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help with new fangled kit for recording rehearsal demos please...


andydye
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up to press we've been using an old Boss BR-900C recorder set up as follows:

lead vocal, acoustic guitar and kick drum going to a pair of front of house speakers via a small mixer
electric guitar and bass unmic'd
all speakers facing towards the singer so nothing behind him to cause feedback trouble

pair of condensor mics one on left and one on right, both connected to the BR900

[attachment=159856:DOC100414-10042014103956-0001.jpeg]

the results have been pretty good for such a simple set-up, certainly adequate for giving an idea of what we sound like...
(see soundcloud link [url="https://soundcloud.com/the_fargo_railroad_co/tracks"]https://soundcloud.c...lroad_co/tracks[/url])

PROBLEM

the recorder is aging and not very gracefully so we may have to replace it soon and the replacement in the boss catalogue only has one phantom powered input...

suggestions that won't break the bank but would still allow us to continue recording more-or-less as we are?

Edited by andydye
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[quote name='barkin' timestamp='1397234546' post='2422122']
No suggestions really I'm afraid, but I'll be interested in how it pans out.
I've just got a used Zoom R16 which I'm intending to use for a similar setup to yours, but haven't got a round tuit yet...
[/quote]

We've looked at replacing the recorder with a zoom h-4n which seems to be a good blend of features and value and would duplicate the current arrangement, problem with this would be that we haven't enough channels in our current small mixer to be able to add in all the bv's we're planning so we'd need a larger desk too which would be another couple of hundred so...
we might as well look for a desk that can accomodate all of the xlr inputs we could possibly need, can provide phantom power for the condenser mics and can also provide output via usb to a laptop of one virtual channel for each active channel on the desk...

we found one! The Samson L1200/2000/... apparently (Samson tell me) that the usb will send a recorded channel for each active channel strip on the desk through the usb to whatever recording software is on the laptop/pc. This is a massively useful feature as mixing can be done after the event in reaper/cakewalk/cubase/whatever...

the alternative was a more expensive behringer desk that had less xlr inputs but could record straight to a usb stick, it has some shonky reviews and is a lump more expensive so we ditched that idea...

Hopefully I'll be ordering an L2000 in the next week or so and will do some testing at home before trying it out at a practice :)

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[quote name='andydye' timestamp='1397567061' post='2425195']...we found one! The Samson L1200/2000/... apparently (Samson tell me) that the usb will send a recorded channel for each active channel strip on the desk through the usb to whatever recording software is on the laptop/pc. This is a massively useful feature as mixing can be done after the event in reaper/cakewalk/cubase/whatever...[/quote]

Good afternoon, Andy...

Not so, I fear. Have a read through the User Manual, here...

[url="http://www.samsontech.com/site_media/legacy_docs/L12002000_OM_v1.pdf"]L2000 User Manual...[/url]

... You'll see that the USB can be switched to be either the Main Stereo O/P or the Aux 1/2 O/P; in no case can it be the individual channel strips. It's a useful feature, certainly, as one can mix differently (using Aux 1/2...) to the Main mix, for recording, but one cannot re-mix the individual channels afterwards in Reaper etc.
Just thought I'd mention it. It may not be a deal-breaker, but thought you should be aware. Hope this helps.

PS: The Behringer X32 will do all you want and much, much more, but costs much more (~£2000...)

Edited by Dad3353
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[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1397568776' post='2425208']
Good afternoon, Andy...

Not so, I fear. Have a read through the User Manual, here...

[url="http://www.samsontech.com/site_media/legacy_docs/L12002000_OM_v1.pdf"]L2000 User Manual...[/url]

... You'll see that the USB can be switched to be either the Main Stereo O/P or the Aux 1/2 O/P; in no case can it be the individual channel strips. It's a useful feature, certainly, as one can mix differently (using Aux 1/2...) to the Main mix, for recording, but one cannot re-mix the individual channels afterwards in Reaper etc.
Just thought I'd mention it. It may not be a deal-breaker, but thought you should be aware. Hope this helps.

PS: The Behringer X32 will do all you want and much, much more, but costs much more (~£2000...)
[/quote]

I also read that so I emailed Samson to clarify:

"Hiya Joe,
Sorry to labour the point (again) but I want to be absolutely clear as even Allen&Heath don't have this feature so I'm delighted but surprised...
if we have 16 channels of instruments/mics/etc being input to the xlr channels of the desk will we get 16 individual channels in the recording software via usb on the pc if we went for the L2000?
...if the answer is yes then it'll be ordered from Thomann this week!
Sorry to bug you again but this is potentially the most awesome thing I've discovered this year!
Also, is it compatible with windows 7 and 8?
Thanks
Andy"

Response:

"Andrew,
Indeed it will! And Yup, compatible with both Windows OS.
Regards,
Joe Loechner
Tech. Support"

A previous question from me in the same vein:

"Joe,
Thanks for that, so, just for clarity, does it record as many audio channels as you have active or just a single channel for the whole desk output?
i.e. how many audio channels can it simultaneously output to the recording software please?
Thanks
Andy"

Response:

"The audio channels you have active.
Regards,
Joe Loechner"

I am still skeptical but following repeated reassurance from Samson tech support am willing to give it a go...and, under distance selling if it doesn't please me I can return it...

I looked at the x32 and yep it's over 2k, it's also 'behringer' ...'shudders'!

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[quote name='andydye' timestamp='1397574964' post='2425285']
I also read that so I emailed Samson to clarify:

"Hiya Joe,
Sorry to labour the point (again) but I want to be absolutely clear as even Allen&Heath don't have this feature so I'm delighted but surprised...
if we have 16 channels of instruments/mics/etc being input to the xlr channels of the desk will we get 16 individual channels in the recording software via usb on the pc if we went for the L2000?
...if the answer is yes then it'll be ordered from Thomann this week!
Sorry to bug you again but this is potentially the most awesome thing I've discovered this year!
Also, is it compatible with windows 7 and 8?
Thanks
Andy"

Response:

"Andrew,
Indeed it will! And Yup, compatible with both Windows OS.
Regards,
Joe Loechner
Tech. Support"

A previous question from me in the same vein:

"Joe,
Thanks for that, so, just for clarity, does it record as many audio channels as you have active or just a single channel for the whole desk output?
i.e. how many audio channels can it simultaneously output to the recording software please?
Thanks
Andy"

Response:

"The audio channels you have active.
Regards,
Joe Loechner"

I am still skeptical but following repeated reassurance from Samson tech support am willing to give it a go...and, under distance selling if it doesn't please me I can return it...

I looked at the x32 and yep it's over 2k, it's also 'behringer' ...'shudders'!
[/quote]

OK for the clarification; as the saying goes: "The answers a lemon, suck it and see..!". With a bit of luck you'll get the functionality you're after, and I'd be pleased to learn if and when you can confirm this. To be followed..!

As for the shuddering at the mention of the 'B' word, you really shouldn't, at least in this particular case. I've worked with the X32 and it's far better than one would imagine from their reputation. I doubt if it will rival the Trident 'A' series, but features for buck, robustness and ergonomics are very worthy.Have a serious look if you get the chance and ask around. Pricy as a simple USB interface, of course, but for serious band mixing, it's very good indeed, imo. No, I'm not sponsored, of course. If only... :rolleyes:
An update if you go forward with the Samson would be nice; thanks in advance...

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[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1397576461' post='2425305']
OK for the clarification; as the saying goes: "The answers a lemon, suck it and see..!". With a bit of luck you'll get the functionality you're after, and I'd be pleased to learn if and when you can confirm this. To be followed..!

As for the shuddering at the mention of the 'B' word, you really shouldn't, at least in this particular case. I've worked with the X32 and it's far better than one would imagine from their reputation. I doubt if it will rival the Trident 'A' series, but features for buck, robustness and ergonomics are very worthy.Have a serious look if you get the chance and ask around. Pricy as a simple USB interface, of course, but for serious band mixing, it's very good indeed, imo. No, I'm not sponsored, of course. If only... :rolleyes:
An update if you go forward with the Samson would be nice; thanks in advance...
[/quote]

We will indeed be sucking said lemon to see if it is as they suggest...if it is true then for £400 it could be a freakin' awesome buy for a 16xlr input desk and I'd imagine sales would rocket, it's a tad weird that they're not a 'best kept secret' type thing...we shall see...

I remain sceptical until proven flabbergasted :) and will absolutely let y'all know how it does when I finally get the go ahead to order it

Edited by andydye
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