Multi-channel Data Aquisition

Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2006 5:58 pm

I am getting a little frustrated with the tools at my disposal for recording multi-channel audio. We use a Lynx Aurora/AES16 for our top gigs and a Mackie Onyx for lesser jobs.

The trouble is, Wavelab, wonderful though it is, is not great at multichannel recording but we can get by, it works very nicely with the Lynx drivers. But it doesn't seem to work with the Onyx ASIO driver as it seems to only record stereo. Mackie Traction is one of the stupidest bits of software I have ever seen, the guys that wrote it obviously had coke up the nostrils. It is totally nutty and unusable as a professional recording application.

Is there a simple multichannel data aquisition package out there that is well thought out, and works reliably with ASIO drivers. I only need this for recording or aquiring the files, perhaps playing back to check monitoring nothing more.

Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2006 6:45 pm

www.cockos.com/reaper
http://audacity.sourceforge.net >>>both of those cost peanuts..(40/free)

or you could get samplitude. I use samplitude in the field(bringing files back to import into Sequoia) (cheapest way to get Samp is from Ebay..then upgrade for little dough)

Cockos is getting rave reviews..Audacity has been around for a good while.

DavidSpearritt wrote:

I am getting a little frustrated with the tools at my disposal for recording multi-channel audio. We use a Lynx Aurora/AES16 for our top gigs and a Mackie Onyx for lesser jobs.

The trouble is, Wavelab, wonderful though it is, is not great at multichannel recording but we can get by, it works very nicely with the Lynx drivers. But it doesn't seem to work with the Onyx ASIO driver as it seems to only record stereo. Mackie Traction is one of the stupidest bits of software I have ever seen, the guys that wrote it obviously had coke up the nostrils. It is totally nutty and unusable as a professional recording application.

Is there a simple multichannel data aquisition package out there that is well thought out, and works reliably with ASIO drivers. I only need this for recording or aquiring the files, perhaps playing back to check monitoring nothing more.

Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2006 8:56 pm

Thanks muchly Teddy. Samplitude Classic, the cheapest version to record multitrack, is $1000 AUD, so I would not be inclined to go for it just yet. Will keep an eye on eBay, though.

Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 4:51 am

DavidSpearritt wrote:

Thanks muchly Teddy. Samplitude Classic, the cheapest version to record multitrack, is $1000 AUD, so I would not be inclined to go for it just yet. Will keep an eye on eBay, though.

No problem. FYI, I have used reaper , just to see how it performed. Appears very stable and intuitive. The developer is very dedicated to his user base.

Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 7:51 am

Some version of Cubase?

http://steinberg.net/932_1.html

Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 12:31 pm

Sony Vegas
Adobe Audition

Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2006 5:43 am

DavidSpearritt wrote:

I am getting a little frustrated with the tools at my disposal for recording multi-channel audio. We use a Lynx Aurora/AES16 for our top gigs and a Mackie Onyx for lesser jobs.

The trouble is, Wavelab, wonderful though it is, is not great at multichannel recording but we can get by, it works very nicely with the Lynx drivers. But it doesn't seem to work with the Onyx ASIO driver as it seems to only record stereo. Mackie Traction is one of the stupidest bits of software I have ever seen, the guys that wrote it obviously had coke up the nostrils. It is totally nutty and unusable as a professional recording application.

Is there a simple multichannel data aquisition package out there that is well thought out, and works reliably with ASIO drivers. I only need this for recording or aquiring the files, perhaps playing back to check monitoring nothing more.

David,

We use Samplitude and Tracktion 2 together with no problems. In fact we did a gig yesterday with Tracktion and were recording 12 channels of audio on a laptop. I will use Samplitude today to do the editing. We also have used our Onyx board with Wavelab with no problems. Something you are doing is not correct. Suggest checking your setup in the computer. It maybe something in the control panel for your sound card or in the Onyx setup menu.

Tracktion 2 is not for everyone but if you can get you mind around it the program is not bad at all. Everything is on one screen which is not what most people are use to and it does take some time but it is very well thought out very nicely implemented program that is a real steal for the price. Tracktion 2 is a much improved version and if you have not already done so I would upgrade now.

Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2006 6:24 am

Tom, many thanks for your suggestions. What ASIO driver are you using for the Onyx with Wavelab. There only seems to be version 1.0.0 on the Mackie website. I cannot get this driver to show more than two channels in the record devices in Wavelab.

I am very familiar with setting up ASIO devices in Wavelab. I have no problem with the Lynx Aurora with 8 channels available.

Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2006 10:48 am

SAW Studio Basic: $300, worth $3000.

Posted: Tue Sep 19, 2006 4:01 pm

Thanks for all the info guys. Will probably go with Reaper in the short-term, while WL is fixed for the next patch.

Tom, still interested in your Mackie ASIO driver setup with Wavelab.

Posted: Wed Sep 20, 2006 12:01 am

I love using Sonar, with Wavelab and Sound Forge as it's
connected audio editors, with Waves Ir and Paragraphic
Equalizer as plugins to the audio editors. My experience
with it is more for midi/audio mixing than mic recording,
but it works great for that. When I install Sonar I just leave
out all it's synthesizers etc. It's fantastic for final mixing
lots of tracks using volume envelopes, similar to Vegas
Video. Very straightforward. Vegas Video has the added
bonus of time stamping wav files for film production.

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