need help on 8-track recording!!!!!!!

  • Thread starter Thread starter Mr. M
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M

Mr. M

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I want to go for 8-track recording (in live situation, not studio!)
What's the better solution?

An analogue mixer (like Mackies 1642 or CFX 12) and a HD-recorder (like Fostex d-824)
or
a digital workstation like Akai DPS 12 and the like?
Please help, before I make the wrong choice!
Thanks!
 
Hmm...

I don't really know which option is better, but your limiting factor for recording live is likely to be your media. You'll want something that you can switch out the media pretty darn quick because 8 tracks at full resolution digital recording eats up hard drive space pretty quick.

That seems to point to a device that you can swap out the hard drive in a snap. I'm not sure which devices do that, though. My guess is that the HD boxes like the fostex are better suited to a live enviroment that way.

Hopefully someone with more experience will be along shortly to help you out more.

Take care,
Chris
 
Get a Tascam 38 and M30 mixer, mic everything up, and record 8 simultaneously.

Have a few reels on hand, depending on the length of the performance.

A Tascam 38, M30 and several reels of 1/2" tape would cost you appx $750, figuring $450 for the 38, $150 for the M30 mixer, and $150 for 3 reels of new tape. Actual bid price on the equipment could be a little more or less, depending on the day./DA
 
Both of your choices will work and each has advantages. I would go with a seperate mixer since the built in mixers on most multi's are usually less than great.

With a stand alone mixer you usually have more flexibility for outboard gear and you can upgrade the mixer or recorder down the road if you need to.
 
I agree. Mixer. I have Korg D1600, and while I will use it for live stuff, I would rather have the expendability of an ADAT tape or something.

Pete
 
i would hate to run out of disk space mid set!!!!

i recently did a live recording with the adat, changing tapes is like sctratching your balls, it only takes 10 seconds and gives you releif for 45mins.... of course don't do what i did and forget to format new tapes before hand!!!!!

another advantage of the adat is you have a removable hard copy , and if you don't feel like mixing down this month then you don't have too!!!

another bonus, is that they are dirt cheap... i paid $800aud ($400usd) for mine and it has only done 43 hours!!!!
 
Thanks!

Thanks for the replys!

Is it difficult to edit my audio with a standalone setup?

Mr.M
 
The Akai DPS12 with the 10gb hd should be sufficiant to hold several hours on eight tracks.

Just remember that 1 track takes 5mb of space a minute. so to make it easier just think of it a 40mb a minute on eight tracks divide that into the size of the hard drive. lets say 40gb on that hard drive you will have 1000 minutes on eight tracks. 250 minutes on 10gb on the akai thats 4 hours. unless the festival goes all weekend it will be fine. If it does theres external hard drive ports on it.

The 500.00 price tag at AMS doesnt hurt either.
 
I've just bought an ADAT LX and I'm gonna plug it to my soundcraft spirit 16.4.2.
Hope it will work fine.
I'll keep you aware of my moves. Be prepared to answer a lot of questions! :-)
 
For live recording I would go ADAT. Tapes change out quickly, it's portable, easy to use, and media is cheap.

Use the analog console. Control changes can be done much faster without having to go through some damn menu to find what you're looking for and there is never any confusion as to what channel you're working.

Man, I just noticed the date on this thread.
 
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