Pulling the trigger

E

elmerfunk463

New member
Hello I have been a member of the forum for quite sometime. I have been an analog guy for a long time Tascam MSR-16, Mackie Onyx 4880 and tons of outboard gear. I am finally making the jump to DAW. I am going to a Pro Tools subscription. I would welcome any recommendations. I have a Soundcraft ui24r mixer that the band I am in uses live. I am going to use that as my "interface". I also have a new computer coming ( not a Mac). Just looking for some starting pointers. My son has ProTools, but he's more into beats and things like that. I'm a mic things up and record kinda guy. I like live drums, etc. Thanks in advance!!
 
Unless you are working with a pro studio and need total project compatibility, I would skip the ProTools subscription path. It's an easy way for companies to just rack up money on a constant basis, like Rent To Own furniture. Your $300 sofa ends up costing you $500 before you know it. You can get a perpetual license for any of the versions, just look on Sweetwater. You get 1 year of support and upgrades for them, but if you get locked into a version, upgrading isn't really necessary.

Reaper works great, costs you $60 and supports PC/Mac/Linux. It's got lots of built in VSTs, and you can use pretty much any VST you want. If you buy now (ver 7) you are good for free upgrade to version 8 which usually takes several years to reach.. I've used V4 and V5 for years. I'm currently on V5.99. I prefer the primarily monochrome interface vs the current V7 interface, although you can change the look, including the V5 interface.

Cubase Artist 13 is $330, Several people here on Home Recording use Cubase for their DAW. Cubase Elements is a more limited in track counts and other things but only cost $100.

Acoustica MixCraft Pro 10 is $149.

Pesonus Studio One 6 Artist is $100

You will have unlimited tracks on most of them (although it seems you are more the type to limit the number of tracks).
 
TalismanRich said:
Reaper works great, costs you $60 and supports PC/Mac/Linux. It's got lots of built in VSTs, and you can use pretty much any VST you want. If you buy now (ver 7) you are good for free upgrade to version 8 which usually takes several years to reach..
Click to expand...
Yeah, I would get REAPER. You can download it for free and try it for as long as you want....for free. It's not crippled at all in any way when you use the trial version. It's fully functional and does everything any other DAW will do....and more....for $60. I think some people stay away from it because the price makes people think it's an inferior product, which is a shame.
 
I would echo the Reaper suggestion. The only reason for going for Protools is if you will be regularly using a Protools system elsewhere and you need to exchange files. Even then, you can always use something like AA Translator to convert sessions if you need to. Reaper doesn't have all the glossy marketing but you might be surprised at who is using it.
 
Only this week Native Instruments and Crow Hill have given me free VST instruments that are really good. You won't get that with protools. There's nothing wrong with protools, but it has restrictions, that the other DAWs don't have. The benefit is your son who can always help you in the learning phase. DAWs are personal - and when you get the computer, I'd suggest downloading demos or cut down versions and seeing which clicks with you. There are no bad ones as far as comments on this forum go.
 
I have an older protools version (protools 10) and I’m very happy with it. I own it and can install it on any computer I have. (Disc install) if it was a subscription service, no way. ‘Renting’ just doesn’t appeal to me.

I also have Reaper and it’s pretty amazing. One thing no one has brought up yet is how little resources it takes up, especially considering how much it will do.

I think it’s low price might make some think it’s a toy. But it’s not. It hangs with the ‘big boys’
 
I appreciate everyone's input. For right now I am going to do the ProTools subscription. My son has it and we would be able to share files, an right now he can help me get going. I can try one of the others at some point in the future and if at the end of my year subscription I choose to go another route, I can live with that.

I do have another question though, I have MAudio BX8 monitors. How would I hook those up. If I use the Soundcraft ui24r for an interface, I am assuming I would connect it to the computer through a USB port. Do I then connect the monitors to the L-R outs of the Soundcraft? Thanks!!
 
TalismanRich said:
Cubase Elements is a more limited in track counts and other things but only cost $100.
Click to expand...
I think it is 48 tracks, more than I'll ever use.
Upgrading to the flagship version is not going to break the bank.
I hardly use any plugins, but am interested in exploring Reaper on Linux. Just to get Microsoft out of the equation.
 
elmerfunk463 said:
I appreciate everyone's input. For right now I am going to do the ProTools subscription. My son has it and we would be able to share files, an right now he can help me get going. I can try one of the others at some point in the future and if at the end of my year subscription I choose to go another route, I can live with that.

I do have another question though, I have MAudio BX8 monitors. How would I hook those up. If I use the Soundcraft ui24r for an interface, I am assuming I would connect it to the computer through a USB port. Do I then connect the monitors to the L-R outs of the Soundcraft? Thanks!!
Click to expand...
Another vote for Reaper here. The monitors can be fed from the main outs on the Soundcraft either with XLR or TRS cables.

Dave.
 
Slouching Raymond said:
I think it is 48 tracks, more than I'll ever use.
Upgrading to the flagship version is not going to break the bank.
I hardly use any plugins, but am interested in exploring Reaper on Linux. Just to get Microsoft out of the equation.
Click to expand...
I've got V7 on a Linux machine right now, but only for mixing. I haven't tried to install the protocols for using my Tascam interface yet. I've tested the mixdown portion, and the plugins included with Reaper worked fine, including IR reverbs. I haven't tried using things like Izotrope. It included the V5 theme, which I have been using for years and am comfortable using. That was a plus.
 
Thanks Dave and Bird Garden. That's what I thought. I will be in the studio all weekend learning and absorbing whatever I can. I thought about getting an interface, but sometimes I am using 12 mics on my kit. So I would need at least 12 XLR inputs. Hopefully the Soundcraft will work fine. Thanks again!!
 
TalismanRich said:
I've got V7 on a Linux machine right now, but only for mixing. I haven't tried to install the protocols for using my Tascam interface yet. I've tested the mixdown portion, and the plugins included with Reaper worked fine, including IR reverbs. I haven't tried using things like Izotrope. It included the V5 theme, which I have been using for years and am comfortable using. That was a plus.
Click to expand...
The SSL Big Six does not use drivers for windows. I wonder if it will equally work with Linux. Only one way to find out.
 
Raymond
If you can skip a couple of days lunch at McD's, you can buy a 500GB SSD for $45, swap it into your computer and install Linux. (Lordy! eating out has gotten expensive) I used Linux Mint, but probably should have downloaded Ubuntu Studio. I originally was playing with learning how to operate it and to learn about virtual machines. I even got OS/2 running in a virtual window (what a crappy OS!)

I may still nuke the drive and put Studio on it. It doesn't cost anything.....

As for the SSL, they have a USB windows driver on their website. It's Apple class compliant but has an ASIO/WDM driver. Are you using it as a USB device?
 
Last edited:
If the Windows drivers for the SSL are not very low latency those for the MOTU M2 or M4 are. Another low latency AI for around the same money is the Native Instruments KA6, 4 analogue I/O +S/PDIF+MIDI.

Dave.
 
TalismanRich said:
If you can skip a couple of days lunch at McD's, you can buy a 500GB SSD for $45, swap it into your computer and install Linux. (Lordy! eating out has gotten expensive) I used Linux Mint, but probably should have downloaded Ubuntu Studio. I originally was playing with learning how to operate it and to learn about virtual machines. I even got OS/2 running in a virtual window (what a crappy OS!)

I may still nuke the drive and put Studio on it. It doesn't cost anything.....

As for the SSL, they have a USB windows driver on their website. It's Apple class compliant but has an ASIO/WDM driver. Are you using it as a USB device?
Click to expand...
Forgot about Ubuntu studio. I did plan to have a go at that.
I did buy a hex core pc, and a bunch of SSDs, to try various linux. It has a windows hard disk in it which I have never even bothered to initialise.
You're right on the SSL. I read that it was class compliant, and when I connected it up to usb, it just said 'updating software', without saying more.
I found half a dozen linux daws, in a search.
No complaints about the SSL.
 
So I am working on getting everything set up. ProTools is installed and ready to go. I have watched a few videos on how to set up the Soundcraft ui24r for DAW and I keep running into an issue with my gain page. When I set the channels like they should be the Mix page has faders, but the gain page doesn't. What am I missing? I can't figure it out. I followed the video step by step and I end up with no faders on my gain page. Hard to set gain with no faders. I have no signal at all. I rebooted my iPad and router and it's the same. I am missing at step, but I don't know where. Thanks!!PXL_20240310_033532359.jpgPXL_20240310_033601188.jpgPXL_20240310_033607911.jpg
 
I found out there is a 2nd set of gains and phantom power if you scroll to the right up past the regular inputs. I still have no signal using those gains. Obviously I am missing a step somewhere. That and ProTools doesn't recognize an output choice on the track I created. I would appreciate the help. Thanks!!
 
Yes I have the inputs and outputs set up correctly. I did find the answer after searching for quite some time. You have to go to Settings> I/O> Outputs> Bus (tab)> click Default button. All the inputs loaded up and I was able to record and play back. None of the videos I found online covered this. I think it is dependent on what your are using for an interface. Thanks!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top