bassist4life2004 wrote:I recently got into home recording, thanks to Keith. I purchased an HP laptop and an EMU 0202 USB interface. I do have some problems with vista home premium running the EMU, but i figured out some of the problems and resolved them. The interface supposedly isnt supported on the vista platform but there are vista drivers that will let it work. My main problem is getting it started (i.e turning the interface on and off until vista picks it up) I should just downgrade to xp pro but my computer won't be able to utilize the dual processor feature, which sucks.
#1 windows vista is not audio ready yet. Aleast not for us poor folk. Windows xp is the only way to do great audio right now. You can use xp home. You do not need pro. Both will provide a stable platform. Most daws are not vista ready either. To many bugs.
#2 Your computer will use the dual core only if the daw supports it. Sonar producer will support dual core and use it. A friend of mine just purchased a sweetwater creation station. It's dual core and running sonar in dual core mode on windows XP. Sweetwater is not putting vista in any of there high doolar computers yet because vista is not ready for the studio. Most of the audioo card makers are coming up with drivers for the audio cards but thier not working right yet. Gonna be awhile till vista is used in the studio.
I have been considering the purchase of a stand alone digital multi track recorder. Actually purchased a Korkg D888 and sent it back when I discovered that it was 16 bit format. Also was very discouraged by the cost of the Cubase program that is promoted with the unit around $800 or more for the full blown version. I am now looking at the Yamaha AW1600, but I am a little put of by all the "extras" built into the unit; such as drum and bass loops, guitar processors etc. This seems to be typical for other units in the same price range. I have decent out board equipment, and will be using real drums and bass.
Any opinions about stand alone units VS computer based recording systems?
Also, anyone know of a good dedicated 24 bit, 16 track digital recorder that does not have all the BS in the box?
As a final thought, it seems like it might be more cost effective and better quality in the long run to go to one of the local studio's that have pro gear and good engineers at $40/hr or less.
I prefer computer based. Your options are better. Depending on how many channels you want to do at 1 time. I can do 4. It is all I basicly need. I don't record whole bands, but I could. Cost wise, the more channels you want to do at one time the price goes way up. 149 bucks Lets me do 4 up to 32 bit. The M-audio quality is really great. At least thats the way I feel about it. I have tried several daws and I like Sonar the best. If you bulid your computer right and use older technology you can build it cheap. I'm running a AMD 3200+, ($260.00) for mainboard and proccessor, 2 gig of ddr ram (used) $50..00 ), 500watt power supply 69.95, I'm running three - 80gig hard drives. It will handle 25 channells playing back. Thats the most number of tracks i have had loaded in 1 song. It's not duel core but it runns like it. I can show you how to tweek windows xp to fly.
I use older computer stuff but when it 1st came out it was top of the line stuff. A frind of mine bought a Sweetwater Ceation Station ($2300.00) and mine will do what ever his does.
But anyway I prefer the computer over a all in one unit just because it will let me try different programs for recording. I try'd several programs then bought Cakewalk Sonar. The plug ins worked the best in it. My m-auodio came with Pro Tools M-Powered. It is ok but I prefer the way Cakewalk is layed out.
Theonly other thing you will need is a mixer. Wit the delta 44 sound card i choose Behringer 2442fx mixer because it has a 4 subgroup out put. The delta 44 is 4 in and 4 out. The mixer works great and sounds great, plus it gives you the anolog sound not so much digital.
I hope this helped you out some in making your decision. If you want to check my home setup out let me know. I noticed you talked about 16 chanels and to do 16 channels (recording Only) and get good quality you would need to decide what system you want. M-Audio or Motu. Those 2 would be priced better for the home studio. Later
bassist4life2004 wrote:I recently got into home recording, thanks to Keith. I purchased an HP laptop and an EMU 0202 USB interface. I do have some problems with vista home premium running the EMU, but i figured out some of the problems and resolved them. The interface supposedly isnt supported on the vista platform but there are vista drivers that will let it work. My main problem is getting it started (i.e turning the interface on and off until vista picks it up) I should just downgrade to xp pro but my computer won't be able to utilize the dual processor feature, which sucks.
#1 windows vista is not audio ready yet. Aleast not for us poor folk. Windows xp is the only way to do great audio right now. You can use xp home. You do not need pro. Both will provide a stable platform. Most daws are not vista ready either. To many bugs.
#2 Your computer will use the dual core only if the daw supports it. Sonar producer will support dual core and use it. A friend of mine just purchased a sweetwater creation station. It's dual core and running sonar in dual core mode on windows XP. Sweetwater is not putting vista in any of there high doolar computers yet because vista is not ready for the studio. Most of the audioo card makers are coming up with drivers for the audio cards but thier not working right yet. Gonna be awhile till vista is used in the studio.
You are 100% correct on all of that, I have a machine that has XP Pro on it (but im "not allowed" to get SP2 for some reason )which sucks. So i cant utilize my USB 2.0 at all, i can only run 1.0, which makes for horrible buffer speeds even with the best ASIO drivers. Actually, i dont know if ASIO4ALL will work with XP PRO w/no USB 2.0 drivers, seeing as how asio is for USB 2.0. Anyway, I think im gonna have to break down and buy xp for that machine. so i can record with it, because my laptop is proving quite worthless as far as recording.
I'm running SP2 it works fine for me. I have to load it in for Sonar. Sonar uses something in there. You should check into that because sp2 is required for alot of daws to work. I also have a USB sound input and output device and it works just fine with SP2. You can try it and if it doesn't work you can always uninstall it. As far as ASIO 4 alll that will work with sp2 because I have used those drivers before. ASio4all is needed to run Pro Tools M Powered. I also have sp2 on disk if you need it.
)which sucks. So i cant utilize my USB 2.0 at all, i can only run 1.0, which makes for horrible buffer speeds even with the best ASIO drivers. Actually, i dont know if ASIO4ALL will work with XP PRO w/no USB 2.0 drivers, seeing as how asio is for USB 2.0. Anyway, I think im gonna have to break down and buy xp for that machine. so i can record with it, because my laptop is proving quite worthless as far as recording.