BuyinG Computer & Recording Software?

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reflexa

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Hello All: I want to start a studio for some projects. To make it easier I'll just put it like this, my budget for a recording/mixer/burner package is about 7k. What should I go with in your opinion. Thanks
 
I say go digital. Digital is so much easier once you get the hang of it. Analog does sound better (warmer), but who wants the hasle of using tape, a mountain of out board gear, and a huge mixing board?

I would go with Digi 001 w/ pro tools LE , or go with MOTU digital performer. Don't forget a nice Mac. I would go with a Mac over a PC. Mac's are just better for Audio.
 
I'd highly recommend the MOTU 1224 or 2408 (maybe two with your budget, for 16 channels) and Logic Audio Platinum software. I love my Alesis Studio 32 mixer, but I haven't had a lot of experience with other mixers - maybe you can do better. If Mac is your preference then by all means buy a Mac, but don't buy this stuff about Macs being "better for audio". Your recordings will sound exactly the same whether you use a Mac or PC (assuming the same outboard gear, audio interface hardware and software). Check out all the past Mac vs. PC threads if you want some opinions on that subject.
 
Do you have a budget for mics, preamps, and the sort or is that included in the 7000, or do u already have that?
 
The answer hands down without question here is a PARIS system. No MOTU, Digioo1, Echo NOTHING along those lines will come close. Unless you want to drop about twice that and go for the "real" Protools. which would just be a waste of money. First off PARIS doesnt use your CPU for processing audio, it comes with a mixer and very awesome effects. It is 24 bit and the software is very powerful. Before I get flamed by those who will argue something gay like MOTU is just as good or some crap please know your facts. PARIS is being used to make full albums for major labels and has already produced a few number 1 hits on country, pop and christian radio. "Amazed" Lonestars record breaking single was done in PARIS as well as many more. Retail on the new PARIS pro is like 4,995 but if you search for a good dealer it can be had for like 3,995 that includes the Mec unit, mixer, and software. On a single IDE drive with PARIS I have seen 80, thats right 80 Tracks played back as well as 64 tracks playback with 16 tracks being recorded at the same time. PARIS head to head with protools is in my opinion not even close, the sound out of PARIS is both warmer, cleaner and crisp. Anyway enough ranting about all this if you read about it the answer would be clear the site is http://www.emu.com Oh and PARIS can use 3rd party plugins! Unlike its rival and thier ripoff status symbol crap.

So with 7 Grand get a PARIS system, some good pres and mics and tear it up ;-)

Former Mix 24 user and Reborn PARIS user ;-)
 
I'm not going to argue against PARIS, as I'm sure it's better than what I've got. But you're definitely underestimating the capabilities and overestimating the cost of a MOTU/mixer setup. I spent $1200 on the MOTU unit, $600 on a used Alesis Studio 32 mixer and around $500 on Logic Audio Platinum. I have a rock solid DAW - no crashes, no noise, no problems, smooth playback of 24 tracks (the most I've used so far) with two or more effects on half the tracks, never hit any limits as far as recording a bunch of tracks while playing back previously recorded stuff. I think the most I've simultaneously recorded and played back was 8 out with 4 in, but the resource meters showed that I wasn't even scratching the surface of what it can do (that goes for the 24 track playback with effects, too).

Can my stuff compete with PARIS? Maybe not, but PARIS does nothing that I can't do with my stuff (AFAIK) and I couldn't afford all the mics and monitors and other stuff I've got if I'd spent twice as much money to get a PARIS system. I'm doing what most people are doing in here: trying to do the best recordings I can with the small budget I've got. So my stuff may not be as good as PARIS, but I'll bet the price-to-performance ratio of my setup is at least as good as PARIS. I'm not making major label releases here; for most people in here it's about making the best possible demo for the least money.

Point being: no particular rig is right for everybody. It's needs vs. cost. You're probably right in this case, considering the budget, but I hate it when people make their point by badmouthing equipment that is good for what it is. "Something gay like MOTU" is probably the best a lot of people in here will ever get to use, and it's nice gear for the price.

And by the way, the number 1 hits produced with a particular set of gear means absolutely nothing. The success of an album is more about marketing and a hundred other variables than it it is about the gear used to record it.
 
Hmm, my post shows up but the thread didn't get promoted to the top. This should do it. I want to make sure people know that MOTU and the like aren't crap - if you can't afford PARIS (or Pro Tools, for that matter) you can still make very good recordings.
 
I agree with Diragor. Just saying "I want to start a studio for some projects" is a little vague. Your $7K is going to go fast if you have to buy multiple $800 mics, for example. You need to nail down exactly what you want to be able to do before you can properly budget your hardware - are you doing live recorded demos? Commercial voice-overs? Video soundtracks?

I also agree in principle to go digital (i.e. digital mixer) if that is appropraite and affordable for you. I have a very modest DAW studio with Alesis mixer which fits my needs fine - rather than recomend particular hardware for you I urge you to carefully consider your NEEDS and then the best hardware for you will be more obvious.
 
I'm glad that nashstudios did not mention the delta 1010 as part of the other uncompetitive cards. On that note, you are forgiven. :)

From the way you talk about Paris, NASH, I must have read your posts somewhere else online.

One thing I want to say is this: I have spent $3500 on my equipment, including instruments, computer, software, monitors, sound treatment, mics. Everything has cost me $3500.

I submit that my sound is not worse than yours, but yours set you back considerably more than mine, even without any added hardware.

I respect the PARIS system a lot, and I would drop money for it if I had it, but it does not blow away regular software in the critical terms of speed, ease of use, sound, price. etc

You say that it has recorded no. 1 hits. ok
Music was no 1 in 25 countries, and I read that maddona's people use Logic

Hey man, if you are willing to, post something you did in PARIS, and I'll post something I did in vegas, and then we can compare if its really that much better than my computer setup or my friends roland vs1880.

peace man
 
My whole point is PARIS is affordable, and for somebody spending this amount on a studio it would be "one" of the best options. MOTU is great but again HOST based and limited because of this. Don't get offended because you have something mentioned if it works for you thats great. I was just recomending something I know is rock solid and can do everything from a small project to a Orchestra. And once again its not that expensive look at it this way. These are just rounded off estimates.
MOTU 1,000, Mixer 1,000, Software 500, extra ram, faster CPU and so on and so on. I was simply saying that people will spend pretty much the same amount on stuff that is not going to end up doing what they want.


"PARIS does nothing that I can't do with my stuff"
Except ZERO latencey while playing 80 tracks off a single IDE harddrive with compressors on every track, Was done at the NAMM show in front of the recording industry. The sound quality is PRO quality, it is all compatable and I have no issues with that. Now being someone who has delt with the issues of just about every consumer soundcard I could not recomend any for use for someone that wants PRO equipment. In closing PARIS is not as expensive as people think and I was simply trying to shed some light on this.
 
Also read all the posts about problems with the above mentioned products, unless you get your DAW perfect it will not run correctly. Over 75 percent of people that try to set up a DAW with the above mentioned cards have problems with one thing or another either software, CPU or something, its very frustrating. Having it all built together to work together is a beautiful thing. Its nice to be able to buy something like PARIS which is PRO gear only found at PARIS dealers, (you cant just run to Mars and pick one up) for this price. For what by Homerecording standerds is still affordable. For gods sake that Yamaha 16 track thats for sale is almost 3,500 bucks... So if what you want can be solved by a consumer soundcard like MOTU, Delta, Digi001, Echo, Seasound ETC, ETC thats great. But if you are looking for pro equipment PARIS is affordable and worth looking into. I would be willing to bet the above flamers have never even layed eyes on a PARIS system.......
 
Someday if I record an orchestra and close mic every instrument (?) then that 80 track demonstration will mean something to me. I can't think of anything *realistic* that I would ever need to do that I can't do with the rig I've got.

I'm not arguing that PARIS isn't impressive (from what I've read and seen). My gear works for me and that's all I care about, but I just thought you shortchanged the MOTU-level home recording gear and I wanted to point that out to people who are trying to make a buying decision. PARIS may be the right choice for this person but there are other choices that are better than you seemed to infer in the first post.
 
For many MOTU does work great for what they want. The 80 Tracks I will never use either but that just shows the power of PARIS. Using MOTU in the past I know for a fact that at 16 tracks or so with just a few plugins and you are doggin and it makes working with a project not fun. Even with a 1 GHZ CPU once you start adding some effects it just dies. I am glad we both understand that I was and am still not slamming any of those cards for most people here they are great. Many people don't know about PARIS and its something that should be discussed here more, all the sudden there would be a group for PARIS users hehe.



Just wanted to add this thread to read for more information and another persons opinon about the system https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?postid=158878#post158878
 
Pickup Truck

I think the keyword here is PRO. Paris does look good for pro work. The upgrades are higher than a lot of other systems Though. Prosumer that is.
I cant see anyone here doing 80 tracks except for slackmaster and thats just to see if he could do it. No doubt Paris is top of the line. So is a $100,000 neve but I aint buying it. If I were rich Id buy my own $1,000,000 pro studio and carry my Paris in my Pickup truck. :)
Paris does look good but still above my means.

Duck
 
How long ago did you work on with MOTU stuff? 16 tracks are absolutely not scratching the surface of what my rig can do. I haven't pushed it hard to see how far it can go, but I had 24 tracks playing back with two to three effects on more than half of the tracks, about 6-8 of those tracks being routed through one of 4 busses with one or two more effects, and compression on the main out with a vocal being recorded at the same time. I was really overdoing the effects, but that's another subject :). When I did that same playback with the resouce meters going (no vocal recording) it showed that I had *plenty* of headroom to push it even further. This is on a PIII 800 with 256 MB SDRAM and a 20GB UDMA/66 hard drive, which is hardly top-of-the-line at the moment. I really think you have seen the MOTU hardware under the wrong circumstances or with the wrong software or something (I'm using Logic Audio Platinum).
 
nashstudio,

I feel you. When I started reading about paris, I was drooling. It IS an impressive system. Why was I drooling? It looks good. And it is good to have everything in the same box, if one is willing to spend a mere $2000 extra. Its also nice to have a pro system at such a more affordable price than protools

Remember, the guy who did number one songs on paris was using $2000 yamaha 01v mixers as personal headphone amps for the musicians.

Where are the flamers you talked about . I have see no one flaming paris on this thread.
 
I saw the MOTU stuff ran on both PC and MAC with Logic Audio Plat, (Which is one of my favorite programs) as well as Vegas and the Trackcounts on every MOTU system I have seen were sad. I think the most I saw was a trackcount in the low 20's and he couldnt put jack on as far as effects go. Like 4 RCL compressors an Aux reverb on a couple channels, some Eq and Magneto and his system performance was at 75% and using Logic you know when you bounce it uses even more of the CPU that would cause pops, dropouts, and CPU to slow errors. Now that is just one case out of many I have seen but thats the best performance I have seen out of MOTU as of yet. The problem doesnt come from the MOTU card it comes from fact that its Host based and uses your CPU to process everything. Now as computers advance more and more so will the trackcount but as of now it was just something I couldnt work with. Oh and for the love of god, I think they only have one phone line at MOTU ;-) Anyway didnt mean to slam this card or that just to point out another option.
 
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