masterlink as 2 track recorder

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saucy jack

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anyone used the masterlink as 2 track recorder?
thinking of recording my band shows/rehearsals
using stereo NT 1 and akg 3000
anyone tried this yet?
what were your methods?
 
I've used mine as a 2-track in location recording situations, as well as simply replacing an analog mastering machine in the studio. It is great for both purposes.

In my live-to-2 case, I was recording a 2-track mix of a multimic setup for some choral music (~100 voices) in a very nice, very live room. Using the machine in this application is simplicity itself, of course: you just treat it like you would a tape machine. However, there are a few things to remember if you think about using it as a "tape machine replacement" for live or especially for rehearsal.

Most important: with the original v1.x firmware release (which I have), you can't split tunes. You need to punch "stop" to end a soundfile, and punch "record" again to start a new one. This means that the machine needs to be actively operated to split out tunes (to master a redbook CD, reorder tunes, yadda yadda). The editing features can only crop the head or tail of a tune: you cannot grab one take, and split it into two or more tunes. In short: somebody needs to punch a button, once in a while.

If you just want to use it as a high-quality cassette recorder (set and forget), it will do that, of course: but then you're stuck with the whole take as 1 "tune". If your take exceeds the capabilities of a Redbook CD, you're truly stuck with it: you can play it back on the Masterlink, but you can't burn it to CD-ROM to distribute to the band members, or whatnot. The 2.0 firmware is supposed to allow "tune splitting", but I have no experience with it.

For recording a show, you can just take the live feed from the board, of course. For rehearsal, ditto. The unit has no mic pres, so if you are going to set up an independent recording rig, you'll need some pres from somewhere- a little mixer works great for this.

You can obviously take the soundfile, fly it onto a DAW via the digital outs, and then do whatever you want with it: but it sounds like you want the unit to do it all, by itself. It's up to the task, but it needs some operator interaction for best results (with the v1.x firmware, anyway).

Do you intend to burn CD of shows and rehearsals, or is it just going to be used to capture and playback? That's the key, really...
 
Yeah... what Skippy said!

I don't think my DAT's been turned on since I got the Masterlink! That thing's freakin' amazing even more so after upgrading to s/w V2.0 (and the upgrade was a no brainer...)

Skip... if you haven't upgraded still yet - do it, you won't be disappointed.

Bruce
Blue Bear Sound
 
Roger, wilco... I just haven't made the time to do it yet. Too much real paying work to do. I don't currently have a CD-ROM drive on a machine to build an OS disk from the download, so I'll have to bug Alesis to send it to me. I think I'll do that today- thanks for the push!
 
Surprised Alesis sent out the update ASAP. Well, I guess if you sent in the warranty card, which amazingly I did, @ least this time. And the track splitting works great. REMEMBER backup your HD, the update reformats the drive. Just do it ,u won't be disapointed.
 
Maybe I ought to send in the card, no? (;-)

I bought it after 2.0 was already out, looks like. It must have been an earlier-production unit that was still sitting on the shelf. Lots of retailers don't rotate their stock. It ain't like these things are jugs of milk, after all- they do keep. Anyway, the CD-ROM is on its way- and "backup" is my middle name...
 
To the guy who wanted to record his band:

to be honest, i dont know if you were considering buying the Masterlink or you've already got it, but if you were considering, it's a bit of an expensive route to go down for live recording. the unit is aimed for in-studio mastering really, why dont you get a 24bit dat or something?
 
Hmmm, why 24-bit DAT - essentially the same price as a Masterlink and the Masterlink is more powerful???

(Unless you meant portable DAT, but even so, hard to pass on the Masterlink's feature list...)

Bruce Valeriani
Blue Bear Sound
 
portable dat, mainly cus a masterlink is so expensive and its a little more convinient carrying a portable DAT. just a thought anyway. i guess the masterlink has a lot of features, but i didn't know if he had already bought the masterlink or not, so i was telling him another route of doing it.

if you are doing live recordings, place to place, get it flightcased nicely!! dont break it!

-Romesh
 
Yea Romesh u r right. Rack it up properly 4 travel, but boy gotta go with Bruce this Masterlink COULD BE the missingLINK. I know it's been given some rhetorical bad press here on a few threads, but having used it for MONTHS now in a multitude of venues - I've gotta say this thing is FABULOUS! In the studio yep it crosses over with some DAW apps, but once you get down monkeying the buttons ( yea a putor/keyboard interface WOULD HAVE been great!) it's simple & very, very effective. On the road, protect it, but talk about some versality (especially with new V softw) I can track split, EQ, Comp etc., etc. on the fly - burn anyone whatever they desire flip 'em a redbook OR a 24bit for that DAW - seeya, beatit I'm gone. E-body CAN be happy with this box, pricey? Yea2 but well worth it - c ya later DAT, I'll put this crown jewel in my porta vault when leaving the kingdom & upon returning I roll out the red carpet! Would have loved to seen a more open upgradeable architecture, but, ZERO probs and cudos galore for this box. Home and away.
 
ive never used it for live recordings, but by the way you guys are rating it, must be good. i have a masterlink in my mastering suite and my dance studio but ive never used it for a live mix. ill have to try.

the only thing that would turn me away from live recording is the fact that it could be so easily broken by all the moving around. sersiouly guys, get it flightcased!
 
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