The Lt.'s slide into 100 track 'puter recording

[Lt. Bob]

So I've always had a primarily analog recording rig even though the recorders I use are digital, most recently the Fostex D2424.

Even though it's a digital recorder, it's set up the same as a 24 track reel to reel ..... you need everything outside the box.
You have very basic editing like cut and paste and that's it.
You need a 24 track mixing board and outboard effects and that's how I've recorded for .... hmmm let's see ..... bought my Teac 3340AS in 1970-1971 so almost 50 years of recordings and still have some of the gear from then!

But recently my D2424 started getting a little glitchy ..... my first reaction was just buy another ..... they're all over Reverb and ebay for 4-7 hundred bucks or even go with the similar Mackie HDR2496.

However ..... wifey pushed me to go ahead and build a real modern rig and she's right .... $600 get's me a fourth of the way there .... why end up with 4 or 5 of the Fostex's laying around and eventually end up doing that anyways.
With increasing arthritis problems, I have limited time to get to some of the recording I want to do so the time is now if I haven't already waited too long.

So a talk with Greg and another with Tadpui later, I am embarking upon the journey.

I am ordering this stuff but am posting this for comments before I pull the trigger but I think this would all be a good starting point.

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail ... -interface
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail ... one-preamp

Lotta ins and outs for a guy that will never record drums and will always be solo right?
Wrong ..... I still have about a dozen outboard effects and such so the majority of these will simply be enough ins and outs for me to use them as I wish. I actually won't use any of the mic-pres since I have an Art Pro-Channel that I like.
Yes, I know I'll never all the rack mount stuff at once and with plug-ins I may use them not at all ..... but if so, I don't want the reason to be that I can't.
I want no limitations so I'm building with that in mind even if it's stuff that never gets used.

Also I'ma getting this:
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail ... controller

As for the 'puter, Chad may build me one or I may just grab this:
https://www.newegg.com/p/1VK-001E-4D619 ... 0GJFSJ8995

He says the 'puter is a beast but he has expressed concern over the small size meaning it has a small fan spinning fast and therefore is noisy.
The puter part is still up in the air but I have decided I want 32G of RAM ..... beyond that I know nothing but most of what the HP has, I would like.

Once again I know nothing and am in deep contact with Tadpui about this.

Anyways ,..... I thought this might make an interesting thread ...... a 50 year analog'r making the jump to computer recording in one fell swoop.

[JD01]

Hmmm, well - I have the 18i20. Works great, no problems with it at all.
Install Reaper and I reckon you're done!

Regarding computer noise and processing... I wouldn't worry too much about this.
I can't imagine you're gonna be using loads of VSTs and VSTis. The ones you probably will use that come with Reaper (ReaEQ is great) use bugger all processing power as do the ones bundled in with your Focusrite RED3 Compressor and RED2EQ (both really good).

I've always used really cheap computers, generally one step above the budget models, and I've never had a problem with noise when tracking 'cos I'm not tracking anything that uses loads of processing power. The fan just gets a bit noisy when I'm rendering.

I'm sure Tad will disagree with me on this as I reckon we have very different ideas on what a computer should be like!

[Greg_L]

Lol Tad's the man for this stuff.

[liv_rong]

Nice! I have almost the same rig.

I agree about the computer noise not being an issue, never had an issue. Hell, sometimes my furnace/air is blasting when I'm tracking and that hasnt even been a problem....unless it is and I dont know lol

[WhiskeyJack]

this is fantastic news! I think you will love it.

I have the 18i20 as well Lt. Major over kill for my needs but i got it on a great sale and i live by a creed of "it is better to have than to have not" So the extra inputs have been great to have.

... for all that recording i do.

[rayc]

It'd be really cool to have most of the outboard gear patched in and ready to go...not excuse not to use stuff that way.
I have my useful outboard gear hooked up to a patch bay and the cables connected at that end just sitting by my interface. It only takes a minute to connect them BUT they rarely get used becasue that brief moment is all it takes to decide on an easier option.