Help me lighten my load

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 10:39 pm

DavidSpearritt wrote:

Now I want a very high quality multi track rig that fits in a backpack. Its going to be based around the beautiful new Nagra 6...

Any info about when the Nagra VI might be available?

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 10:52 pm

Due to be released NY AES - should be available Feb 08 according to John from Nagra who I spoke with last week.

Larry Elliott

Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 1:05 am

Zilla wrote:

I think the truth here is an operator's affinity for any given device.

There is a lot of truth in that comment. Many of my fears of laptops for recording are due to being an early adopter, when things didn't work as well as expected. It's hard to be forgiving of a technology that has burnt you in the past, let alone give it a second chance.

I have absolutely no problems whatsoever with my laptop for word processing, internet, etc. This particular laptop, an IBM ThinkPad T43 running Windows XP Pro, is the best PC I've ever owned, full stop. If it is as reliable for recording as it is for everything else, perhaps I have nothing to worry about.

I have been thinking about getting an M Box or similar to use with my laptop, to supplement my Nagra V. Often, while travelling, I get involved in recording projects that would benefit from a proper multitrack rig (by which I mean, the ability to overdub, drop in, etc.). It's not something I want to invest a lot of money in, however, so a simple M Box would do the job... Maybe in 12 months time I'll be here singing the praises of laptop recording?

Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 1:51 am

Spoke with John Owens at SMPTE and saw a CAD picture of the Nagra VI front panel, talk about vapourware!

Anyway he confirmed the timing as Larry has stated, and the design in quite some detail. Although it has no modulometer, the big colour display looks great, rotary gain pots that are all software controlled, and the master transport control is still the famous rotary switch, hooray. The combinations available for input choice of line, 4 mic, and AES are ideal.

I think they will update the page on the website with new info soon. It will suit me just fine for serious multitrack work despite what Simmo says. Smile

The DEVA I referred to was the DEVA V, saw this at SMPTE also, and the Aaton Cantar all at the Lemac stand. Got the full rundown on the Cantar, didn't appeal to me, just too quirky for my taste, a steep learning curve perhaps, but to me this is a sign of poor ergonomic design. The DEVA is a nice box, albeit a bit utilitarian, but simply way too expensive.

Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 2:11 am

DavidSpearritt wrote:

I think they will update the page on the website with new info soon. It will suit me just fine for serious multitrack work despite what Simmo says. Smile

Just playing Deviled Avacado (or whatever that food/game is called).

Six tracks would probably serve many of my needs, but it seems that whenever Mr G and I have to schlep out the multitrack system, we're using seven tracks or more. (Having said that, for three or four tracks we simply sync two Nagra V's via AES and sort it out later, works very well.)

Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 6:16 am

Simmosonic wrote:

Six tracks would probably serve many of my needs, but it seems that whenever Mr G and I have to schlep out the multitrack system, we're using seven tracks or more.

Yeah a lot of times I need 8 or 10, but often pairs of these can be static mixed together into 2, where rebalancing in post is not required. The tracks that I am worried about rebalancing afterwards are mostly less than 4 channels, usually spot or stereo vocals and the main outriggers.

I am having Warren Huck make me up a minimalist high quality 6 channel line mixer to do this, so the Nagra 6 can then be used with 10 inputs, 6 mixed to stereo and 4 additional post adjustable channels.

This will cater for 95% of my work.

Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 12:05 pm

BRH wrote:

#2- AC powered rig:
Alesis HD24XR.....Mixing board..... Chevy van with ty-dyed curtains..
and a bumper sticker that says..."Security by Smith&Wesson"

NIRVANA!

Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 5:18 am

DavidSpearritt wrote:

I am having Warren Huck make me up a minimalist high quality 6 channel line mixer to do this, so the Nagra 6 can then be used with 10 inputs, 6 mixed to stereo and 4 additional post adjustable channels.

Cool, if you're happy to premix things on location, that ought to work well.

I'm tempted to buy that Portadrive I lugged around the Himalaya with me. Having sat and reviewed the files and, in fact, the whole experience, I'm thinking very fondly of it. But anyway...

Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 10:36 pm

I've been linking 2 Sound Devices recorders together lately, which works well and is very portable. An easy way to add separate tracks to mix
later. An advantage is having the 2 built in separate ms decoders.

Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 10:43 pm

Simmosonic wrote:

I'm tempted to buy that Portadrive I lugged around the Himalaya with me. Having sat and reviewed the files and, in fact, the whole experience, I'm thinking very fondly of it. But anyway...

Well that seems to be an interesting idea Very Happy

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 1:13 pm

..."Security by Smith&Wesson". Well, they know you aren't inside hiding ready to shoot. Which is why I came up with an even more effective, completely green and environmentally safe crime deterrent system that utilizes no power, requires no maintenance nor wiring and costs under $200.

Unfortunately it causes the state police and Department of Transportation officials to always pull me over at those weight/inspection stations. Maybe it's because they believe I am a biohazard??? You don't suppose that the sign on the back of my Bard " wall mount" air-conditioner or, the signs on the driver and passenger door would cause any concerns, would you? The sign on the air-conditioner simply indicates " WARNING LEAVE REFRIGERATION UNIT RUNNING TO PREVENT BACTERIAL ODORS" and you can tell it's not running. And the sign on the driver and passenger doors that say " DIRTY BABY DIAPER PICKUP SERVICE " . The police and Department of Transportation officials think it's brilliant! Regardless of where I parked at from NYC to the inner city of Baltimore, Washington, etc., it's never been bothered with.

Why wouldn't I want to include a sign that says something like " Danger Toxic Waste "? Because some mentally deranged son of a bitch who wants to wreak havoc and terrorize some city/community with this " toxic waste" and only finds my fully restored 36 input, 1974 vintage all discrete Neve audio console, might decide to piss on it out of anger. THAT WOULD GET ME REALLY UPSET!

So when I'm not using the truck with the Neve, I now go out with with the Alesis HD 24xr, with 20 API microphone preamps and 4 du jour I preamps. I also included the 24 Channel Roland line level mixer that can also generate an eight track stem output and/or stereo backup to the laptop. Which also gives me the ability to burn reference CDs and/or DVDs to deliver at the end of the performance.

It's all good!
Ms. Remy Ann David

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 4:30 pm

I'm wondering if actually wearing a diaper will lighten your load....?

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 5:53 pm

BRH wrote:

I'm wondering if actually wearing a diaper will lighten your load....?

Only at first...

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 5:54 pm

Sorry, that was a crappy thing to say!

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 4:24 am

lell010 wrote:

Well that seems to be an interesting idea Very Happy

Er, when I wrote 'fondly' I meant it in the context of 'favourably', not as in 'fondling'.

Ahem!

I could never afford to buy a Portadrive at retail. But I might be able to get a better deal on that particular one seeing as it is no longer new, and I know it intimately (er, in the context of 'inside and out', not as in 'fondling').

I think I'll stop now...

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