Newby - Start-up help

[DennisC]

Hello. I am brand new to this forum and do not have a DAW. I am looking for Hardware advice.

I have a small project studio currently using an "all-in-one" Roland VS1680. I am thinking of moving to a DAW and SAW Basic.

I have several good quality AT mics (4060, 4051s, 4033) and am about to pick up the AEA R84. I have a Sytek 4 ch pre (upper mid quality) and am about to add a high end pre or channel strip (Millenia or Buzz Audio). I have some FMR compressors and Dynaudio BM6a monitors. I have a pretty nice sounding room that is 23'x16'x10' ceilings. I record acoustic guitar driven contemporary christian music as well as folk and some piano/vocal demos.

I am unhappy with the slow editing and CD compilation process of the Roland as well as limitations on automation information such as max-fader-moves etc. The Roland pres and converters are also of lower quality.

I would like to go to a PC based DAW, record up to 8 channels at once, perhaps use a control surface/board. I am looking at a used PC that was built for audio and looks to be plenty big for SAW Basic and my target track count (8-24 tracks). I may have an inside track on some discoutned Waves plugins.

What are you ideas on converters, audio interface cards, etc How do I get stuff in and with what and how do I get out etc.? I think I could get by with only 2 ch converters on the DA side for monitoring the mix. Is this correct?

Thanks in advance.

Dennis

[mikebuzz]

Dennis I am an ex Roland user ( from 880 to 1680 to 2480 still 16 and 24 ) I just switched over to SAW StudioLite 32 trks , the difference in my mix's are significant !!! to say the least ( I have not recorded anything in SAW yet , some computer probs being sorted &*$% )

The compressors are VERY good they act and respond like my UA1176ln but are less colored , the eq is also very good, I exported wav's from my 2480 into the SAW setup and the immediate thing I noticed was that everything just sounded clearer and fuller !!!! it was like night and day mixing.

I went with 2 Motu 896hd's ( 8 mic pre's @192khz ) for about $1000 ea. I know there are lots of other choices and I'm not the one to suggest them ( there are people here with lots of expirience in that area I'll let them tell you )

Dennis the capabilities in SAW are significant , and the ease of use is a fast learn ( I spent 1 1/2 weeks with the demo and got it pretty fast ) It looks and acts like a console but with much more stuff , the plugins are WAY better then Rolands built in FX , getting data in and out is a breeze , also it interfaces with the Mackie control surfaces built in.

Anyway as an EX user of the Roland products I can tell you that SAW is a HUGH STEP FORWARD from where you are now.

Later
Buzz

PS: I also looked at the RME Hammerfall cards with the expansion boards ( 32 ch @ 96k )

PSS: for example I recorded some vocal tracks on the 2480 then imported the song into SAW Immediatly sibilance popped up ????? that was'nt there ??? what happened SAW happened !!!! , this is just one example I can share , I used the same monitors same room same everything except SAW ?????? must be something to it.

[Bob L]

A great and inexpensive solution for the soundcard would be an RME Hammerfall light card... and a Behringer ADA8000 converter... this gives you 8 line or mic driect ins with phantom power... the Hammerfall card will actually allow 16 channels... so another $230 Behringer and you are really flying.

Of course you can opt for more expensive converters, but you will have to increase the cost significantly to really hear any difference in my opinion.

The RME drivers are about the best in the industry.

Other great choices include the Sytek Mixtreme products... various options and cost... you may also do well with some of the M-Audio options.

Bob L

[mikebuzz]

Bob did you just say the Behringer ADA8000 sounds OK ???? I have'nt heard it but I have heard that they are actually decent !!!! ( oh my god Behringer sounds good AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH )

LAter
Buzz

[Bob L]

You haven't been following the Lon Bronson story huh... try listening to some quick results at www.LonBronson.com (http://www.LonBronson.com)

Listen to the What Is Hip demo from the Golden Nugget Recording... its not even cleaned and mixed... its a rough dump with some eq and cross delay... pretty interesting stuff... I have now used the Behringer rigs for lots of hours of recording and there is nothing I can find wrong with them... especially for the price.

Bob L

[mikebuzz]

Sounds excellent Bob , very well played LOVE THAT SONG !!! I would like to hear the final product keep us up to date

Later
Buzz

[canipus]

Bob did you just say the Behringer ADA8000 sounds OK ???? I have'nt heard it but I have heard that they are actually decent !!!! ( oh my god Behringer sounds good AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH )

LAter
Buzz

Well yes actually this Berger product is probably the best thing they sell. Excellent value for money. Heck they even put torroidials inside on the power section to add a little class. The product is based on Alesis (now WaveFront Semiconductors) A/D (AL1101), D/A (AL1201), an ADAT encoder (OptoGen AL1401) and an ADAT receiver (OptoRec AL1402).
It's basically a direct copy (typical Berger) of the RME AEB8-I. They tend to copy other manufacturers (often infringing copyrights to boot).
The product is great providing you keep the optic lines on the short side otherwise you run into ADAT type jitter.

[John Hernandez]

What are you ideas on converters, audio interface cards, etc How do I get stuff in and with what and how do I get out etc.? I think I could get by with only 2 ch converters on the DA side for monitoring the mix. Is this correct?

Thanks in advance.

Dennis
Hello and Welcome Dennis!

I, too, work on CCM, as well as produce radio broadcasts for Christian ministries. Let me assure you that with SAW products you cannot go wrong. (In fact, I got the gig in radio because I knew SAW and that's what the owner used!)

I use the RME Multiface (8 analog/ 8 ADAT io) with PC card/Cardbus. I like the fact that the breakout box is interchangeable between my desktop & laptop. Converters are decent, though for critical tracks I add an Apogee PSX-100 into the equation.

WRT monitoring, for the bulk of my work I get by with 2 channels (out to the Apogee, then to the mixer connected to a pair of Mackie HR-824s. Works for me :) .

Blessings,

[DennisC]

I wanted to thank you all for your replies to date.

I had been waiting to thank you because I am trying to compile alist of choices at different price points to stimulate more discussion. It is taking me longer than I wanted.

So I want to thank you before it appears that I am unappreciative.

Dennis