DIGITAL MIXER OR ANALOG ? HELP PLEASE!

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Monsieur

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I have a mackie 1604 vlz pro.and i'm wondering if i should trade it for the Tascam TM-D1000 Digital mixer ?????
Is the digital mixer better than the analog or what ????
 
Digital vs. Analog

It depends on what type of music you're into recording. Analog is just fine for simple recording, by that I mean 3-4 piece band without a bunch of effects. It'll still do it all, but a digital board is great for cutting and pasting parts of tunes. And, there's less signal loss when tracks are bounced.

Though, there are a ton of variables.
 
Based on the way you phrased your question, stick with the 1604. Unless you already know just why you need a digital mixer, you don't need one. If you decide that you need one in the future, get one then. They'll just be cheaper by then anyway.
 
blacksabbath: I think you're confusing a digital recorder with a digital mixer. With a digital recorder you'd be able to bounce tracks, cut and paste, etc, but the original poster was just asking about a mixer.

I agree with schwa, don't just get a digital mixer for the hell of getting a digital mixer, if you don't know what the advantage would be, or if there would even be an advantage to you, don't worry about it.

-travis
PS..if you REALLY want to get rid of the 1604, send it to me, i'll take it off your hands :)
 
You should compare the preamps. Mackie put good preamps in their budget desks.

Umm, it depends if you want all the automation, dynamics, and eq libraries that a digital desk has to offer. In 4 of my studios it's analog/digital setups, but 90% of the time, a band will prefer to mix on a big analog console, for the warmth of the sound. In my dance studio though, totally digital consoles, 2 D8B's and an o2r. If you're doing dance music, go towards the digital side, definitely, providing the tascam gives you a good sound. dont just go for it cus it's digital, check it out. Automation is very handy, although some expensive analog desks do automation.

I think one of the producers here has used the TD4000 which is the model up from the 1000. Ill ask him what he thinks about it when he's in tomrorow.

-later,
romesh
Long Wave Studio
 
Ok.,longwave studio man,
i'm still waiting for the answer from the guy you was gonna ask about the TD 4000 .
Please let me know what he says ,because i wanna purchase a digita hammerfall audio card,or analog delta 1010.That's one of the reason why i need to know wich way to go.
Thannnnnnnnnnnxxxxxx.
 
The two tascam's are different animals...

I have been looking at digital mixers for a little while now, and the two tascam units are very different animals with different target users.

The 1000, which is being "cleared out" @ under $500 is pretty basic, with 3 band non-parametric eq, non-motorized faders (automation is done through scene memory), and seems to be targeted to folks getting into their first (basic) digital mixer.

The 4000 is more capable but is also being cleared out, though for around $2K. It has automation, but *requires* a separate PC for automation. Better and more preamps, and better effects/eq.

If you did not already have the 1604, the 1000 might make some sense, but if sonic quality is the main concern, you won't be any better off. If automation is the main thing you're looking for, there's not much automation to be found in the 1000.

With the research I've done, I have a feeling we're about to see a bunch of second (or is it third) generation digital consoles released from Tascam and Yamaha
 
Monsieur...

Re: TD4000

The console is very good, but depending on what you're using it for. I wouldn't use it in a professional studio, but the semi-pro studio, definitely. The MMC (midi machine control) is very handy ifyou're using hardware recorders, you can control everything off the console. Automation, dynamics on every channel, eq storage, timecode display, it's a great unit. There are long throw faders, and the pre amps are pretty good. Im not sure if you're after the TD1000 or the 4000 but I think the Delta 1010 is a great choice of card. Ive only used it for a small amount of time, but i had no problems with it, and it was excellent quality audio.

Hope this helps,

Mike Evans
Long Wave Studio
Video Edit Suite
 
Thanx guys
Schwa,Mike E. at Longwavestudio,i apreciat the help
and i just wanna let you know that i'm gonna get the delta 1010 next week.
Hey Mike, so if you'va got the 1010 wich is analog how do you hook it up with your digital mixer ?
Because i have no experience of the digi mixer.
Sounds stupid but hey i'm new to the digital mixers.
Thanx.
Monsieur A.
 
Monsieur,

RE:TD4000/1000 / Delta 1010


I have used the TD4000 in two ways. Id like to point out that i dont own it, and Long Wave dont have one here either. i was involved in session which used one though.

Umm, anyways, the two ways ive used the TD4000. Ive used the ADAT ins which are an OPTION. It will come with some T-DIF port i think. I have also run the mixer with analog inputs alone. For one session, we were taking stuff off a Mackie HDR2496 hard disc recorder, and 16 outs of the Mackie were connected to 16 valve eq units (8x2)to warm the inputs and then went straight into the desk, no digital.

As for the Delta 1010, i only used it once, for a radio commercial, andit wasn't even at long wave studio, so i didn't have time to look at it. But from what i gather 10 ins, 10 outs. So you could easily route this to the TD 1000/4000 but if you're getting the latter, make sure you have the option for the analog ins. It's like the Mackie Digital gear, most of it comes with no analog ins whatsoever. If you're getting the TD1000, i believe there is a converter to convert the T-DIF port to an extra 8 analog ins, or something like that, cus i dont think it does the adat. Im not sure if the DELTA 1010 has adat out. you may wanna ask someone else on the list. but if it does, just make sure you purchsae the right adat board for the mixer you want, and it should input 8 channels straight away, or output, whichever. The midi will be easy. I remember the Delta's midi in/out being on the front, so simply just hook this up to the back of whichever tascam, and the automation will work. i think it's just scene memory on the TD1000, but im not sure. there is automation on the td4000 though.

Have you considered an O1V for mixing/recording? Ive worked with those a while ago, pretty good mixers. Id say they were possibly better than the tascams, if you can afford it. In the UK, the o1v can be bought for £1000. The I/O boards aren't too expensive. midi automation is there, all the stuff that the td4000 can do, except, no mmc and no timecode displays.butthat's not important, unless you're doing serious editing really.

When i used the TD4000, as far as i can remember, we had it synced to Pro Tools. It was used during a video edit for a music track. So the timecode synced with pro tools,and we were able to navigate locates through the desk. Pro Tools sent the MIDI out for the automation, and the audio was being fed in through a Mackie HDR2496. At least i think that was the setup, it was going back a little while ago now. you'll be happy with any of the products mentioned in this mail though.

Mike Evans
Long Wave Studio
Video Edit Suite
 
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