StudioMaster 16-4-2 Opinions?

[chess999]

Hello Guys,
I'm thinking of purchasing this board to get some "roughness" to my otherwise overly clean digital tracks. I don't want to sum with it, just use it for passing tracks through and printing to tape and for routing from tape to my computer. Any one with experience with these boards? I've heard everything from they have great eqs, to noisy preamps, to fat bottom, to crappy pots. Were the older 70's ones with VU's better than the later 80's models with leds as I've read on gearslutz before? The one I'm looking at is the scripted logo with Leds meters. Looks to be early 80's. See attached pic.

Thanks so much,
DG

[ira_the_mick]

I know this is a really old post, but I now have this board and wanted to comment. If for no other reason, to provide info for slutz considering buying the 16-4-2 in the future. My experience is still limited with this equipment, but I do really like the EQ. I do find the low end (bass) freq's to be exaggerated, so you need monitors that get a little lower than most with 5" woofers do. The preamps seem usable so far, but I have only used them on drums, so have not pushed any gain. I think the summing opamps will be my first mod on this board. Overall I am very happy with my purchase.

I would love to hear others' experiences!

[Dan SoundSmith]

Hey ira_the_mick and chess999,

Thanks for writing as your post has indeed helped someone out. I am just about to buy one of these. It has three add on modules so it's a 28-8-2. I have found it locally for $300 and just can't resist! But being real green and only having ever tracked on a Mackie 24-8-2 going to an Alesis 24 channel ADAT, I'm not quite sure how to marry the board to Pro Tools via my RME FF 400!?! I'd love to be able to mix through it, but assume I need an interface with 28 ins/outs. My RME has 36 I/O, but only 8 analog. Any ideas? Maybe there's something I'm missing with the total mix software?

Also, I don't know how to evaluate it's condition. The guy claims everything was working tip-top, but has not used it in 4 years.

Any help and guidance would be much appreciated.

Cheers, Dan

[gravyface]

Originally Posted by Dan SoundSmith

Hey ira_the_mick and chess999,

Thanks for writing as your post has indeed helped someone out. I am just about to buy one of these. It has three add on modules so it's a 28-8-2. I have found it locally for $300 and just can't resist! But being real green and only having ever tracked on a Mackie 24-8-2 going to an Alesis 24 channel ADAT, I'm not quite sure how to marry the board to Pro Tools via my RME FF 400!?! I'd love to be able to mix through it, but assume I need an interface with 28 ins/outs. My RME has 36 I/O, but only 8 analog. Any ideas? Maybe there's something I'm missing with the total mix software?

Also, I don't know how to evaluate it's condition. The guy claims everything was working tip-top, but has not used it in 4 years.

Any help and guidance would be much appreciated.

Cheers, Dan

Do the channels have direct out? If not, you should be able to route the channels to sub-outs into your FireFace and use it as a preamp. I do the same with with my Tascam M308 80's mixer. I really like the sound I get.

You could sum with them too.

[Dan SoundSmith]

Originally Posted by gravyface

Do the channels have direct out? If not, you should be able to route the channels to sub-outs into your FireFace and use it as a preamp. I do the same with with my Tascam M308 80's mixer. I really like the sound I get.

You could sum with them too.

There is no direct out, but I was told I could do the same with the Inserts on each channel. I could indeed hook it up to the 8 sub outs, but then will not be able to mix with it, i.e.: sending my audio racks from Pro Tools back to each of the mixer channels...

[Dan SoundSmith]

I'm gonna pass on this. It just doesn't make sense for my small appartment. But I do really want to be able to mix through an analog board, and I just don't see how to marry the old mixers with my RME to take advantage of all the channels... I guess I need a new mixer with ADAT???

Thanks anyways, Cheers