Entire DAW from Scratch

[B. Randall Carter]

Hello all,

I have been studying this forum for about a week as I am about to throw about $7000 into a DAW system from scratch. Back in '94, I owned a pretty decent 8 track analog studio. I left the industry for a time and am now ready to jump back in. However, I know little about computer recording except for what I have read in these forums. Anyhoo I have made a list of the primary hardware (I left out all of the no-brainers) that I am looking to purchase and am hoping that you all could put in your two cents and let me know what you'd tweek.
Thanks for your time.

By the way, I know the Octapre will allow me to use the Adat I/Os on the digi, but if I did not purchase it how would I access those on the 002 to the computer without having to buy a doorstop...I mean an Adat?

Anyway, here's the list:

1 PC (Allen’s $900 Configuration)
1 Digi002
1 Octapre LT Preamp

Mics
2 Oktava CM 012
2 Studio Projects C1
4 57s
4 58s
1 Sennheiser E602 Kick Mic

On Stage Mic Stands (Are these junk?)
1 AKG 240DF Headphones
2 AKG 240M Headphones
3 AKG K44 Headphones
1 Behringer HA4600 Headphone Amp
1 Pair Active Studio Monitors(?????????,
Noone seems to agree on these)

1 Furman Power Conditioner
3 Behringer DI-100 Direct Box

[Calvin]

Well to your adat question. You can get something like the Alesis AI-3. This allows you to do 8 trs ins and it converts it to use the adat optical output to the digicard. It runs about 300 I believe. Everything on your list sounds good. As for the mic stands. I would recomend that you look into the quick lock. I have had all different kinds of stands from the cheapo onstage stands to the 60-70 dollar KM stands. They all work the same and they all slip and after long periods of time they all eventually fall and constantly need adjusting. I have found that with the quick lok stands that they actually do lock into place and never move. Its something in the gear that holds up the boom stand that actually locks into place and dosn't come undone untill you release all the pressure in the screw and even then you have to put a little pressure on it just to fold it up and put it away. I am very happy with these stands. No need to pay alot of money for stands that bend and don't stay up. get quick lok stands for around 40 bucks each.

[da BaSsTaRd!]

calvin is right. i have an ai-3 and it works great. you might want to skip the octopre and go for a 16 or 24 channel mixer. a mixer plus the ai-3 will give you direct access to 16 inputs on the digi (18 if you can have an s/pdif converter also). this setup also puts all your inputs at your fingertips...

[B. Randall Carter]

Ok. Is there a mixer out there that would give me quality pre's as well as stay within the price range (including the ai-3) of the Octapre LT?

As well, if I were to do this, do you think that the 002 would still be as important, or would getting the 001 and some outboard gear with the cash I would save be better? From what I understand, pluggins only go so far with effects & processing.

[Bastiaan]

What i heard is that the 002 has 4 quality preamps, much better as the 001. I also heard that the 002 has a much better converter for its 8 inputs, so maybe you wont need additional preamps. Depends ofcourse howmany mics you need.

The 002 is also a motorized controller, and that is very very nice...

On the 8 analog inputs and the spdif input (?) of the 002 you will be able to record to 96 Khz...

[David Fisher]

You might be able to pick up a TDM system used on ebay with a d24, farm, and ADAT bridge for the same cost (or jsut a little more)as a Digi002. (I know that Digi didn't want to hear that...)

And it would probably serve you better for the future.

The Mics sound fine. I might add as a suggestion a Earthworks SR-68 or two. They are great mics. Very clear, work on just about everything (except bass and kick).

I am personally using the Event 20/20BAS monitors. They work great for me. If you can squeeze a little more get the Mackie monitors.

For preamps and stuff, I would get a mixer like the Ramsa DA7. You can get them on NorthCompass right now for two grand.

Let's see here, other sugestions:

$900- PC

$700- Digi001
(or)
$3000- Protools TDM system (D24 or Mix Core, Farm, ADAT Bridge)

$2000- DA7 Mixer

$700- Monitors

-------
So basically you have spent from 4-5K on a system, and then have the rest open for Mics and Headphones and stuff. With the TDM system you could get 16 channels of ADAT going in, through decent preamps and convertors on the DA7 AND be able to mix in surround (assuming you have surround speakers at some point). The DA7 also has a decent EQ in it.