What makes and models of analog mixer consoles are you using for your DAW?

  • Thread starter Thread starter gcapel
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Find a Dynamix console if you can. Or a beat up Neve sidecar.
 
OK,. this may be a dumb question..but. Are you guys talking about taking tracks from your DAW,and running back through your board? That would mean 24 out lets say. Or are you running sub groups of mixes.What about the additional A/D conversion back to console? How do you handle that and isnt it going to fuck up the sound unless you have something like apogee's?
 
Nope. Using a well clocked decent set of converters and mixing analog will still often yield a better result if you prefer to mix in the analog realm.
 
what is a decent set of converters? need 24-36 channels for my setup
 
jmorris said:
OK,. this may be a dumb question..but. Are you guys talking about taking tracks from your DAW,and running back through your board? That would mean 24 out lets say. Or are you running sub groups of mixes.What about the additional A/D conversion back to console? How do you handle that and isnt it going to fuck up the sound unless you have something like apogee's?
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For me, the whole point is to fuck with the sound. That's exactly what tape does.
 
I would look into the Alesis and Mackie HD recorders. The converters are surprisingly good (much better than the run of the mill M-AUdio stuff in my opinion). Then I would look into a good clock. Starting with at least a Lucid clock.
 
ad/da

"what is a decent set of converters? need 24-36 channels for my setup"
jmorris

Presonus digimax or for more bank, apogee.
 
I have 2 of the HD 24 recorders. But my issue/question is. In bringing the individual channels back to the console from the Motu2408MKIII, I need to convert back to digital. I could I suppose use the converters in the second HD24> So my chain would be...
Signal in when recording: micpreamp>HD24>Motu>SONAR>
Signal back for mixing: HD24>Motu lightpipe out>HD24 lightpipe in> HD24 analog TRS out to console.
This is the only way I can do it with the gear I have. My only concern was too many ad/da conversions without having top notch converters.
Jim
 
I run a single HD24 with a MOTU 2408 mkII (clocked with a GenX6). I treat it like a tape machine except I edit with computer. The HD24/MOTU functions like a 24 channel sound card. I like what the console adds to the sound.
 
TrackRat, so you don't run 24 channel back through console right? You edit in computer then send back to HD24 then through console if Im understanding you correctly. I can do that my only problem is I really need to be able to save/recall every aspect of the mix as I get envolved in many projects at a time. Im thinking you may not have as much ability to do that with you setup, but maybe Im wrong.
Jim
 
The output chain should be Sonar>MOTU Optical out> HD24 optical in. At this point, the TRS analog outs from the HD24 can pass signal to your console. In this fashion, all individual channels go through one A/D conversion, One D/A conversion, and then the whole mix probably gets one more A/D conversion.
 
What I do is this. Band comes in and I track directly to the HD24. I then send the raw tracks into the computer via Lightpipe through the MOTU. I do any edits there. When I'm ready to mix I playback from the computer with all individual tracks assigned to an HD24 track and hence a channel on the console. You can still do some automation (volume/pan changes) in what ever software multitrack/editing program you're using from the computer. I patch the mains out of the console to a pair of the analog inputs of the MOTU and record that as a new stereo track in the same software that I'm playing back from. I send that to Soudforge where I top and tail it and dither it to 16 bits for CD.
 
OK, I get it other than the ( and maybe Im stupid here) but are you playing just a stereo pair ,the mix through console? That is what I do, or the entire song with each track out having it own track through consle.
 
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maybe you just instead of outputs on the Motu being 1 and 2 bank 1 ADAT you set outputs to each track?
 
No, I play back 24 individual tracks to the 24 individual channels of the console.
Track one in the computer to ADAT one track one of the MOTU to track one of the HD24 to channel one of the console and so on up to 24. So on the console every fader has one individual track on it.
 
Track Rat, have you considered taking the process a step further on tracking and recording straight to the computer? And do you have a studio console (i.e. inline or split configuration)? I use a similar setup, but with an RME Hammerfall card instead. I run signal to my HD unit (clocked by a UA2192) but I never hit record on the thing. I record all the tracks in Cubase SX straight off the HD's digital outs. What I love is that when using the digital outs on the Alesis and Mackie HD recorders the analog outs also work, kind of like a split. I have my console set up so that the top row of channelsis what I track through. They feed the 24 group outs on my console which feed the Mackie SDR's analog inputs (unless I repatch to the 2192 at the patchbay). The digital outs feed the Hammerfall card, while the SDR's analog outs feed the bottom row (the mix row) on the console which provides latency free monitoring (at least as much as you can get when recording) directly from the console. It is nce because I can then have seperate EQ and inserts on tracking and a whole seperate EQ and inserts in the control room so I can make a mix of what I want to hear, solo things etc... without affecting what goes to tape. I also then have 10 aux sends to choose how to feed headphones with. That leaves 5 stereo mixes and each can be pre or post being fed from either the tracking channels, or the mix channels.
 
If the raw tracks have been transfered in and I've started editing and want to do some dubbs, I'll go straight to the computer. But as far as straight up recording directly to computer, I don't feel it's stable enough. If I'm charging someone for a recording I don't EVER want to see that blue screen of death. The HD is rock solid and very intuitive to operate on the fly. I use a BRC with it that's mounted into the console and I can just RUN with it. Not that I have frequent computer problems, I just don't EVER want to hit the talk back and say "ah........can we do that one again guys?????...........".
 
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