Analog to digital to computer set up

S

Songfarmer

New member
Hey Everyone! I'm new here and I am getting my equipment ready for a studio. I have picked up a very well taken care of Studiolive 32ai at a good buy I think, and I am getting ready to have a computer built. I am an analog guy and really just got the presonus unit for its preamps, 32 ch phantom power, and D/A converters. My plan is to get a good analog board and to combine the two for initial recording. I really like the tactile feel and speed of an analog board (not to mention sound/warmth) and for patching in outboard gear for laying down tracks. My flow path would be 32AI preamps/ post preamp on analog board (if I like the 32ai pre's better)/back to 32ai for conversion. I would just go through the Presonus board post converters flat. What do I need to watch out for with this type of configuration? Also, I know the 32AI is older and has been replaced with a newer version. Will this be compatible with the op system for a new computer and if I upgrade to StudioOne v5? Thanks!
 
That sounds like a very cumbersome way to do it. You're going to have a whole analog console and essentially just be using the preamps. I'd say you'd be better off putting the money into a variety of preamps. It would take less space and offer more creative options.

But, to be honest, I'd probably just use the Studiolive and use software to make things sound how I wanted them to sound.
 
Their site shows software downloads for Windows XP through Windows 10 in 32 & 64 bit versions. Also a similar spread for MAC.
 
I'm with Bouldersoundguy on this. I'd go for StudioLive into computer and back out again, and leave it at that. You can still get the tactile sense from the StudioLive. Adding anohter board is adding a level of complexity that you could best do without.
 
I think another perfectly good approach is an analog board and something like a MOTU 24 i/o interface (with the required host card). Then you get your analog front end, and you have the option of doing the rest in the DAW or coming back out to the console to mix in analog.

Most of what the Studiolive console does is duplicated (and done more conveniently) in the DAW.
 
I have to agree too - Unless you have a very big, special and resale value immune analogue desk, the grief it will cause you is out of all proportion to the benefits.

It always sounds a great idea, but when you sit in front of a screen with all the benefits of automation, really precise and repeatable edits and all the everyday stuff, I just cannot imagine any reason to bring a noise prone, lifespan limited elderly desk into the system at all. I have never been as productive as what I am no in my entire life - and with money how it is, the phone rings with a quick job, and I can take it, do it, invoice it and then be back at yesterdays work in a jiffy. In the past - I'd be looking at a 32 input analogue mixer with my carefully tweaked EQs and send and the prospect of zeroing it, doing a rebalance of a project and then putting it back meant I'd have turned down a couple of hours work.

There's a cosiness in having a big old desk, but I don't work at the sonic level where I can hear it. I think you'll buy that Presonus, be knocked out with the quality and introducing a pointless extra layer of noise and potential grief is something you might just not like. Analogue totally I get, but I've outgrown that. A mix of analogue and digital messes your workflow, making simple things very annoying.
 
Seconding Rob and Boulder: digital console by itself or multi channel interface with analog desk. Also, depending on how many tracks you plan to actually record at the same time you may find that an 8 or 16 channel interface will cover your needs instead of jumping into a 24.
 
Thanks, guys. Like I said, I'm just wading into the digital world. I was planning on doing all my mix down in the computer ( I have done some, but not a lot). I think that most of what I'll be doing is 12 to sixteen inputs at time.
 
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