Need advice on computer soundcard/software

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ACIDBANDIT

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Hi Everybody!

I am almost finished assembling my DAW and now comes the final piece and aptly most significant choice of hardware: the soundcard. I am still undecided on what to get and all the different models I have been eyeballing are all in varying price ranges. Here are some choices I have been specifically looking at, also in order of least expensive to most:

Delta 1010LT ($200)
Digidesign Mbox ($500)
Aardvark Q10 ($600)
Digidesign 002r ($1000+)

Mostly what I'll be doing is multitracking, no more than
2 instruments at a time. However it would be nice to have more than 2 inputs if needed although a mixer can always be purchased. I'm doing most of this in my make-shift family room/studio which isn't exactly acoustic friendly but there's nothing I can really do about that at this point in time.

At first I wanted a digirack because all my friends seem to love it, however it is the most expensive option of them all. Also, the digirack only works with ProTools so if I didn't like the software I'd be stuck with it. Does the mbox have the option of using software besides protools? I also was interested in the delta but the rat's nest of cables are bewildering and I would like something with decent built in pre's (i know that the digi products have focusrite pre's which i've heard are nice). Then there's the aardvark which I also heard people are quite fond of but don't know much about.

Last but not least, the software is fundamental. I just want something that is EASY and intuitive to use (which is why everyone and there mom is telling me to get ProTools)
I don't want to have to spend hours just to learn the most basic functions, I want to be able to jump right in and learn as I mess around with everything. I've thought of N-tracks as well because it seems very affordable and comes highly recommended. Any suites that come with a soft sampler/compressor etc are a welcome addition too.

Anyone have any suggestions or advice for me? It is much appreciated!
 
search under my name for info. recommendations have been posted lots of times. then if you have Q's - ask.
also post your pc configuration. unless you have at least 5 years of
in depth audio engineering and making records behind you....
getting protools is like me jumping into an F18 and not knowing what i'm doing. so i crash. you wont beat powertracks that i use for 49 bucks.. try the demo pgmusic.com. a lot of powertracks users use delta sound cards.
does all us users ever want. and its easy to use and comes with lots of help and video.you can use any windows sound card you want with it.
 
If you only need to record '2 tracks ,maybe more' then the 1010LT would be the best option for you.

If you don't like the breakout cables, check out the delta 44. It's got 4 inputs/ 4 outputs in a nice breakout box & it's only $150
 
manning1 said:
search under my name for info. recommendations have been posted lots of times. then if you have Q's - ask.
also post your pc configuration.
Click to expand...

Yes, I've been researching these types of questions for a week now. My concerns went unanswered, so decided to post. :)

manning1 said:
unless you have at least 5 years of
in depth audio engineering and making records behind you....
Click to expand...

What are you trying to say? That any musician who doesn't happen to be an audio engineer in a pro studio and hasn't produced studio records shouldn't bother with ProTools, or any software for that matter that looks complex just because they won't understand how to use it?
That's just complete nonsense. The reason these companies make these products available to the home user is so that basement musicians like myself have opportunities to make professional recordings. If these products were so difficult to use they wouldn't be selling them at Guitar Center where any 16 yr old kid with 100 bucks could walk in and pick up Cubase, ProTools, Cakewalk etc.

That comment is simply not relevant to my question. No, I'm not an audio engineer nor do I aspire to be. I'm a musician. With that said, I know quite a few other recording enthusiasts who fall into the same category as me with different levels of experience who do just fine for themselfs without "5 years of in depth audio engineering" and having made past records. And yes to relate to your analogy, they use ProTools and do just fine. I've been composing music on my PC since I was 14 using a cryptic piece of DOS software called Impulse Tracker. I.T. was far more "user-unfriendly" then many new windows based programs and like anything, has a learning curve. With my previous experience in hand I know that I can understand and grasp any recording program eventually. Your skepticism is unwelcome. I asked for advice, not arrogance.



manning1 said:
getting protools is like me jumping into an F18 and not knowing what i'm doing. so i crash.
Click to expand...

I understand that you're trying to make a point that ProTools certainly wouldn't be the easiest thing to start off with but every program has a learning curve. ProTools may not be for everyone, but PowerTracks isn't either.

manning1 said:
you wont beat powertracks that i use for 49 bucks..
Click to expand...

You really like Power Tracks don't you? Every response I have read by you(and I have seen many) includes something along those lines! :rolleyes: Do you work for them or what ?! :D I will take a look at Powertracks along with a few other programs recommend here by other forum members. Thanks again,

-Dave
 
Cool...a mod dude! I come from an Amiga/S3M/IT background myself. Actually...have you checked out the more modern trackers, like Renoise? That thing does MIDI and VST plugins and supports ASIO sound card drivers. It's quite an advanced piece of work and 1.5 is currently in open beta.

I'm personally a Sonar guy, and while Sonar is pretty expensive, I think Home Studio is a pretty damn good way to get into the Cakewalk way of doing things, which I personally think is great...There's a Sonar 4 demo available too...(need to upgrade soon!)

But it's still not my absolute top favorite midi manipulation program...which was Digital Performer on the Mac. Unfortunately, I don't got the monies to spend on a Mac to supplement my PC-centric workflow that's not entirely music related...ah well.

Have you thought of looking at the E-mu cards? They come with Cubase 5.1 VST, which ain't a bad piece of software. it's just a bit old...and it does feel a bit old, compared to the snazzy new SX/SL interfaces Steinberg has whipped up. but it is highly capable stuff. I used to do Cubase before I switched over to Sonar 2 XL...

Oh, one of the reasons I'm a big Cakewalk Sonar supporter is because their manuals are probably the finest around. A real, honest to goodness manual and not some skimpy startup guide that expects you to refer to a PDF document afterward. If you value a good manual as reference for learning, definitely check out Sonar...

Also, check out the Echo cards. Their new 3G lineup of cards...I believe they come with Mackie Traktion, which ain't a bad piece either. I've not personally used it, but seeing friends use it, it seems quite capable...and the Echo interfaces are quite fine. 350 bucks for a quality 2 in multi out interface, and you could always add on an ADAT piece later...
 
the point of manning is that you do not need protools and could save some bucks by using the chepaer software. Honestly, i think you need to get your head out of your ass. Buy the protools thing if ya want! but then; why ask?
 
dave. i dont work for any music company. for a start a music software company wouldnt be able to pay me the salaries ive enjoyed working as a
engineer in the computer industry. i just see too many people setting up a home studio and overbuying. i recommend what i use because i truly believe
it is the best value for money around. just try it and youll question why you need to spend more. there are many pro tools users in fact fyi who also use
what i do AND LIKE IT ! just ask at the pg forum on the user base if you doubt my integrity. i dont even participate in pg user forums....as i'm on this homerec forum....but heres an interesting post (one of hundreds) from a user new to powertracks...go to the band in a box user forum at pg...
and read the post by steve...titled...should i buy it ? read the post from him 3 posts down...on how easy it was for him to get going.
you can read many more if your willing to search the post archives.
sorry to ruffle your feathers. i wont participate in this thread further.
 
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Being a supportive user of a particular platform is all cool and good, but recognizing the software/hardware landscape out there is very very important. Really, it's all about just trying the stuff out. I'm kind of lucky, since in the academic setting I've been able to use every major and not-so-major platform since Opcode Studio Vision. Recognize yourself and your needs, then look at the landscape.

Like Sonar...Sonar actually didn't support surround sound mixing until 4 while Steinberg's been doing it for a while now. If you need surround, I'd look at Cubase/Nuendo first.

If you don't need MIDI, or if you're interested in separating your MIDI and audio on different platforms, check out Vegas for the audio side. it's a very fast working program, and having used it on the video side of things, I must say it's VERY impressive.

Same thing with sound cards. Are you looking to go from one sound card to multi sound card? Don't look at E-mu for the time being. You want quality converters on the cheap? Look at E-mu. You settled on Sonar? RME can be kind of weird with Sonar. Are you looking at ADAT gear? Check out the Steinberg 2020 card and look at Cubase with that. Or maybe the EWS TerraTec 88D. Do you need to do more than audio? how about the Adobe creative suite which comes with Adobe Audition and is pretty damn well priced (especially academic...which matters for me as a student)?

And what about your friends? If your friends use ProTools, why not go PT? Sharing music to work with and work on is fun stuff, and using OMF export from other programs is a pretty poor substitute, if you ask me.

If you're looking at things that come with a soft sampler...I know Sonar 3 Producer came with vSampler, which is pretty darn good (if a bit hard to use...but since you're a tracker dude, you're probably familiar with their makers...MAZ...remember them? :)) and that might be cheaper since Sonar 4 came out recently (S4 doesn't come with a softsampler, to my knowledge...)

Oh, and I personally think ProTools is both easy and fast. I use Sonar 3 on a daily basis, and I still think PT is easier and quicker for basic audio manipulation. (I used to work in a radio station where quick work was the mandate.) I hear Sonar 4 took some steps in that direction and I'm not sure how the latest Cubase goes when it comes to ease of audio manipulation. (Things like easily doing envelope drawing, fast ducking/gating, EQ integration...)
 
guhlenn said:
the point of manning is that you do not need protools and could save some bucks by using the chepaer software. Honestly, i think you need to get your head out of your ass. Buy the protools thing if ya want! but then; why ask?
Click to expand...

Hahaha. Buy ProTools? Maybe I will, if after trying 10 other pieces of software and I can't find anything that I like which isn't bloody likely. I know I don't need ProTools and as a matter of fact I never had my heart set on buying protools. It was merely an option in a sea of software that is available. The only reason I went on about it is because manning got me going on how "you need to be an audio engineer" to be able to use ProTools, which is just simply not the case. I don't give a fuck about ProTools, digidesign can spoon pudding out of my ass for all I care.
 
ACIDBANDIT said:
Hahaha. ...digidesign can spoon pudding out of my ass for all I care.
Click to expand...


I would just like to point out that there are probably people out there that would pay to see that. Start a website!

-J
 
manning1 said:
dave. i dont work for any music company. for a start a music software company wouldnt be able to pay me the salaries ive enjoyed working as a
engineer in the computer industry. i just see too many people setting up a home studio and overbuying.
Click to expand...

Spending thousands of dollars on a setup that you truely
do not need, on soundboards, mixers, high-end mic pre's etc. is one thing I have no intention to do. I am buying what I need to get started. I already own a AIO unit (fostex mr8) but have already outgrown it; it's good for recording rough demos but for professional recordings forget it. The damn thing doesn't even have an EQ and the mic pre's are non-existant. I am certainly not going to go out and buy stuff I don't need, although I will admit I am a gear head :D The next logical step is a computer recording based solution if I want to get into pro recordings. Just because my friends use ProTools certainly doesn't mean I will and as in my original post, I am looking for an affordable solution. PT + the hardware definately isn't the most affordable but if I like it, I'll buy it. If I try powertracks and I like that, I'll buy that. If I use N-tracks and I dig that, I'll choose that. There's lots of fish in the sea and I just started fishing.

manning1 said:
i recommend what i use because i truly believe it is the best value for money around. just try it and youll question why you need to spend more. there are many pro tools users in fact fyi who also use
what i do AND LIKE IT !
Click to expand...

I understand that you recommend what you like to use on the basis that it is affordable and easy to understand. I have no problems with that! But your comparison to ProTools being as hard to learn and use as an F18 FIGHTER JET seemed way out in the left field. C'mon now, I hope you really don't think that, do you? I'm not even trying to defend protools because I haven't even DECIDED WHAT TO USE YET !@#!@ :eek:

manning1 said:
sorry to ruffle your feathers. i wont participate in this thread further.
Click to expand...

dude, no problems here. I'm cool. Now let's all go out and get plastered and shoot pool.
 
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