Getting Frustrated

  • Thread starter Thread starter Wireneck
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Wireneck

Wireneck

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I need some serious help making some decisions on how i can upgrade my setup for the least amount of dollars. Right now im recording with just one alesis adat, an alesis studio 24 board and an alesis masterlink. I think my biggest frustration is only being able to work with 8 tracks. I am having to bounce drum tracks down to 1 or 2 tracks and this seriously hinders my demos i record. That said, im looking at getting a new computer and some type of recording card. I have been reading different websites as well as post trying to figure out what type of card would best suit the setup i already have. The only thing that i have determined is that I need something with Lightpipe transfer, I think? Im just not sure if there are other things i should look for? I can prob only spend 300-400 dollars on the card because im already gonna go broke trying to afford a new computer. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Im really trying to plan this out so i can start saving.
 
Its going to be tough with that budget. Lightpipe would be used for digital transfer to and from the ADAT. Some cards have lightpipe and analog in/out so you could get up to 16tracks at a time if needed by using the inputs on your ADAT and the card.

How many tracks at once do you need? That pretty much determines the cost of the card along with the DAC quality. How good does it need to be? Are you still going to be using the ADAT?

8track i/o usually runs about $400 to $2000.
 
Tex,
I think i could get by with just 8 tracks at once, 16 would be nice but I think 8 could work. Since i have barely had it two years ,I would like to still use my adat if possible. I'm not ready to toss it just yet. This question is prob stupid but I am very new to computer based recording. If I get a card that can only transfer 8 tracks at a time, I would still be able to record more than 8 tracks? Just not in one pass, am i correct? Like i could keep dumping from the adat, is that possible? I'm not really looking for the Most professional card. I mainly just record my band and sometimes my friends for small amounts of cash. I am looking for something that will get the job done without running me under financially.
 
Wireneck said:
This question is prob stupid but I am very new to computer based recording. If I get a card that can only transfer 8 tracks at a time, I would still be able to record more than 8 tracks? Just not in one pass, am i correct? Like i could keep dumping from the adat, is that possible?
Click to expand...

Yes that is correct.

The challenge there will be syncing the ADAT and computer DAW. It's not that difficult but unless you have the ADAT BRC you will have to sacrifice one track for timecode and get a SMPTE to MIDI TC converter and send a midi cable to your computer so they can sync up.

If you have a card with 8 analog ins then you really don't need the adat so you could avoide the sync hassles and save the adat for mobile recording.
 
OK so if i got a card like this http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7...24113093085/search/g=rec/detail/base_id/52846 that would transfer 8 tracks, I would really only be able to transfer 7 tracks because the 8th is going to be timecode? Is there any other way to get around this besides the Brc?
Do you know of any cards that have lightpipe as well as analog ins and outs that are relatively cheap or are those way out of my price range? Im just trying to look at all my options before i decide on something.
I guess what im trying to do is record analog, and mix/process and master digital. Is this a stupid idea?
 
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