If you had $1000 to spend on a hard-disk audio system, which would YOU choose?

  • Thread starter Thread starter jeffree
  • Start date Start date
J

jeffree

New member
Folks, I'm nearly ready to purchase a new multitrack system for my home, finally retiring my Portastudio to my second home in Russia. I'm ready for digital, and I've been scouring the boards for thoughts about the various Korg, Boss, Yamaha, Fostex, and other units out there at this $1000 price point.

Some background... I do most of my tracks myself, so two simultaneous track recording would probably be OK most of the time. I'm primarily a studio guitarist, so the quality of built-in effects is important, as is the quality of drum tracks possible (whether imported or not). Last but not least, *simplicity* is very high on my list since I don't enjoy endless scrolling--I want to record as quickly and easily as possible. Of course, the finished sound quality is critical, too.

So, my experienced colleagues, WHAT WOULD YOU DO? I'm ready to plunk down $1000 soon, so I'd appreciate your thoughts...

Thanks!
J.
 
You can't get a hard-disk multi-track recorder for $1000....! (assuming you're thinking along the lines of the Alesis HD24, Tascam, or Mackie 24-track MDMs.....) -- you'd have to go the computer route........
 
Yo Jeff Jeff Jeff and BEAR:

Well, Bear, there is the new Yamaha multi track which is similar to the 4416 and 2816 for 1k.

Have not used it but sure have discussed its features.

When Jeff says he wants "simplicity" I think we all would like that, along with an organized and succinct manual.

I've heard the Korg is easier to use? Some say the Akai is not too bad to handle.

The 2816 requires some knowledge or experience but is not that hard to get going with it. I still don't quite understand the bussing in the 2816 but I get stuff recorded and mixed and burned to CD one route or another.

The new Yamaha AW16 is less $$ than the 28 or 44 but I've not heard much about how it SOUNDS when the end product is put to CD. It's probably pretty good but I can't testify to its quality.

Guess Jeff needs to stop in and listen to a couple of units somewhere?

Green Hornet



:D :p :p :p :p :p :p
 
The Korg D12 has 12 tracks, 215 drum patterns, lots of effects including guitar amp modeling. The Korgs have one of the easiest, most logical user interfaces of any of the stand-alone machines. $900 I do not own one so I can't say whether the drum patterns are any good.
 
BOSS BR1180CD
Blue Bear, What are you talking about? I know you have a clue, so you have to be making a distinction regarding the type of hard disc in the Alesis unit and the current variety of consoles such as the Roland VS series, etc. These *are* hard disc recorders, by any way that I understand the term. I know you're trying to make a distinction, so what is it?-Richie
 
I've been happy with my Tascam 788 for nearly two years now and will be upgrading to v 2.0 and from 7.5 to an 80 gig hard drive. A 788 is about $800 street price now.
 
I have seen 3 good recommendations:
-Korg D12
-Akai DPS16
-Boss BR1180

feature wise, the Akai wins. 16 tracks, can record 10 tracks at once (2 of them digital), has 4 aux inputs (Korg only has 1, Boss none), nice faders (bigger, thus more precise than the Boss' and the Korg's...).

The Korg DOES have useful effects (I myself have the Korg D16, its bigger brother) and the drumpatterns are pretty useable. You could always add a cheap drumcomputer or via FruityLoops on the PC...

The Boss and the AKai are the only 2 of this list that provide phantompower. They all have 2 XLR inputs, the Korg has 2 more TRS jack inputs (=balanced) and the Akai has 6 more TRS jack inputs.

The Boss records 2 tracks at once. Plays back 10 tracks.
The Korg records 4 tracks at once. Plays back 12 tracks. (6 at 24bit)
The Akai records 10 tracks at once. Plays back 16 tracks.
 
No one sells the Akai DPS16 for under $1000. They sell for about $1300.

The DPS16 will record 10 tracks simultaneously if you use the SP/DIF input and the 8 line/XLR inputs. It's a good machine with a logical interface and four good effects processors.
 
Mars does, Ive got one of them. they dont advertise it but go to the store and ask about them, they discontinued them but have a stock of them left.
 
Richard Monroe said:
BOSS BR1180CD
Blue Bear, What are you talking about? I know you have a clue, so you have to be making a distinction regarding the type of hard disc in the Alesis unit and the current variety of consoles such as the Roland VS series, etc. These *are* hard disc recorders, by any way that I understand the term. I know you're trying to make a distinction, so what is it?-Richie
Click to expand...

I think Blue Bear is distinguishing between the hard disk recorders and the hard disk portastudios. The ones he mentioned are like ADATS in they are only recorders; there's no mixer or anything.

Regarding the original post, it sounded to me that he w a s talking about the portastudio-type hard disks. In that case, the VS-880ex would be a certain possibility. You could get TWO of those (used of course) and the companion CD burner for $1000! Or you could just spend $500 on the vs-880ex and CD burner and spend the rest on a nice mic preamp, since the roland doesn't have the phantom power you need to use condensor mics.
 
Everyone, thanks so much for your excellent feedback and suggestions (thus far)! Just to clarify one point raised... yes, I'm looking for an "all-in-one" recorder/mixer/CD burner, similar to the
Boss 1180cd or Yamaha aw16g mentioned.

Now that you've given me some homework today, I need to begin hitting websites related to some of the units you've listed.
I really appreciate your specific suggestions, which will make it easy to investigate. I plan to buy in a few weeks.

Tonight, I'll drink to you and your own recording efforts!

Best,
J.
 
How about Fostex VF-160?? 16 tracks at mixdow, can record 8 tracks at a time or 16 with optional VC-8 analog-to-ADAT converter if needed. You can hook it up to computer via ADAT-lightpipe and transfer 8 tracks of audio in realtime in both directions. The ADAT interface is a big plus if you're planning on using it with other equipment. In my setup the vf is connected to computer running Cubase via the ADAT lightpipe and while recording on Cubase I can feed up to 8 channels of audio from vf's analog inputs straight to Cubase and monitor the input signals together with up to 8 channels of audio from cubase. If i need to record louder instruments like live drums I can easily transfer backing tracks from cubase to VF and carry it to recording location and when I get back home I transfer the new tracks to Cubase for mixdown. There's no need to burn CDs to achieve this just plug in two cables and go. Couldn't get much silmpler than this.
 
No ones really talking about bits? How important is recording resolution, internal processing, ad conversion, sample rate, Total distortion - big difference betwee say 0.02% and 0.15%)? Is it a big thing to consider that the Yamaha aw16 has 32 bit internal processing and the boss has only 24 bit? Again, I'm going to test units out this weekend, but I'm not sure what to make of all the specs and all the reviews I read online sya everything is great. So confusing!
 
Sorry one more thing: i keep hearingpeople say that these $1000 units are amazing b/c they're so close to studio sound and the Yamaha 4416 IS big studio quality so, why would you ever pay more except to be flashy? What do you get and why would I ever need more?

Thanks
 
Mostly, you pay for better preamps, more I/O's, more options for exporting and importong data. My God, just since this thread was started, the Roland VS1824CD has dropped from $2000 to $1600!
THE PXR4 4-tracker is down to $300!-Richie
 
......Ive gotta add another vote for the 'lil ole tascam 788. Ive been using one for about 2 yrs. now, and still cant believe what a value it is for under 8 bills. It's very simple and easy to use, and sounds great. Ive recently purchased an akai dps24, but i will not be selling my 788. Its my new "portable"...

...Laptop?....BAH!!!

give it a listen, I think you'll be impressed.
 
What about a used Roland VS 1680? They go for around $700-$800 for a mint one.

I am primarily a guitarist and the COSM EFX in it are the best.
 
Alesis HD24!

Low price, dual drive-bays and easy to use!

Trust me!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top