Is it me or is it my Digi 001?

mattyblacklove · Post by **mattyblacklove** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 1:30 pm

I've had my Digi 001 for about, what, six years now? Good lord.

I've done a lot of on-again-off-again recording over that time, with different mics, preamps, rooms, etc. and it surprises me that it took this long for me to notice: The sound of this thing just doesn't cut it. In the least.

Or is it me?

It just has a cotton-on-the-microphone quality. The mixes are invariably muddy and flat, even with proper and not-so-proper amounts compression and eq. The stereo image is super narrow, too. It just has the most unflatteringly dull color to it.

So what's the question?

Does anybody share/not share this experience?

And...

Do the newer Firewire interfaces (like the Presonus Firepod) sound much better than the Digi 001? I'm not talking a "subtle" better, but a "whoa" kind of better.

Or...

Is it me???????

--Matty

sdelsolray · Post by **sdelsolray** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 2:11 pm

If you're using the Digi001 preamps, line ins or line outs, converters and/or clock that's not surprising. If you bypass the pres and converters (totally), the unit (although lobotomized) works great.

mattyblacklove · Post by **mattyblacklove** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 2:39 pm

sdelsolray wrote:If you bypass the pres and converters (totally), the unit (although lobotomized) works great.

That's kind of sad.

Rodgre · Post by **Rodgre** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 4:17 pm

Also, are you judging it from CDs of mixes or from listening to the sound from it's analog outputs?

If that's the story, then try listening to Protools via the 001's s/pdif out into something with nice converters. The difference between the converters in the 001 and using external converters is night and day.

Roger

mattyblacklove · Post by **mattyblacklove** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 6:05 pm

Rodgre wrote:Also, are you judging it from CDs of mixes or from listening to the sound from it's analog outputs?

If that's the story, then try listening to Protools via the 001's s/pdif out into something with nice converters. The difference between the converters in the 001 and using external converters is night and day.

Roger

I'm judging it by both...

I'd love to give a nice converter a try, can you recommend one for under $100?

I'm kidding. Sort of.

sdelsolray · Post by **sdelsolray** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 10:27 am

mattyblacklove wrote:
sdelsolray wrote:If you bypass the pres and converters (totally), the unit (although lobotomized) works great.
That's kind of sad.

Well, I suppose it is. Still, the Digi001 was designed to a price point, about $800 IIRC. Back then (late '90s, early '00s) it provided quite a bit of functionality and versatility for folks.

I've had one for over 6 years too. But I bypassed the pres, converters and clock back then too. I still use it. Works great. I haven't had to fool with upgrades for quite some time. Stable too.

Quest Poetics · Post by **Quest Poetics** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 3:30 pm

I've had mine since 99 and it just recently went bad....My mixes for the most part were...Ehh....Until I bought an apogee trak2 and used those converters and clock and I"m really happy w/ the sound of the unit these days...I'm going to buy another used 001 because I've done mixes on a 002 and motu hardware and it's the same ol...All that really matters is your signal chain going in...It really makes a huge difference...

joel hamilton · Post by **joel hamilton** » Sat Jun 10, 2006 2:19 pm

I bought one of the first 100 "001's" shipped.
That little thing is great. Especially clocked. I used the converters quite a bit, and you really just have to accomodate for the way it sounds... just like any other piece of gear. You need to make choices that flatter the performance AND the capture format. If you wind up with some mic pre, ANY mic pre that sounds really good with the 001: get another one. Certain tricks that I like that worked wit htape machines were not applicable, but so what? They are different. who cares.
Seriously, YOU need to make recordings that are bigger than the box. It is possible, but you need to make it happen. Nothing magical happens with the HD3 rig i use almost every day, same with the Studer A827. I guarantee that I could make poopy sounding records with either of those things. I have made it work with 001's, 002's and Mboxes ever since they came out... Like doing overdubs for vocals straight to the Mbox in someone's apartment... or doing guitar overdubs at the prctice space or rented house outside of town that has an 002... It all works if you make it work. Unless something is broken, use it. if it IS broken: fix it or get a new one and move on to the next recording. It gets better/easier/more fun every time...

Harmony Head · Post by **Harmony Head** » Sat Jun 10, 2006 4:05 pm

I agree with Joel here.. i got my 001 in 2000 and have made a lot of really great sounding records with it. I bypass the pres a lot, but i don't really have any problem with using them either. I sometimes use an external clock, but have never really noticed a 'whoa' difference without it either. And i have the same feeling about the Mbox. One of my mastering guys favourite records i've done has every overdub done through channel one of the Mbox. Of course, there was a UA M610/1176 before it..

Which brings me to my next point. I think sometimes people assume they can achieve miracles in the box. In the same way it's been for generations, if things sound good going in, that's where the magic happens in record making. The thing it's record onto (within reason) is mostly academic. With a good source, a good mic, a good chain going in, and a bit of creativity and courage, that's where records get made.

We upgraded the other room in our studio to a 002, but we really only did that because Digi don't support v.7 pon the 001 (grrr)..

Back to the original post though... if things are sounding cotton wooly, then try getting a 2 channel digital in and see whether that works any better for you. Or maybe a different mic/pre combination might work. As for the stereo image, it seems plenty wide to me. I just did a consciously retro, hard panned album and it feels wonderful.

So i guess i'd put myself in the category who doesn't agree that it sounds flat and doesn't cut it...

HH

dsw · Post by **dsw** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 5:36 pm

Trade in your 001 for a 002Rack and you will be amazed at how much better everything sounds. The convertors in the 002Rack are MUCH better and that makes a big difference in the sound of everything you do. Better definition, detail, clarity, imaging. New, a 002R is $1195. If you go to your Digi dealer he can take your order for a 002R upgrade that will cost you $795. You send your 001 back to Digi within 30 days of receiving your 002R on their dime (they give you a Fed-Ex shiipping account # to use) so no down time.
I had a 001 and I love my 002R.

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Is it me or is it my Digi 001?

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