First Mobile setup - Ivory, Soundcraft, TC, Digimax or what??

[kas_lar]

Hi everybody.
I've been reading a few things from the mobile recording forum, cuz I'm in need of a recording rig, in the Medium budget.

I'm tracking on a macbook pro with a FW harddisk with logic 9. That's not the problem. I'm having a hard time choose what to buy.
I already own the TC studio Konnekt 48, which I'm quite satisfired with.

That's 4 mic pres already.
I need 8 mic pres and a Adat in as well to get 20 track in.
Mics is not a problem right now, but I intend to track a whole band, rock/pop/indie style in rehearsal rooms and where ever it's possible. Lead vocals and such is always going to be recorded at my home studio with a Tube tech or greatriver pre. I've got the Behringer Headphone amp as well, with 3-5 sets of headphones...

I'm okay with low end gear, but I'm going for used equipment as the value is much higher. The things I'm looking at right now in the used marked in Denmark is:

Using my TC SK 48 with:
Soundcraft Mic/Line interface 8 channel pre
Soundcraft - [Products]

Presonus Firestation 8 ADAT in, with 8 mic pres. I'll just use it as a standalone 8 Adat interface - It's really cheap here in Denmark - used 230dollars (does this unit have as good preamps as in the Digimax?)
PreSonus

I'm thinking of breaking the bank and going for a used ati 8mx2, but it's way over my budget.

Any advice or ideas before I go for the Soundcraft pre / Presonus Adat route?

There's al a few TL audio Ivory 5001 4 channel strip and 2 channelstrip on the used marked in Denmark. As there better than Soundcraft/presonus? I could get 8 channels of TL Audio ivory 5001 for 800 dollars as preamps for the TC interface.

[kas_lar]

Hey again.

Hasn't anybody got any advice? I just wanna find a good 8 channel pre, and a good 8 channel Adat interface with mic pres, both in the low to medium budget range. I'm recording rock/pop/indie on location in rehearsal rooms.

Thanks.

[pjleavitt]

i recorded a concert the other day on my pro tools hd rig. i bought a presonus digimax D8 to add 8 pres/converters into the digital in of the 192 and was very pleasantly surprised with how good the digimax sounded. I'm about to order 2 more just for live recording purposes. i have looked around alot and those seem to be the best value in my opinion. i have never used the other units your asking about though.

Paul
www.paulleavitt.net

[maddog]

I like the m-audio octane. Very good system it has adat out and a ms matrix as well as seperate analog outs. I am very happy with this setup for a "cheaper" preamp. It is also very sturdy and should hold up to some abuse.

[kas_lar]

Thanks maddog and pjleavitt.

I've been reading alot, and there seems to be a alot of bad things about the TL audio Ivory - so it's out of the question.

Everybody is talking about the low end pres for utility work. Keep a good channel for voc/ac gui such dub. I've got that. As far as I've understood, the difference between the preamps and converters I'm looking at, isn't so big.
Is this understood correctly?

These sound almost alike, and will work okay for recording rock/pop on the location drums, Electric guitars and such.

(Best pres at the top)
ATI 8mx2
RME Octamic
Audient ASP 008
RME Octa pre
Digimax FS
Digimax D8
Digimax LT


Thanks for your time!