Need ideas for new simple home studio

[sleeperls]

Ive been out of this for a long time. Everything went digital on me. I Loved my old tascam 488 and would prob get another one but im sure things sound alot better on the newer units.

Can you guys reccomend a decent 8 track recorder in the new styles.

All i'm going to be doing is making good quality home demo's.

Sometimes ill use a drum machine and sometimes not depending on how lazy i feel.

[glimmertwin]

Are you looking for something that hooks to your computer or are you trying to stay with a standalone?  I had one of those old Kord D12s and it was okay for what it was.  It can be a lot cheaper and more powerful if you buy something like a cheap Tascam or Presonus interface which will come with a lite version of Cubase or a cheap Pro Tools solution. 

The standalone hardware all seems the same to me...I do have a Zoom H4 that I love because I can take it to band practice or concerts and record with the built in mic or it has a 4 track on it.  I use it more to capture ideas and its brilliant for that.  I wouldn't want to be working on an entire song with it though - would switch to the computer flexibility in that case...

[stereosanctity]

Duuuuude, stick with tape.  You can get 8 track 1/2 inch decks for like 500 bucks then just grab a decent board!  It'll sound so much better than digital.

[northern_dirt]

Duuuuude, stick with tape.  You can get 8 track 1/2 inch decks for like 500 bucks then just grab a decent board!  It'll sound so much better than digital.

[stereosanctity]

Hahaha, it's true man!

[northern_dirt]

Hahaha, it's true man!

no

[stereosanctity]

Sure man!  I'm sure you've probably all heard it, but digital encodes audio (waves) in 1's and 0's, so essentially on and off.  You can't accurately reproduce something that's round with two parameters.  But besides the encoding, tape has this awesome natural compression and warmth that digital just doesn't.  And then pumping it through more circuitry in a board makes it sound even better!

[ugly casanova]

are you steve albini? 

[northern_dirt]

Sure man!  I'm sure you've probably all heard it, but digital encodes audio (waves) in 1's and 0's, so essentially on and off.  You can't accurately reproduce something that's round with two parameters.  But besides the encoding, tape has this awesome natural compression and warmth that digital just doesn't.  And then pumping it through more circuitry in a board makes it sound even better!

Im not really going to get into it..
BUT a 1/2 inch 8 track's quality is pretty low-end when your talking analog audio..

So unless you are talking 24 track 2 inch with dolby SR I don't think you can say
analog is better..

But what do I know, I'm just a professional audio technician..

[Pingu]

I won't even get in to yet another analog vs digital dispute.

My very modest recording setup looks like this: SM57 - Behringer mixer - Behringer firewire interface - iMac G4. It's not great, but it was very very cheap and serves my purposes.

[northern_dirt]

are you steve albini? 

hahahhahaha..


There is SOME merit to what is being said.. I will give them that..
its just you need an expensive Analog rig to really get the most out of it..

[stereosanctity]

I wish!  Nah, I only engineer at a local studio.  :D  Though I really shouldn't say who's stuff I'm working on, I'll hint that they recordings have someone playing that has a signature Fender Telecaster!  ;)  But I stray...

But, If you want to keep it under 500, just got with the Digidesign MBox stuff.  Protools is great and extremely versitile for home recordings.

[glimmertwin]

I believe thats oversimplified to the point that it doesn't really mean anything anymore...  I think if anything we are seeing that digital mediums offer far more flexibility and value - especially to a relative hobbyist's studio.  I used to drink the kool aid but I have heard some great records done digitally that I previously would not have believed.  I just don't think the analog vs. digital debate even applies anymore because they are both tools and any good engineer is going to know how to use both to effect...

[stereosanctity]

Yeah, you do bring up a good point Northern.  Haha, yeah, and its probably better that we stop the analog vs. digital thing before it gets out of hand.

[northern_dirt]

Yeah man.. all is good