[sdiy] Should I repair my Fostex, or should I go HD recording?

[Scott Stites]

I was lucky enough to have a Korg D8 *given* to me.  I'm with Jim on this -
once you've multi-tracked digital, you just can't go back.  It eliminates
such a huge number of variables.  Imagine, for example, not having to worry
about which tracks you have adjacent to a click/drum/bass track - makes no
difference to those 1's and 0's =0).  Same goes for bouncing tracks - you
can do it til the cows come home, and the second, third, fourth generations
retain the fidelity of the first for all practical purposes.  Tape
hiss/noise reduction concerns disappear.  Now the only noise you have to
worry about is the noise going in......

Some may argue that the 'natural' compression of tape media sounds so much
better, but this is one area that I would prefer digital over analogue any
day of the week, because the benefits so outweigh the drawbacks.

Now if I just had a decent machine to mix down to....

Cheers,
Scott


----- Original Message -----
From: "JH." <jhaible at debitel.net>
To: "diy" <synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl>
Sent: Saturday, December 25, 2004 2:04 PM
Subject: [sdiy] Should I repair my Fostex, or should I go HD recording?


> Hi.
>
> My Fostex R8 analogue 8-track is broken again. I guess I could repair it
for
> 100 or
> 200 Dollars, but should I?
>
> I've been looking around for PCI cards that allow 8 track recording /
> playback, and
> I was surprised to find them quite expensive. And then I still need
> software?
>
> OTOH, I would also be interested in PC-based samplers with huge capacity,
> for grand piano, church organ, mellotron and the like.
>
> I'm _not_ interested in virtual synths or virtual FX on the PC - I would
> really
> just use the PC for recording and playback and editing of tracks, plus as
> a sampled grand piano etc. Mixdown will still  be hardware, with tube
> compressors,
> quantec reverb and all.
>
> Under these circumstances, is it worth switching to PC-based recording?
> And if so, what PCI card would you recommend? (No need for Mic preamps
> or gain pots - 8 plain line inputs and 8 outputs will do.) And which
> software?
> Ease of use is important, and low price. No need for anything more than
> making a pre-mix of n HD tracks to 8 outputs.
> And how does the PC based sampler fit in here? Same software package?
> Different software package? How will the two work together?
>
> I'm a complete newbie here, as you see ...
> ... and I'm still not sure if repairing that reel-to-reel might be the
> better solution. (;->)
>
> Convince me, give me suggestions - if it's too off-topic, in private mail.
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
> JH.
>