Recording 8 tracks simultaneously

  • Thread starter Thread starter blinddogblues
  • Start date Start date
B

blinddogblues

New member
I just bought a second Aardvark Direct Pro 24/96 so that I would have 8 inputs instead of 4. Before I open the box, and while it is still returnable, I want to get some opinions on whether I have enough computer power to record 8 tracks at once. I have a PIII 700 with 256 megs of RAM. I disable all other programs and usually achieve at least 94% of system resources free before starting. I will select 32 bit float and either 44.1 or 48 kHz for recording. I will probably use Samplitude 2496 or Cakewalk Pro Studio 9, if that matters. Any feedback?
 
Yes, you have more than enough power. How well the two cards link up and other factors, who knows. Try it and see.
 
Last edited:
You should have no problem with PC power. I use a Gadget Labs Wave 824 (8 inputs 24 bit). I started with a Celeron 333 / 128 meg and found that was OK EXCEPT when doing 8 tracks at once. I upgraded to a PIII 533 and 256 megs and have no problem recording 8 tracks and playing back 16.
 
Hell yeah you've got enough power for that! Have you used the old Layla with Cakewalk?

Does anyone know if that "reporter" program will report for 24/96? If so you can just use that program to figure out if you can do it.

How do you like Cakewalk 9? I've got v8. Is there a better program out there? I can upgrade my current version for $80 or so, so it would take a REALLY good program for me to switch.

Later,
-Brian
 
Hey John, funny running into you here :)

I think you'll be just fine with what you've got to do more than 8. Of course, losers like myself are limited to 8 tracks at once because we use Layla. If I wanted to get real crazy I could always get two Layla's and record 16... ewww... expensive.
 
You have plenty of power to record 8 tracks at a time.

I record through my Tascam TM-D1000 board/Tascam PCI822 sound card 8 tracks at a time.

But..., I have/use a PIII/833mhz/256ram/wWIN98.

I know for sure that you have enough power. :D

Peace...

SPIN
 
I own the 24/96 and am thinking of getting another

Hey -- I'd like to here how it works out for you - running 2 Aardvarks at once -- It should work fine.
 
i'd also like to know how that works out. i've got the 24/96 direct pro and i was thinking of adding another one. mainly to record the drums better. but i was also considering selling it and getting the q10.
-Tom
 
As far as raw DAW grunt goes, and as the responses overwhelmingly show, you have power to burn. With your setup I would expect to be able to run a couple of EQ's on all 8 and some verbs/comp plugs as well... Big smiles there.

What has surprised me, is that no-one has mentioned the importance of HDD throughput. This has as much, if not MORE relevance in your track count than CPU grunt. Say you record 8 tracks at once into your PC using two internally sync'd cards, it works, YAY much back patting excetera.... But what about the next 8, those overdubs that you didn't think you'd need but allways do (jus playing the devils advocate here, bear with me I do have a point).

1 Track of 16bit 44.1k takes up 5mb per min.
1 Track of 16 bit 48k takes up 5.45mb per min.
lets go to 24 bit for a second (the current ideal)..
1 track of 24bit 44.1k = 15.1mb/m
1 track 24bit 48k=16mb/m
take that up to the resolution everyone is telling us is the future, ie;24/96 for HDCD or DVD format and it gets even more outrageous.
1 Track of 24 bit 96k=16.45mb per min.

You might be saying, "so what" but when you are trying to play back 8 tracks and record 8 tracks at the same time lets have a look at what your HDD has to really do.
8 tracks 16/44.1= 40mb/min double that to playback at the same time=80mb/min.
24/44.1=120.8 mb/min; playback too=241.6 mb/min or 4 mb per second.
24/96=131.6mb min; playback as well 263 mb/min or 4.3 mb per second.

That's a lot of throughput and I suppose all this is really getting at is the importance of fast HDD. Especially if you want 24 tracks (3 lots of 8 at once) plus some FX.

Beware some specs as they can only show you burst rates of transfer, very few will tell you the streaming throughput and this is what we want for Audio recording. Some buffers provide amazing specs to HDD's but Audio will flood those buffers in under 5 seconds then what happens?. Seek time is also very important esp when plaing back multiple overdubs as the drive may have to find the original session and the over dubs, every time you hit the transport, 9ms is the pro tools minimum recomended, but some newer drives quote an impressive 5 to 7ms(quantum being the first to mind)


Omg this has turned into a rave, sorry, but so often ppl use raw CPU grunt as the sole mesure for trackcount and it just ain't right. Sure the CPU has to crunch all those numbers but first it has to receive them in time.

Peace

Bones

(source Modern Recording Techniques 4th edd)
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top