OTB mixers: what do you record the master to?

[Sk106]

When mixing otb, for example playing back a hard disk recording by routing all individual tracks to a mixing console and it's subsequent outboard inserts and send fx ... I'd like to get an idea how most people here stores the master out of the console - the final mix.

Those times I was the head man of the recording for a number of times, it was all DAT, and today I'm ITB. But OTB, where do you commonly record the master out to?

[Ricey]

i record OTB mixes to 1/4" tape - that goes back in to the computer at 24bit/96kHz and WAV files are used in mastering. more like 'Round-The-Box

[NathanEldred]

Originally Posted by Ricey

i record OTB mixes to 1/4" tape - that goes back in to the computer at 24bit/96kHz and WAV files are used in mastering. more like 'Round-The-Box

Same setup here. Ampex ATR into Lavry Blue to computer.

[Kronos147]

The audio repair business two doors down has a 1/2" 2 track Studer machine that the client has never claimed. I keep offering to pay for the repairs and "store" the unit at my place.

I had a similar thread going and many spoke of the Masterlink, and the new Tascam DV-RA1000HD TASCAM and finally setting up another computer with another converter and running something like Peak Bias or some other dedicated 2 track/mastering software.

I still have not made a move, having done a ITB to OTB conversion first, but now I need something more than ever.

Last night we tried something interesting. We mixed a song first to 2 tracks of the DAW at 24/96 and exported, put into Toast, and burned a CD. We did no dithering, so I am not sure what Toast does to it.

After we send the same outs to my Lexicon MPX-500 and turned it into a SPDIF converter and sent the SPDIF to a Tascam CDRW-700. The Tascam sounds better. Tonight I am going to Audio Suite the DAW file with iZotope and just dither, then make the CD. I think I need to do this. I wonder what that will sound like vs. the Tascam CD burner.

Either way, that is just a way to create a CD the client can take home. I have yet to really check out software/hardware combos that make sense for a 'mixdown deck.'

[chris carter]

Back to the DAW.

[Flymax]

Out to 1/2 inch in repro and back into PTHD

[Sk106]

Originally Posted by chris carter

Back to the DAW.

Hm. The same DAW you're playing back the individual tracks from?

[Kronos147]

Originally Posted by Sk106

Hm. The same DAW you're playing back the individual tracks from?

Any port in storm?

[Sk106]

Originally Posted by Kronos147

Any port in storm?

No .. just making sure I didn't misunderstand or got it wrong

[bgrotto]

Originally Posted by Flymax

Out to 1/2 inch in repro and back into PTHD

This is my ideal setup, when we've got tape at the studio and the client has the dough. That ATR 102 is bee-you-tee-full!!

Originally Posted by chris carter

Back to the DAW.

Me too, unless the client can afford 1/2". Every now and then, I find a 1/2" reel I can use and re-use as a house reel, wherein I mix to the tape for compression/saturation and transfer back into PT.

Originally Posted by Sk106

Hm. The same DAW you're playing back the individual tracks from?

Yup. Mute the track you're recording to so you don't get any feedback, or set the outputs to a buss, and have at it. It makes for very convenient stems/alternates/etc when you use the playlist functionality.

[johnbohn]

STRAIGHT TO THE LATHE! Just kidding, I'll route it back into the computer and record a new track into Pro Tools.

[chris carter]

Originally Posted by Sk106

Hm. The same DAW you're playing back the individual tracks from?

Yup.

[Svens]

Originally Posted by johnbohn

I'll route it back into the computer and record a new track into Pro Tools.

+1. While mixing, PT is locked to a external clock, which also feeds a good converter (Apogee, Mytek whatever). End of the mix, I'll send the desks output through it and record it back into PT.

[DGrimmett]

same kind of deal as some others.

out of logic into an old Carvin mx1622 analog board, to 1/4 fostex tape. back through benchmark sonik AD2K+

love it