Soundcard recording setup...

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jdavis

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Ok guys,
Currently, I don't own a pro soundcard. Right now, i'm recording on a Tascam 424 MKII but would like to go digital. First off, i've been looking at the Event cards, the Gina in particular. Good choice? Second, once I get this card, how do I record a band. I've got a Sampson 22 input/4 buss mixer. Now, saying that, and assuming i've got all the mics, accesories I need, how can I record a band, and mix it well. I say "well" because i'd like to keep from bouncing and combining tracks, BUT with the Gina there are only 2 inputs. So, does this mean, I just have to record indiviual tracks one at a time, or can I have the whole band play at once while recording. I suppose it comes down to this: With the Tascam, I can record 4 separate tracks at once, can I do that with the Gina, or am I limited to 1 track at a time(stereo)? Thanks alot for your help, catch ya later...
 
I don't know about the Gina card specifically (I find Event cards to be too expensive for what you get) but there are lots of cards with more than 2 input channels. For example the Gadget Labs' Wave 8/24. It has eight analogue channels in _and_ eight out and you can combine up to three card in one computer (24 simultanious I/O, if your computer can manage), but it's just one of many. Shop around a bit more to find out what you need. I'm looking at this new combination, which I haven't tried and thus cannot say is good or not, with eight I/O in a breakout box. It's the Sound Track Audio DSP24 card with a breakout box from Hoontech that's called ADC/DAC 2000. It can record eight simulltanious analogue tracks at 24bit 96kHz. )(And you can combine several cards in one computer to give you something like 40 simultanious tracks, but when do you need that?) As I said, I haven't tried it so I can't vouch for it's behaviour or quality but I think it's worth checking it out. Also, with most (all?) sound cards that have a breakout box, you can plug your mics and line inputs straight into the card and record each channel "dry" without the mixer. When you're shopping around, make sure that the card has as many _analogue_ I/O as you need. Some have two analogue I/O and eight digital but are advertised as ten I/O cards, which is of course true if the morepart of your equipment has digital outputs.

Good luck

/Ola
 
Do you know where I can find the Gadget Labs 8/24 for less than $499? That's the main readon i'm leaning toward the Gina, it can be found for $250, and i'm on a pretty tight budget. Thanks alot...
 
I don't know about less than $499 but it cost exactly that at the manufacturer http://www.gadgetlabs.com/

The guy at my local music store, who sells but variants, says that the Sountrack setup is much better. The Wave card is more expensive here than the Soundtrack setup so for him to recommend the cheaper one, he must really mean it. For example, the Wave card cannot record at 96kHz and the AD/DA conversion is don on the card instead of in the breakout box (which can add a bit of background noise).

Gadget Labs also makes a card called Wave/424 which includes support for 96kHz recording in an introduction special. It has "only" 4 I/O though but costs $269. It doesn't have the breakout box and I haven't looked into the card in detail so I can't say much more about it. I looked at the pictures and it seemed to require some special snake cables to have simultanious in/outs but I couldn't find the price for them. I think that they're simple "two mono 1/4" to one stero 1/4" but check that before you buy the card.

Finally, I was looking around a bit while writing this and here's the answer to your problems:
http://www.digitalaudio.co.kr/english/shopping/products_showcase.htm

I honsetly think it's the best value although I haven't tried it yet. But 8 analogu I/O (two ins with phantom power and good preamps) 24/96 support et al for $400. Go buy it. I will:-)

/Ola
 
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