daw sound quality & gain

[paulieg]

Hi , I been recording on my daw for at least two years and been recording over 25years maybe I still don't know anything ;but is getting me lately.The problem is not my computer system, not my converters,not my ears,or my understanding of digital daws either. No matter what it just doesn't have the clarity and the gain that Iam looking for . Do you feel the same on this and are there solutions to what I see as problems still with this type setup?
I recently pulled out and old cd I recorded in the mid 80's on a akai mg1212 analoge machine half inch tape 12 tracks .The difference was way better sound in fact so much so I realized what I was missing and striving for for the past 2yrs and just can't seem to get there.I don't want to go backwards to go foward tho ;but something isn't worked out yet with daw recording any comments on this . Don't get me wrong here there are many editing advantages but I cant seem to pull it out of the box. Paulieg

[heyman]

Paulieg, there is countless debates on this already .. Just do a search... Fact is digital is still digital.. It is clean and precise.. we are not there yet. If we were, then why are the top studios still recording to tape and then transferring digtally?

Converters have gotten really good over the past 5 years, when I say this I mean, taking a analog recording and converting it to digital. The converters are good enough now to translate the nuances of something that was recorded in the analog domain first...

But directly recording to digital - this is where the debate comes in. This is where we see/hear more of a 2 dimensional picture of music rather than 3 dimensional like Tape provides us.

If you have the means, track your stuff in the analog domain and then have it transfered to digital..

[juicemaster1500]

you should check for the things that sound bad. yes a daw can be described as 'clean' or precise', but yet there's nothing precise in what happens when you sum a couple of tracks to a bus.. stereo field collapsorama.. it makes the operator feel as small as the small sound coming out of the speakers.

being careful with bussing and gain structure etc. is paramount.

[raal]

if you haven't done this, go here: http://www.tllabs.com/index.php?opti...d=20&Itemid=62 and download the white paper. then go here: http://recforums.prosoundweb.com/ind...1404b846775896 and start reading from around page # 7.

after doing this i mix differently and i'm happy with the results.

that doesn't mean i'm selling any outboard gear, or that i've stopped shopping for an analog board, but the ITB summing deal is not an issue for me anymore.

[paulieg]

Thanks for the replies! To expand some on this . How about using something like the alesis hdr24 stand alone digital to track with than do the summing into my don't sreak- mackie 32-8 buss console. I have heard that an external digital recorder like the alesis sounds way better than a daw because it doesn't have the built in problems like a daw does summing buss ,latency etc. Doing it this way I can still use my nuendo system to bounce to for editing than bounce it back to the alesis mix on the mackie and burn to an external cd burner like the burn it.
paulieg

[heyman]

Hmm, well I dont know if the Mackie will be a step up or down. You need to run a test of a mix In the box vs mixed out thru the Mackie. Let your ears decide...


Alot of computer users have found ways to improve the summing part, either with a seperate summing box or in your case, using the masters on a analog console.

I myself am waiting for some of the new breed smaller footprint consoles in the 5000 - 6000 price range. Hopefully they will have everything we could want. I track the same way you do - but to a Radar 24... My only weak link right now is my mixdown summing equipment..

If these new consoles from Toft , etc.. dont cut the mustard, I am going to have to go the route of an older Trident or Neotek...

[crypticglobe]

If you use really great converters... and good or great summing bus (like a Rolls Folcrom... or even a full on analog console) to mix with you can get extremely excellent results from you DAW. To me... it is the internal summing of all DAW's that leaves many of us wishing for a little more. Mike Shipleys work sure sounds amazing though... and he said right here on this board he is mixing ITB.

Guess it can be done!!!