roland question

[Julian]

okay, i have a few questions for you guys out there. thanks in advance for your expertise. here goes:

1. I'm getting a new Dell computer for graduation (i'm just a senior in high school) which I'll use to record my music. I have an option between getting the SBLive soundcard or Pebble Beach Santa Cruz. Which one is better? (the latter is only a few dollars more). or should I buy a different soundcard?

2. Though I am still a high school student, I have been doing a lot of work for myself and friends and would like my products to sound as good as possible. Lately, my band has considered purchasing the Roland Studio Pack to record directly into my computer. It costs like $650, comes with a mixer that plugs via a bus port into a soundcard which it also comes with, and with Logic software. If i get this, it really doesn't matter which soundcard i get. But, should I? I do all of my recording on the computer currently with N-Track. I have a Peavey mixer (the center of our PA for live shows - the loudest piece of metal God ever made), a few 57s and 58s which we use for live shows. We just bought a MXL v67 which we've been plugging into the mixer for phantom power and then running to my computer. Combined with the shures, we can get an okay sound, but we have to premix everything on the mixer before it runs into one track on my computer. Tracking each instrument individually isn't an issue, i know that, but on things where there are multiple mics, like drums for instance, I hate having only 1 track to work with. If the snare is a little two quiet on our otherwise perfect recording, we have to do it again. The Roland Studio Pack would allow us to record 8 tracks simultaneously, allowing me to have a seperate snare track, for instance, on my computer screen to manipulate. So, after much ado, my question is, i want to be able to have that capability but is there another way I can do this? Does someone else besides Roland have a similar package? or, should I buy a dirth of seperate components?

3. Lastly, sorry for taking all of your time, but I wanted to point out that the Roland has only 2 XLRS. Now, since drums take more mics, would it be okay to use unbalanced cables, to go xlr to 1/4? sorry about that super long post. i just don't have much money, being a high school student and all, and i need to spend it in the right places. much of what i know now is due to your guys' posts, and guys like Harvey's or Tex's are very appreciated. (or anybody with any experience. i just don't remember all of your names.)

thanks a lot,
julian

 

[SBax]

I'm using a Dell with the studio pack. I would choose the cheapest no cost sound card from Dell and take it out of the PCI slot when you install the new sound card (unless, of course, you can get what you need from Dell). Do not attempt to upgrade the OS unless as a last resort. Use the computer only for recording, no games or internet. Don't order anything better than the G-force 2 video card. Just load the recording software and PCI card. Order an Intel motherboard, the kind with the audio and video off the motherboard, and upgrade the RAM and HD. Maybe add another fast drive for the audio files (OS and program files on the C: drive).

Don't just take my advice on this, do your homework and ask lots of questions here.

I haven't had any problems with the studio pack but the manual is really bad and very thin. The learning curve on this can be high so prepare some time with it. Use all XLR mic cables but get impedance matching transformers (6). Get the Audio-Technica. You'll need 3 short 1/4" extentions because there is not enough space on the input jacks to use the transformers side-by-side (a significant mistake by Roland). Be prepared to send time with this mixer/recorder first.

This is the only recording setup I know don't take just my advice or experience. Keep asking questions here. You're going to lug a computer to the gigs? You might be better off with a stand alone digital recorder (like the Korg D1600) and transfer this to your computer at home for mixing and editing.