Recording Gear Help

[Dr. Love]

So my band is looking to get some gear to record with ... we're looking at these items:

Presonus Firestudio

PreSonus

M-Audio Profire 2626

M-AUDIO - ProFire 2626 - High-Definition 26-in/26-out FireWire Audio Interface with Octane Preamp Technology

TASCAM US 1641

TASCAM

Now I don't know shit about any of this, can anyone help me figure out which we should get, or if there are other options we should be aware of? Not too concerned about price. Any help at all would be appreciated, this is all geek to me.

[Dr. Love]

plz enjoy butts after useful responses, don't get distracted beforehand

[Panamark]

Personally, with all the digital -audio interfaces available
for a PC now, and the endless amounts of DAW software
and plugins out there.. I wouldnt bother with dedicated
hardware in this modern era...
You can have your mixing desk, as many tracks as you want,
wav editing and shaping, endless effects (and most of it
can be found for free) right there on your PC.

really the only hardware you need is a good mic for vocals
and the digital audio interface. M-audio make some nice ones
for a good price. I use the Firewire Solo...

A good set of studio monitors is helpful too, but initially
you can get away with just headphones.

[Dr. Love]

we want something with preamps that is very quiet. We have 16 mics for the drums, 2 for guitar, direct in currently for bass ... how would we record that all into the PC? I like the dedicated hardware because I can chain them together and run a firewire or usb cable to my macbook pro.

[jhale667]

I'd say go with the M-Audio stuff for Pro Tools compatibility, but that's just because I'm having so much fun with Pro Tools...

mmmm...booty.

[Dr. Love]

I don't have pro-tools. At least, not yet. I am using garageband on my mac and reaper on my PC. The presonus and the m-audio look virtually the same to me.

[Panamark]

we want something with preamps that is very quiet. We have 16 mics for the drums, 2 for guitar, direct in currently for bass ... how would we record that all into the PC? I like the dedicated hardware because I can chain them together and run a firewire or usb cable to my macbook pro.

They have multi input Digital Interfaces.. Check out USB2 and
Firewire stuff. (Again maybe M-audio) 24 and even 36 input !

M-AUDIO - FireWire Audio Interfaces


Or you can just use a standard mixing desk and take the
output of that into your digital interface connected to
the PC. Tweaking of the drums would have to be done
on the old mixer in this case...

[Panamark]

Hey I just noticed you have the 26 M audio in your first post ?
Why not use that and Pro tools,

or for a good freebie DAW, try Reaper...

[Panamark]

Those interfaces are all buffered... No additional pre-amps required.
MAC and PC supported. Good thing about the PC approach is that
its always evolving. A physical multi-track recorder will always be
what it was when you bought it. Not to mention you will just end up
uploading its contents to a PC eventually anyway..
(I would think)

[jhale667]

I don't have pro-tools. At least, not yet. I am using garageband on my mac and reaper on my PC. The presonus and the m-audio look virtually the same to me.

But you can probably get some deal that comes with Pro Tools LE at least with the M-Audio piece, I'd bet...

[Panamark]

Man I need my eyes checked !
Doc already mentioned Reaper !
Sounds like you are on the right path Mr Love !

[GAR]

we want something with preamps that is very quiet. We have 16 mics for the drums

With 16 mics dedicated just to drums, you'll have tons of hiss no matter what especially with household current.

Unless you're Genesis or Rush, it's unnecessary.
Unless you're recording for a CD release with a major label, it's unnecessary.

If you're in a garage with decent hight, I'd have two dynamic mics for cymbals: one close up on the ride, the other distanced above as high as possible at the biggest crash.

I'd have a 57 on the snare, and on the high hat, or only one between.

I'd have a D112 on the bass drum. And that's about it.

Five mics, or done in as little as 3. That should cut down the noise and focus your manual mic placement skills into play instead of relying on fade mix and EQ for tone.

I've heard some amazing orchestra recording done entirely with 2 or 3 mics, being totally serious here.

Less inputs, less noise. And unplug everything in the house while recording: coffee pot, alarm clock, micro, fridge.. it'll help with induced 60 cycle grounding buzz.

[Diamondjimi]

Some good points Gargoyle. I run 2 Presonus Firestudios linked via Firewire to PC running Nuendo V,2.0
Very happy with the Presonus. A really good preamp/interface...

[Seshmeister]

we want something with preamps that is very quiet. We have 16 mics for the drums, 2 for guitar, direct in currently for bass ... how would we record that all into the PC? I like the dedicated hardware because I can chain them together and run a firewire or usb cable to my macbook pro.

16 mics for the drums is complete madness.

GAR is correct you only need 5 or so.

Firewire is the way to go, I wish I had. USB doesn't seem to allow you to record the tracks separately simultaneously so say you recorded the drums on 5 tracks you can't go back and adjust the individual levels/EQ etc they will all effectively be on 1 stereo track.

[Panamark]

Hmmmm...