Advice needed: Mixing/Mastering Equip

  • Thread starter Thread starter Cyrokk
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Cyrokk

Cyrokk

Farce of Nature
I am trying to determine what would be in my best interests given my current setup and limited financial resources: Currently I am recording to an ADAT XT and mastering (via an extremely cheap mixer) to DAT, I am looking into the possibility of having a custom IBM (e.g. Gateway) built specifically for my mixing and mastering needs. My first question is: what kinds of software and cards are available for mixing and CD Burning? Second: Will I be using up the same amount of RAM and hard disk space for mixing and CD burning as I would if I was using the computer as a multi-track recorder?

Since I put far more money into my current recording equipment than I could afford, I am hoping that for roughly the cost of a middle-of-the-road computer I can make a better match of quality to the final product.

Any suggestions?
 
The 8 tracks off your ADAT aren't going to tax a middle of the road computer all that much if you are using something like the PCR card. Apparently, that card takes all 8 tracks into your computer without a hitch. (Opinions and mileages vary, I believe.)

Hard drive space can quickly become an issue, but most drives are HUGE these days, and cheap. Even ram can be cheap.

Mixing with digital effects can overload a processor pretty quick, but even a moderate computer these days should be able to handle the 8 tracks off an ADAT. I load up 16 tracks with effects all the time on my Celeron 600, 192M ram, and don't have too many problems.

Get what you can afford. It is always upgradeable and will probably work OK in the first place.

What kind of computer (processor, RAM, etc.) are you looking at?

Take care,
Chris
 
Go to the Alesis forum and start reading up BEFORE you buy that PCR card!!! It is not all it is cracked up to be....:(

I currently have challenged a certain Alesis representative who is posting a lot in there to step me through installing and making this card transfer 8 tracks to and from the computer for at least 10 minutes straight reliably without any hiccups or anything. In two years, I haven't been able to get it to do that, and my computer setup is very much over the minimum system requirements that Alesis states you need to use that card. So.......

Look into just about ANY other ADAT lightpipe capable card. I think the PCR will be nothing but a hassle for you. There are plenty of other cards on the market that support the ADAT lightpipe format for transfers and I am sure all of them will work better than the Alesis PCR card does.

Ed
 
Thanks for all the information guys!

I'll keep the PCR in mind as I'm looking around. I had tried a couple years ago to integrate a pc into my recording process and it turned into a nightmarish hell of freezes and tech support fights. That experience drove me to buy the ADAT (I read the ADAT posts. I had no idea people were having so much trouble with it. I hope the good fortune I have with mine doesn't stray. No wonder the thing is now selling at half of its initial value). As a result I am much more hesitant about trying computers again.

I pretty much have what I need for initial recording and overdubs; what I had in mind was using the computer (Windows)as if it was a stand-alone automated mixer with a built in cd burner. Is there any software on the market like this? Do they all require the use of recording to the hard drive? Or am I misunderstanding the technology?
 
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