeric
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Emeric

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It looks pretty cool. I guess it depends whether 4 XLR inputs are enough for you. If so great. I record a lot of drums, and tend to use 6 or 7 inputs for that. A mixer adds a lot flexibility to a home setup. Even with the Aardvark 4 input unit, a mixer would still be useful, but it all depends on how many mic's you need to use at one time.

Emeric
 
As you all may know, I've been trying to get to grips with this home-recording thing, learning about what soundcard to get, what mixers, what pre-amp etc..etc...when I stumble over the Aardvark Direct Pro 24/96.
http://www.aardvark-pro.com/direct_pro_lit.html

Here's a quote from their ad men:

"The all-in-one DIRECT PRO 24/96 not only lets you skip buying a mixer, tape machine, MIC pre’s, MIDI card, compressor and professional reverb, but it instantly turns your PC project studio into a professional editing powerhouse!"

Basically, my question is, if I buy this card (along with a Cd-R), will I live happily ever after?

Cheers,
Mikey.
 
whoa...do my ears deceive me ? aark direct pro can be bought ? or is this just another teaser post ? :D
 
That particular card is still vaporware as far as I know... :(
 
I had no intentions of teasing anyone, I just assumed because Aardvark were advertising the product I could actually buy it! (I can see I've still got a lot to learn, my English naivety is showing!)

Hang on, I've just found this quote from their news page (dated July 99) about the card...

"The Direct Pro 24/96 will ship September 1st. Aardvark is taking pre-release orders for the Direct Pro 24/96."

I see, they were advertising it for 'pre-release' orders, and I take it they are behind schedule with their intended ship-date of September 1st?

(Anyone know when the product will ship? It seems worth waiting for if it's only a few weeks...)

Cheers,
Mikey.
 
hey umm...mikey.. its been " only a couple of weeks " for months now... hehe.. :D

- eddie -
 
Dragon's right about the vaporware description - the Aark Direct Pro is nothing more than a name, a growing reputation based on an untried product, and a series of postponed release dates and rising prices. I want one, too - I've been waiting for them to get their act together since last June - and I'm starting to think that there never has been, nor ever will be, an Aark Direct Pro - it's just a crafty campaign by Aardvark to keep people from spending their money on other products! :) The most recent shipping date I've been quoted is September 21st. I'm not holding my breath. If it's not out soon, I'm going the Wave 8.24 cum mixer route.
 
Hi,

I haven't done any digital recording yet, but will be very soon...

I've also decided on the Direct Pro and had been awaiting the September first date. When nothing happened on Sept. second, I emailed Aardvark for information. The sales manager got back to me right away and said the date had been pushed back to October 15th. I grow impatient, but I will probably wait and see what happens.

I am hoping a review or two of the Direct Pro will crop up in some magazine the week or two before release. Anybody know of aany magazines likely to have such a review?

Also,an acquaintance told me the other day that rather than the Direct Pro they would go for the 20/20 or an Echo card--The reason given for this was that digital preamps would sound "cold" and that the remedy would be a tube preamp (something I know nothing about). Any opinions on the validity of this?

Thanks

Sfish
 
Hi Swordfish. Two things: I contacted Aardvark September 1 and was given the September 21 shipping date, and a day later they're telling you it'll be another 3-4 weeks after that! Their products have a good reputation, but as for their marketing style... Do you think the 'what are you waiting for - Christmas?' comment applies here? Perhaps a renaming ceremony is in order? Aardbark. Aard Dark. Aardfark. :) Second thing, if digital preamps are going to need extra effects to warm the sound up, then the Direct Pro having built in pre-amps is less of a deal, less of a convenience, right?
 
i'm going to wait it out for the ardvaark.

[This message has been edited by nero (edited 10-08-1999).]
 
If anybody from the UK is interested, here's a reply I've just received from the sales guys at Aardvark about the card. I asked about the intended ship date, price and nearest place to buy.

"
Thanks for your Enquiry

The UK price is £649.00p inc VAT.

We are now currently taking orders and they should hit the dealers during October. Your closest dealer is Sound Control, Rupert Street, Bristol.

Contact Kevin on 01179 349955.

If you need any further information you can visit our Web site at
www.theukoffice.com

Submit your name and address if you want literature.

Or call me on 01442 870103

Best regards Terry
"
 
Cazzbar - hi. Simple currency conversion works this out to be about $1050 US. Way cheaper to buy it from an American dealer, have it shipped ($50-80 US), and spend the difference on a slick mic or a couple months' beer. Mine's a Guinness. :)

[This message has been edited by dobro (edited 09-16-1999).]
 
Thanks dobro, do you know the current price quoted in US Dollars???

I will use my savings on beer and send you a pint of Guinness, in a parcel marked 'this way up' :)

Maybe after I've drunk 2 months worth of beer and sobered up the card will be ready????
 
I sent a query to a couple of online stores that were advertising the Pro/Direct. One really didn't know any more than I did. The representative from the other, Digital Pro Audio, actually called Aardvark and gave me some interesting information:

"The initial release of the product has been delayed twice; once due to some
changes in the drivers, once due to a change (actually an upgrade) in the
processing chip. Also, the software that is to be bundled with the unit has
not yet been finalized.

I was told that production should start the first week in October, and the
first run of units should be shipped a week or so after that. But here's
the real "problem". Aardvark historically under-produces its products;
especially when they're first released. This happened with the Aark 20/20,
the TDIF card and again with the 20/20+. It won't be any different this
time, and I expect it will be early 2000 before they begin to catch up. The
other problem is that this will be a very hot product since there is almost
nothing else like it near this price point (especially with these features
and Aardvark quality)."

I don't always fall for salesmanship, but this one got me, because I really want this card. So I pre-ordered. They cashed my check yesterday. I hope this thing ain't vaporware!

Swordfish
 
As you all may know, I've been holding out for this card, and Aardvark have today (Oct 4) just told me:

"The Direct Pro 24/96 will be available October 31."

(Anybody believe them???? Have they finally received enough pre-orders to fund their development??? Hmmm...I've waited this long I suppose...)
 
In a way, I'm kind of grateful to Aardvark for the ongoing saga and ever-receding release date for their new card. It gave me time to learn more, and so I've ordered the Wave 8.24 instead - I want to be able to record 3 or 4 people at once. Also, I want to be able to record myself before the end of the year!
 
Thankfully, the money I had to setup my studio has vanished (I knew Vegas was a mistake). Down to 2000$ and still in need of a midi-controller/kick ass virual piano, I'm thinking I'll dump my dough into the Roland A-90 and by the time the direct-pro is reviewed and released, I'll have earned enough to buy it, as well! After all, you have to write the songs before you record them, right? (insert winking smiley-face here - I don't know how)

Seriously, I was about to dump into the Digi-001 (stores near you as soon as december 99 -so they say). I'll wait.

-Tag-
 
DRSTAWL ? did you hear him ? he said our beloved vagas is a waste !!! im in tears.. we cant let him get away with this.. he must pay.. hehe..

all in good fun... BTW , suntag , what dont you like about vegas ? maybe i havent tooled with it enough to learn its weeknesses..

thanks...
- eddie -
 
Suntag: The decision about the MIDI controller
really depends on whether you play keyboards or not. If you do, the extra quality of a good MIDI controller will be well worth it. If (like myself) you don't, don't drop more than $300 on any MIDI controller, and do some homework and pay much less. The floor here is
a velocity sensitive keyboard with as many keys as you can afford and have the space for. The weighted-key option and standard key widths are important only if you play it.

Eddie N: sounds like he already paid... :)
I'm thinking he's just bummed by the claims of other MUCH CHEAPER software to "do the same thing" while he's "stuck" with the high priced model.

Suntag: please feel free to contradict my
deduction about your opinion of Vegas Pro.
I dropped my bread as well and want to know about any problems.

Sorry Dobro... :)

[This message has been edited by drstawl (edited 10-05-1999).]
 
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