Recording System advice

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

<gregf@kcls.org> wrote in message
news:1127260836.925889.195000@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com
> I'm trying to get started with a new music/recording
> project and figuring out what I should purchase. I've
> done music for years, mostly guitar and a fair amount of
> studio recording, and have used and fixed computers quite
> a bit, but still don't own one myself. I can replace most
> everything in a PC, but I still get confused with alot of
> terms and numbers (bus speed, d-dram, sdram, socket
> types, etc)

These days its hard to buy a new computer that can't be
tuned to be a good computer for doing audio, as long as you
aren't really stretching the limits like trying to record 96
tracks at a time.

> What I'm doing will involve taking old records, mostly
> children's 45's and other odd sound affects and such,
> many of them from old 78 records, record entire songs
> into the computer in stereo, and then either manipulate
> it with FX (I have a processor that I would maybe like to
> use in an FX loop if possible), speed changes, splicing,
> sampling from bits of other records, overlapping other
> tracks from records, turing it all backwards etc, along
> with possibly recording other instruments over top
> (guitar, drum machine, bass, xylophone and other things
> that will need a MIC input)

Software that will do all these jobs without add-ons: Adobe
Audition.

> I will then want to put these tracks onto a web site,
> burn them to Audio CDs, and maybe send off files to make
> a real manufactured CD from. I will not be using any of
> this for any live performance.

> So I wanted to see what others out there would recommend
> I get as far as a system (I'll be going with a PC for
> various pre-determined reasons), software (someone said
> Adobe makes something I might want), and hardware (I'm
> guessing I'll need a card with 2 RCA inputs, 2 XLR mic
> inputs, and 2 quarter inch inputs).

As far as audio production computer interfaces go, all you
can count on is the two quarter inch inputs. However, its
simple and effective to add a small mixer to provide the
other inputs and a head phone jack for monitoring those
inputs. One good inexpensive mixer for this task is the
Behringer MXB 1002.

>My budget is probably
> around $1000 total (I have a monitor already but thats
> it). I don't imagine I'll need more than 16 tracks, but
> of course the more the better as long as it's affordable.

You can start out with two tracks and add more as you need
them.

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

In article <iIudnU6obdFMWq3eRVn-oQ@comcast.com>, arnyk@hotpop.com says...
>
><
>> So I wanted to see what others out there would recommend
>> I get as far as a system (I'll be going with a PC for
>> various pre-determined reasons), software (someone said
>> Adobe makes something I might want), and hardware (I'm
>> guessing I'll need a card with 2 RCA inputs, 2 XLR mic
>> inputs, and 2 quarter inch inputs).
>
>As far as audio production computer interfaces go, all you
>can count on is the two quarter inch inputs. However, its
>simple and effective to add a small mixer to provide the
>other inputs and a head phone jack for monitoring those
>inputs. One good inexpensive mixer for this task is the
>Behringer MXB 1002.

My Roland VM3100pro + R-BUS card is an audio production computer interface that
has two XLR pre-amps going straight to ADCs. It also has a Hi-Z 1/4" input for
guitars, eliminating the need for a DI box. These days a lot of computer
interfaces are being built into mixers, the ones that connect with firewire
being the most versatile, but also the most unreliable. Still, why bother
getting a seperate interface and mixer? VM-3100pro, which is a fully
functional 8bus digital mixer on its own, with R-BUS runs about $400 on ebay,
and it's a lot of bang for the buck (it originally retailed for around $1200 5
years ago, and was routinely discounted as competitors released similar
products, up until it stopped being manufactured a couple years later), the
only limitation being the 44.1khz maximum sampling rate. It
also has two internal DSP effects channels with zillions of editable presets
for every kind of effect, amp simulation, etc. Has two digital ins and outs.
It even comes with a version of Logic tuned to it, which I don't use, but it is
pretty much all someone starting out would need to immediately get the
opportunity to produce professional recordings. As I mentioned in another
post, I sold my CardDeluxe to get this, and it's been one of the best decisions
I've made. I'd have had to buy 3 more CardDeluxes's just to get the same
amount of analog inputs and outputs. It's weird that Roland designs a product
then discontinues it a couple years later when releasing a new product to take
it's place while a company like DAL designs a new soundcard every 10 years.
CardDeluxe is already at least 5 years old, so I don't think it's a very good
deal, considering it has only dropped in price by $100 since its release.



>
>>My budget is probably
>> around $1000 total (I have a monitor already but thats
>> it). I don't imagine I'll need more than 16 tracks, but
>> of course the more the better as long as it's affordable.
>
>You can start out with two tracks and add more as you need
>them.
>
>

Yeah, with the CardDeluxe you can do that, very expensively. Or you can do
what I just described that I do, very inexpensively!

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

In article <C0eYe.299606$on1.74345@clgrps13>, chevdo@chevdont.com says...

>>>My budget is probably
>>> around $1000 total (I have a monitor already but thats
>>> it). I don't imagine I'll need more than 16 tracks, but
>>> of course the more the better as long as it's affordable.
>>
>>You can start out with two tracks and add more as you need
>>them.
>>
>>
>
>Yeah, with the CardDeluxe you can do that, very expensively. Or you can do
>what I just described that I do, very inexpensively!
>

By the way, 16 'tracks' (analog inputs/outputs) with the CardDeluxe would cost
$3200, and you'd need some weird expensive motherboard with 8 PCI slots, but if
you chain two R-BUS cards and Vm-3100pros 16 tracks would cost
$800. I suppose you could cut down your cost on the CardDeluxes by throwing
Flying Cows on the digital bus, then you'd only need 4 PCI slots, but who
knows if all that would stay in sync.

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

Most of these will be from works that are now public domain. Ok, I did
say most and not all. But I will dare anyone who owns the recordings to
even recognize the use of their own material in this case, that is if
anyone ever even hears about this project in the first place.

Chevdo wrote:
> In article <5J7Ye.64186$qY1.23539@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net>,
> pstamlerhell@pobox.com says...
> >
> >The first thing you're going to need is a *lawyer* to handle all the issues
> >that come from reproducing published recordings and publishing recordings of
> >copyrighted works.
> >
>
> No he doesn't, until a lawyer contacts him complaining about it, which would
> only happen if his recording was considerably profitable.

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

How about for speakers?


Arny Krueger wrote:
> "Chevdo" <chevdo@chevdont.com> wrote in message
> news:C0eYe.299606$on1.74345@clgrps13
> > In article <iIudnU6obdFMWq3eRVn-oQ@comcast.com>,
> > arnyk@hotpop.com says...
> >>
> >> <
> >>> So I wanted to see what others out there would recommend
> >>> I get as far as a system (I'll be going with a PC for
> >>> various pre-determined reasons), software (someone said
> >>> Adobe makes something I might want), and hardware (I'm
> >>> guessing I'll need a card with 2 RCA inputs, 2 XLR mic
> >>> inputs, and 2 quarter inch inputs).
> >>
> >> As far as audio production computer interfaces go, all
> >> you can count on is the two quarter inch inputs.
> >> However, its simple and effective to add a small mixer
> >> to provide the other inputs and a head phone jack for
> >> monitoring those inputs. One good inexpensive mixer for
> >> this task is the Behringer MXB 1002.
> >
> > My Roland VM3100pro + R-BUS card is an audio production
> > computer interface that has two XLR pre-amps going
> > straight to ADCs. It also has a Hi-Z 1/4" input for
> > guitars, eliminating the need for a DI box. These days a
> > lot of computer interfaces are being built into mixers,
> > the ones that connect with firewire being the most
> > versatile, but also the most unreliable. Still, why
> > bother getting a seperate interface and mixer?
>
> Here's a proposed bill of materials:
>
> (1) Berhinger MXB 1002 - $99
> (2) Behringer DI box - $30
> (3) M-Audio 1010LT (10 24/96 channels, 8 analog) $229