Jules abandoning PT only mixing?

[Dave Chilson]

Hey Jules,

I've been a lurker in a few places you post in for a long time. You've always waved the Pro Tools banner high and proud in the face of the Anti-Pro Tools crowd. I recently have seen a post (and I can't remember where) where you've decided to go in seach of a different summing amp (or software or something). I'll be the first to admit I can't personally hear the difference between an SSL and PT's mixer. But, I never saw a reason as to why?

just curious.

-Dave

 

[anonymous]

Ahh!



Meanwhile despite checking out the new Yamaha DM 2000 desk, Nuendo and the Fairlight Dream set up nothing comes close to the usefulness, price and functionality of my already paid for and in use ProControl / PT / Apogee combo ..... Control surface, all in one & price!

Tweaking Mix+ rigs will soon be a popular past time! Vintage DAW racing anyone?

 

[Dave Chilson]

Yes please do keep me informed.

I'm at a crossroad right now, about to take the plunge and start trying to make this gear pay for itself. I have an 001 right now, but the limitations of the LE software are starting to get in my way. At this point I can either get a used Mix system (although the prices aren't dropping quite as fast as I'd hoped), or a used console and relegate my 001 to tape machine status. At this point as well I need to figure in a portable recording set up since the place I was going to move my gear into suddenly vanished. So I'm seriously looking at jumping off the Digi ship altogether for either a MOTU 896 or one of those Metric Halo Mobile IO thingies.

Decisions, decisions.

 

[anonymous]

For remote recording with PT compatability the new Tascam seems awsome!

http://www.tascam.com/products/mx2424/index.php

 

[MadMoose]

I'd use the 001 as a tape machine and submixer. I know a few people who have hit the wall in terms of DSP while trying to do everything in the computer.

 

[anonymous]

But Jay, you can only get up to 8 or possibly 10 channels of high quality outboard conversion into a 001..

That aint enough to track rock bands IMHO..

but you could have a point...

 

[bohemio]

I use an 001 and I got a DA-88 from ebay last year for like 600 bucks, almost brand new... So I got 16 tracks into my pro tools at a time... that's probably enough for me...

But I do wish I could get a used Mix + system at a reasonable price, hopefully with apogees... the HD is just too expensive for me right now...

 

[Rich Johnstone]

beware the Tascam MX2424! I just put one into a studio I built for someone and my initial impressions were not fantastic. It come with seven (yes 7) different manuals all of which seem to have been badly translated from different languages.

The software editor it comes with is a very bad port from a windows authored thing - arrghhhh - and it seemed half of its features did not work. With some messing about - a few hours - I managed to happlilly port a session over into PT - now I've got it sussed it'll be a cinch.

Overall I found the MX to be one of most unfriendly and least intuative bits of gear I've used. It sounds OK and is very well speced in terms of sync options though.

 

[kenn.michael]

Great thread!!! I've also been dealing with the same situation. I'm running a massive Logic system using both TDM hardware and MOTU 2408. Using the best of both worlds, I've seen the strengths and weaknesses of native processing. I have ProControl, but ever since I got 32 faders of LogicControl (Emagic's control surface), and have been running Logic's new automation system in Logic5, I don't touch ProTools software any more. I talked to the Dangerous 2-bus people extensively, and think it's a great solution. Native summing has a different sound than TDM summing, but the sound of 16 channels summed in hardware from a proper DAW group-mix sounds fantastic. I've thought about getting the new Yamaha console, or the Sony console to do summing, but I think a powerful DAW with a great control surface and hardware summing (16 or 32ch) makes more sense. It's more efficient to have one surface, one automation engine, one screen. Total recall and hardware summing seems to be the answer. I'm actually excited about the new Digi HD hardware because the 192 I/O sounds incredible, and running a 96K mix through those D/As into the Dangerous 2-bus should pretty much be it... for now anyway... Jules, interested to hear your results!

 

[Dave Chilson]

Jay, I think that's the way I'm leaning.

Jules, You can get 10 channels of out board converters (2 s/pidf, 8 ADAT) before you have to start using the built in converters. For right now that actually might be enough. Since I lost my studio space, I envision tracking basics for bands at their rehersal place then overdubs and mixing at my house. I think if I'm going to start tracking in a rehersal studio, the room, more than the converters will be my main worry. If I have to use the 001's converters that will probably be acceptable for now. Although that Fortex thing looks tasty.

I thought I'd also pass this along for those who care. It seems that the Metric Halo Mobile I/O (while the drivers are still in development and some features are missing) will be able to not only function as a stand alone firewire recording device (via ASIO) but will also function as an external set of converters that you could hook up to say...an 001. That's the only device I've found so far that will do double duty.

-Dave

 

[erockerboy]

Native summing has a different sound than TDM summing

Hey Kenn,

What exactly do you mean by a "different sound"? I use PT/TDM and DP/MAS systems quite extensively and have yet to hear any consistent difference in terms of their internal software mixes. Others have reported on this phenomenon before, though, so there might just be something to it. Can you go into more detail about exactly what you've been noticing?