Recommend a recorder that doesn't boot up or have... SOLVED

[Snarl 12/8]

Hey,

I really want to record to something that comes on fairly instantly and has, pretty much, one knob per function layout. I'd like it to not be able to do email, web surfing, etc. I have ADHD and I really need to limit my distractions and set up some limitations for myself in my music area.

I already have a few mixers, including a Ramsa DA7, which I love, (it has, basically, one knob per function once you select a track, I'm fine with that) but unfortunately it has TDIF cards, instead of ADAT which limits its connectivity to the hard disk recorders that are out there significantly. My other mixers are all 8 channels or less analog. I'm open to anything between 4 and 24 tracks, but I think 16 would be ideal.

What have you all tried and liked or disliked in the "stand alone" digital recorder market? Anything I should look for or avoid? It's so hard to tell which ones have intuitive interfaces and good converters or not based on eBay photos.

Oh, my budget is somewhere between $500 and maybe $1500 if I sell the DA7 and some other stuff. I was thinking about an MPC5000, but that looks like menu hell to me.

Thoughts? Thanks.
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Carl Keil

[A.David.MacKinnon]

Sounds like you're talking about a tape machine.
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Dave

http://adavidmackinnon.blogspot.com
http://adavidmackinnon.bandcamp.com

[Snarl 12/8]

I know. I broke out my old Fostex 80 yesterday to see if it was just the heads that were shot on it, and it won't rewind. There's a little bit of scorching on a board in there and a fuse is toast. It toasted the replacement the minute I turned it on. All that reminded me of what a hassle tape can be. I know it has its joys too.

I think what I'm talking about is an Alesis HD24. I've got a motu 2408 mk1. Can that thing really translate back and forth between tdif and adat, on the fly, without adding latency or artifacts? Cause if so, I might just bite the bullet and get a HD24. Then, down the road I can swap out my DA7 and Motu for a better quality analog board.
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Carl Keil

[Brett Siler]

ADAT!
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[vvv]

I mentioned the Zoom R16 to you before.

Now, it has menus and all kindsa options, but I just use it as a recorder.

See, you can set it up as simple as you want, and then, save the set-up, never look at the menus again.

As I use it, I turn it on, it's set with no effects, 24 bit 44.1, and done, hit "record".

I usually run snare, kick, OH's, floor tom/ride, room and room2/vocal to record myself and the drummer; that's 7 tracks.

I use the Hi-Z input (8th track) to DI the bass and it sounds fine by itself, and takes ITB processing well.

I use a 16 gig SD card what'll hold almost 3 hours of 8-trackage. I pull the card and transfer the files to the pooter for editing.

The only complaint I have is the R16 only has two phantom powered channels, but that's easily resolved.

Oh, and it's US$399 or so, and SD cards are cheap.
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vlayman; THD; blog; TFP

[rhythm ranch]

Alesis HD24
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Every calculation based on experience elsewhere fails in New Mexico. - General Lew Wallace, author of Ben Hur and Territorial Governor of NM 1878-81

[kayagum]

+1 on HD24.

Although it's sweet to use lightpipe to connect to the deck (I do that with my ZED R16 board), it has 24 I/O and A/D/A conversion (12 if you have the XR version for the higher 96kHz).

If you already have a board you like, and have the cords or snake, it's hard to beat it.

Oh- and it's pretty close to bullet proof too.
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"Advice is what we ask for when we already know the answer but wish we didn't." ~ Erica Jong

"No one wants advice — only corroboration." ~ John Steinbeck

[Snarl 12/8]

Has anyone here used the MOTU 2408 to do standalone TDIF <- -> ADAT conversion? Like, can I put the motu between the TDIF's on my DA7 and the ADAT I/O on the HD24 and just send audio to be recorded and do overdubs while monitoring ad hoc channels on the HD24 without having to futz with the motu for every different track configuration? And does it add latency? I've googled for hours and can't get a bead on how successful the standalone converter thing is a real-world recording situation. It seems like maybe it was more intended for one-way mass conversion, like importing tracks off an adat or something, not overdubbing. Bueler?
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Carl Keil

[rhythm ranch]

Wouldn't it be cheaper to find a ADAT or D/A converter card for the DA7? I realize they may be more difficult to locate than a 2408, but they're out there.
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Every calculation based on experience elsewhere fails in New Mexico. - General Lew Wallace, author of Ben Hur and Territorial Governor of NM 1878-81

[Snarl 12/8]

[joel hamilton]

Digital without the convenience sounds like a pretty terrible way to rid yourself of personal hangups.


Why not simply make a decision during recording. The whole "turn the screen off" thing actually makes me mental... Its like spray painting the windshield of your car so you don't get distracted and turn down every single road while desparately trying to get home.... simply ridiculous.

Focus.
Record.
Have a vision for where it needs to go.
Go there with any tools available.
Repeat forever.
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http://www.studiogbrooklyn.com

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http://www.myspace.com/thebookofknots

[joel hamilton]

Digital without the convenience sounds like a pretty terrible way to rid yourself of personal hangups.


Why not simply make a decision during recording. The whole "turn the screen off" thing actually makes me mental... Its like spray painting the windshield of your car so you don't get distracted and turn down every single road while desparately trying to get home.... simply ridiculous.

Focus.
Record.
Have a vision for where it needs to go.
Go there with any tools available.
Repeat forever.
_________________
http://joelhamiltonrecording.com/

http://www.studiogbrooklyn.com

http://www.lawless-music.com

http://www.myspace.com/thebookofknots

[Snarl 12/8]

People referring to ADHD as a "personal hangup" makes me mental.

I can't focus, that's the whole point. All the focusing on focusing just makes it harder to focus. It's a brain wiring thing.

You can't appreciate that not every human being can thrive in front of a computer screen? I've watched videos of you working and I'm jealous. Not of your gear, or the people you get to work with, but of your focus. I just don't fucking have that. I can get hyperfocused, every once in a while if the conditions are just right and it feels so freakin' awesome, like a drug I can't find a dealer for. I'm just fishing around for ways to make recording more conducive to that. I'm glad you've found a system that works for you, please don't piss on my attempts to find mine.
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Carl Keil

[dsw]

Hi Snarl,

This is Donny down at SuperDigital. I have the Zoom R16 and 24 (which has more phantom power) in stock if you want to demo them at home to see if it's a good solution. I also have a lot of used standalone machines like the KorgD3200 and the Yamaha something or other.

I also have a DA7 with two ADAT cards and an RME ADAT interface (uses PCI so you need an old computer)

would love to help somehow.

503-228-2222
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"Analog smells like thrift stores. Digital smells like tiny hands from far away." - O-it-hz

musicians are fuckers, but even worse are people who like musicians, they're total fuckers.

[joel hamilton]

[joel hamilton]

[leigh]

The Zoom R16 looks great for portable/easy multitracking! Now if it just had a lightpipe input, so I could pick my own converters, I'd be sold. But it doesn't look like it does...

Joel: you should really get that arm looked at!
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