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Multi track or laptop sound. I need more than 8 mic in's. Not Deva price range t


Jimmy Tuffrey

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Hi Guys, (and girls of course)

Since we're all fired up about multi track recorders right now I want to ask if any one has any suggestions for something that has been on my mind recently...

I have a Tascam dr680 with a 552 feeding it's digital input giving me 8 tracks or 6 + 5:2.

For the six piece funk/jazz groups I am recording it's not enough channels to track it as I would like.

But ... what is there out there with more than 8 mic inputs that is of a reasonable price?

I split before the FOH mixer. These events don't have a full pa sound mix.

I want to avoid using a laptop but would if there is a sound card (usb, fire wire 400, 800 express card), that had more than 8 mic in's.

I don't know of any.

I don't have the funds for a Deva 12 or SD 8 track.

Sadie LRX would be nice but again far too  expensive right now for me.

I'm not going to make a lot of money out of this gear and don't want to be dragging about expensive gear for this...

But I want at least 12 mic in's and ideally more.

Ideally I would like a 24 mic input stage box with cat 5/6 to madi express card for Mac book pro but I expect that going Madi would be out of my current budget.

Any ideas...  cheers

Jim

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I've got an M-Audio Profire 2626 (8 mic pres) and a Focusrite 8 channel pre strip that I feed into protools on my macbook...since its ASIO it will work with any DAW software...

The M-audio and focusrite boxes are both 1U rack mountable...I have them in an SKB case with a power conditioner and a really nice focusrite vocal pre...

I really miss doing music!! lol

Anyway just a thought and you can get either of them for under $700 each. I have them connected via lightpipe (fiber) then connected to my macbook via firewire. Its a solid setup!

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Jimmy you might want to check the Presonus out ....

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/StudioLive16/

Mike

I've heard some awesome thing about this board! More and more these little boards are coming with features of the full size consoles making life for people like us a lot easier...I will say though...there is some disparity between a Presonus and an SSL or an API lol :)

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The most cost effective solution is probably 2 used MOTU boxes.  Box A is a Traveler (can be Mk2), Box B is any other MOTU, pref an 8Pre--this box talks to the Traveler via ADAT lightpipe.  The Traveler Mk2 is a 20 input device (8 analog, 8 ADAT, 2 AES, 2 SPDIF), the Mk3 is a 28 input device (same, plus 8 more ADAT).  I have used these two together on all sorts of live gigs for years now (CDs+ video jobs), and now add another Traveler+8Pre set to the first via device aggregation.  I record up to 26 tracks on with these (in Boom Recorder) on an old G4 laptop--more tracks certainly with as newer computer.  If I am not using an outboard console, I add an outboard 8 ch mic pre to turn inputs 5-8 on the Travelers (which are line level only) into mic inputs.  If you don't like MOTU, RME FF800 is 10 analog in, plus the ADAT inputs.  BR+ old laptop+ MOTU stuff is pretty cheap altogether, and works very well (but you do have to do your won system tests to see how many tracks you can handle w/ the computers/drives you have).  For more than 26 tracks I can add a 2nd laptop w/ more MOTU boxes--and have had up to 3 of these rigs going at once (all BR).

phil p

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MOTU is def a good solution! The Traveler is what a lot of the competition based their interfaces off of...Both of my interfaces have 26 i/o and are very versatile!

I will say...I owned an 8pre, right when it first came out....While I liked the other MOTU products, I did not like the 8pre at all! I had issues with nobs falling off and just overall wasnt impressed. I also thought the pre's in the 8pre were a little too crispy. Sent it back and got the Focusrite 26io...I've been happy with it and the M-Audio interface and have recorded quite a bit with them.

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Thanks.

The ADAT idea is something I've thought about.

An 8 pre into a traveler would give me 14 . . .?

Personally I like MOTU stuff so I'll research it.

I am doing these recordings in very small spaces often with chaotic planning.

That's why the dr680 set up is so handy.

But I need more than a boundry mic with room mic's mixed in to get the drum sound.

I'd like a Deva 12 type thing but it seems that at this low price point there are only lap top set-ups.

I wonder about that new Zoom thing, wonder how many mic pre's that has.

I'll do some research online but enjoy chewing the fat here and there are some good lines of enquiry opening up.

I was going to say that theYamaha 01v and Dante-MY16-AUD slot card is too big for me but it looks interesting. Do you have any idea what the card would cost though?

I love hearing what you guys are using. Especially you Phil P.

Some great ideas. I'll post back when I'm not trying to do three things at once.

cheers

A 2 or 3 U flight case with lap top on top of it like a Sadie lrx style appeals. Need to be able to set up in drink fueled environments.

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Thanks.

The ADAT idea is something I've thought about.

An 8 pre into a traveler would give me 14 . . .?

Personally I like MOTU stuff so I'll research it.

I am doing these recordings in very small spaces often with chaotic planning.

That's why the dr680 set up is so handy.

But I need more than a boundry mic with room mic's mixed in to get the drum sound.

I'd like a Deva 12 type thing but it seems that at this low price point there are only lap top set-ups.

I wonder about that new Zoom thing, wonder how many mic pre's that has.

I'll do some research online but enjoy chewing the fat here and there are some good lines of enquiry opening up.

I was going to say that theYamaha 01v and Dante-MY16-AUD slot card is too big for me but it looks interesting. Do you have any idea what the card would cost though?

I love hearing what you guys are using. Especially you Phil P.

Some great ideas. I'll post back when I'm not trying to do three things at once.

cheers

A 2 or 3 U flight case with lap top on top of it like a Sadie lrx style appeals. Need to be able to set up in drink fueled environments.

8Pre>Traveler via ADAT gives you 16 analog inputs, 12 w/ mic pres.  I've used a 744's 2 digital outputs into the Traveler's SPDIF and AES inputs to get 4 more analog inputs, or an outboard 4 or 8 chan mic pre for that as well.  It's a good idea to externally clock the MOTU boxes from a solid clock (like 744), they seem to behave better that way.  There is no reason why you couldn't use two 8pres together via ADAT too (but no ext clock).  I have 2 Travelers, 2 8Pres, the 744 and some mini GTech drives in a 6 space rack that the laptop can sit on top of--pretty small footprint.

phil p

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I was going to say that theYamaha 01v and Dante-MY16-AUD slot card is too big for me but it looks interesting. Do you have any idea what the card would cost though?

Jimmy, I had my church order 2 cards for our MCL7 to record to Protools 9 ...

I believe they are $499.

Mike

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  • 1 year later...

Consider the rme octamic for an additional 8 pres/ AD converter. Sounds good has aes out as well as adat and direct outs. The D series is discontinued bit there is also the octamic II

http://www.rme-audio...cts_octamic.php

+1 for RME I really like there stuff. Its all really solid and I think they sound better then the MOTU gear. There Fireface units are my small interface of choice right now.

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If you decide that a laptop is the way to go you can gang two Roland Octa Capture USB Audio Interfaces together and get 16 inputs with very nice pre-amps. They're about $700 each. I have one and borrowed another for a project and they worked well together. The recording was done using Logic on a MacBook Pro.

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