Analog to digital...Am I scared? Advice

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ap-emerger

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Hello, new poster here:
Well, here's the scoop. I've got a home recording studio. It's an 8 track TEAC 1/2 reel to reel. It's powered by a kick-a$$ harmon Kardon tube. I've been using a decent mackie 16 channel mixing board, decent tube pre-amps, standard out-board effects rack.

Now...Here's the problem: a reel of tape cost $77 bucks for 33 minutes. Also, analog is starting to show its age due to the mixing & mastering stages it becomes archaic.

What I want to know, if someone wants to "cross-over" to the digital domain, what is the most inexpensive/ best sound/ ease of use, way to do it. I have looked at single unit Roland 8 & 16 track digital recorders used for a nice price. But, I've also considered stepping it up a bit and getting a Mac with Pro-Tools.


Any advice is appreciated.


Thanks
AP
 
In your case, since you already have a mixer, you would reap the benefit of mixing "outside the box". You can also use your current analog equipment to mix down to as well. This means getting value out of what you already have. I recommend a pc/analog hybrid recording system:

PC: approximately $700
Soundcard with multiple analog ins/outs (with ad/da converters): approx $500-600
Most semi-pro audio cards come bundled with audio software.

Also, if the mackie or your other analog gear breaks down, you can still use the pc to get excellent results.

If you are looking for specific gear recommendations, then look into the RME Hammerfall soundcards, find one that best suits your needs (primarily analog in and out capacity or the ability to add on expansion boards that allow for analog ins and outs), and research its pc requirements. Have a custom pc built based on those specs (try cyberpowerpc.com). Custom pc's are cheaper, more reliable, and don't include all that proprietary crap that retailers think you'll need.
 
I assume since you are posting on here, you already have a PC, if the specs are decent you should be good to go there. List the stats of your PC and someone can confirm that for ya. As far as soundcards go, there are all kinds, at just about any price range. I personally use M-Audio soundcards (two of them) but I'm a budget kinda guy. I know mostly about M-Audio (because it's what I use) they make cards ranging from 2 ins 2 outs up to 8 ins 8 outs and everything in between, and you can use multiple cards in tandum with each other. Most have atleast stereo digital in/out on top of the analog I/O, some include midi I/O some don't.

Sounds like you've already got everything you need minus the soundcard and software, pending PC stat info. Software is a whole different beast, some will suggest this, others will suggest that. Most of them offer free downloadable demos or trial versions, which I'd suggest. Then make your decisions from there.

I use a hybrid type setup with outboard gear and I can't complain at all. Welcome to the mind scrambling world of PC recording!
 
I think given the ammount of analog equipment you have, I'd follow the suggestions above. More accurately, I'd probably go with:

A good PC ($1000) or so

An M-Audio Delta 1010 ($399)

Protools M-Powered ($249)

You'd have quite a bitching studio for around $1600. I'd stay clear of the all in one recorders...to me, they really don't take advantage of the technology that is available. Editing wave forms on a 2" x3" display is quite tough.

Just my opinion,
6
 
sixways said:
I think given the ammount of analog equipment you have, I'd follow the suggestions above. More accurately, I'd probably go with:

A good PC ($1000) or so

An M-Audio Delta 1010 ($399)

Protools M-Powered ($249)

You'd have quite a bitching studio for around $1600. I'd stay clear of the all in one recorders...to me, they really don't take advantage of the technology that is available. Editing wave forms on a 2" x3" display is quite tough.

Just my opinion,
6
Click to expand...

That's a good plan.

jacob
 
Be REALLY clever.
Get a DAW, BUT record to tape still & then upload to HDD for all the digi bits.
I generally record to 4 track, upload that, do another three (keeping a common click or basic track) & bounce them up & nudge into place etc etc etc.
GOOOD tape sound, with some digital manipulation.
SIMPLY the BEST of BOTH WORLDS.
Regarding...
"problem a reel of tape cost $77 bucks for 33 minutes. Also, analog is starting to show its age due to the mixing & mastering stages it becomes archaic." go to the analogue only segment of this forum & learn how wrong you may be.
Remember baby & bathwater - never at the same time.
Cheers
rayC
 
Hey,

I would recommend getting a computer system a P4 PC or a MAC and then going with a software package like Pro Tools M-Powered. I used to have a Roland VS1680 and the quality was decent, but the mixing and editing capabilities were nothing compared to Pro Tools!

Also, another thing to consider is compatibility. Not everyone is using these built in multitracks, but Pro Tools is pretty much the industry standard in digital recording. This is one of those times when you might want to follow the trend; not because it's cool, but because or portablility.

Think of this,

You just tracked a killer song, but you mixing skills suck. We you can burn your session onto a disk and take it over to almost any mix engineer or studio and they can load it up and mix it for you. Or say you want to collab with someone across the globe on a track. Do your part, ftp it to him/her and let them do their part and send it back.

You just won't find many people nowadays with a DAW box anymore. Get a computer and get Pro Tools!

Good luck!

Jake
 
I would recomend Cubase. You can use any interface you want. You can even start out with a low cost one and upgrade later. Protools m-powered is a different program than protools LE and Protools HD. M-powered and LE have track count limitations and only work with the hardware they were designed for
Cubase has the same power without the limitations and works with any interface that has an ASIO driver.
 
sixways said:
I think given the ammount of analog equipment you have, I'd follow the suggestions above. More accurately, I'd probably go with:

A good PC ($1000) or so

An M-Audio Delta 1010 ($399)

Protools M-Powered ($249)

You'd have quite a bitching studio for around $1600. I'd stay clear of the all in one recorders...to me, they really don't take advantage of the technology that is available. Editing wave forms on a 2" x3" display is quite tough.

Just my opinion,
6
Click to expand...


Couldn't agree more. Except for the computer. MusicXPC S2, about $2000 at Sam Ash. It sucks editing in a little ass screen. If you are gonna start new, might as well start out with the best you can afford (computerwise). Delta 1010 is also what I use now. Keep your analog mixer and hook up your 1010 outputs to your mixer. Tube preamps to the Delta 1010 inputs. It's what I do. Keep your tube preamps (or sell them to me). Mix outside the computer. Use all of your rack stuff.
I pretend my computer is an ATR (Otari, Studer you get the picture). I use it to record and playback. Thats it. No Plugins, No soft synths, no nothing. Outboard effects, outboard dynamic processing, outboard eq, and outboard mixdown is the way I do it. It's not for everyone. A small amount of noise might be introduced, but I call it analog warmth :)
 
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