Topic: Edirol R-4

[wbrisette]

I have an emagic A62 USB interface and sometimes run mics and board into it.  I needed multitrack software that supported ASIO drivers.  Cubase was glitching like crazy and pretty tough to look at so I found this freeware.  It's rock solid stable, uses very little cpu, writes the waves as it goes (so you have a playable file if something messes up), and does 24 bit.  My only beef is the meters are small and not resizable.

http://www.kreatives.org/kristal/index.php

This is pretty sweet and it's free. Not fond of the color selection in the display window for the tracks, but overall reminds me of Digital Performer (or at least a much older version of the application). I can't run it since I use a mac for everything, but it certainly seems to have everything... and how can you beat the price. This product needs to get posted in the permanent post area so people who are looking for multi-track stuff can find it easier. With so many people claiming to be lined up for the 744, I see a real need for a good multi-track application for both Windows and the Mac. Everything I'm aware of on the Mac is going to cost you, so the PC folks actually have a leg up on the Mac folks in this area.

Wayne

[sygdwm]

what is kristal? never heard of it besides rap videos.

I have an emagic A62 USB interface and sometimes run mics and board into it.  I needed multitrack software that supported ASIO drivers.  Cubase was glitching like crazy and pretty tough to look at so I found this freeware.  It's rock solid stable, uses very little cpu, writes the waves as it goes (so you have a playable file if something messes up), and does 24 bit.  My only beef is the meters are small and not resizable.

http://www.kreatives.org/kristal/index.php

sweet d00d. gonna give her a whirl tonite. +t.

[dklein]

Just wanted to clarify that I only use Kristal for recording multitrack.  After that, I pop the waves into CEP multitrack to do the mixdown.  Kristal may be fine for that purpose as well but I'm so comfortable with CEP it's still the tool of choice.

So for me, the key features of Kristal are:
multitrack
ASIO
24 bit
low cpu ( = longer battery life)

[zephead]

This unit really is targeted specifically to the ENG crowd and also the local band crowd. For the news folks this unit is exactly what they were looking for, and you're right it's not designed for us.

The ENG crowd really wants the features I listed?  I guess I'm out of touch.

The idea is to have the reporter carry one of these or the R-1 and basically have the news bites all set and ready to go ... (ie cut out the post production step of making the sound bite itself). That's one of the reasons for the wave editor. It doesn't sound like a big deal, but it saves production money and time, which is the goal. Now, four channels is overkill and I suspect the R-1 will be used more often in this role, but that's is why they put the mics in the units.

Wayne

Hey Wayne,

Maybe for a reporter doing a camera address it's overkill but I sure as hell want 4 channels to record with on my productions - 4 mics in an given environment means more options to mix and so is better for me. I've been looking at the SD7 series for a while so this is a much anticipated contender.

[joemango]

so do we have any more info on ETA and pricing of the R4?

Is Oade gonna mod the sucka?

Will Bert and Mary's baby really be an alien?

Find out on the next....  SOAP.

[bhtoque]

+ T for the soap reference.

That show was funny as hell.

JAson

[Chanher]

so dklein, you're saying that when you record multi-track using Kristal you just let the files run over 2 gigs no problem? What about when you try to open the files up later in a different program?

[joemango]

+ T for the soap reference.

That show was funny as hell.

JAson

Hell yeah it was!  Unfortunately Comedy Central beat it to death in reruns.  +T if you can name the show it spun off....

[Steve J]

Benson

[kindms]

Robert Guillaume Rules your face!!!         

[joemango]

2 +T's goin out!


Hey Mike, you gonna be at AOD tonight at toads?

[kindms]

I wont make it. I have to work til 8.

Is Ryan Montbleau opening ?

[Tall Adam]

tape montbleau. i'm diggin this guy of late.

[dklein]

so dklein, you're saying that when you record multi-track using Kristal you just let the files run over 2 gigs no problem? What about when you try to open the files up later in a different program?

hey - sorry for the delay - vacations and all.  Yeah, I just let it go as long as it needs to.  Here's my recollection of the deal on file sizes...I think the wave format is actually spec'd to 4 GB.
I believe that whole 2 GB limit is really part of the old FAT16 filesystem used in Windows, which nobody uses anymore.
On a newer file system (FAT32 or NTFS), the wave format can go to 4 GB.  If the files are over 2 GB, some audio editors can't open/edit the files.  Wavelab is unhappy whereas Cool Edit Pro (or Audition I think it's called now) is fine.  In fact the only problems I've ever run into with file sizes have been with Wavelab.

I haven't ever exceeded 4 GB so I don't know what happens then.  All my audio recording is on FAT32, which has a file size limit of 4 GB anyways.  I believe there are some proprietary recording file formats that can go bigger (as long as you're using NTFS which supports files > 4GB).

[John Kelly]

so dklein, you're saying that when you record multi-track using Kristal you just let the files run over 2 gigs no problem? What about when you try to open the files up later in a different program?

hey - sorry for the delay - vacations and all.  Yeah, I just let it go as long as it needs to.  Here's my recollection of the deal on file sizes...I think the wave format is actually spec'd to 4 GB.
I believe that whole 2 GB limit is really part of the old FAT16 filesystem used in Windows, which nobody uses anymore.
On a newer file system (FAT32 or NTFS), the wave format can go to 4 GB.  If the files are over 2 GB, some audio editors can't open/edit the files.  Wavelab is unhappy whereas Cool Edit Pro (or Audition I think it's called now) is fine.  In fact the only problems I've ever run into with file sizes have been with Wavelab.

I haven't ever exceeded 4 GB so I don't know what happens then.  All my audio recording is on FAT32, which has a file size limit of 4 GB anyways.  I believe there are some proprietary recording file formats that can go bigger (as long as you're using NTFS which supports files > 4GB).

Not true.  Wav itself is limited to 2gb, it's successor wav64 has a higher limit (can't recall exactly what it is).