maybe even back on topic: Re: [sdiy] Should I repair my Fostex, or should I go HD recording?

[Paul Maddox]

JH,

> Hi Paul - so which one do you use / would you recommend?

The problem is, I have them, but you said low cost, and the ProTools HD2
with 192IO is *not* cheap.
I would give the ProTools LE (DIGI 002) a good look at ;-
http://www.digidesign.com/products/le/
Gives you 8 ins, 8 outs, 32 tracks of audio and 24bit 96K DAC/ADC. and
should sound bloody good, even if its only half as good as the HD system.
There are a few people on this list who use it, and I think you'll find they
all like it.
If you don't fancy the 'mixer' style of interface, go for the rack mounted
version (DIGI 002 Rack).
The only annoying thing about the rack version is that the MIC inputs are on
the back (I wish people would think!)

> No doubt about that. But I have pretty much all the synths I ever wanted.

And all the effects you ever want?
The beauty of the plugin effect is that you can have multiples.
I regularly use 3 reverbs, one for drums (short and tight), one for pads
(wide and wooshy) and one for other sounds (just a little ambience to widen
the sound).
Say you want to use two delay lines, one for a slap effect, and one for
tempo doubling effect. With outboard gear (assuming stereo) you've just used
10 outs and 10 ins for 5 effects.. and you have 3 reverb boxs and 2 delay
lines, which you may not always need.

> What I don't have is a Mellotron, B3, Grand piano - that would be nice
> in software. But that would only be Step 2 (obviously costing extra
> Dollars).

>From memory the mellotron plugin isn't expensive, but does eat a load of
hard disk space, with samples.
http://www.gmediamusic.com/gforce/m-tron/ I've seen it for around 60euros.

> Step 1 is going Digital recording, if possible with a free Software
and -as
> I see it now - 400 ... 500 Dollars Hardware.

Like I say, thats the problem, the Digi002 rack (with software) is around
1100 euros ;-
http://www.netzmarkt.de/thomann/thoiw2_digidesign_digi002_rack_firewireinter
face_prodinfo.html

Just for a laugh, scare yourself and price up an HD2 system ;-
HD2 Accel (with software) -
http://www.netzmarkt.de/thomann/thoiw2_digidesign_protools_hd2_prodinfo.html
192 IO -
http://www.netzmarkt.de/thomann/thoiw2_digidesign_protools_mh192_prodinfo.ht
ml
MIDI - http://www.netzmarkt.de/thomann/thoiw2_artikel-154119.html

Overkill? I dunno, but I tell you what, its sounds far better than *ANY*
system I have ever heard to date. The quality is just outstanding.

> No, this is a misunderstanding: I would *embrace* more tracks (probably
> the main argument for going digital!), I just don't want to go back to
less
> than 8 channels of *simultanous* recording and 8-bus playback.

Ahh, I see what you mean now.
You'll find, once you start playing with a DAW, you will wonder why you want
to bring your stuff out to an analogue desk, seriously... the beauty with
something like the ProTools Digi002 is that just because you have 8 faders
doesn't mean you're stuck to 8 channels at mix down, you can 'bank' the
faders left and right, to get access to your 32 channels of audio.
This saves a *LOT* of space, again for me, ideal as I don't have much space,
I'm currently trying to save up for a command8 (better than my old motormix)
;-
http://www.netzmarkt.de/thomann/thoiw2_digidesign_command_8_motorfadercontro
ller_prodinfo.html

> Now that would be
> great, 16 analogue inputs for the PC! (Even more expensive I suppose ..)

yep, more money.

> so for recording I wouldn't even have the Tascam desk in the audio path.
> This starts to look more and more interesting (and diy-related) now!

hehe, now you're thinking like a DAW user, why put an analogue (read:noisy)
desk in the audio path if you don't have to?

Paul

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