What is the best digital multitrack recorder?

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  • MissYouAllDay
    MissYouAllDay Posts: 939
    Do you ever take it around with you? Or just leave it at home?
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  • exhausted
    exhausted Posts: 6,638
    i just leave it at home since i use it with a desktop computer.

    however, if i was playing out a lot, i'm sure i'd be tracking down a laptop and recording things.
  • present_tense
    present_tense Posts: 121
    go with a yamaha AW16G, great great machine. Nice sound, 16 tracks, cd burner, not sure what more you could ask for on a stand alone machine.
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  • enharmonic
    enharmonic Posts: 1,917
    rage333 wrote:
    I was going to buy a Fostex 16 track but went with a Yamaha AW16G instead. Still waiting for it to come in the mail though. What are your guys choices for multitrack recorders?

    I'm assuming that many of you would want something for demo's and stuff...not something that you can record an album on?

    Not trying to make a legitimate difference between the two, but there are definitely different "leagues" of gear...with stars in each category.

    If I were looking for a machine that is strictly for demo use, I wouldn't concern myself with anything more than 8 inputs...or even 8 tracks for that matter. That's twice as many as the Beatles had for the majority of their career, and the most they ever had.

    I also just read Billy Corgan's confessions about the rehearsals/songwriting sessions that comprised the work that became Siamese Dream...8 track recorder. Now, if Billy can do that with his wall of guitar arrangements, you can certainly get by. Plus, it will allow you to possibly get into something better than a unit in which you will be paying a lot of extra money for the pre's that you just don't need.

    Just my worthless .02
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  • MissYouAllDay
    MissYouAllDay Posts: 939
    Yah Eharmonic,

    That goes along with what I said about Elephant. Recorded on an 8 track I think.


    EX, What is the big deal about the factory bundle? I am probably going for the Mbox over the 1820M. I remeber alot of people saying it was definately worth the extra 100$ for the bundle. I was also wondering how much did you pay for your Mbox Canadian? How did you aquire it?

    I am gonna get myself a 3000+(CPU) and that silent CPU fan I showed you to complete my recording system. I have an 80 gig HD that I only ever use 2G on so I'm not worried about that aspect. I am pretty excited about this sweet recording system. I am new to protools but have heard amazing things.
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  • exhausted
    exhausted Posts: 6,638
    MissYouAllDay wrote:
    EX, What is the big deal about the factory bundle? I am probably going for the Mbox over the 1820M. I remeber alot of people saying it was definately worth the extra 100$ for the bundle. I was also wondering how much did you pay for your Mbox Canadian? How did you aquire it?

    I am gonna get myself a 3000+(CPU) and that silent CPU fan I showed you to complete my recording system. I have an 80 gig HD that I only ever use 2G on so I'm not worried about that aspect. I am pretty excited about this sweet recording system. I am new to protools but have heard amazing things.

    a second harddrive is a digidesign recommendation. i have no idea how well things perform on one harddrive. i'd see how things go before i shelled out for a new processor.

    the factory bundle is filled with a bunch more plug-ins. i use them quite a bit. i feel it is worth it, especially when you look at how much they'd cost to buy afterwards. i can't remember how much i paid. $650CAN or something. got it at long & mcquade.
  • MissYouAllDay
    MissYouAllDay Posts: 939
    SOunds good. 650 for the factory bundle isn't bad. get any sort of in store warranty on that? The long and mquade in windsor is really nice. Really high end stuff in there. I try and buy from my local shop, but things like this are often too specialized for small mom and pop shops to carry.
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  • exhausted
    exhausted Posts: 6,638
    i swear by L&M. i'm pretty much a VIP at this point since i've spent so much there over the years. they'll get me almost anything i want. i've been buying from the same dude now for 10 years across two cities.

    i can't remember exactly how much it was since i bought it and then there was a price drop a couple weeks later so they credited me some amount.

    the smaller shops here are overpriced and i find the people that staff them to be either assholes, inattentive or both.
  • mccreadyisgod
    mccreadyisgod Bumfuq, MT Posts: 6,395
    The big thing on ProTools is RAM. You'll want at least 1 GB, if not more. I run 2 GB, and it's fine, but I'd still like more. A high front-side buss is a really nice option, too, mine runs 800 MHz. You'd be fine with any processor over 1.5 GHz, but the motherboards with those slower processors typically have like 400-533 MHz frontside buss speeds, so double-check those numbers. I currently run everything on one hard drive (have a second drive, but it won't communicate with ProTools) and it works fine. I use my second drive for archiving, until I can get a replacement HD that will work better. And trust me, the Factory Bundle is worth the extra cash.
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • Pacomc79
    Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    mccreadyisgod wrote:
    The big thing on ProTools is RAM. You'll want at least 1 GB, if not more. I run 2 GB, and it's fine, but I'd still like more. A high front-side buss is a really nice option, too, mine runs 800 MHz. You'd be fine with any processor over 1.5 GHz, but the motherboards with those slower processors typically have like 400-533 MHz frontside buss speeds, so double-check those numbers. I currently run everything on one hard drive (have a second drive, but it won't communicate with ProTools) and it works fine. I use my second drive for archiving, until I can get a replacement HD that will work better. And trust me, the Factory Bundle is worth the extra cash.


    The big thing on anything is RAM. I spent the weekend infront of Avid Pro. Anyone trying to do video should have the damn thing packed with RAM and harddrive space. I spent the day with 264K. Damn HP. HP sucks balls. That has to be the minimum Avid will even run on. I can't believe they got away with buying that cheap piece of shit.

    Reboot....Reboot.....turn on fan, get bigger fan. Throw pen through the wall, drink coffee....reboot. Turn computer off, Reboot, drink more coffee, put head though wall..... 13 hours later on a SUNDAY!!!, I've got a hell of a good looking sports pack to add to the show to day a couple practices, 8 minute blocks of commercials about 10 other packs......Reboot.
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  • MissYouAllDay
    MissYouAllDay Posts: 939
    Yah I was thinking RAM, pretty cheap upgrade.

    As far as FSB I have a 400MHZ, but thats AMD 400, there is some equaling factor there. Those 8billion Mhz Intel FSBs aren't faster than the 400 AMD ones. It's a different use of the technology, or a different technology. Just like how a 2.2 GHZ AMD is called a "3000+" and runs faster than and P4 3000 Mhz.

    So what are the most amazing plugins that come in the factory bundle? Like which are the coolest ones that make it so worth it?

    Check out this thing is stacking up in Canadian dollars.

    Mbox 650.00 (i hope) > this one is already covered.
    Silent CPU fan 59.00 > a little steep for a heat sink
    AMD 3000+ 150.00 > price growing...
    512mb crucial RAM 100.00 > so dependable

    so on top of the massive Canadian pricetag of the factory bundle I will be spending 310$ on computer upgrades...Ouch. thats 960 overall, I could get me a american strat for that much.

    But then if you compare this to the price of the yamaha 16 track, and the fexibility I will get outa that Mbox, it seems more reasonable.
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  • MissYouAllDay
    MissYouAllDay Posts: 939
    Well guys I got some really good news. Somehow the Mbox non factory is only 495 Canadian at long and mcquades. That is a friggin steal. If you guys from the states were to come over here you could save 50$ or so. Might be worth it if you live in, say, detroit.

    So that being said the factory bundle is 620 CA. Not bad but thats still over 700 after tax. At 700$ the mbox stops sounding like a budget sollution eh.

    If I don't get the factory bundle this all seems very stomachable at only 573 canadian after tax for the Mbox. I am still hoping some of you guys can tell me what is especially attractive about the factory bundle, like what tools does it come with that you use a ton, and stuff like that.

    But good call on long and mcquade EX.
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  • exhausted
    exhausted Posts: 6,638
    the big ones that i use constantly are maxim (a limiter), the cosmonaut voice (a filter) and the meequalizer.

    http://secure.digidesign.com/index.cfm?page=templates/product_detail&PartNumber=LEIGH%201

    but you can easily get by without them. i just really like them.
  • MissYouAllDay
    MissYouAllDay Posts: 939
    Hey EX,

    Well before purchase I have been reading alot of reviews of Mbox. So I have a couple more questions for you.

    1. What is this latency stuff I keep hearing about? Do faster systems resolve the issue?

    2. Is it true that other than pro tools itself no full versions of software come with the Mbox, as in its all demos?
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