planning for a HD recording system...
exhausted
Posts: 6,638
i'm upgrading my studio this fall/winter to a computer-based system. i'm thinking of dumping the 788.
so i've been looking at a number of options.
first things first:
i will be buying a new desktop computer and 15" LCD monitor. i don't care what kind etc. as long is it's a P4 2.8GHz (at least) and has a 160gig drive and windows XP. i will need to get a proper 24bit (at least) sound card for it as well. those terratecs someone suggested look to be the favourite right now.
my budget for this is about $1700canadian and that should be generous. i can then dump my harman kardon cd burner (i'll only get maybe $100US for it)
then i can go in a few different directions. i can keep my 788 standalone recorder and simply continue to use the computer for mastering and file conversions. with a good sound card, i can dump out of the 788 in didital and not lose any quality. i will need to buy 24bit software and right now, the frontrunner is sound forge 7.0 which i can get for $300US. yes, i can get it for $70 off ebay but it's illegal.
now, sound forge now supports multitrack recording so i could dump the 788 and buy an interface module like the tascam US428 assuming it would work with sound forge. it's currently sitting at $400US. it comes with some form of cubasis VST. i'd assume it's 24bit. i don't know for sure.
i can't do the protools LE system. i would love to but it's $2200US.
so i have a couple questions:
1) an alternative software for simple final editing and mastering that supports 24 bit? i would keep the 788 and basically have the same setup i have now but with a new computer, sound card and 24bit quality. this is my cheapest option and would have minimal learning curve but i really think i've grown out of the 8-track.
2) alternative interfaces to the tascam that are in the same price range. here i would be dumping the 788, buying an interface unit and multitrack software.
3) alternative software to soundforge that would support multi-track recording and not cost a nut and a leg. fruity loops looks interesting. it would need to work with whatever interface i picked. i would like to get into the looping of beats and whatnot that a good program would give me.
any advice is appreciated.
edit: this could be interesting.
http://www.music123.com/Lexicon-Omega-Desktop-Recording-Studio-i120979.music?t=1
although i was more looking for an interface with the same type of feel as my 788.
so i've been looking at a number of options.
first things first:
i will be buying a new desktop computer and 15" LCD monitor. i don't care what kind etc. as long is it's a P4 2.8GHz (at least) and has a 160gig drive and windows XP. i will need to get a proper 24bit (at least) sound card for it as well. those terratecs someone suggested look to be the favourite right now.
my budget for this is about $1700canadian and that should be generous. i can then dump my harman kardon cd burner (i'll only get maybe $100US for it)
then i can go in a few different directions. i can keep my 788 standalone recorder and simply continue to use the computer for mastering and file conversions. with a good sound card, i can dump out of the 788 in didital and not lose any quality. i will need to buy 24bit software and right now, the frontrunner is sound forge 7.0 which i can get for $300US. yes, i can get it for $70 off ebay but it's illegal.
now, sound forge now supports multitrack recording so i could dump the 788 and buy an interface module like the tascam US428 assuming it would work with sound forge. it's currently sitting at $400US. it comes with some form of cubasis VST. i'd assume it's 24bit. i don't know for sure.
i can't do the protools LE system. i would love to but it's $2200US.
so i have a couple questions:
1) an alternative software for simple final editing and mastering that supports 24 bit? i would keep the 788 and basically have the same setup i have now but with a new computer, sound card and 24bit quality. this is my cheapest option and would have minimal learning curve but i really think i've grown out of the 8-track.
2) alternative interfaces to the tascam that are in the same price range. here i would be dumping the 788, buying an interface unit and multitrack software.
3) alternative software to soundforge that would support multi-track recording and not cost a nut and a leg. fruity loops looks interesting. it would need to work with whatever interface i picked. i would like to get into the looping of beats and whatnot that a good program would give me.
any advice is appreciated.
edit: this could be interesting.
http://www.music123.com/Lexicon-Omega-Desktop-Recording-Studio-i120979.music?t=1
although i was more looking for an interface with the same type of feel as my 788.
Post edited by Unknown User on
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Comments
this would also save me from having to buy a sound card with tons of I/O options. i would just need 24bit processing.
ah crap, the version of cubasis it comes with is a lame-o 16bit 8-track version. i'd have to buy cubase SE too.
http://www.tweakheadz.com/rigs.htm
and i wouldn't need a fancy sound card. an audigy would do since i wouldn't need it for input. just for output for burning cds.
So you would use your rack gear for preamps, and then send line-level to the computer? How many tracks at once? I think Cubase and Cakewalk are both amazing programs, a friend of mine swears by Cakewalk (and hates ProTools). I myself am a ProTools guy... it's not necessarily the best, but it's pretty universal.
What about the DigiDesign MBox with ProTools LE bundled with it? $449.99 US, like $700 Canuck:
http://www.music123.com/Digidesign-MBOX-Music-Production-System-i94488.music
Two analog inputs, with Focusrite preamps. 24-bit. S/PDIF digital on RCA. Mic/Line/Instr. inputs. 48-volt phantom power on mic pre's. Analog TRS inserts (for compressors, gates, EQ, etc). Dedicated headphone output w/ volume control. ProTools LE software.
i may not actually have to use my preamp anymore but i would likely still use the compressor for my vocal and acoustic guitar line.
the maximum number of tracks i can do at once is two. either guitar and voice simutaneously or stereo from something so the mbox would be fine.
what i really like about the US428 (and the digi 002) for that matter, is the fact that it's still a physical device that resembles what i'm used to. but i'm sure i can learn anything.
Once I get the funds together for a new computer (believe me, this is quite a ways down the road) I'll be getting an MBox with it. It has the right features, the quality hardware, and the software to back it up. It's a bit higher than competing boxes, but no other manufacturer can match the quality or software.
i don't need to do redbook (or whatever it's called) masters for cd duplication or anything. i just want to be able to produce decent sounding mixes. all i basically use sound forge for right now (and i only have the 16bit "studio" version) is to do a little bit of limited, normalization, trimming and gating the start and end of songs, some EQ, and sometimes the odd reverse effect or whatever. i'd like to avoid splashing $300US on sound forge 7.0 if i don't need it.
my ultimate goal here is to simply be able to bump up the sound quality and get away from 16bit processing.