Re: Recording system for student

RD Jones wrote:
John O wrote:

So, you're saying that an MBox2 could be used as the interface for
a regular console?

Any interface that accepts standard line levels can be used with any
mixer (or other device) that outputs standard line levels.
The problem arises when a pair of connected devices don't operate
at similar levels or can't be adjusted to accomodate each other.

This applies to the Mbox as well as any other audio interface for
computers...

The MBox2 has just two inputs, where the Alesis has eight. Setting
aside the software and preamp differences, how important are the
extra inputs? Depends on what's being recorded I suppose, eh? A nice
feature than nobody really uses?


Well, read my other post in this thread on the Alesis Multimix16 Firewire.
Then take a look at the market for such external USB (and maybe Firewire,
too) audio interfaces. Most are in the same price range. So, go figure why
Alesis can offer 8 individual outputs for a similar price that other
manufacturers want for a 2 output device... There´s a difference in quality.
And this difference is already noticable in the home-recording/hobbyist
league.
Another *very* important thing is driver support for devices, that are used
with computers! Alesis obviously doesn´t really care about "older" products
as the Multimix16 Firewire - which is about 2 years "old" now - the newest
driver they offer is in their "archived products" support. I would assume,
the same will happen for their current interfaces in 2 years down the road.
The real problem is, that the latest driver for Windows is a bunch off
crap - most of the time it records okay, but if you playback your
recordings, there´s digital terror in the form of constant crackles etc. -
sounds like a buffer problem or so. This happens with various computers, so
it´s not due to a system failure in the computer. At least my notebook works
flawlessly with a MOTU 828 mk2 regularly in a different small project
studio.
Last sunday, I´ve just recorded a rehearsal through that Alesis mixer and
after 5 or 6 songs - which were recorded as single "takes" in the same
project file - that stupid driver issue even messed up the recorded files
with heavy crackles in the individual .WAV files!!! It took 3 complete
Windows reboots and a switch off and back on of the mixer/interface to get
rid of the problem!
This is something I´ve never experienced before with any other soundcard or
external audio interface, I´ve used since 2003 (when I started doing this
kind of stuff)...

It's really nice to have at least 4 channels to track a drumset.
2 overheads, one on kick and a spot mic on snare.
A minimal jazz style setup could get good results without the snare
spot.
But for pop-rock, etc the spot mic lets you have more control over
effects added to the snare.

For this approach, a 4 channel interface like the M-Audio "Fast Track Pro"
would be sufficient.
http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/FastTrackUltra.html

M-Audio has a reputation for good drivers and you can also use the device as
a basic "mixer" (pre-amps only, no individual channel EQs) in stand-alone
mode. Besides that, any M-Audio interface can also be used with "ProTools
M-Powered", since M-Audio has been bought by Digidesign. The downside is,
that this software has to be bought separately, but it will give you the
option of getting into the PT world, if you want to go that route.

For 3 guys jamming with vocals (that's the eventual goal here, isn't
it?)
8 channels is filled up right away.

Definitely true, e. g.: 4 channels for drums (kick, snare, 2 overheads), 1
channel for bass, 1 channel for guitar, 2 channels for vocals. Of course,
this setup can be alternated, but that would be a typical situation. If you
have a second guitar or a keyboard (recorded in mono), there´s only one
channel less left for vocals...


Phil


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