hey all!
Im putting watever I have that is money or worth it. For better or worse. Born sort of necessity and a hunch that I might have a real shot, my gear purchases will be on the standard-high level commercial level, leaving boutique for my dreams luck and maybe DIY. This gear should hold about 65% of its value for at least 5 years. Depending of the buisness structure and depreciation method used for the papers that'll work itself out to a number I can prove. But by quick guess is based on the trends I've noticed from gear mags over the years, particularly the highest priced stuff.
I prefer gear that appreciates in value, like nice guitars, amps, and my trusty 414, but like my dad said if you can't hang with the big dogs, don't leave the porch. So with gear this level, you get quiet a bit of versatile connectivity with its digital interfaces and connection options. The price is eventual obsoletesence, or perhaps adoring novelty status. I'm not shooting for Sony, just yet, but I should be able to handle a national blues acts mix stems from the local zeteoroin theater. I think I am ready to test my capabilities with the best out there. the ability to be mobile, industry quality, and high data thru put, is going to propel my multimedia company vision.
My base requirements are top notch conversion, simplicity, and modular. Modular reasoning is to allow each function I need has its own device that does that specifically well. As the gear wears on and becomes obsolete, I can replace sections at a time. Even if the whole thing was replaced at once, modular units and all in one's at the top level seem to cost about the same ballpark.
The systems technical goals:
Wireless/remote controllable
Top conversion
Simple universal connection to various standard equipment (live, studio, broadcast/video)
Dsp based processing
5.1/7.1
Ability to track (stereo minimum)
Extremely flexible, but simple routing (trying to avoid analog patchbayof possible)
No wasted space, power
No limits on the system as its works as a whole (no Le versions, etc.)
Limit manufacture, OS, incompatibilities, by using conventional and tested components.
Purpose:
To handle digital audio IO for a complete multimedia studio, with wireless data transfer, and remote computer/equipment control.
Semi portable, remote controllable audio IO nerve center for journeyman sound professional. Ability to track basic ideas with solo artists/songwriters and provide inspiring headphone mixes. First class DA and monitoring for both 5.1 mixing compatibility, and for editing suite purposes.
The system as a whole will be like this. Mic->Pre/channel-strip->AD->CPU/DSP->DA->
For anything requiring sample rate conversion, it will hit (OB Optional)-> AD-> samplitube for 2/5.1mixdown/mastering.
I'm going to list the gear with a brief comment of purpose or reason. Any thoughts are welcome and this is just merely a conversation starter, as there are many many options out there. I want redundancy only where I want it, otherwise is money not maximized, which is what I need at this point.
Multirack/Mix CPU- Mac mini or TB2 compatible Mac pro tower
Mixdown/Network CPU- custom PC (i7or i5)
Burl Mothership (1 4ch BAD, 1 8ch BDA) module to start.
Cramesong Avocet 2- still thinking hard but with the built in DA it seems like a bit of a hike in sound quality vs the dangerous st. That said, as soon as you talk 5.1 (which is a reasonable selling point for me) the avocet doubles in price... Something to strongly consider. But the digital IO in the base unit if the Cranseong is huge.
- incorperating the DA from the Burl and the monitor controller are crucial to this setup. This allows quite a few possibilities with the mixdown. hopfeully audiokid chris can guide me with this end of the setup, because I think it's the most critical area of his setup, and I think he and boz have mastered that area of the whole process.
That leaves PT, PTHD as base multitrack DAW
And interestingly the UAD satellite quad is being included with the purchase of a UA 6176 which I'm sure is decent, but with the card its key to this system, so I'm weiging the options. It's that or for 1k just the card, and 3 plugins. One of the plugins is the 610, or maybe it's free, but I figure the real thing, plus a 1176 type thing night be better spent long term than a couple bonus pluginsfor my UAD card, at least initially.
I really hate combo units that compromise design like the 6176, but it's probably going to make a decent bass dI and eventually I'll get the retro sta level or 176, which I realy.l want the 176. I wish Neve was giving away a satalite instead...
That's the storm in this crazy brain for now. I'm going to define the whole package as I'm putting together the buisness plan and then see where it takes me. If things line up some projects will finish and I'll have some time off to restructure my personal setup which has been on hold the past couple years.
Focusrite RED Net would handle any other sort of intefacing that couldn't connect via Ethernet or thunderbolt. The selection of that line is great, and it's solid quality. The vk guy said something about them using it on the super bowl. Either way network based audio has to be my focus.
I have access to an amazing room with really good gear, and some great amps, etc, so that is where I will continue to record primarily for the foreseeable future. This setup is broadcast and multimedia focused so high level audio is required, so is versatility. With a growing podcast scene and my proximity to US Capitol cities, the possibilities are growing with each connection that comes together.
Comments
Boswell, post: 432006, member: 29034 wrote: Check your line rent
Boswell, post: 432006, member: 29034 wrote: Check your line rental terms carefully, as you may be explicitly barred from site hosting - it all depends on your ISP. In any case, if you are connected via ADSL, the upload speeds make hosting a public site unworkable.
It's true, but when you call them, they nearly all ISP have commercial deals that will be ok. (with fixed IP and all you need to make it work) Higher price of course ;)
Marco, I went to 'like' your comment, and realized I have no ide
Marco, I went to 'like' your comment, and realized I have no idea what it means:). Looks like maybe I'm getting into an entirely new arena. The amount of knowledge some people have fascinates me. With a tendency to bite more than I can chew, I'm going to proceed cautiously. I'm starting to like the idea, at least from the get go, of maybe doing the monthly deal with a local provider. But since I've got a couple months of down time, I'd really like to explore how the IT side of it fits in, because I feel that's where the future is headed, multimedia anytime, anywhere. Cheers man!
@kmetal if you are looking at something like a permanent IP addr
kmetal if you are looking at something like a permanent IP address for external internet access a good solution is a company like this https://www.dynu.com/ which is free. That doesn't care what your IP address is that way.
kmetal, post: 432009, member: 37533 wrote: Marco, I went to 'lik
kmetal, post: 432009, member: 37533 wrote: Marco, I went to 'like' your comment, and realized I have no idea what it means:). Looks like maybe I'm getting into an entirely new arena. The amount of knowledge some people have fascinates me. With a tendency to bite more than I can chew, I'm going to proceed cautiously. I'm starting to like the idea, at least from the get go, of maybe doing the monthly deal with a local provider. But since I've got a couple months of down time, I'd really like to explore how the IT side of it fits in, because I feel that's where the future is headed, multimedia anytime, anywhere. Cheers man!
I'm sorry I didn't explain each aspect further..
What I was saying is that a server gets you more flexibility but most of the services can be bought online. In fact you can even rent a server in a server farm and make it setup the way you want/need. We have an OVH server farm not far from where I live. All they do is make sure the servers and their access are never down. Of course it has a price.
A NAS is a lot simpler to operate but can't do email services and advance security. Most can send email to you to warn you of problems but they can't receive any.
Just think of NAS as a pimped storage device. Data storage and sharing, backup on usb drives is available on many models.
As for other aspects, I suggest you make friend with an IT or have an exchange of service. Making him some promotion audio/video in exchange of his work would be a nice way to save money ;).
As if IT is the future of multimedia, I really don't know. In the delivery process YES, that's for sure. Websites looks and fonctionnalities make a lot of difference in the customer's experience, but a big par is programmation, that's where I fail. Because I'm more of a infrastructure guy : Network, server, Data server, Mail server, etc.
Well this is all so interesting. Maybe I need a less tricked ou
Well this is all so interesting. Maybe I need a less tricked out NAS drive, and should budget some of that money towards server rentals. Perhaps the first 2 years, then that gives me time to build and understand a server, or realize I may not need one.
Or I could just go all out and get a server. My concern with that is me delivering dissatifactory service to my clients, and not knowing how to fix things. After all a big part of this concept, is to get technology that works and isn't limited, but with the notion that it does its job w low maintenance by me.
I've spent probably about %30-35 of my time at the studio working around re working, or solving problems, good experience sure, but my goal is to be a knowledgeable race car driver not the mechanic.
My other concern is last time I ventured and bought was 8 years ago, when the first core 2 duo processors came out, and an mbox. Which didn't work, then an m audio device and quirky PT. overall I spent about $1800 on a system that never really worked consistently well.
So it's important that if I put the CPU together myself, that it makes sense, and works. I also am concerned with adding a lot of stuff, so you can see that the overall setup I've outlined so far, is minimal but still somehow expensive.
I guess what I'm asking is from a cost/benifit pov do you feel renting the server capabilities is that smarter/easier overall way to go? I'm going to look into rates and such.
I have a fairly comprehensive UPS, and solar battery bank setup in mind, so my goal is to never lose power. My concern is that because it's going to be in my house till I expand to room, is that my residential internet would not keep up with the demands of even a few clients trying to acces their videos and songs, to show their friends. Is this something I should be concerned about?
First, your project processing computer and the server need to b
First, your project processing computer and the server need to be 2 seperate computers and I would recommand against building a server yourself.
Some nicely done can be found at Dell or Hp. The advantages of pre-built is that the support is unified over thousands of customers and so firmwares and patches come faster.
Second, If you host your website, do FTPs (file sharing over the internet), include email services. Uninteruptive services is crutial.
You must have a commercial internet access, check with your provider what they can propose to you. Your serveur should have redundant powersupply in addition to UPS that lets you go for a long period of time.
If you rent online services, the uninterruptive part is covered by them. You can rent the services or rent a server space in a farm and put your own server there. So you get a controlled environement, fast internet access and redondant AC power from their facility but you get to manage your hardware like you want, adding space etc..
Either way, the setup could be done once by a TI and include some basic guides for you to help you do what needs to be done often (adding a mail box, create or delete FTP accounts etc)
If I was you, I wouldn't go at setting up everything because it's a very long process. But it could be done by anyone with patiences and a lot of Google searches..
One server OS that is simple to manage is MS Small business server. Everything has a wizard and can be done without knowing it all.
I've been told that Apple's servers are also very easy to manage but never worked on one.
For your production computer, I guess your past fail can be named in one word : M-Audio.. They are the worst driver maker I had to deal with ! ;)
Well here's some rough drawings of the placeholders for now. It
Well here's some rough drawings of the placeholders for now. It's nice to almost at least have all the roles and equipment types I'm gonna need. Still a lot more, so much more paper work, and budgets and projections and inventories and gigs lol. In the picture are my two tape machines, the reel to reel may be being sold along with its mixer. Thinking that it might be a good time to sell and perhaps get something that will be used more often.
It's painful to think that that cool item is better sold and so,etching like an isolation transformer for the power plugs is more useful, but it may be a sad truth.
You see the two twin CPUs and the back side of the multitrack CPU. One cable from converters to Pcie card. One Ethernet gives me 128ch of audio, thru Audio Dantes 'virtual sound card, and Via'. The ability to digitally mult the audio with th cheap acessable virtual sound card and Ethernet is huge. It's going to be great for rest kme Redundent recording. I'm still mulling over the best IO Pcie but the HD native one is there for now. Burl will sell bothnlptherboafd cards digilink and Dante to me VK quoted $500 for the Dane motherboard, but only one is usable at a time. The minimum latency is 4ms with virtual sound card, the hdnative card is 1.6 and the HD card is .6 and ($5k) with the software.
So there are various networking and connection choices, and this is partly where I must per determine some workflows. The simplest medium-low latency is pictured. With the burl connected via hdnative and then bused to the Redundent machine via Dante virtual channels, at a higher latency. Still not shabby. Still mulling all the pieces. But it's starting to become something.
Green is thunderbolt, red is Ethernet, black is audio. These is the digilink cable which is blue. Overall very little cabling. But this still looks kinda hacky. I think a nice stereo pre, and one channel strip should replace the bass amp, and 4 track. Leaving my 424mk3 staying by my side. It's my first machine, it has sentimental value. lol
You can tell from the pictures of the Bose stereo and Mackies and berringer power amp, and pretty much all of it, lol, why I'm shying away from prosumer and consumer audio stuff for my $. Lol. Oh yeah, no phantom power on the tascams. So some sort of pre amp a must. A donated the ART to the studio a while back, so one more piece to add.
kmetal, post: 431999, member: 37533 wrote: Basic website hosting
Check your line rental terms carefully, as you may be explicitly barred from site hosting - it all depends on your ISP. In any case, if you are connected via ADSL, the upload speeds make hosting a public site unworkable.