Different Recording Hardware - Which One?

[spl3001]

I've been wanting to purchase some recording equipment lately, and I thought I had decided on the audio interface that I wanted to use. Now I'm not so sure.

First, I wanted to get the M-Audio Delta 1010LT. It's a PCI interface, and I have an extra computer laying around that I could setup for the card. I liked it because it has so many cables/options.

Then I was looking at the PreSonus Firebox 6x10 FireWire, because it got better reviews, was more portable, but at a higher price.

So I was stuck between those two, until I was looking through a Zzounds catalog, and saw the Zoom H4 hand held recorder. It had 2 mic inputs, stereo mics built in, it could be mounted on a tripod, or hooked up as a USB audio interface. Lots of different options, plus it is totally portable. I'm not sure if the built in mics were good for recording an amp though.

Then, and this is the last one, was the Boss BR600 8-Track Digital Recorder. It has a drum pad built in, which is something I was looking for. Most likely I would do most of the editing on a PC after recording multiple takes/instruments.

I'm actually kind of leaning towards the Boss 8-track or the Zoom H4, but I was wondering if any of these are good choices. I'm going to be recording a 30-Watt Marshall amp through a Shure SM57, almost exclusively electric guitar. I have no equipment, except SD cards for the 8-track and Zoom and software (Cakewalk Sonar and Adobe Audition). And obviously, I'm a n00b.

 

[Kevin Deschwazi]

Personally, I’d go the PC route. Good all in one recorders cost a pretty penny whereas you can get decent quality recordings using a PC for not too much money. That Zoom thing is a field recorder; I don’t really think it’s suitable for “proper” recording. If you just want to get ideas down though it could be just the ticket. I used something like the Boss several years ago and I found it fairly frustrating and limiting after a while. With a PC you have a world of vst effects and instruments to explore and you can upgrade converters, mic preamps etc. at will. And editing is a cinch.

I used a 1010LT for a few years and was very happy with it (never used the mic preamps though).