My idea for a cheap studio...(feedback appreciated)

[icarus73]

So, I was glancing through my friendly Musician's Friend catalog this evening and found some products that I think would make a great home studio if they work the way I think they will.

Basically I want 002r/pro tools le functionality without the price. So here are my thoughts:

http://www.americanmusical.com/item--i-TAS-FW1804.html (quite similar to 002r, except without direct pro tools interaction).

along with:

http://www.americanmusical.com/item-...DIGIMAXFS.html (eventually. i probably wouldn't get this right away)

and then obviously i'd get an mbox mini just to be able to open up pro tools.

so then, i'd do all basic tracking in cubase le and then import all the tracks to pro tools for mixing.


Is this possible? Is it a good idea to save money? i'd need more inputs than the 002r can provide anyway, so the adat 8 channel preamp is necessary either way.

thanks,
Tim

[Cam9021]

Problem is, the M-Box only has 2 inputs, so you really couldn't do any editing as your 8 tracks is down to two, unless you load in 2 tracks at a time, which wastes the other hardware you have. Just get the PT hardware you want or can afford and learn PT and record that way. PT has enough stuff to learn that learning two systems might be a bit of a pain. PT pretty much has the lock on what hardware you can use with their stuff.
Just my opinion.
Dan'o

[icarus73]

Well I"ve never used either, so help me explain your logic here.

My plan was to record something like 8 tracks into cubase and then simply save each track as a .aiff file or something similar and open each track as a new track in pro tools.

the only use i want out of the mbox is simply so i can launch the PT application itself without getting an error message. I didn't plan to actually record with it or anything.

the whole point is that i NEED inputs, so an mbox won't cut it, and i can't afford to shell out digidesigns ridiculous 002r price.

i'm used to Garageband, and in that program you can import .aiff files or .mp3 files or any audio file in as a track. is this not possible in pro tools?

i hope i'm making sense.

[Jsswtpmp182]

yes it's possible and your plan will work fine

[icarus73]

ah, i'm so glad to hear that.

thanks!

[therecordinghouse]

by the time you buy those 3 items, you could have easily bought a 002r. they are being blown out at most retailers since the arrival of the 003....

[Naagzh]

by the time you buy those 3 items, you could have easily bought a 002r. they are being blown out at most retailers since the arrival of the 003....

Quite true. Look for a used one on eBay, might even come with some tasty plug-ins.

Lastly, the Mboxes have a couple issues that seem to pop up too frequently: 1) the transfer speed of USB ports is variable, and the hardware connection that PT requires to run can go kaput while mixing (firewire ports, OTOH, have a fixed transfer rate, and are therefore more stable) 2) the infamous 'high-pitched whining noise', whose source, from what I've read, hasn't quite been tracked down. Oddly, I hear this noise when I connect my HP printer (via USB). Could be the port, could be the machine, could be ghosts. But I've heard it make it's way onto recordings... and that just sucks.

You may not experience these problems with an Mbox; just know that others have.

And honestly, who likes Cubase?

[icarus73]

First, maybe, MAYBE i could find a used 002 for the same price, but i'm getting 8 more inputs right away with the preamp.

Second, I can order these from AMS and pay monthly payments with no interest. I can't do that getting an 002 on ebay. I'm 17, i dont have 1200 dollars laying around to blow all at once.

Third, i'm only tracking in cubase. That is, pushing record, stop, and save. everything else will be done in PT. I'm going to school at IPR in minneapolis next summer and I at least want to have SOME pro tools experience before i go to school. I would like to record demos for my band on a budget. I can get more for cheaper with my method. Sure it'll be a little more ghetto-rigged than an 002, but the quality will be close enough and I will get the PT experience.

[therecordinghouse]

i have seen brand new 002r's going for around $800....look around..

[Earl D]

Icarus73 what's your goal what's your budget??? Start all over after anwering those two qwestions.

Earl