How do Alesis HD24 folk monitor their recorder??

[travisbrown]

A straight line level summing box simply for monitoring would be stupidly simple to build. However, I can't believe this is such a conundrum for people. Cascade three 8x line mixer. Get a Mackie 2408 or two 1604s. Monitor through a DAW.

If I was doing it on a budget, would be three 8x Roland line mixers into an Oz Audio headphone amp. $500 tops everything in, including cabling.

Monitoring an HD24 isn't any different than a 24track tape machine and we hobbled by on those for years.

[cheu78]

Originally Posted by travisbrown

A straight line level summing box simply for monitoring would be stupidly simple to build. However, I can't believe this is such a conundrum for people. Cascade three 8x line mixer. Get a Mackie 2408 or two 1604s. Monitor through a DAW.

If I was doing it on a budget, would be three 8x Roland line mixers into an Oz Audio headphone amp. $500 tops everything in, including cabling.

Monitoring an HD24 isn't any different than a 24track tape machine and we hobbled by on those for years.

Yes, but I think that today (for remote recording) is all about portability and ease of use.. Monitoring through each 8 channel RU it's not so handy, and If you could rack everything and have everything ready it's also a plus, saving RU and weight is also a plus.. At least for me..
I'm almost sold on the presonus lightbridge..

What are you using?

Ciao
Cheu

[Jungle Jazz]

Yeah, portability, ease of use, and reasonable cost are all factors. Also, I really don't want to have to mess with a computer on location if I'm tracking to an HD24. I've tried using a Profire Lightbridge running off a Powerbook, but I just didn't like that configuration. A small, rackmount, analog mixer with a good headphone out would be ideal, but something like the Speck X-sum is just too much bread for me to spend just to monitor.

[loujudson]

I pretty much agree with Jungle Jazz... I hope I didn't say this before, but since I do mostly live recording while doing FoH sound, I have little opportunity to actually check the recording tracks - Fairly sure that I give good signla, but too busy with the live mix!

I'd like to see a TWO space mixer, 24 inputs, with pan and solo/mute on each input. That way I could do a rough mix or simply use it as a push-button track check. Oh and less that $300 please!

One thing I have not tried would be to send and return via the inserts - but then the live sound would be going through the recorder, with possible latency issues. But since I use direct outs and not inserts, no longer an option.

If my HD24XR ever dies, I'll go to a Joeco Black Box recorder... different issues there!

[travisbrown]

Originally Posted by cheu78

Yes, but I think that today (for remote recording) is all about portability and ease of use.. Monitoring through each 8 channel RU it's not so handy, and If you could rack everything and have everything ready it's also a plus, saving RU and weight is also a plus.. At least for me..
I'm almost sold on the presonus lightbridge..

What are you using?

Ciao
Cheu

How is monitoring through 3x line mixers not handy? Seems the easiest. 3 rackspaces. This is what line mixers were made for.

Find some Roland M-120s. I've bought them for as cheap as $120 each. Cascade the stereo outputs into the monitor inputs of the next unit. The mix and headphone out of the last unit will have the mix for all 24 channels. You could do this for as many channels as you need.

M-120 #1 --> Monitor In M-120 #2 --> Monitor In #3 --> mix out. Done. Feel the love.

Can't get any easier. Or cheaper. Any line mixers that are cascadable will do this.

3u for line mixers, 3u for racks of preamps, 3 u for HD24, 1u for power distribution. Your whole remote rig in 10u. I have mine in 1 rolling SKB 12u case (I've got the Presonus FS Lightpipe and a Rosendahl clock in there too). I can set up in about five minutes if the patch-ins are ready.

As for how I do it - I've outline it in posts above, but...

If I'm not worried about latency, I will monitor through a DAW or cue mixing software using a Presonus Firestudio Lightpipe. Usually I will track on both the HD24 and the DAW simultaneously. Saves the transfer hassle, but I don't like the idea of relying solely on the DAW. Never had one crash in recent years, but I like dedicated recording appliances.

If I'm remote recording and doing overdubs where I don't want any latency or set up a laptop, I'll use line mixers or a small console. If I'm at 12 x 96k, I'll just use a 1u 12 channel line mixer.

[cheu78]

You're right, I didn't know about that mixer..nor this way of monitoring..
Am I dumb!? LOL.. Your way it's a good solution. Thanks for sharing!
Will go to check that mixer..

I thought my rack this way:

3RU HD24XR
3RU preamps (24)
1RU Presonus Lightpipe
1RU pwr distribution

This way I have an 8 RU rack (hopefully rolling!) with monitoring, back up, and (as you said) I save time for not transferring the data..

I should admit that being able to ditch the pc will be great though..

Did you noticed a huge difference with your clock? It's yours an XR?


Cheu

[travisbrown]

Originally Posted by cheu78

Did you noticed a huge difference with your clock? It's yours an XR?

I've used XRs and non-XRs. Don't think the clock is different between the two, only the converters.

I don't use a master clock because it's better than what's in the HD24; I use a master clock for because I'm running multiple clocked devices and it's efficient for distribution.

In general I think you should always use a device's internal clock when it is operating in isolation. There isn't a modern device that I'm aware of out there that doesn't have a sufficient clock on which to run itself. There is also compelling evidence that external clocking can induce unwanted jitter which may (or may not) have adverse effects.

[idave]

The problem with most solutions is that they "rarely" use a "SOLO" button which is essential, Mute's are fairly useless for this purpose, you need to be able to Solo any track at any given time for obvious reasons. I use an old Roland m-480 but it is 6 spaces and is heavy. The only small racked option I have come across is the Mackie LM3204 (I believe its called) which gives you 12 stereo ch's (24 inputs) WITH solo buttons and is 3 spaces I think!!
The other option is as a backup system,HD24 lightpipe out thru 1 or 2 (up to 32ch's) Presonus Firestudio devices into a laptop/Logic (or whatever) and Monitor your backup on the laptop!
cheers
dave

[recordinghopkins]

I run my XR as follows:

16 channels of ART tubefire preamps > HD24 analog ins 1-16
M-Audio 2626 8 channels of preamps> HD24 analog ins 17-24

HD24 adat out channels 1-16 to M-audio 2626 adat inputs. Monitoring software return through the S/PDIF out of the 2626 to a headphone DAC. Of course, I am only really monitoring 16 channels of the XR when I do this, as 17-24 would be sourced from the 2626.

I ran this new setup last night for the first time. Worked like a breeze.

EDIT: I also had a mackie 1604 VLZ pro hooked up to the HD24's analog outs. but "that's 16 channels" you say..... I use the 4 stereo aux returns for stereo sources like like Drum OH L/R, Crowd L/R, piano L/R, Congas L/R, etc.... mackie master out to a Zoom recorder that the band brought for live to 2 track they could take home with them until they get my mix.

[mac]

I'm currently using a pair of SP828's. Good value for money. SP828 - 8-Channels, 2-Bus Mic Preamp

[MichaelPatrick]

You could use this

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/gears...ine-mixer.html

[travisbrown]

Originally Posted by MichaelPatrick

You could use this

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/gears...ine-mixer.html

I like those Mackie 3204s. Will have everything you need - solos, mutes, sends, basic EQ. Though monitoring 24 into 16 stereo channels is lame. You need the extender.

Then the problem is that they are fracking huge and heavy.

They can be had cheap enough, though. A friend just bought a 3204 + extender for two or three hundred dollars. Was for a live keyboard rig until he figured out how massive it was.