Upgrading gear, NEED YOUR OPINIONS!!

[malcolm123]

"You have to earn your stripes before you can pick on a Senior member." YEAH!

The MOTU 2408 is REALLY tickling my fancy, but once again, only have 8 I/Os, right? Is there a way to double these? Some ADATpipe...? I read someone talking about this...

Can anyone elaborate? (I've been recording for less than a year, gimme a break )

It has 24 total i/os in different configurations.

8 analog > If you use the 8 analogs this leaves you 16 Digital either Adat Lightpipe or Tdiff.

If you dont use the 8 analog > This leaves you with 24 digital.
The 24 digital can be used as all Adat Light pipe or All Tdiff
Or you can mix and match the 24 digital with 8 Tdiff and 16 Adat or 8 Adat and 16 Tdiff, etc.

Very flexible unit.

Oh, Or spdif

follow me ?
Malcolm

 

[FattMusiek]

Sort of. I want FULL tracking capabilities, I'll want a mixer to go with the massive amounts of digital inputs the MOTU would provide me with. Reasonable or foolish?

 

[malcolm123]

Sort of. I want FULL tracking capabilities, I'll want a mixer to go with the massive amounts of digital inputs the MOTU would provide me with. Reasonable or foolish?

I use a couple of Tascam Tmd4000s
The Tascam DM24 is the new version of my console.

32 channels, 8 analog and 24 digital in either Adat or Tdiff or Both.

 

[FattMusiek]

Ah, so digital mixers (like the Tascam DM24) can support the 24 digital I/O, analog mixers (like the Soundcraft Spirit M12) can only use the 8 analog I/Os...right?

Theres something about these newfangled digital devices that just doesn't settle right with me. I can't explain it.

By the way, thanks for your posts Malcom!

 

[malcolm123]

Ah, so digital mixers (like the Tascam DM24) can support the 24 digital I/O, analog mixers (like the Soundcraft Spirit M12) can only use the 8 analog I/Os...right?

Theres something about these newfangled digital devices that just doesn't settle right with me. I can't explain it.

By the way, thanks for your posts Malcom!

Depends on the mixer.

For Analog the amout of channel denotes the amount of track seperations. If you go with a analog mixer and need more than 8 channels, its gonna cost you to get a interface like the Motu that will convert your analog signals that run into the mixer to be store on a digital storage medium like a PC or hard disk recorder.

And to get some really Good sounding analog to digital interfaces would be way out if your budget.

If you get a analog mixer that needs more that 8 i/os. I would get a analog multichannel recording device. ie 8 track reel to reel recorder, old Adat's or something.

The pro stuff for this would be like a 2" 24 channel Studer or something like that. $$$$$

Macolm

 

[FattMusiek]

Man...I'm stuck. Honestly have no clue what to get...

 

[mgraffeo]

Fatt,

one thought, I'd look at a digital console, and buss out the signals via both analog and digital. Take, for example, a Yamaha 01/V (used, pretty cheap). You can run 8 analog outs into the MOTU, and then another 8 outs digitally into the MOTU.

Of course, if your stuck on analog, you'll need a 16 channel board (like the Mackie), and 2 of the MOTU units. They daisy-chain together to accept more analog inputs... take a look at the 2408, or the 828, if you like the idea of using firewire.

No thoughts on which of these are better; I've only used the 01/V (which I definitely like), so I can't really compare. Just thought that I'd offer a few thoughts on options.

-mg

 

[FattMusiek]

I'll take a look at some digital mixers. I guess going over 10 I/Os is hard to do, I'll have to lower my standards to 10.

Thats enough to COMPLETELY mic my kit, but just enough to record a band minus the vocals, which is probably good. Not many people sing to their full potential while playing their instrument. It should work out.

I have officially lowered my standards to 10 I/Os, this should make it easier.

 

[knightsy]

LOL, sorry Fatty, that's the way we talk down under...

Seriously, do you guys have something major against protools?

When I go to a world class mastering engineer for advice and he tells me to get a 001 - surely that means something.

 

[FattMusiek]

Apology accepted . I don't know much about Protools, I'm being rather shallow about this whole thing. You know what I need, what do YOU think?

 

[knightsy]

Sorry, are you asking my opinion, or are you putting this one out for everyone?

 

[FattMusiek]

I meant everyone. I have a whole to think about this, I want lots of ideas spat at me.

 

[DeadPoet]

There're sooooo much options out there... pick one solution and learn to work with it. Delta 1010, C-port, Digi 001 and Aardvark Q10 are very popular.

The 001 has the benefit of having 8 analog and 8 digital I/O, but digidesign are the Microsoft of the audio business: nobody likes them, but everybody uses their products, and once you start using it, you can't go back.

The Q10 has preamps, but seems to have compatibility problems.

I don't know the 1010, and I own a C-port, with which I'm very happy for it's cost.

Console-wise: with a sub-3,000$ budget I doubt it you will find a board with *good* pre's in it. I'd say: use it for summing outside the box and invest in some pre's: TLAudio.se make a 8-pre rack, very clean, and very liked by some members of this board (I never heard them) and add some 'colored' preamps.

Digital consoles have the benefit of automation, but analog has the benefit of sound (though I doubt it if that will make a difference in our budgets)...

Hope this helps,

Herwig

 

[bleyrad]

check out the MOTU HD192. 12 analog inputs and outputs of the best prosumer converters in the market. and it will last you a long time. potentially out of your budget reach though.

 

[mixsit]

How about a setup of enough pre's and digi I/O you want, and just enough mixer to do the various routing chores? (A 'smaller' anlog mixer that also gets you some decent pres and direct outs.)
Wayne

 

[FattMusiek]

Bleyrad, that MOTU is pretty expensive. Are the inputs XLR or 1/4s?

 

[FattMusiek]

And mixsit, good suggestion...