best all-in-one hard disk recorder?

andrewstadium · Post by **andrewstadium** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 11:37 am

I am thinking of switching back from my computer to a dedicated hard disk recorder.
There are a slew of them on the market and all relatively cheap. Anyone have any success stories? Regrets? I am looking for something simple with hands on controls and without layers and layers of menu options. The Yamaha ones look straight ahead...

chovie d · Post by **chovie d** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 11:50 am

Im curious as to why you'd want to go back to hard disc?

I had the roland, as you said..layers and layers of menus on a teeny lcd screen... hated it. The tascams look to have some dedicated knobs fro pan, eq, etc at least....man it sucked to break out the manual and press forty buttons just to EQ something on that roland.

Hey, wanna buy a used roland?

inverseroom · Post by **inverseroom** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 12:10 pm

I LOVE my Akai DPS16. It is absolutely reliable, latency-free, and works just like a tape machine. It's easy to put in a new drive too...and if you replace the fan with a SilenX, it's dead quiet. Lately I've taken to exporting 24-bit WAVs out of it and importing them onto my laptop for mixing...so I get the best of both worlds.

They're out of production, but are affordable used...

Meriphew · Post by **Meriphew** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 12:14 pm

When you say HD recorder, do you mean like a RADAR or Mackie HDR/MDR system?

leester · Post by **leester** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 1:23 pm

Check out a used AW4416. STEEP learning curve unless you're already used to something like the Roland, but nice sounding AD, etc. Knobs for EQ, the rest is pretty intuitive. Routing possibilites are pretty extensive, as well as I/O options.

They're dirt cheap these days considering what you get. The newer 2400 will do 24 tracks internally, but NOT at 24 bit. Considering that you could pick up TWO used 4416's and cascade 'em with S/PDiF for the price of a new AW2400... well, that gets you 32 tracks at 24 bit with EQ/DYN on every channel and automix / scene recall.

They're just clean soundin' boards IMHO. Semi-weak on the pre's, but fine for 95% of the mics out there. 2 internal FX, plus the optional Y56K from Waves.

Lotsa bang for the buck.

me

centurymantra · Post by **centurymantra** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 1:24 pm

It sounds like you're looking to get into a stand-alone recorder that is in 'all in one box' type of unit w/ pres, converters, hard disk and onboard processing and mixer. I got into digital with Korg's flagship D32XD and can vouch for it as a pretty great machine. Like someone else mentioned, it works and feels much like a tape machine and has flying faders w/ full automation. It's also very stable and pretty much latency free. The funny thing is...I'm still using it, though it's completely slaved to outboard preamps and A/D converters, so I'm really using it more like a hard disk recorder at this point, since it's really just a hard drive and editor for me at the moment. I also route in and out of it to my outboard gear VIA ADAT connection for mixing, so really don't even use much of it's onboard processing. It makes my studio setup a litte idiosyncratic and not quite as ergonomic as I like, but it's working for me at the moment. I'm actually just getting around to seriously consider moving out of the Korg to something Like the Alesis HD24XR coupled with an analog console. I've toyed with the idea of doing a computer...but really resist the idea of recording with a mouse.

At any rate, I can totally vouch for the D32XD. Even on it's own, it's pretty good sounding, and it has some interesting add-ons as well. It's also very easy and quick to use. I haven't encountered any problems with going through layers of menus as another poster mentioned regarding a Roland unit. I do wish you could plug an outboard monitor into it though...but the touchscreen is pretty cool.

honkyjonk · Post by **honkyjonk** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 1:50 pm

I'd say get things in pieces even though it's a pain in the ass right now when you just want to record. An Alesis HD24 is a pretty standard rackmount unit that is tough as nails and sounds good. You'll need to get a board, but hey, a board will allow you to not use digital eq's which are the worst thing about those stand-alone units imo. Plus, you'll generally have a lot more routing options, and preamps that are more usable. Let's see, an HD24 and a Soundcraft? That would probably set you back a couple grand if you bought used (and then there's cables.) But you just get sooooo much more.

inverseroom · Post by **inverseroom** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 1:57 pm

Hey Honkyjonk, do HD24's come with a transport control?

andrewstadium · Post by **andrewstadium** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 2:22 pm

chovie d wrote:Im curious as to why you'd want to go back to hard disc?

Latency, clock anomalies, boot-up time, crashes, using a mouse with a guitar strapped on and staring at a computer screen. ...And ultimately the lack of immediacy that
the computer gives you when you want to put down an idea. I am trying to simplify I guess.

If it came to tracking a full band or mixdown I am still into using a DAW.

chovie d · Post by **chovie d** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 3:55 pm

I just got a DAW and to me its way faster and easier to use even for just jotting down an idea, than my old hard disc. Thats why I was asking why...the latency thing I can dig.
To me the hard disc was complex and the DAW seems so simple, so I am surprised that those are the reasons for wanting to go back to hard disc. Maybe the machines have changed alot since I bought my HD recorder in the mid nineties..I am sure they must have. That thing was such a pain..insert disc, load disc, wait, select song, load song, wait, select track select input, select effects, select pan..and finally record... all on an lcd the size of my thumb. Forgive me if this all sounds stupid, I am knew to DAWS and its been like someone gave me microsoft word after carving on a stone tablet for years.

idylldon · Post by **idylldon** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 3:56 pm

inverseroom wrote:Hey Honkyjonk, do HD24's come with a transport control?

They come with a rudimentary transport control (LRC), but the long-promised, full-featured remote called "The Director" has been abandoned by Alesis. Kind of a huge drag for sure, especially considering I held it in my hands a couple of years ago at NAMM. At that time, they were "waiting on the software." Well, that wait turned into vaporware.

There are some other options that folks are using (BRC, JL Cooper, and a free program called HDrc), but they all have some issues to work around from what I've read.

Cheers,
--
Don

Meriphew · Post by **Meriphew** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 4:13 pm

I use a Mackie MDR 24/96 with a little Mackie portable remote. I use it just like a tape machine. Has worked great for me so far (though i'd like to eventually get into a RADAR system).

cjogo · Post by **cjogo** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 4:25 pm

We use the Roland VS -in all of our studios. Can't think of ever moving out of this DAW.

Reliable--quality sound -- ease of use --more than enough of a recording machine , for our clients. Plenty of analog~ digital I/O..automated board~!~! About $1000 used

honkyjonk · Post by **honkyjonk** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 6:50 pm

Yup,

Answer is, it does have a transport control, but you have to arm and dis-arm tracks with your fingernail on the deck itself. "the fingers you have used to dial this number are too fat, please mash the key-pad with your palm now" (paraphrasing)

Anyway, yeah, that's a drag. Alesis should give everyone a fireport for promising the BRC and not delivering.

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best all-in-one hard disk recorder?

best all-in-one hard disk recorder?

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