Location recording with laptop

[Bugaboo]

Hello, I'm looking for some advice - I have a laptop which I want to set up with a portable audio interface, but would like some feedback from users who are currently doing this.

The primary use for the set up is sound effects aquisition with a minimum of 4 track operation. I am currently upgrading from a multi DAT based set up but need a set up capable of recording 4 tracks at 96kHz and I don't have the budget to buy a 4 track Sound Devices recorder. I think the Edirol R4Pro probably doesn't have the recording quality I am after and therefore need suggestions for under $4000 for an audio interface that can run with the laptop on location and doesn't need mains power.

Any thoughts appreciated.

BB

[sysyphus300021]

I have a setup that would work for what you need. Get Boom Recorder VOSGAMES - Boom Recorder and then get a Mackie 1604 or one of the mutu products. I use the Mackie 1604 with boom recorder for most my shoots. Boom Recorder sounds great and I have never had any failures with it. You will find a list of compatible devices on boom recorders website. Not sure what you will do about power. If I don't have power I go to my Sound Device 702T W/402 mixer. But that setup is over your $4000 budget. Hope this helps.

[georgia]

we have used a DIGI002 very successfully on a number of live gig tracking multiple channels on outboard disks. but I guess it depends on how "portable" yoiu want to be.

cheers
geo

[philper]

None of the rigs suggested so far will run on DC power, unless you bring along an invertor. This is often done anymore, but the invertor takes a big bite of your battery capacity, is large and heavy itself, has a fan and good ones are pretty expensive. You'll need deep-cycle marine or aircraft AGM batteries, between 40 and 96 AH, which are large and heavy. Another tactic is to use a small Honda 1k generator and bring enough AC cable to be able to move it far enough away that you don't hear it. For purely DC operation the most common audio interface used is the MOTU Traveler, which will run on 12VDC or can be bus-powered via firewire from the computer. I'd encourage you to check out the various sound cart power threads on JWSound.net--how to power location sound equipment in an efficient and portable manner is an endless source of discussion among film/video location sound people. There are many pieces of gear made for exactly this task and market.

Philip Perkins

[ggegan]

I don't know about 4 tracks, but for 2 tracks the Apogee duet is an excellent bus powered preamp/firewire interface for any ap other than Pro Tools. I was just wondering the other day whether you could stack them using multiple firewire ports.

If I was going to go for a dream rig, I would skip the laptop and just buy a Sound devices 744T or 788T. If you factor in the cost of a decent laptop, they are a bargain, plus much more powerful, portable and versatile than any small computer interface recording units I'm familiar with.

[JustinW]

I have seen used, but in really nice condition,744ts go for well under 4k. I would hit up craigslist/ebay/forums.

That is if time is not of the essence...

[philper]

Originally Posted by JustinW

I have seen used, but in really nice condition,744ts go for well under 4k. I would hit up craigslist/ebay/forums.

That is if time is not of the essence...

There's a very nice one w/ some acc. on Ebay right now for $3500--only a year old (so the HD is in good shape).

I agree that for field work I'd much rather use a 744T (not really convinced yet about the 788) than a computer rig any day.

Philip Perkins

[tuRnitUpsuM]

DC powered interfaces

Firewire:
Apogee Ensemble (DC powered version - Mac)
Motu Traveller (Mac and PC)

USB: bus powered
RME babyface (ADAT/SPDIF) Mac-PC

many others are DC or bus powered units just have to dig around...some can be converted to become DC operable with minor tweaking, others not so worth it.

are you planning on mixing in the field with this rig? or is it designated for strictly tracking? if the latter i agree with the above posters about running a purpose built field recorder. Battery lifes are much higher with these units and rightfully so.

cheers

[thierryd]

Originally Posted by philper

There's a very nice one w/ some acc. on Ebay right now for $3500--only a year old (so the HD is in good shape).

I agree that for field work I'd much rather use a 744T (not really convinced yet about the 788) than a computer rig any day.

Philip Perkins

I've owned and worked a 744T pretty much from the day they were released and love the machine for FX gathering. For location sound recording the 788T + CL9 is a great package however. Just finished a 38 day shoot with it and it is a very nice quick-to-work-with setup.
One important issue that needs attention is the faders of the CL9 though: they're scale is linear which takes some getting used to. And I worked in sandy environments and although I regularly vaccuum'd them, the faders tend lose their smoothness very quickly.

Greetings,

Thierry

[D'Animation]

Sound Devices have the USB Pre - only 2 track but great quality though, might be able to stack them?.....
USBPre Microphone Interface for Computer Audio | Sound Devices, LLC

[thierryd]

Originally Posted by D'Animation

Sound Devices have the USB Pre - only 2 track but great quality though, might be able to stack them?.....
USBPre Microphone Interface for Computer Audio | Sound Devices, LLC

While the USBpre will probably be better than most USB mic pre solutions, its quality is less good than other SD mic preamps. I asked SD about this at a San Francisco AES years ago (when I thought of using my laptop as a recording device) and actually bought a SD MP2 instead as a frontend to my Tascam DA-P1 at the time. The MP2 was lightyears better than the Tascam pre's, but I'm glad the DAT era is over; the DA-P1 is in storage and the MP2 is still used on a regular basis :-)

Greetings,

Thierry

[D'Animation]

Originally Posted by thierryd

While the USBpre will probably be better than most USB mic pre solutions, its quality is less good than other SD mic preamps. I asked SD about this at a San Francisco AES years ago (when I thought of using my laptop as a recording device) and actually bought a SD MP2 instead as a frontend to my Tascam DA-P1 at the time. The MP2 was lightyears better than the Tascam pre's, but I'm glad the DAT era is over; the DA-P1 is in storage and the MP2 is still used on a regular basis :-)

Greetings,

Thierry

Never knew that but good to know - I use the Mp-1 into a Sony m10 although I'm looking for a mix pre now (or the mp-2 although they are very rarely seen now since it was discontinued). Only bugger with the mp series is that its batteries out in the field, the USB powering is a bit more convenient. I'll probably get shot down for this but get your front-end right (pre's) and work from there.

My 702 at work is a total workhorse so ultimately a 744 is the way to go but for the same price as the 702, a personal rig of Sony+SDpre+mics made sense - it is gearslutz after all, if we didn't have budgets this place wouldn't be half as exciting!!

[minister]

Just remember that the 744T only has 2 pre-amps. You will need an SD Mix Pre ($665 USD street) or similar to get 4 channels of microphones.

[thierryd]

Originally Posted by D'Animation

Never knew that but good to know - I use the Mp-1 into a Sony m10 although I'm looking for a mix pre now (or the mp-2 although they are very rarely seen now since it was discontinued). Only bugger with the mp series is that its batteries out in the field, the USB powering is a bit more convenient. I'll probably get shot down for this but get your front-end right (pre's) and work from there.

I think one of the primary reasons for the USBpre being less good than the other SD pres was the fact that they had to design it around USB bus powering, which is less than stellar if you need to feed phantom power to mics + a good mic pre design. So it's a much better idea to have a mic pre with its own power (for MP2 AA batteries or even beter an external NP1 or similar). It's a bit bulkier but you gain quality and autonomy in the field.

Greetings,

Thierry

[thierryd]

remembering an older thread, I saw this at IBC:
USBPre 2 Microphone Interface for Computer Audio | Sound Devices, LLC

If you're looking for a USB powered Mic pre, this might be interesting, knowing SD's reputation.

Greetings,

Thierry

[eoats]

Nice to see they finally got around to 'fixing' the USB Mix Pre.
We used a Sound Devices on some locationfoley just before the Mbox came out & that was ___?

In response to the OP - as Georgia suggested an 002 or even a MBox Pro II (which would need another pair of Mic preamps).

[JonesH]

Originally Posted by minister

Just remember that the 744T only has 2 pre-amps. You will need an SD Mix Pre ($665 USD street) or similar to get 4 channels of microphones.

That was the dealbreaker for me. I needed 4ch in one unit, so I went the edirol r-44 route.