What's your favorite way to record live in 2009?

[Remoteness]

Just like the 2002 thread, this poll is not about the battle of the brands, but about what device you prefer to use when on location.

There are many options available to us, what's your favorite?

Which recording device do you like to use and why?

Remember, you can only pick one device.

Furthermore, how do you back up your recordable media?
Do you bring two of everything or a combo of different recording devices?

We want to know!

[bishopthomas]

My vote is for hard disk, however I am going to try the computer route one more time. I just bought an RME MADI card and plan to use HD24's for backup. I usually backup my files to DVD once I get home. On the gigs where I'm handing the hard drive immediately to the client I keep the drive from the backup machine until they get to their destination. When all is safe and secure (not going to go through the window during a car crash, etc.) I will mail the secondary drive. If I have doubts I may even backup to another hard drive of my own.

[LX3]

Hard disk here too - in my case, X-48 and another X-48 as safety.

I can substitute one of the X-48s with a smaller laptop based rig on occasions when I need to keep things extra compact. But I much prefer hardware buttons and faders over mouse and keyboard.

That said, like Bishop, I'm working on a pair of MADI-based systems for higher track counts and longer cable runs. Will it be as reliable? Only way to work that out for sure is to build it.

Backup-wise, I record to internal drives then make a copy on-site if the client needs to go away with audio that night.

When I get back to base, the audio is transferred to my DAW, checked over and eventually gets copied to a pair of removable RAID hard drives for archiving.

I'm looking forward to seeing what's happened to the digital tape formats on this edition of the poll!

[BLP]

Stable DAW as primary with a backup or two, preferably a hard disk recorder and a two-track CD burner or the like for an extra layer of arse-saving goodness!

[t_chance]

I'm still most secure with my HD24s. I do tracking to the laptop too, and will put together a rackmount DAW this year so I can burn DVDs on spot to hand over and CMA. (not "country music awards")

[John Willett]

Dedicated digital recorder - in my case the Nagra VI which records onto it's own hard drive and backs up to CF cards as it records the next take.

[xaMdaM]

Been a LONG while since I showed my ugly mug around these here parts...

I've dedicated the last coupla' years to building my new studio.

I'm finally getting into the short rows of the build and have a few hours to kinda do what I want to... checkin' out old haunts, etc...

But once I put the mobile rig back together, I'll still be running the HD24's.

I prefer to run parallel units, but hey... as long as the client understands that after 24 tracks that there's no safety net...

As soon as I get back here with the job, I transfer it to the server where it's on a tape backup.

[Corran]

I still think computers aren't nearly safe enough for a primary recorder. Backup, maybe.

[Plush]

1. Nig Nog #6
2. Nig Nog #5
3. Stellavox SM-8 1/4" analog super recorder

Most of the time I am mixing it like a record right to 2 channel. Multi-track is strictly a back-up. 90% of the time I end up using the stereo mix done on site at the recording.

It's just the way I was taught.
I am never sitting in the same room as where the music is being played.

[Remoteness]

Plush, it's also how I cut my teeth.
I love the live 2mix mindset.

The strange thing is (at least for me that is) the 2mix always sounds better when there's a multi-track running.
Not always the case when we're not recording to multi-track recorders.

[Remoteness]

So, it seems like no one is using digital tape recorders (to date) any longer.
What a difference a few years makes.

What does the future hold for us?
Bubble technology -- Solid state multi-track recording would be an awesome possibility.

[slaphappygarry]

Pro tools (Le for small grubby gigs, HD 2 for bigger ones) with an Alesis HD24 as my backup.

G

[thedoner]

Originally Posted by slaphappygarry

Pro tools (Le for small grubby gigs, HD 2 for bigger ones) with an Alesis HD24 as my backup.

G

Same here basically, PT HD3 as primary, HD24XR as backup. Very happy with this setup

[Remoteness]

What do you do when you need more than 24 tracks of record - Do you sync a second HD24XR?

Originally Posted by thedoner

Same here basically, PT HD3 as primary, HD24XR as backup. Very happy with this setup

[fifthcircle]

For years, I did everything live to stereo. It was a point of pride that I could "get it right" on a complex show right away. I listen to some of those recordings and they still stand up today.

That being said, I do everything to multitrack today. Not that it needs much of "mix" but I like the freedom in post that the multitrack gives me. I can do those tweaks of a dB or two that brings the recording from good to great and I have so much more flexibility with reverbs, EQ, etc... in post that I just don't get on site.

I work both ways- I record a 2 mix and a multitrack version. The difference is today, the Multitrack is master and the 2 mix is backup.

Oh yeah... and because of this, the DAW rules in my setup. Pro Tools on site and Sequoia in post. I use Pro Convert to translate between the two. Also playing around with boom recorder a bit. (I like it!)

Currently contemplating a 64 track location rig, but need to figure out the best way to do it.

--Ben

[tenor39]

DAW running Nuendo with Alesis HD-24 as backup. Both get their digital signal from the Cranesong Spider (AES & Lightpipe).

[joelpatterson]

Originally Posted by fifthcircle

... contemplating a 64 track location rig, but need to figure out the best way to do it....

A caravan that stops at any oases along the way?

[slaphappygarry]

What do you do when you need more than 24 tracks of record - Do you sync a second HD24XR?

Realistically, i tend not to need more than 24 channels so the HD24 is fine.

If I had to have more then I would either ditch some channels (if I had some that I considered to be luxury and I was mixing it) or sync two / get a second HD rig.

But, as I say, I usually work just fine to a 24 channel limit.

G

[Daniel Stark]

Usually I use the Korg mr-1000 with no parallel backup. I do bring along a laptop to upload files periodically and, in case something goes wrong with the Korg, to use as a recorder.

I am happily using 2 or 4 mics mixed through a Universal Audio DCS but would like to trade up to a slightly more flexible mixer someday (maybe a Benchmark MPS-420 or a Revox c279).

[therecordinghous]

i use an alesis HD24 first in series with a computer. lightpipe out of HD24 to DAW. saves capture time later. although the DAW has been rock solid, if it crashes, no biggie as the HD24 keeps on trucking.

[bishopthomas]

That's a pretty cool way to do it, saves you the transfer time later. Don't, however, look at it as a backup situation because if the HD24 fails it will not pass signal to the DAW.

[therecordinghous]

well, power is covered with a backup power supply. i have taken precautions to prevent the caddy from shaking loose. at any rate, even if the HD24 stops recording for some random reason, all input mode still passes audio. only disaster could be complete power failure and backup power unit failure.

[bishopthomas]

But if you lose power to the HD24 it will no longer pass audio to your laptop that could run on battery power if necessary. I'm just trying to make you aware, you are your own risk taker.

[therecordinghous]

i have a battery backup for the HD24. sorry if that wasnt clear.

[thedoner]

Originally Posted by Remoteness

What do you do when you need more than 24 tracks of record - Do you sync a second HD24XR?

It hasn't come up for me yet Steve. None of my clients have needed more than that, and I market myself as having a 24 track rig. To accommodate more than 24 inputs and maintain true redundancy, I would need to rent not just another HD24XR, but also additional pre's, A/D to PT (I have an AD16x & a Rosetta 800 for a 24 input rig), and depending on the job, a bigger splitter.
I have thought about expanding my system, but there hasn't been enough call for it yet to justify the costs. If I were asked to do a larger setup, I would probably refer them to you!
-GD

[opentune]

Originally Posted by therecordinghous

i use an alesis HD24 first in series with a computer. lightpipe out of HD24 to DAW. saves capture time later. although the DAW has been rock solid, if it crashes, no biggie as the HD24 keeps on trucking.

So you record the show with analog inputs enabled and just pass the audio
through the optical out into the DAW? At the same time?
I always thought that this isn´t possible... been thinking about getting an
HD24 as a converter for studio recording (and as a remote recorder)...

[therecordinghous]

Originally Posted by opentune

So you record the show with analog inputs enabled and just pass the audio
through the optical out into the DAW? At the same time?
I always thought that this isn´t possible... been thinking about getting an
HD24 as a converter for studio recording (and as a remote recorder)...

definitely possible.

[opentune]

Originally Posted by therecordinghous

definitely possible.

Cool! Thanks man!
I was under the impression that the HD24 wouldn´t mirror the analog inputs
to the ADAT out. Only the digital audio from the harddisk....

Time to think about this setup again.

[xaMdaM]

Generally, I parallel the two HD24's when I only have 24 tracks or less.

The problem is that many times I'm looking at 32-36 tracks.

I almost always run everything on at least a 2400watt UPS, whether I'm in the venue or not.

I guess I really need to look at snaggin' a RADAR or two more HD24's..........

[Remoteness]

In this 2009 thread the DAW category has taken the lead, but I'm still sticking with a dedicated hard disk recorder for all my mission critical live location work.

I guess many of you feel secure with going the DAW route.

We need more votes to really know where we stand in 2009.

That 2002 thread still has traction, but I'm not sure if the results are truly accurate; things have changed quite a bit since then.