Extremely portable FOH/Live Recording Rig

[Enginearing]

Originally Posted by Murton

Looks quite nice. An ADAT model would go down quite well as a backup recorder.

Might see what my local can get it for.

the local rep is grevillia... they're in brisbane so let me know if you want me to sus it out a little further for ya...

[Murton]

That would be sweet, try and get a price aye.

[Enginearing]

here you go...
Fostex LR16 Live Recording Mixer - Major Music Wholesale

rrAU$3.5k

get The Pa Co, to supply a drive/eq rack and FX...
and leave your computer at home, ready to transfer those files.

[Murton]

Money to finally buy all this stuff should hopefully get in tomorrow. The rig has gone through a few incarnations and now looks like this:

Main Rack Gear:

Yamaha LS9-16
Yamaha RK-1
Apogee Big Ben
Furman PL PRO DMCE
2U Rack Draw x3
ART S8 x4
ADAM A5

Yamaha MY16AT
RME HDSPe RayDAT


Microphones:



Shure Beta 57A x3
Rode M1 x3 $450

Shure Beta 56A x4

Beyerdynamic M88

Rode K2 x2

Rode NT5 Matched Pair + Omni capsules



Misc:



Tall Boom Stand x6
Short Boom Stand x2

Small weighted foot stand

BNC Cables x4

ADAT Cables x6

ART PDB DI x4

Microphone Cables 10m x32


Custom Built Rack Mount PC:


Gigabyte GA-EX58-UD5 Motherboard
Samsung 2233SW 21.5in Widescreen LCD Monitor
Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB WD1001FALS
Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB WD1001FALS
Antec 4U22 ATX Rackmount Case
Visidec Focus Direct Wall Mount
Scythe Shuriken Low Profile CPU Cooler (Rev. B)
PowerColor Radeon HD4890 PCS+
OCZ Vertex 120GB SSD
Logitech MX518 Optical Gaming Mouse
Intel Core i7 920
OCZ DDR3 PC3-12800 Platinum 6x2GB OCZ3P1600LV12GS
Logitech Illuminated Keyboard
Thermaltake Toughpower QFan 750W
Noctua NF-S12B FLX 120mm Fan
Noctua NF-R8 80mm Fan
Noctua NF-B9 92mm Fan
Pioneer BDC-S02 Blu-ray Reader


I'm getting a modified 16U three lidded 'Mixer' rack case with the front and back lids as tables on the sides. Changes to the standard model are pretty much ust dimensions and maybe more heavy duty wheels and the ability to move the case like a trolley.

I have a M-Audio ProFire 2626 already, aswell as one M1 for 4 M1's in total.

The plan is for the road case to contain my mixer, master clock, splitters, power conditioner, microphones, leads and the rack mounted computer.

Duties for the rig shall include running FOH mixing, live location recording, studio recording, possibly monitors.

I plan to purchase a smaller three lidded case transport selected gear to events not requiring the full rig.

I'm getting a friend to do up the microphone cables, we're splitting a roll, not sure what brand cable, but using neutrik connectors. He's also in the middle of making an active splitter design and if successfull, I will swap out the ART S8's for his.

I will run a backup recorder in the form of my laptop running off the firewire of the M-Audio ProFire 2626 and the main recorder being the Rack PC with the RayDAT.

I will have 16 microphones in total and four DI's for a total of 20 doable channels on my own, with easy ability to obtain more microphones, DI's and preamps if the channel count exceeds 24.

Looking to upgrade in te future in the form of more microphones, video timecode options for the RayDAT and Big Ben, other preamps, EtherSound core, Convertors etc

I've been sorting this rig out for many months now and I think this is the most mature version yet and cannot find much wrong with it terms of my requirements and ability to get work with it just from the requests I've had from people who know I'm in progress of purchasing it.

I'm aiming to pay the rig off in 40 events, charging 2.5% of the equipment cost each hire, plus expenses and a labour rate.

[63hz]

have you had much thought about getting your signal to the house systems processors and amps?

[Murton]

Paid for and received my Yamaha LS9-16 today.

Received and built my custom rack mount PC last night.

Still waiting on things to come in on order.

Also, has anyone had any experience with the SKB Gigrig?

Purchasing it + The 6U expander + the AV shelf and two desktop shelves looks like a very nice system.

[sphsound]

I Second that... Anyone with any experience with the SKB setup?

*Gigrig*

[Enginearing]

personally i steer away from the SKB style cases... too flexy/bendy and no suspension rubber.
traditional 3 lid cases can also be too flexible and rely on the gear for structural strength... though from memory the SKB versions have support designed into them.
the shelves sound like an interesting idea...

EDIT: AS SEEN HERE
SKB Rack Problems
(slot something in it to make sure its good before you take it out the door)
looking at how the old really used SKBs end up looking in a hire shop, does anybody else find it a little scary the US ship nukes around in skb?

[aussie_techie]

Originally Posted by Enginearing

looking at how the old really used SKBs end up looking in a hire shop, does anybody else find it a little scary the US ship nukes around in skb?

I'm sure they demand much better cases which would cost alot more than anything in the audio industry. Even in the 19" form factor as an industry we use much cheaper and poorly made cases than most.

That said i never like plastics or any racks with non recessed rails or small screws or striped crews from people using philips heads drivers
Although SKB are still better than gator which are also better than some of the cheap crap around.

[Murton]

Have either of you used roadcases cases rackmount case flightcases buy online Australia's case manufacturer shipping freight containers ? They are based in Brisbane and seem to have a decent range, I would jsut have to get a 16U three lidded mixer, but increase the rail to rail length and top mixer rack unit number to 600mm and 14U respectively.

I have strange plans to attach a trolley to the side.

[aussie_techie]

maybe something like this
Road Ready - Road Ready Cases - Racks - Slant Rack Systems - 11U SLANT RACK, 16U VERTICAL RACK, WITH CASTERS AND TABLE

All te road ready stuff ive used has seemed good but it is heavy compared to skb.

[Enginearing]

sure have. Blue Cat can do some really nice cases. I've bought quite a few of their cases... I certainly got decent service and exactly what i wanted each time.

2*imported 6RU laminated ATA racks
1*fully custom TiltnRoll Peavey XXX Headcase: w/ wheel cups on top for the quad to sit on (went 1/2s with as a present for my GF)
1* small packer: tiltnroll (clearance item)

I know I've seen some of their M7CL (et al.) cases around on gigs. - various local companies that i can think of.

They'd certainly be on my potential supplier list for any case purchase.

I'd have thought they'd have a go-case similar to what you want?( haven't looked in a while. u mite even be able to get one with a supspension rack innit...

Speaking of the road ready, this Road Ready - Road Ready Cases - Multimedia - Laptop Accessories - PAIR OF SIDE WINGS WITH 1U DRAWER FOR M-SERIES RACKS FITS 6U AND UP looks pretty cool... wouldn't fit my RR case though...

[Murton]

Yeah, I've had a look through most of it all, the problem is I require around 600mm rack to rack and a 14U top rack, and the only thing so far that has this has been the gig rig which is insanely overpriced. I'm wondering is a custom 16U three lidded mixer rack from cases . com would suffice.

Ideally I would love a 14U mixer rack with a few spaces underneath it and then a seperate rack, add them both together and have it rolling aka suitcase style.

But I would need 12U minimum and I'm not sure how heavy that is going to be.

A rolling 14U top rack gig rig with 12U under it and rolling suitcase style would be perfect, wings and laptop stand, perfect mobile rack with the required gear for a medium show in a tiny footprint and being the most moveable out of everything.

[Murton]

Have my LS9-16, The Rode M1's, one Beta 57A, Furman PL PRO DMCE, some of the ADAT cables and the rackmount computer. Have taken some pictures, will upload them soonish, hopefully once more things arrive :D

[Murton]

Some preliminary pictures.

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...n/100_0617.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...n/100_0616.jpg

[Enginearing]

Did a gig with POWA yesterday... they had a few 3 lid racks and seemed quite solid with gear racked in it. (on taller models i think some horizontal support is installed between each rack plane for stability)vvone was a LS9-16 and instead of rack ears the used foam to hold the console in place... unsure if they gained any depth but it may be worth checking out... put the measure tape across your console, you may be able to fit it into an off the shelf rack yet.... took a few phone photos, but it pretty much just looks like and ls9 in a 3 lid rack...

[Enginearing]

Originally Posted by gareth.h.rees

You may want to check out these recorders - I saw them in Audio Media the other month and they're pretty compact! 24 channels in 1u!

JoeCo BlackBox Recorder Summary

Not sure of price, details or anything... but may be worth a look! Will get around to seeing what the deal is myself one day :D

Gareth

Originally Posted by Enginearing

the local rep is grevillia... they're in brisbane so let me know if you want me to sus it out a little further for ya...

Originally Posted by Murton

That would be sweet, try and get a price aye.

okay here we go... just got back from the AMAC show @ Gccec and can give the following news...:

NAS: the D&B-Q1 In the main showroom were well complimented being driven with the new SC48. Blackstar HT-5 amplifier stack was also a highlight ( OT get to play with the SC48 @ the shed tomorrow... cant wait i should get some sleep.)

Grevillia: (on JoeCO Blackbox) nope don't got them to play with yet, but they will be 3.9Kau$helfRRprice

[Murton]

3.9kAUD is a bit rich. You can get a HD24 for less than that. Doesn't seem like a good buy.

I just want a 32 ADAT i/o Hard disk recorder in a single rack space for backup recording.

Pretty much all my gear except the rack cases, M88, AKG SE391's, RME RayDAT, DI's and mic cables.

Slowly getting everything sorted.

[Murton]

I've got pretty much everything now. Just waiting on the AKG SE391B's, M88 and a MY16-AUD Dante card.

I've ditched the RME RayDAT due to the distributor being a complete joke, not getting off their asses to sell two units to my dealer. They just lost some business. Everything is racked up and good. The Proel TOSLink cables are rubbish.

So, the rig has become the following:

Yamaha LS9-16 32 Channel Digital Mixing Console
MY16-AT 16 Channel ADAT Expansion Card
MY16-AUD 16 Channel Dante Expansion Card
2x M-Audio ProFire 2626 FireWire Audio Interface
Apogee Big Ben Master Word Clock
Furman PL PRO DMCE Power Conditioner
KRK Rokit Powered 8 Generation 2 Eight Inch Studio Monitors Pair
Planet Waves Acoustic Treatment pack (Bass traps + Panels
Planet Waves Monitor Isolation Pads
Custom Made Rack Mount PC (Core i7 920, 12GB DDR3, GA-EX58-UD5, HD4890 1GB, 2x 1TB Black 7200rpm 32mb Cache, 128GB SSD, Blu-Ray, Lian Li PC32, Fan Controller, Noctuana Fans, 850w Toughpower QFan, 24" BenQ 1920x1080, Logitech backlit keyboard, Logitech MX518. Running Windows 7 and OSX Snow Leopard)
Dell Studio 17 (C2D T9300 2.5GHz, 4GB DDR2, HD3650, 17" LCD 1920x1200, Blu-Ray, 2x 200GB 7200rpm, backlit keyboard. Running Windows 7, Windows Vista Home Premium and Windows XP Pro)
4x Rode M1 Dynamic Vocal Microphones
3x Shure Beta 57A Instrument Microphones
4x Shure Beta 56A Instrument Microphones
Rode K2 Large Diaphragm Condesner Microphone
2x AKG SE391B Small Diaphragm Condenser Microphones
Beyerdynamic M88TG Dynamic Microphone
Custom Made 32 Channel 1In/2Out Microphone Splitter
Klotz /w Neutrik Connector Microphone Cables
Proel TOSLink Cables
Proel BNC Cables
Jaycar IEC to IEC Power Cables
3x UXL 2U Rack Draw's
5x On Stage Drum Rim Microphone Clips
2x Stage Ninja Microphone Clamps Scorpion Model
5x K&M Boom Microphone Stands
K&M Low Kick Drum Microphone Stand
cases.com.au Three Lidded Mixer Case 6U Mixer Rack Road Case
cases.com.au Standard 10U Rack Road Case /w Casters
Fridge Trolley + Snap Straps
Extension leads
Patch Leads
Power Boards

Will post some pictures up. Have some of the gear setup in the small tution studio before the racks arrived and when it was installed in my house posted previously.

Teenage Kicks Productions on MySpace Music - Free Streaming MP3s, Pictures & Music Videos

See link for photo.

[aussie_techie]

How are you liking the AKG Blue Lines so far?

[Murton]

They are due to arrive at the end of this week, so I'll give them a run at the next availible opportunity.