Topic: A better way to record 8 tracks

[flintstone]

The new Sound Devices 788T is a $6000 recorder that has 8 mic inputs, each with its own very good preamp.  But there are less expensive, and perhaps better sounding, ways to capture 8 tracks.  This thread is a place to talk about them.  (Thanks, Boojum, for the suggestion to start this thread.)

First example, proposed by Teddy:

1.  preamp:  DAV Electronics Broadhurst Gardens No. 8, BG8
http://www.davelectronics.com/bg8.htm
size: one rack unit
power: plugs into mains power
Input - XLR x 8
Output - analog, 25 pin D-Type cable
$2340 plus shipping from England (import duties 4.9% ?)

2.  cable: 25 pin cable from BG8 to Aurora 8
$50

3.  A/D converter: Lynx Aurora 8
http://www.lynxstudio.com/aurora/index.html
handles 8-channels up to  24-bit/192kHz
size: one standard rack unit
power: plugs into mains power
msrp $2195, street $1900

4. Interface card: Lynx LT-FW   
http://www.lynxstudio.com/product_detail.asp?i=24
Firewire 400 card for Lynx Aurora 8
fits into Aurora 8's LSlot bay
msrp $595  street $540

5.  Cable: Firewire from Aurora 8 to PC or Mac laptop

6.  Computer: laptop with Firewire 400 input
This might be built into the laptop (all Macs have Firewire port, for example), or it might be a $50 accessory for PCMCIA or ExpressCard slot

Teddy says that any laptop with Intel Pentium 4 or faster processor should be powerful enough to keep up with the data stream.  Any of today's laptops made with Intel Core Duo or Core 2 Duo should be fine.

In round numbers, lets say $800 for the laptop.

System cost estimate:
DAV Electronics BG8 -- $2,500 est.
Lynx Aurora 8  -- $1,900
Lynx LT-FW  -- $540
cables -- $100
laptop -- $800
total: $5,840

This system is considerably larger and heavier than the 788T, and mains power is required.  On the other hand, how often will you be using 8 mics in an environment that won't have access to mains power? 

If you need to be mobile, you could construct a cart that would hold the BG8 and Aurora 8 in a rack, laptop on the top, and a couple of lead-acid batteries in the bottom to power a DC to AC inverter.

OK, that's one example of a better way to record 8 tracks.  What's your suggestion?

Flintstone

[flintstone]

If "better" means "less expensive,"  the new $900 Edirol R-44 4 track recorder has a Control Sync Jack that
enables clock sync and start/stop remote control of 2 units.  Edirol says the remote control function does not guarantee exactly the same REC start time, but the star time will be closer than pushing "Record" on two separate machines.

The $900 price tag does not include the SDHC flash card used for storage.  A 16 GB card provides space for almost 4 hours of 24/96 recording using four channels, or 7.5 hours using 24/48.  A Class 6 SDHC card costs less than $70.

So two R-44s and two 16GB SDHC cards would cost about $2,000.  Not bad for a system that provides individual preamps for each of 8 channels.

Flintstone

[Rick]

How about two R4pros? ~$4000 and 160GB worth of Memory. Powering would be easy and they have SMPTE time code.

[RebelRebel]

  guess I meant better in the areas of  flexibility, cost, sound, etc with the tradeoff being loss of convenience which I can live without....some find the one box thing attractive for various reasons, but I figure if I am running 8 channels of microphones anyway, what is a few more pounds??(and the gear I mentioned is not heavy at all..the 8ch preamp is around 5 pounds or so) I know the SD boxes are loved here(and I loved my 722), but I just see better options for multitracking. After all,  8 channels aint convenient anyway you slice it.

If "better" means "less expensive,"  the new $900 Edirol R-44 4 track recorder has a Control Sync Jack that
enables clock sync and start/stop remote control of 2 units.  Edirol says the remote control function does not guarantee exactly the same REC start time, but the star time will be closer than pushing "Record" on two separate machines.

The $900 price tag does not include the SDHC flash card used for storage.  A 16 GB card provides space for almost 4 hours of 24/96 recording using four channels, or 7.5 hours using 24/48.  A Class 6 SDHC card costs less than $70.

So two R-44s and two 16GB SDHC cards would cost about $2,000.  Not bad for a system that provides individual preamps for each of 8 channels.

Flintstone

[Ozpeter]

Well, I'm using a Korg D888 for recording classical concerts for FM broadcast, and nobody's complaining about the result (which has to be approved by the musicians before broadcast).  8 mic preamps feeding an 80Gb hard drive and a 40 bit digital monitor mixer, all in one inexpensive metal box which the PC sees as a USB 2.0 drive.  Not particularly sexy, but eminently practical unless you can't plug it into the mains.

[BayTaynt3d]

What about an 8pre into a lappy?