I need a sound card with as many i/o's as possible (24 track studio).

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pisces7378

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I have seen the MOTU 24i audio system. It has the PCpci-324 sound card that goes in the PCI slot of the PC and a 24 input Interface rack mount box. Now that is a heap of inputs. But I have read on this BBS before that the D/As and A/Ds on the PCI-324 card are not as good as even the Delta-1010. I forgot who write that, otherwise I'd just ask directly. But my questions to all of you is...
#1) Is it true that the sound quality of the MOTU 24i system is not as high as the Delta-1010 from M-Audio?

#2) The Delta-1010 seems to be the flagship product from M-audio and it tops out at 10 i/o's. Aardvark has a 10 i/o system. What is another system with massive amounts of i/o's such as the MOTU 24i audio system?

#3) I have been to the www.digidesign.com website to look at all the stuff I can not afford. These fucking cards are REDUCULAS. The big daddy costs like $9,900. And then you STILL have to go and buy the interface box seperately which is costing like $4,000. The only sound card companies I can think of with a professional'ish reputation are Digidesign, MOTU, M-Audio, and Aardvark.
I have already looked at their entire product line. Any other suggestions?
Or is the MOTU 24i, truelly the one that I should go with for 24 i/o's?

Thanks guys,

Mike
 
That is a very subjective question. I have used the 828 recently and I really like it's sound. I have never used the Delta, though I may buy one soon. Here is what I think is good about MOTU though. You get a company that is very good, has good drivers, is for both pc and mac, and is not going under anytime soon. I would say M-audio isn't in too much trouble either, but of course they don't have a 24 track box either.

I am opposed to Pro Tools. I have never used there stuff, and I really don't want to. I am used to using software to mix. It isn't hard. It is a lot easier than hooking up a 32 channel board with 8 buses to a patchbay and figuring out how to normal all the connections. At least in my opinion. Of course I am only 22 so I have grown up with computers.

I say get the MOTU 24i.

You could get 2408mkII though. It gives a little more flexability as it has spdif and adat and tascam links on it. Then get the expansion that has more adat, tascam, spdif and 8 more tracks. Thats 16 total analog.

Beezoboy
 
Thanks man,

By the way how are things in Statesburough? I almost went to GA Southern. Then I almost when to Valdosta State, then I ended up a year at GSW in Americus, and then finally broke out to UGA in Athens. But I grew up in GA (Cordele) so it is always cool to see some GA guys on here.

Anyway,

I like the looks of the 24i because it has the most inputs and it is funny that you mention it because I am going to be getting the Mackie 32 Channel 8 bus console at the same time I get this new sound card (whichever I choose). However I don't know what you are talking about with the patch-bay. I might have more money than brains... but I was under the assumption that with the Mackie mixer you just plug into the back of the mixer and there you have it. Why would I want to get into patchbay crap? I thought that I would like use the mixer's pre-amps to bring the microphone signals up to level. And that if I went direct with the guitars (which I probably would only do once in a blue moon) I would just use my shit Line6 POD. Plug them into the INs on each channel of the mixer, then run the OUTs directly into the MOTU 24i. This would be...

8-9 Drum mics.
3-4 Guitars (Miced)
1 Bass (either miced or running direct in)
2-4 vocal tracks (miced, of course)
And maybe some extra stuff, like a steel guitar, keyboards, strings, et cetera. (3-4 tracks)

That is 22 tracks. Now it would be a rare ocassion that I would want to record all this at the same time. If ever. What I mean is... I could get by with less inputs, but I want the big mixer because I will be recording live bands as well... And then I will have all kinds of placement mics (pretty much the above mentioned placement mics) plus at least 3 room mics. That makes the mic count at 25.

Anyway... steering tis thread back towards it's intentions.... Does the MOTU have shit sound quality? Because I want the input count... but I can't be having 24 tracks of 2nd rate audio sound. I mean MOTU is an established company but I don't think that thei 24i is a brand new device and I just don't want to buy it and then they come out with the next best thing 2 months later. I am not one of these keeping up with the Jones kind of tech freaks... but I don't want to buy yesterdays news either.
I have seen the 2408 and it is sweet... but I just have no use fo all the other I/Os. I have no ADATs at the moment. And no Tascam stuff. All I am into at the moment is recording rock bands.

Thanks man,

Mike
 
just fyi,#1 i believe motu is discontinuing the 24i, i picked up one to go with my 2408, guitar center had the core system for $499, now they are only sending out flyers for the expansion unit sans the pci324 card, for $399 i think. the converters are akm, if you use a balanced line the spec is about 110-111db SNR. I haven't heard the delta but everyone hear raves about them.

you can't beat the bang for the buck factor, these units use to be about $1100.
 
Man I have been using the 828 for about a week now and have done two gigs with it going straight into a laptop. I am not sure about the pre's but they sound good on my voice and I have a frogs voice. That was also with an sm58. I don't know what it is but is about it...but I really like the sound I am hearing from this thing. I am not sure that the 24i's converters are as good as the 828, but I really like the 828.

I have also recorded a college band with 2 mxl 603's and the 828. I am very suprised by the sound. I have gotten a great stereo image and have a nice sound. This was in our schools brand spanking new auditorium though. Although I have recorded in there with a Roland VS880ex and two AKG3000b's, but I don't think the sound was this good.

Your other option is to get 2 or 3 896's. This thing looks awesome and I am not sure if you would need such a large board then either. I mean a 32 channel board can always find its uses, but the 896 has pre's on every channel. I have to agree that the 24i seems kind of old, and it is on the PCI bus which is old technology too. Not that firewire is that new, but it is at least newer than PCI.

What a tough situation for you man. Do you get something that would fit what you need perfectly and hope that it doesn't become obsolete in two years, or do you by the new thing that costs twice as much and has newer technology that still might suck in 2 years?? My suggestion is go ahead and get the Mackie 32x8. It won't be useless 10 years from now I am sure. If you want something more cutting edge then there is the 828 or 896. You can chain them together to = 24 tracks. Problem is it will take 3 of them.

I don't know what to do. I am looking at getting an 828 of my own soon, so you know what I obvoiusly want.

Good luck
Beezoboy
 
Do not forget that you can have up to 4 Delta 1010s in the same comp?

I used to use my comp with a Delta 1010 and a ST Audio Cport and record 16 Tracks but in the end gave up and bought an Alesis HD24 and have not regretted it.

How about using a RME Hammerfall card with 3 ADATs and then buying the new generation Mic pre's that come with ADAT out. I think that if you want to go the comp route this would be the most reliable along with MOTU.
 
Need to know about Guitar Center

There is no guitar Center where I live. Actually, they are not that far away but not that easy to get to either. Are they really selling the 24i expansion for $399.00. If this is so, how can all the other sellers online still be asking over a grand for the same "discontinued" item. I wold surely love to get my hands on one of those deals.
 
jack,that deal i mentioned is pretty common knowledge and has been around for awhile i bought mine back around february, i think.call g.c. and ask them if they have any or if the deal is still on. mine had to be transferred in from another store. good luck

you might want to get on their mailing list that way next time they blow out somethin' cool you will know about it.
 
how does the analog expansion to hammerfall RME work? adat lightpipe? does anyone know what a typical a/d expansion unit costs. it seems like you can get the card for around $400, but wouldn't you need three expansion modules to get 24 ins? so what, maybe a grand minimum for all that?

and the 24i w/PCI is probably at least $600, right, more like $700?

but the hammerfall is pretty much a benchmark for sound quality, if you'd listen to some people. Is 1.5ms latency really noticable next to some of the other cards?

I've been looking at the same idea (recording live bands, and recording my group in a live studio format)--please lettuce know what you decide!

peas bee with ewe

djelf
 
Well this is a bit on the expensive side but you can run 3 Aardvark Q10's in one Computer giving you 30 inputs. But you must have a faster computer and I paid 1500 canadian which is about 10 bucks americian (<--- Joke) for one Q10. So it can add up.


Goat
 
"REDUCULAS"

wow...that must be reawwy reawwy bad! hehe

Honestly, pro tools isn't that expensive...in a way.

You can get the HD Core plus a 192 I/O for liek 13,000....

But the sound is unlike anything else you mention...big stepup.

As far as your options, yeah...either the 1010 or the Q10 you can have 4 of in one system (not just 3)

You need a faster computer to run 4 Q10s? Why?

My only concern here, would be why the hell do I need all of those Aardvark Preamps? hehe.

I would rather Get 2-3 Delta 1010s, just with the inputs, so that I could use whatever preamps I wanted to with my system....I figure you get into needing that many inputs and you probably have your preamps covered.

I have a Q10...and I love it. I am considering adding a 1010 to my system later on this year though...As long as they wouldn't fight with each other.

Then I could use the Q10 for it's preamp and such, and the Delta for its great sound quality...and have more inputs and all.

If I had both....I am not sure which I would monitor through....but, probably the Delta.

Anyways, you have options. multi cards are a great way to do it...

i am a GA boy too, woo...glad I aint got no southern accent though.
 
Ga is aight...

if its about quality i'd go for the 4 Delta 1010's... i have a delta myself and its the best card i've recorded with. the motu 896 is real nice and clean sounding but it has a price too. if you serch around you can get delta 1010's cheap... i got mine for $350(new from someone) digibid usually has them for $450each...
 
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