Stand-Alone Multi-Track vs. Laptop w/ Audio Interface for Production & Tracking

BlacktrumpDeuce · 23rd March 2005

1st off, let me say, I just ran across your site & I think it's a beautiful thing to have all kinds of music phreaks comin together in one place. All individuals, yet with the same goal in mind...greatness. I spent 4 hs here last night at 1 AM. Anyway, here's my situation.

I am thinking to sell my PC to get a Dell Inspiron 9100 Laptop because I want to go portable with my production. Currently I have a Yamaha S30, E-MU MP-7 Drum Machine & Sequencer, a couple Mics, an E-MU 1212m PCI card and excellent Event Studio Precision 6 Monitors (eventually, I will get a Rack Synthesizer). The mics, I use for recording live instruments and vocals. My current set up is to do MIDI Sequencing within Cubase SX, Tracking & Mixing in Cubase SX (all on my PC) then sending to be mastered.

My goal here is to be so FLEXIBLE I can jump in my car, drive 10 miles, hook-up to a charged solar power battery and record an 8-piece band (me included) in the desert.

My question for you guys is whether or not I should get a Stand-alone Multi-Track recorder such as the Yamaha AW4416, or an audio interface such as the PreSonus FirePod or Edirol FA-101 and hook-it to the Laptop.

With the Audio Interface, the only change from my current set-up would be to have a Laptop meaning I'm portable. I would still have all the benifits of a computer, such as games, internet, MP3z, word-processing, printing, e-mail, finance management.

With the standalone Multi-Track Machine, I would keep my desktop, spend the money for the Laptop on a good Multi-Track Machine so when I travel, I would have one less piece of gear to worry about. This set-up would mean everything I do on the road would be transferred into Cubase SX for mixing and editing. MIDI Sequencing would all be done on the E-MU MP-7 syncing up to the Multitrack thru MTC and I could recording live instruments when I'm done programming. I would like to keep my PC so I could transfers thru ADAT optical or USB/Firewire so there's no conversion. Of course, I would have to sell my PC to get a really good Multitrack, but then I would lose the perks of having a computer AND I would have to get a DEDICATED SAMPLER. I could still Mix & Edit on the multi-track but I think it would be 10 times more tedious that a computer.

What do you suggest I do?

max cooper · 25th March 2005

Whenever I see those stand-alone multitrack machines, the first thing I think of is what do I do when the screen goes out, in fact what if a fader has to be replaced? I think if you want to jump in your car and go out in the desert, you should ask some of the remote guys what kind of gear will survive that. I wouldn't give that Yamaha stand-alone much of a chance out there. At least a laptop is engineered to take a little (and I mean a little) abuse, most rack-mount recording gear will probably fare better than the all-in-one.

Actually, if I was gonna go record a band in the middle of the desert, I'd consider an ADAT and a Mackie 1604 with a bucket full'o 57's.

BlacktrumpDeuce · 1st April 2005

point well taken...ADAT's are an excellent choice. I was thinkin of something along the lines of compatibility because ADAT's as far as I know only go up to 20-bit. Noth that it makes a huge difference if you're recording good music. Thanks for the advice...I will definately get an ADAT machine in the future. I am going to get the Yamaha AW4416 machine and use that as my recording station and mix on my PC, because well...it feels like the best option for me right now and in the future.

23rd March 2005	#1
BlacktrumpDeuce Gear interested Joined: Mar 2005 Posts: 7 Thread Starter	Stand-Alone Multi-Track vs. Laptop w/ Audio Interface for Production & Tracking 1st off, let me say, I just ran across your site & I think it's a beautiful thing to have all kinds of music phreaks comin together in one place. All individuals, yet with the same goal in mind...greatness. I spent 4 hs here last night at 1 AM. Anyway, here's my situation. I am thinking to sell my PC to get a Dell Inspiron 9100 Laptop because I want to go portable with my production. Currently I have a Yamaha S30, E-MU MP-7 Drum Machine & Sequencer, a couple Mics, an E-MU 1212m PCI card and excellent Event Studio Precision 6 Monitors (eventually, I will get a Rack Synthesizer). The mics, I use for recording live instruments and vocals. My current set up is to do MIDI Sequencing within Cubase SX, Tracking & Mixing in Cubase SX (all on my PC) then sending to be mastered. My goal here is to be so FLEXIBLE I can jump in my car, drive 10 miles, hook-up to a charged solar power battery and record an 8-piece band (me included) in the desert. My question for you guys is whether or not I should get a Stand-alone Multi-Track recorder such as the Yamaha AW4416, or an audio interface such as the PreSonus FirePod or Edirol FA-101 and hook-it to the Laptop. With the Audio Interface, the only change from my current set-up would be to have a Laptop meaning I'm portable. I would still have all the benifits of a computer, such as games, internet, MP3z, word-processing, printing, e-mail, finance management. With the standalone Multi-Track Machine, I would keep my desktop, spend the money for the Laptop on a good Multi-Track Machine so when I travel, I would have one less piece of gear to worry about. This set-up would mean everything I do on the road would be transferred into Cubase SX for mixing and editing. MIDI Sequencing would all be done on the E-MU MP-7 syncing up to the Multitrack thru MTC and I could recording live instruments when I'm done programming. I would like to keep my PC so I could transfers thru ADAT optical or USB/Firewire so there's no conversion. Of course, I would have to sell my PC to get a really good Multitrack, but then I would lose the perks of having a computer AND I would have to get a DEDICATED SAMPLER. I could still Mix & Edit on the multi-track but I think it would be 10 times more tedious that a computer. What do you suggest I do?

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25th March 2005	#2
max cooper Lives for gear Joined: Aug 2004 Location: tx Posts: 8,802	Whenever I see those stand-alone multitrack machines, the first thing I think of is what do I do when the screen goes out, in fact what if a fader has to be replaced? I think if you want to jump in your car and go out in the desert, you should ask some of the remote guys what kind of gear will survive that. I wouldn't give that Yamaha stand-alone much of a chance out there. At least a laptop is engineered to take a little (and I mean a little) abuse, most rack-mount recording gear will probably fare better than the all-in-one. Actually, if I was gonna go record a band in the middle of the desert, I'd consider an ADAT and a Mackie 1604 with a bucket full'o 57's.

1st April 2005	#3
BlacktrumpDeuce Gear interested Joined: Mar 2005 Posts: 7 Thread Starter	point well taken...ADAT's are an excellent choice. I was thinkin of something along the lines of compatibility because ADAT's as far as I know only go up to 20-bit. Noth that it makes a huge difference if you're recording good music. Thanks for the advice...I will definately get an ADAT machine in the future. I am going to get the Yamaha AW4416 machine and use that as my recording station and mix on my PC, because well...it feels like the best option for me right now and in the future.