Which is better - live in Totalmix or Saw?

[rbhsjr]

What have you guys who have been doing live and recording at the same time found? Is setting up Saw to just record and let Totalmix handle the monitoring OR turn down the inputs in Totalmix and use Saw for both rec/monitoring? I know it's dependent on the card (hdsp 9652). Thanks


Rutherford Simmons Jr.

[Warren]

Good ?
I have the same RME unit, I think if no eq/comp/gateing or effects are needed
then there would no need to send those tracks through SAW, but the tracks that need effects or EQ by all meens send through SAW. there will be some minor latency but not enough to worry about, Lord willing.
Some of the real brainacs around here can give a much better answer though!

Is SAW choking when you go live is that why you are asking?

Warren
The Masters Tracks
:) :) :) :) :) :)

[rbhsjr]

No saw doesn't glitch, just wondering what people found was easier to use or what gave better results

[AudioAstronomer]

totalmix messes with my head too much, I always go through saw. Faster, easier (imo) and full access to fx if I need em.

[Mitch]

I'm with Robert...... Totalmix, is Totalmess to me ...... I'm sure it's great for multiple mixes for live etc. but for my use, I only need to monitor the stereo output. I want all monitoring done in SAW so I can monitor w/ effects and such. I do use TM to feed a pair of stereo outs to a separate 4 ch headphone amp but that's it. All analog and adat inputs have faders down.

Cant wait for whatever Bob has brewing for true tape style monitoring !? - Seems to me that the SRP button can go away ? Only time it's not used is initial tracking. After that, everything is an overdub. Stop, Play, Record should do it all. The assumption is, "if there's recorded tracks, of course, play them back" ....... Am I wrong on this ?

[Bob L]

There are a full range of choices when using SAWStudio to record live performances... in many cases, if its an actual stage performance, you will not be responsible at all for the band monitors... so you can easily record direct and if you want, use the live monitoring of the virtual mixer in SAWStudio for your monitors while you control solos and mutes without affecting the recording... that can even work at higher latencies if you are in a dressing room off stage, since you won't notice any latency.

If you are responsible for feeding monitors back to performers, then you will need a good system capable of the low latencies... but once that is set... and if the band is good with your final latency settings, I would definitely opt to use the SAWStudio virtual for everything... with the routing powers and the patch points and built-in eq and compression... and solos and mutes, you can have full control of everything, once you learn the concepts.

Or, if latency is a real issue still... then a simple low priced Behringer mixer could do the trick... split the signal at the mixer for a no latency monitor foldback and record with no buffer size and stabilty concerns at all.

Of couser, if you learn the TotalMix... it is extremely powerful and you can setup templates to foldback multiple monitor mixes of the source signal... so as long as you don't need eq and reverb and such back in the monitors, it is a great and bult-in solution to the RME system.

Another choice is the Sydec system and their cards with a complete built-in dsp mixer... with reverb and eq and such... again providing a no latency solution.

Bob L

[rbhsjr]

I wanted to use SSB for everything and noticed that I was getting a slight "double signal" with TotalMix (which I learned explained my earlier grief with phasing with the return tracks). I turned the inputs in TM down and my issues went away (after I learned about the presets).

But when testing at 3X64 I still noticed latency when played with the TM playing (SSB was behind - kind of interesting sound), Not noticeable at 2X64 nor 1X64 while recording also (haven't had time to check the recording for glitches). What should I add to my computer to make it more stable if I do have glitches? I have 1 gig ram, 2.4 GHz and P4 and hdsp9652. :confused:

Rutherford

[Bob L]

Don't fight the reality... you can't use both... pick one method or the other... most can not hear a 3 x 64 latency, when that's all there is.... any monitors placed on any stage will generally create more delay than that in the physical world.

Or, if you want absolute zero latency, then you use an external mixer or TotalMix or the Sydec to do the whole monitor thing.

Bob L