Topic: Recording 4-8 tracks simultainiously with a usb audio interface

[intpseeker]

I would recommend using a firewire interface rather than USB.  While USB 2 is technically faster than fw400, it operates in a burst mode that is not ideal for audio transmission.

You'll be able to achieve higher track counts and probably a higher degree of reliability with firewire.

Disagreed.

I am both an Edirol dealer, so have had plenty of opportunity to play with  USB and Fire-Wire interfaces and run various multi-track recording set-ups.

So what would you recommend given the premise of the thread - 4-8 channels, a few vocals, guitar, bass, plugged in violin, DIY small, no, v. small home studio?

USB 2.0 has never cause me or customers any issues. USB2/Firewire, in practice, makes no difference that I have been able to see.

USB 2.0 is more than fast enough to handle 12 tracks of 44.1, 24 bit audio, without a glitch.

The attitude you are expressing is (AFAIKS) a halo effect from the days of USB 1.0 and early drivers for this type of gear. USB 2.) is mature, fast and stable.

Today I would recommend people buy USB 2.0 as it's ubiquitous while fire-wire ports are becoming rarer.

digifish

Thanks for the info. I have been doing my researching with that idea that the difference in modes between usb 2.0 and firewire was a possible deal-breaker for any usb unit.

So what would you recomend given the premise of the thread?

[digifish_music]

So what would you recommend given the premise of the thread - 4-8 channels, a few vocals, guitar, bass, plugged in violin, DIY small, no, v. small home studio?
...
So what would you recomend given the premise of the thread?

The Edirol UA-101 (USB) or FA-101 (Firewire). These should come with Sonar LE for DAW functions.

http://www.edirol.net/products/en/UA-101/images/Cakewalk_PPP.pdf



or

Alesis MultiMix 8 may be just the ticket (also available in USB 2.0 or Firewire).





http://www.alesis.com/multimix8usb20

If I were recording bands live the MultiMix would be easier to work with than the Edirol. Has more mic preamps and real-world flexibility. Note however chanels 5/6 and 7/8 share mixer strips.

The Tascam unit you found http://www.tascam.com/products/us-1641.html is probably the least expensive option and going to be hard to beat. I think it also ships with Cubase LE that should get you started with a DAW.

digifish

[heyitsmejess]

so how do you know that the computer/laptop your working with will work with what you buy?

i am definetly buying the tascam 1641....what would the recommended specs be for a lappy to run it into?

[intpseeker]

So what would you recommend given the premise of the thread - 4-8 channels, a few vocals, guitar, bass, plugged in violin, DIY small, no, v. small home studio?
...
So what would you recomend given the premise of the thread?

The Edirol UA-101 (USB) or FA-101 (Firewire). These should come with Sonar LE for DAW functions.

http://www.edirol.net/products/en/UA-101/images/Cakewalk_PPP.pdf



or

Alesis MultiMix 8 may be just the ticket (also available in USB 2.0 or Firewire).





http://www.alesis.com/multimix8usb20

If I were recording bands live the MultiMix would be easier to work with than the Edirol. Has more mic preamps and real-world flexibility. Note however chanels 5/6 and 7/8 share mixer strips.

The Tascam unit you found http://www.tascam.com/products/us-1641.html is probably the least expensive option and going to be hard to beat. I think it also ships with Cubase LE that should get you started with a DAW.

digifish

Thanks for the info. I posted asking your opinion and then realized you said you were an Edirol dealer. Did some surfing and came up with the UA-101, which I hadn't considered.

Very nice site, btw: http://www.digifishmusic.com/index.htm

[rePat]

So what would you recommend given the premise of the thread - 4-8 channels, a few vocals, guitar, bass, plugged in violin, DIY small, no, v. small home studio?
...
So what would you recomend given the premise of the thread?

Alesis MultiMix 8 may be just the ticket (also available in USB 2.0 or Firewire).



If I were recording bands live the MultiMix would be easier to work with than the Edirol. Has more mic preamps and real-world flexibility. Note however chanels 5/6 and 7/8 share mixer strips.

The Tascam unit you found http://www.tascam.com/products/us-1641.html is probably the least expensive option and going to be hard to beat. I think it also ships with Cubase LE that should get you started with a DAW.

digifish

If I could pick your brain a little....   I have the Multimix Firewire, and am recording a small band 2-Gtr, bass, drums, harp, vocs.  I am currently pulling the vox(4) off of a powered mixer into a single channel.  My question is, what would be the best choices to stack on those 5/6 & 7/8 channels?  I also have my Sound Devices MP-2 mic pre  that can be thrown into the mix also!

Thanks for any input,

Pat

[digifish_music]

If I could pick your brain a little....   I have the Multimix Firewire, and am recording a small band 2-Gtr, bass, drums, harp, vocs.  I am currently pulling the vox(4) off of a powered mixer into a single channel.  My question is, what would be the best choices to stack on those 5/6 & 7/8 channels?  I also have my Sound Devices MP-2 mic pre  that can be thrown into the mix also!

Thanks for any input,

Pat

Hi Pat, you are saying that you have 4 sets of vocals? So I count the need for (at least) 9 channels (Drums just got a stereo overhead ?

I suppose I need more data, what individual outputs are available from the Powered Mixer? Certainly recording vocalists to individual channels is a better idea, using your MP-2 to feed say 7/8. Can you group your vocals, lead into 7, backing into 8? That would leave 6 channels for the rest of the band...

digifish

[digifish_music]

BTW:

PCI = http://www.tweakheadz.com/audio_interface_pci_comparison_chart.htm

USB = http://www.tweakheadz.com/audio_interface_usb2_comparison_chart.htm

FireWire = http://www.tweakheadz.com/audio_interface_fw_comparison_chart.htm

[intpseeker]

BTW:

PCI = http://www.tweakheadz.com/audio_interface_pci_comparison_chart.htm

USB = http://www.tweakheadz.com/audio_interface_usb2_comparison_chart.htm

FireWire = http://www.tweakheadz.com/audio_interface_fw_comparison_chart.htm

Nice tables. This must have been constructed before the UA-101 USB was released.

Looking at Edirol products, how about this:

http://www.zzounds.com/item--EDIM16DX

[rePat]

If I could pick your brain a little....   I have the Multimix Firewire, and am recording a small band 2-Gtr, bass, drums, harp, vocs.  I am currently pulling the vox(4) off of a powered mixer into a single channel.  My question is, what would be the best choices to stack on those 5/6 & 7/8 channels?  I also have my Sound Devices MP-2 mic pre  that can be thrown into the mix also!

Thanks for any input,

Pat

Hi Pat, you are saying that you have 4 sets of vocals? So I count the need for (at least) 9 channels (Drums just got a stereo overhead ?

I suppose I need more data, what individual outputs are available from the Powered Mixer? Certainly recording vocalists to individual channels is a better idea, using your MP-2 to feed say 7/8. Can you group your vocals, lead into 7, backing into 8? That would leave 6 channels for the rest of the band...

digifish

More details, if you guys don't mind the partial hijack.....  and some sound samples!

XLR1- Lead Guitar Cab mic'd w/Oktave MC012
XLR2- Snare/Highhat unknown mic
XLR3- Drum overhead Oktava MC012
XLR4- Acoustic guitar line from amp
CH5-  Bass guitar direct from amp
CH7- Line in from Powered Mixer (an old Peavey XR600b) handling 4 vocal mics

This is what I used on the first attempt.  The harp player was absent this night, so in the future I will need to mic his amp.  This was a mix on the fly production, and recorded direct into an Edirol R-09, post production with SoundForge and various Plugins.  Totally experimental!  Funky Chicken would be my choice for a sample.  And of course the wav's sound much better than the MP3's.

http://www.4shared.com/dir/2587624/473e0348/WallyBeaver.html

Thanks for the input!

Pat

[intpseeker]

If I could pick your brain a little....   I have the Multimix Firewire, and am recording a small band 2-Gtr, bass, drums, harp, vocs.  I am currently pulling the vox(4) off of a powered mixer into a single channel.  My question is, what would be the best choices to stack on those 5/6 & 7/8 channels?  I also have my Sound Devices MP-2 mic pre  that can be thrown into the mix also!

Thanks for any input,

Pat

Hi Pat, you are saying that you have 4 sets of vocals? So I count the need for (at least) 9 channels (Drums just got a stereo overhead ?

I suppose I need more data, what individual outputs are available from the Powered Mixer? Certainly recording vocalists to individual channels is a better idea, using your MP-2 to feed say 7/8. Can you group your vocals, lead into 7, backing into 8? That would leave 6 channels for the rest of the band...

digifish

More details, if you guys don't mind the partial hijack.....  and some sound samples!

XLR1- Lead Guitar Cab mic'd w/Oktave MC012
XLR2- Snare/Highhat unknown mic
XLR3- Drum overhead Oktava MC012
XLR4- Acoustic guitar line from amp
CH5-  Bass guitar direct from amp
CH7- Line in from Powered Mixer (an old Peavey XR600b) handling 4 vocal mics

This is what I used on the first attempt.  The harp player was absent this night, so in the future I will need to mic his amp.  This was a mix on the fly production, and recorded direct into an Edirol R-09, post production with SoundForge and various Plugins.  Totally experimental!  Funky Chicken would be my choice for a sample.  And of course the wav's sound much better than the MP3's.

http://www.4shared.com/dir/2587624/473e0348/WallyBeaver.html

Thanks for the input!

Pat

Wow! Alesis multimix? Sounds v. good...and ya know, ya just can't count on them harp players. ;-)

[digifish_music]

Wow! Alesis multimix? Sounds v. good...and ya know, ya just can't count on them harp players. ;-)

That's the benefit of having your mics on stage with the performers rather than 100' back in the audience

Listening to Funky chicken now...as I expected with your setup the Kick drum is lost. I'd seriously consider devoting a channel to that.

Great start tho.

Regards Scott

[digifish_music]

Looking at Edirol products, how about this:

http://www.zzounds.com/item--EDIM16DX

If you are up for it, nice unit, like the Alesis MultiMix having the tactile interface is a huge benefit when trying to work live and record stuff.

digifish

[Gutbucket]

A new USB2 interface version of the RME Fireface400 should be available soon.  Won't be inexpensive, but should be good.

[Matt Quinn]

Whoa, that Edirol mixer looks niiiiice. Love that there is a spdif input.

Anyone want to buy a MultiMix 8 USB 2.0? 

[intpseeker]

Whoa, that Edirol mixer looks niiiiice. Love that there is a spdif input.

Anyone want to buy a MultiMix 8 USB 2.0? 

So how do you like the multimix?