GOOD EVENING HomeRecording GURUS are you ready ROCK!!! Upgrade Question Included

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blaster3k

New member
I am thinking of upgrading my DAW to a hardware workstation.
I am looking at these units - Tascam dp24 / Zoom R16
I record mainly metal,grind, punk, hardcore etc.

This is what I have
M-audio Delta 10/10LT Audio Interface -
Going into a ROSS old school mixing board strictly for the drums
Then a Berhringer Xenyx 1202FX for recording the vocals and the guitars/bass etc.
Shure SM58 and a Shure SM57
Behringer 1800S mics x 6
Behringer C-1
Behringer Multicom pro compressor
(WOW thats a lot of crappy Behringer never noticed how much until I see it typed OUCH!!!)
Fostex PM0 4's (not the n)
I use reaper as my software as my software choice


Truthfully I have been dabbling in recording like you all for well over a decade now.
What started as just capturing ideas of the band, now has turned into more
of a hobby enthusiast adventure, I have never been happy with my live drums
sound I have used multiple mics etc. but never was satisfied. I get a better result
using beatcraft (DAMN just got myself again!).

I guess I am asking if it would be better to upgrade to an audio workstation, would it help with
a better drums sound without having to add triggers etc. in post production.

What are your thoughts?

Nice to meet everyone!!


Blaster
 
Not sure why you would want to go to a stand-alone recorder rather than update the equipment you have that should be replaced (too much Behr!)
I'd suggest a USB audio interface with at least 8 mic preamps so you can track your drums and other items diretly into Reaper and eliminate the mixers.
 
I also like that I can do live recordings with the tascam dp24 (I'm pretty sold on that unit) also the cost of interfaces then compressor's etc. Will be more expensive than the $520 price tag
 
"Upgrading" (as you call it) to a standalone machine won't affect the quality of your recording at all. And if you want to use trigger style software, then I'm not sure you can do that via a standalone machine... you need DAW software. No reason not to get a standalone machine if you have a use for it (ie. the portability) but don't expect it to fix any problems you might have with recording in the first place...

I speak as someone who upgraded from a standalone machine to DAW (reaper as it turns out) relatively recently, and it was only that decision that enabled me to actually do the album I just completed... the world just opened up once I was out of the track constrained difficult to edit environment of a standalone... Depends totally upon what you're doing, and trying to do, however.
 
You already have a pretty decent 8 in soundcard (don't forget to jumper the XLRs to line!) in the 1010lt and unless you pay a serious amount of money you are not going to better them with an external AI (the Tascam 1800 is very good value but I doubt the converters and drivers beat the M-A PCI job) .

So, cut the clutter and get one of these...
SM Pro PR8E 8 Channel Mic Line Preamp at Studiospares

The sky is the limit for pres of course but SM have a very good rep'. Flog off some of the Berry kit but things like mixers can be very handy. You could use it to organize a latency free monitor mix. You have SO much stuff I suggest you learn some electronics skills and buy a solder iron and dabble with cables.

I have no exp' recording live drums as a solo event but I would say "room is everything". Next you need good drums and a good drummer...Oh! And LOTS of Gaffer tape.

Dave.
 
Thanks guys I am really on the fence now
With what I have currently what in your suggestion would I need to change or upgrade
to get some decent recordings I can post some samples of what I have been doing so far
thanks
 
this is what I found here in canada
again its hard to get away from Behringer because of the price point
Behringer-ADA8000-Ultragain-Pro-8-Channel its $210

Also if I get the tascam I can dump everything into reaper and use a single mic pre amp and record guitar bass and vocals?
Would this be viable I just want an easier way to capture the live drums
 
blaster3k said:
this is what I found here in canada
again its hard to get away from Behringer because of the price point
Behringer-ADA8000-Ultragain-Pro-8-Channel its $210

Also if I get the tascam I can dump everything into reaper and use a single mic pre amp and record guitar bass and vocals?
Would this be viable I just want an easier way to capture the live drums
Click to expand...

No, the ADA8000* is an ADAT only interface, you have nothing to plug it into.

By "Tascam" do you mean the US1800 interface? If so that would certainly be a way to go. You should be able to make decent job of the drums with 4 mics leaving another 4 for the rest of the band but in any case you have a mixer so if you wanted more mics on drums say you could make a submix of other sources.

Others with vastly more experience will have a much better idea but I would try using a mixer with multiple mics on the drum kit and then send a stereo feed to the Tascam, freeing up more channels for the rest. ...To MY mind, once you have a decent mix for the kit you should just go with it. Probably take quite some time tho!

*It is an, err..OK! Bit of kit but hardly an upgrade! The "new improved model" (828?) is said to be rather better.

Dave.
 
Sorry Dave its the Tascam DP24 that I am interested in purchasing.

I am thinking of getting a hardware DAW. Mainly for drums and I was thinking of dumping all the
tracks into reaper after recording all the instruments into the DP24. Its only $520 and well some
8 channel preamps go for almost that price. Then I need to purchase a mixer and a decent compressor unit.
so I am looking at alot of money in regards to "upgrading"
 
You can do all the compression ITB, plenty of good VSTs. If you want portable recording capability (and are not goin the laptop route), then the DP24 is a good choice.
 
You mentioned the Zoom R16. Keep in mind that that unit will also serve as an AI / control surface and still provide you with 8 inputs and decent pre's. Or....you can record the tracks in the Zoom and drop them in Reaper.......as you were planning to do with the DP-24..........which as you know.......will not function as an AI / control surface. In other words......if you get the Zoom (they also have a 24 track version) you would have more options. My 2 cents.
 
Perhaps I'm daft, and I'm sure some would say that I am, but it seems to me you would save time and energy going the lap-top route, since you'd not have to dump tracks to a DAW since they would have been recorded there from the start. Just MHO.
 
The R16 used as a control interface (from the reviews I have read) seems to have latency issues and the LCD screen is small and monochromeish. I may hold off on everything until I move into a new house and start with a proper room. I am currently recording drums in a garage which is probably have the problem. With my current setup I can record and track my ideas and haven't had a problem for years. I wanted to get into recording bands and live events thus the upgrade question route.

Thanks a lot so far!
 
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