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

[christiaan]

No ones really talking about bits?

Why digging up a 11 months old thread??
If you have a question, just make a new one.

 

[jeffree]

Why recycle the thread? Because it was a really good thread!
OK, lame humor, I know, but, by the way, I did go on to buy the 16G, never looked back, and have been more than pleased with my choice (after many hours of recording). Great stuff for 9 bills.

J.

 

[Blue Bear Sound]

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 thought he was talking about straight multi-track recorders - no bells/whistles/mixers/pres....

IMO, there's a world of difference in quality overall between a HD-based "portastudio" and a HD-based multitrack recorder.

 

[TexRoadkill]

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

Because 'people' can be easily fooled by marketing hype into believing a $2000 box can actually replace a $200,000 studio. Two channels of high quality compression or preamps cost more than an entire 16ch all in one box.

 

[ZOWIE!]

I thought he was talking about straight multi-track recorders - no bells/whistles/mixers/pres....

IMO, there's a world of difference in quality overall between a HD-based "portastudio" and a HD-based multitrack recorder.

I'm wondering if you could elaborate on that.

I'm looking for a new deck for location recording (presently using 16 bit 2-track)and wondering what I'm giving/getting between a "portastudio" or, for example a used Masterlink plus ART DPS or some similar combo. Besides, obviously, number of tracks.

 

[Richard Monroe]

Actually, I don't think some of the standalones are that bad, as long as you know what they can and can't do. I'm using a Roland VS1824CD to record an album, and it really isn't a bad 24 bit 96khz HD recorder. It's A-D converter is fair, although I judge it inferior to say, an Alesis HD24. Its preamps suck, and they are virtually always bypassed. I don't use the COSM effects (or any others, most of the time), nor am I doing complex editing on it, although I think I could, if I was good enough.
So what is it to me? A HD recorder with a built in mixer. Yeah, it records 18 tracks, but seeing as how they give me only 12 track faders, I think of it as a 12 tracker, and that's about perfect for me. If I get through this project without a single knob or button on this puppy blowing, I'll be impressed (fingers crossed). So far, so good. Before I went to dedicated high speed CD duplication, I probably burned 800-1000 various CD's on this machine, mostly without a hitch.
I feed it with a small boatload of outboard gear, just as you would an HD24. On the other hand, I can take it to remote locations, and yeah, I still don't really like it's pres, so I'll take, say, a DMP3 for 2 somewhat more believable channels. I probably will go to a dedicated HD recorder soon, and the Roland will probably stick around as a remote unit. One mixer coming up! The outboard gear will feed an Alesis or a Mackie just as well as the Roland. It may not be the greatest HD recorder around, but I have been able to make it serve my needs pretty well. The preamps suck, but the mixer isn't bad. YMMV-Richie

 

[MISTERQCUE]

Wassup Richie!! How's Life!!
Didja' ever make to your paint-ball battles?

Next year, try and hang around a lil longer!!!


Peace
Q.rM

 

[Richard Monroe]

Yo Q! You rock! Jamfest will always be tough on me, as long as they hold it that weekend. The greatest sporting event in America takes place the 3rd weekend in August, and it's in Pennsylvania, not Connecticut. Wow, I'm like the invisible man- I'm not in any of the pictures that I know of. And now we take you back to your regularly scheduled discussion of digital recorders.-Richie

 

[indiGo]

I'm primarily a studio guitarist

If you are primarily a studio gutarist, then why not save your money and strike up a deal with on of the studios where you work?

 

[MK-Ultra]

I'd go for the 2nd hand VS-1680 as well. Just remember, the FX cards and the CD-RW II need to be factored into the equation.

 

[Treeline]

Since the thread started, the AKAI DPS16 went out of production, meaning used units can be found for under a thousand bucks. It needs an outboard SCSI CDR, but there is a good vendor on ebay who has figured out how to match the drive and its settings with particular units, including the DPS16. That's my setup and the sound is extremely good. I tend to use a DMP3 preamp with mics, and track only three or four tracks simultaneously, but it's simple and sounds exceptional.

Were I to do it today, I'd save up a few extra bucks and go for the DPS24.

 

[darrin_h2000]

I use a Yamaha MLA7 8 channel Pre with my Akai so I can do 8 channels in one shot.