Newbie (yet not newbie): hardware/software compatibility

:? Hello to all. My name is Rob, I'm new to this board, and have a question concerning hardware/ software compatibility. From the posts on this board, I sense a high level of expertise...and hardware /software knowledge. I am a long time recording artist/guitarist/bassist/vocalist/mixer/producer who has never really stepped up to true multi track recording. I finally built a custom DAW (AsusPB5/Intel Dual core 1.8/2gig kingston ram/160gig sata HD/Liteon DVDCDRW/256mb dual head video/2 x 17" lcd mon running in "spread" mode/ Delta2496 audio/ WinXP home SP2) and am quite happy with it's performance. In the past I have been an avid user of Acid 3.0g, investing a lot of money into pro recorded drum loops (real stuff -betamonkey.com, etc.) and then creating my own loops for the compositions, along with 1 take tracks of guitars, vocals, etc...I master with Waves/ Event plugins through Soundforge 4.5 Full...and burn to disk, or to mp3 with the Audio Active Prodution Studio (great ripper).
My question/ problem: my previous setup consisted of a P2 with Win 2000 running a SBLive5.1 full duplex into Acid 3, no problems whatsoever, excluding the "hiss" from the 5.1 (I could live with it -it was analog, and did not show up on the digital recordings), I would record a scratch track synced to an Acid drum loop, and then build the song from there. The SB would full duplex record and playback - monitoring both the previously recorded scratch tracks, and the new recorded track without mixing the 2 audio streams together, Exactly what I need....I don't do any more than 2 in / 2 out at one time for my home recording.
Problem: with the new Delta2496, try as I might, I cannot get the card to monitor the digital stream (the audio playback in Acid), and the audio input stream without mixing the two streams together: IE: the new recorded track has both the recorded track I just did + the orginal data tracks playing back in Acid.... :roll: :?
Am I such a newbie to this technology? Or, am I going to have to step up to a "real" multi track program such as my copies of Sonar, VST5.1, the Ableton or Protools demos that came with the Delta card (I have previously used VST as a mixing program (for it's automation and effects) by loading the mixdowns from Acid to it as wav files, and then mixing the audio with Cubase VST.). I really need a program like Acid to do my drum tracks...I only stepped up to the Delta to take advantage of the cards 24bit functionality.
Is Acid 3 compatible with a Delta for "monitoring" both the playback, and record, as I used to do with the SBLive? Acid 6.0 seems to be the only Acid family product that has TRUE multitrack funtionality. Before I got the Delta2496, I was using the SBLive in this new system with no problems other than the SB's inherant hiss....the Delta is SO much quieter....Could I use both cards? the Live for input (it'll do 24 bit record) and the Delta for playback? then again...why would I want to...if the Delta is so much quieter....maybe it's time to Protool it, or maybe I just don't get it?
FTR: I monitor with JBL4406's powered by a Onkyo 170 per ch. high current amp from the soundcards' analog outputs....
Help????
Thanks, Rob Fowler/ Flightpath Studios, Des Moines, WA 98198
http://www.soundclick.com/digitalchemistry or http://

 

IMHO
The equipment you have sounds ok. You should be able to track and monitor off the Delta 2496 and just ditch the SB. I think it would be more beneficial to focus on a "real" multitrack recording program as you stated. Best way to find out what works best for you would be to download the demos of the programs and try them out.

 

I decided to go back to my old card...which did exactly what I expected it to do...loaded fine, and recorded/monitored with no latency...say waht you will about the low tech specs of a SB Live, the hiss it has at it's output stage never affects the final products' digital data...and stability and simplicity is best (IMHO) when you're a one-man-band.
Thanks anyway

 

I followed your links and I think your stuff sounds fabulous! All that with a Sound Blaster live eh? You are a beautiful example of its not what you've got to what you do with it! Your stuff probably sounds as good as it does because your monitor system is very similar to my numerous systems? Got to love those JBL's in any flavor!

Simply impressed
Ms. Remy Ann David

 

I see a lot of talking down to people who use the soundblaster live, I tried the audigy, and the new gamer card they have...both are very unstable, and there's no support from Creative, but...the SB Live (hiss, and all) is probably their best card overall....IMHO...

Not that I wouldn't give my right eye teeth for a RADAR, a couple of Mac G5's, some expensive mics, a sound proof ( and properly designed) control room, a great drummer "on-demand", and a Pro Tools engineer to run it all :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

I recently spent a boatload on gear (computer, bass gear...etc...) and I do wonder if I should have bought some other stuff (GC's cube computer, or maybe the Korg, or Roland "all-in-one" recorder) instead of what I got :roll: ...but, second guessing is only speculation...work within what you have, and you'll get what you want with some hard work, and a little knowledge of your specific limitations....IMHO

About your comments on my music....Thank you so much...yea, I've had some technical help from a friend of mine (a wonderful live sound engineer), but it's been more about how to get what I wanted with eq (eq center points of different instruments), a lot of heart break and un-recoverable mistakes, hard work and many, many hours with headphones (I monitor with md series Sonys ( and a real flat sounding RS's), and some crap monitors, then a whole lot of disks burned and listened to in many differing audio systems.
I'm very old school in my recording with the exception of my use of Acid Pro...a great compositional tool, but I play guitar every day, bass about once every other day, and I work on my vocals (although I'm really not a great singer).
I've got some old, but very durable, and decent enough, sounding outboard gear, and I've collected plug-ins that do what I want with very little fuss and muss. After the number of years I've worked with those tools, I've gotten good(?) at getting what I want out of them. I've always wondered about people who go out and buy these TDM type systems, set themselves up as recording studios, but don't seem to understand how or why their recordings suck....those of use who come from the analog domain understand "it's not the technology, but rather how to use it in a musical fashion". Mic placement (or in my case, simulation-everything is direct excepting a few guitar solos, and the vocals), placement of instruments in the stereo field, decisions made about how "forward. or back" in the mix a particular track is, etc....
I got really lucky finding those JBL's for the price I paid (peanuts, in fact), and they have improved my mix's dramatically. I've made some changes where they are placed and eq'ed (see the pic of my "space" on my Digital Chemistry page-I eq them with an outboard EV 15 band eq).
I usually use Peter Gabriel's "SO" recording as reference, and double check with Rush's "Hemispheres" (that mix is so "full"...top to bottom of the frequency spectrum) and , KingsX's "Dogman" -just a "big" sounding mix (Micheal Wagner has helped me with drum recording ideas)

Sorry for rambling, I'm just another home studio guy who has to be 1 part musician and 2 parts techy, and engineer... sometimes I get carried away with the cerebral part of it :lol:

Again, thank you so much for the kudo, all I can hope is that people enjoy what I'm doing, everything after that is gravy...peace, Rob Fowler/ Flightpath Studios
(BTW: a jumbo jet passes over my house evry 2 minutes...any wonder why the name "FlightPath"? :lol: )