Workstation Recorders: Quality??

B

berkleywoods

New member
Hey, I'm in a teen band that takes our music pretty serious (not just your typical teen garage "noise" band). We have a folk/roots/rock sound with drums/bass/guitar/keys/vocals and backup vocals/harmony stuff.

I'm looking into investing in a Digital Multitrack Workstation Recorder. Possibly the Yamaha AW2816. I'm also looking at some of the Korg, Roland, and Akai models in the same price range ($1500-2000).

My question is regarding the actual qualities of the recordings on this machine. Am I going to be getting a product that sounds strickly "Demo Project"?? Or will the recording sound like a CD I buy at the store that was recorded in a studio???

I'd like to get a recording that we can sell...Will it be completely obvious that our recording was done at a Home Studio on one of these machines and not in a real recordingstudio??

Everyone says these machines are great for getting ideas down and pre-production work?? But how do they measure up when you want to record an album on them...

Thanks for the help. This is a great message board and I really appreciate some of the insight I'm learning from reading the threads, not to mention the quick response to questions:)
 
That Yamaha unit you mentioned is capable of the quality you want....

Reality: it takes more than a recorder to make a pro CD.....top of the line mics, preamps,instruments,monitors,recording rooms, etc. as well as great recording,mixing,and mastering skills are needed.....

If you are that serious about recording a pro CD, get a cheap multitrack cassette recording and do some serious pre-production, gettings the songs, arrangement, and performances TIGHT....then, go to a pro studio and do it right.....
 
Gidge is right. Gidge is usually right. :D

"My question is regarding the actual qualities of the recordings on this machine. Am I going to be getting a product that sounds strickly "Demo Project"?? Or will the recording sound like a CD I buy at the store that was recorded in a studio???"

The machine's good enough to make pro quality stuff if you're using pro-quality mics and have pro experience and are using a pro-quality recording environment, and have pro-quality monitors to do pro-quality mixing on.

In other words, if you're pinning your hopes on the box alone and not factoring in all the other gear and experience you need, you'll get something that sounds like a demo done on a nice machine...
 
Gidge is entirely correct, all of those machines are capable of both, demo quality and close to a pre-mastered CD. Only you can change the outcome. Outside of other types of equipment required you need to understand and develope the recording and mixing process. You come to a great place to further your education. You buy the Box and related hardware and Gidge will do the rest via message board.

Peace,
Dennis
 
remember, most pro studios have single mics that cost more than one of those units.....

if you want pro quality, go to a pro studio.....

if you wanna get some experience in engineering, have lots of fun, and make the best possible CD you can, get the Yamaha....and a couple of good mics.....
 
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