MikeS
Bengalsologist
First, please be patient reading this… I’m not well voiced in a lot of the terminology you guys are in respect to recording gear, so if I sound like a newb, that’s because I am in this case. 
In 2000 or 2001 we (actually my buddy) bought a digital portable recording studio for use to record our ideas. It’s the Boss BR-8… 8 simultaneous playback with 64 virtual tracks, one XLR and one instrument line-in, which can be used simultaneously. For several years it has fit our needs fine… as we are admittedly amateurs (I’m not even sure I qualify as a novice) when it comes to recording our tunes. Typically only recording one track at a time, multiple inputs has never been much of an issue. However, this is something that with an upgrade we’d certainly like to improve upon.
For mics we’ve got a SM57, an SM58A, a Sennheiser E609, and a couple other cheaper cardioid mics that honestly only get used for backup vocals at gigs. We also have a decent setup for live room and studio monitors (although our studio monitors sure could use replacing). What we’re looking for is a replacement for the BR-8. I realize there are many avenues we could take, and this is where I admittedly know very little about, so any help is appreciated.
What’s wrong with the BR-8? A few things. Notably, with only 8 simultaneous playback tracks, we have to end up bouncing all rhythm guitars to virtual tracks under tracks 7 and 8. It’s very cumbersome to work with those virtual tracks, and mixing can be very tedious. Perhaps the biggest downfall of the BR-8 is that it records to zip disks. Zip disks are old enough that the only place you can find them is online, and you’re lucky if you can find them for less than $10 a disc. We can copy files to a PC for backup. It works, but given the number of times we’ve accessed and written to some of these disks (which up until recently have not been backed up on the PC) we’re on borrowed time. I’m waiting for the infamous “click of death.” So, we’re outgrowing it and the storage media is far outdated.
One avenue is to go with a pre-packaged portable studio not unlike the BR-8; something along the lines of a Boss BR-1600 or a Korg D3200. The advantage I see is that these are as plug and play as I think we’ll find, the software and hardware comes in one convenient package, and it’s a format in which we’re fairly comfortable. Both units seem to more than accommodate our needs right now as well, and mix to a much more relevant (and cheaper) storage media. The disadvantage of these units is that there isn’t room to really improve on them without completely replacing them.
Another avenue is taking the PC plunge. In speaking with my IT department, building a computer tower that far exceeds even the recommended requirements for audio recording/mixing/editing software could be done for the same price or even less than we would spend on a unit like the D3200 (we currently do not have a machine that could be devoted to this). That would leave us with needing an interface (and I’ve heard great things about the PreSonus Firepod from several of you guys) and appropriate software. Assuming we can keep the cost reasonable, the advantage I see is the capability to expand the system if need be, as well as replace individual components or software, without scrapping the entire investment. The disadvantage I see now is cost (there’s no way we could pull it off for the price of the D3200) and space. Our studio, even if we expand as planned, isn’t horribly spacious, and space could be a commodity.
So in short, I need advice. I don’t necessarily need to know exactly what you would do (although I wouldn’t object if you did). I am looking for general pros and cons that you guys know I’m looking over… especially in regards to components I’ve undoubtedly missed. Also, if there are any particular books that speak in generic terms that I could read to begin to get my head around the basics, by all means, point me in the right direction.
Many thanks to the bros who can help out. You deserve a cookie just for reading all that.
Mike
In 2000 or 2001 we (actually my buddy) bought a digital portable recording studio for use to record our ideas. It’s the Boss BR-8… 8 simultaneous playback with 64 virtual tracks, one XLR and one instrument line-in, which can be used simultaneously. For several years it has fit our needs fine… as we are admittedly amateurs (I’m not even sure I qualify as a novice) when it comes to recording our tunes. Typically only recording one track at a time, multiple inputs has never been much of an issue. However, this is something that with an upgrade we’d certainly like to improve upon.
For mics we’ve got a SM57, an SM58A, a Sennheiser E609, and a couple other cheaper cardioid mics that honestly only get used for backup vocals at gigs. We also have a decent setup for live room and studio monitors (although our studio monitors sure could use replacing). What we’re looking for is a replacement for the BR-8. I realize there are many avenues we could take, and this is where I admittedly know very little about, so any help is appreciated.
What’s wrong with the BR-8? A few things. Notably, with only 8 simultaneous playback tracks, we have to end up bouncing all rhythm guitars to virtual tracks under tracks 7 and 8. It’s very cumbersome to work with those virtual tracks, and mixing can be very tedious. Perhaps the biggest downfall of the BR-8 is that it records to zip disks. Zip disks are old enough that the only place you can find them is online, and you’re lucky if you can find them for less than $10 a disc. We can copy files to a PC for backup. It works, but given the number of times we’ve accessed and written to some of these disks (which up until recently have not been backed up on the PC) we’re on borrowed time. I’m waiting for the infamous “click of death.” So, we’re outgrowing it and the storage media is far outdated.
One avenue is to go with a pre-packaged portable studio not unlike the BR-8; something along the lines of a Boss BR-1600 or a Korg D3200. The advantage I see is that these are as plug and play as I think we’ll find, the software and hardware comes in one convenient package, and it’s a format in which we’re fairly comfortable. Both units seem to more than accommodate our needs right now as well, and mix to a much more relevant (and cheaper) storage media. The disadvantage of these units is that there isn’t room to really improve on them without completely replacing them.
Another avenue is taking the PC plunge. In speaking with my IT department, building a computer tower that far exceeds even the recommended requirements for audio recording/mixing/editing software could be done for the same price or even less than we would spend on a unit like the D3200 (we currently do not have a machine that could be devoted to this). That would leave us with needing an interface (and I’ve heard great things about the PreSonus Firepod from several of you guys) and appropriate software. Assuming we can keep the cost reasonable, the advantage I see is the capability to expand the system if need be, as well as replace individual components or software, without scrapping the entire investment. The disadvantage I see now is cost (there’s no way we could pull it off for the price of the D3200) and space. Our studio, even if we expand as planned, isn’t horribly spacious, and space could be a commodity.
So in short, I need advice. I don’t necessarily need to know exactly what you would do (although I wouldn’t object if you did). I am looking for general pros and cons that you guys know I’m looking over… especially in regards to components I’ve undoubtedly missed. Also, if there are any particular books that speak in generic terms that I could read to begin to get my head around the basics, by all means, point me in the right direction.
Many thanks to the bros who can help out. You deserve a cookie just for reading all that.
Mike
