[Fred Pearson]

Originally Posted by JazzP

As I am going to step deeper into the world of recording I'm planning to build a mobile rig for the first time, so I could use some advise/considerations. Hope you guys can help me out. Great forum by the way (first post).

A little background info: I'm a an semi-pro musician/composer with a local studio for composing/mixing, and I recently received an offer to regularly start record live gigs for a (jazz/pop-) band, including mixing down. In my own studio I work with a Soundcraft Ghost console combined with an Echo Audiofire 12 interface for recording my piano/synths/rhodes (sometimes vocals), and I have some more outboard (TC and more); I use Cakewalk Sonar as DAW software. I do have quite some experience with hd-tracking and mixing; although I lack the in-depth hands-on experience of live recording, I am familiar with the technics and possibilities/limits (I've done a few recording sessions in a really good equiped studio as musician, so I always took the ability to look around, and I've been on stage a quite a lot. Oh, and I did multitracked my own band via direct ouputs during a gig once; it was quite ok).
I don't have much experience on mic placement etc, so at first I think I will have to rely on the FOH engineers, and obtain my signals from the FOH console (direct outputs); as far as I know the same engineer/equipment will accompany the band on gigs, so the PA should always be more or less the same.

This is my plan for a first mobile rig build in a 4-6HE flightcase:
- Laptop + external harddrive (DAW software: Cakewalk Sonar 8)
- Interfaces: Echo Audiofire 12 + Echo Audiofire Pre8 (I already own a AF12), 20 inputs total (or 2 x AF12 for 24 inputs, but then I have no ADAT available for feature expandings).
- Neutrik TRS patchbay at the back of the flightcase for easy cabling and saving connectors of the interfaces.
- Power conditioner?
- Loads of TRS snakes (or TRS to XLR) to connect to FOH console
- Small mackie VLZ3-pro console + headphones for monitoring inputs (already have this).

What do you guys think of this setup and approach? Am I missing something critical? I currently do not have a separate preamp included for the vocals; is it wise to invest in a mid-range preamp for the lead singer (and split it before the FOH preamps), or will the output from the FOH preamps (probably Allen&Heath GL2400, Midas Venice or Soundtracs Topaz) be sufficient for recording live? The lead singer will probably use a dynamic mic on stage.

I'd personally scrap the desk and just take a split of the line outs from the FOH console. Then you can mix everything in the box without lengthening the signal chain or adding more A/D D/A stages.

Peace