Help novice compare portastudio to computer recording

  • Thread starter Thread starter tahmus
  • Start date Start date
T

tahmus

New member
I have a tascam 788 portastudio which I am having a hard time getting familiar with. I am however fairly competant with pc programs. To avoid spending a great deal of time overcoming the portastudio learning curve I am considering switching to a pc based recording operation (pro tools, cakewalk, etc.). Because I record live sets however I would need to record several tracks simultaneously. Therefore I believe that I would need to aquire some sort of multi-input hardware device in addition to the computer software if I were to make the switch.
Q>Does anyone out there know how/where I can begin to learn about what's out there (pc recording systems?)
Q>have there been any threads about this already?
Q>Has anyone had BOTH digital portastudio and a pc based recording system? Can you compare your experiences with them for me?
Q>Is the learning curve on the pc systems just as steep?
Q>Is there big price difference?

Thanks in advance.
I appreciate this newbie forum
 
PC recording will give you more power and options than a multitrack. I firmly believe you would like it better. There is a learning curve as with all software, but not bad depending on the software you choose. This forum is an excellent source for info on PC recording. Just throw out your questions and they shall be answered.
 
thanks stealthtech.

Here goes

I did a little research at the digidesign webpage. What I THINK that I found is this:
Because I want to do live recording (and therefore would need several inputs for simultaneous multitrack recording) I would need to get at least the digi 002 (aprox $2500).
According to digidesign, the minimum PC compatible with 002 is a: "Pentium 4 CPUs running at 2.0 GHz (or faster)" . Which new costs: -laptop > aprox $1300 -desktop aprox $750

Q>Therefore am I correct in assuming that "going PC" would cost me minimum $4K? ($3K+ more than my tascam)

Q>OR are there other cheaper, easy (user friendly) alternatives?

Thanks. :)
 
Certainly cheaper ways....
First, I dont trust digidesign 001 or 002...plus your paying extra for the name.
Look into M-audio interfaces such as a delta 1010 if you need multiple inputs. The delta series are compatible to most software programs so you have more choices as to what you want to use.
Also, I dont know too much about laptop setups, but they are limited to configurations with recording cards and such. You will have better options with a tower and spend less, but lack the portability.
Check this site for some info on delta series cards and some software.

http://www.m-audio.com/

http://www.m-audio.com/products/m-audio/delt1010.php
 
I've got both a vs880 and a Sonar setup computer and I'd have to say a portastudio does have advantages in that it's all set and ready to go.
I'm sure there's lots of people here that will disagree with me,but this is a computer forum.

I do agree that dollar wise in the long run you'll get more from a computer,but convenience wise the all in ones are pretty damn good.
 
acidrock said:
I've got both a vs880 and a Sonar setup computer and I'd have to say a portastudio does have advantages in that it's all set and ready to go.
I'm sure there's lots of people here that will disagree with me,but this is a computer forum.

I do agree that dollar wise in the long run you'll get more from a computer,but convenience wise the all in ones are pretty damn good.
Click to expand...

You are correct. I would have to say, if you got the money, having both a portable digital unit and a PC based setup for editing, you would have the best of both worlds.
 
Go for Sonar for your recording program and a Delta 1010 if you really need to record multiple tracks simultaneously. These two you can probably get for $1,000++ and save approx $1,500 from that Digidesign rig you quoted.

As for the PC specs, I built one recently for just around $350++ which by the standards of the people on this BBS would be around low to lower average (P4 1.7G, 256 DDR), but works steady and sure with Cakewalk HS2002.

Check out the BBS, there are even cheaper PC multitracker programs out there and they can perform really well with even worse PC's than mine. If there's one thing I learned from lurking on this BBS for the last two months... there's really more than one way to skin a cat.
 
My point is,if you don't have an issue with the preamps and if the portastudio has phantom power,all you have to lug besides your mikes and cables is one box as opposed to a laptop and soundcard and mixer and etc,etc.....

But if you've got the financial wherewithall a rack mounted computer studio would be killer!
 
Stealthtech said:
You are correct. I would have to say, if you got the money, having both a portable digital unit and a PC based setup for editing, you would have the best of both worlds.
Click to expand...

I have the Fostex VF-16 standalone multitracker and the Terratec EWS88D soundcard with ADAT-i/o and Cubase VST in my computer. This combo is pretty powerfull for the amout of money spent. When I record at home on computer I use the VF16 as digital recordig mixer giving me 8 analog inputs to work with. I connect the sound sources to VF's analog inputs from where the signals go thru adat lightpipe directly to Cubase while the backing tracks from Cubase go in the opposite direction thru lightpipe to VF where I can even use the VF's effects processors to create a monitor mix to my taste without affecting the signals to be recorded. When I go to my friends house to track live drums I download the backing tracks from Cubase to VF again thru the lightpipe and take the multitracker along and when I get back home I download the new tracks to Cubase for further processing and final mixdown. The VF has 2 XLR inputs with phantom and insert points and 6 1/4" inputs so I can plug in 2 condenser mics for overheads and up to 6 dynamic mics or line level signals at the same time and if that's not enough I have also the VM-88 digital mixer that I can connect to VF thru the lightpipe to give me 4 more XLR inputs with phantom power.
 
wew! that's a good amoung of info to process

thank you all for your feedback.

SO, here's what I get from this (I have two options it seems):

A)I can keep my tascam 788 multitrack unit and use that for recording live stuff in remote locations

AND for editing, recording and archiving:
I can buy a good PC software program (i.e. 'sonic' or 'cakewalk' for a few hundred bucks) AND a desktop tower which is compatible (pentium III or IV with sound card???) for a few hundred bucks

and have myself the best of both worlds.


OR

B)I can sell the multitracker and build/buy a portable PC based recording system:

I would buy the software (sonic etc.... )

AND buy a compatible (firewire?? sound card???) laptop (so as to be portable for the live sets)

AND buy a multitrack interface (such as Delta 1010 $800)

&This would give me a portable multitrack PC-based recording system.

Is this correct?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top