Members UstadKhanAli Posted May 18, 2011 Members Share Posted May 18, 2011 Just curious. I noticed that I've had three conversations about this - and stand-alone HD recorders in general - in the past eight weeks or so, and was wondering if anyone had heard anything about this. Takes VST plugins and has a ton of I/O in the back. It's about $3800. Thanks. http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/X48/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author MikeRivers Posted May 18, 2011 CMS Author Share Posted May 18, 2011 I don't have one and don't know anyone who has one, but it's been in the product line for a long time and it gets updated now and then, so I suppose it should be decent, at least as a recorder. As a DAW without a control surface, though (I only mentioned that since you mentioned VST plug--ins), I dunno. It's pretty much a Mackie x-bus console without the mixer controls and with a hard drive attached. It might be like the x-bus in that it doesn't "play" the fancy GUI that most VST plug-ins have, so you can't use any plug-in, only some. And I don't know how it handles those that require a hardware key. I know it has a USB port, but I dom't know if the lock software can be installed and run on it. If you're serious about it, take a run down to the TEAC office and get Jeff Laity or one of the tech guys there to give you a thorough run-through. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members UstadKhanAli Posted May 18, 2011 Author Members Share Posted May 18, 2011 I'm not serious about it right now, but I noticed that I've had several conversations about it, and it does interest me, especially after my nightmarish computer woes. I'd love to have something in which I don't need to deal with drivers, constant updates, etc. I flick it on and it works. It's designed to do one thing and it does it well. So I may consider this in the not-so-distant future. Thanks, Mike!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members philbo Posted May 18, 2011 Members Share Posted May 18, 2011 I wouldn't buy one, but if I were, I think I'd get a Radar. I prefer my DAW be a PC, so I can maintain, troubleshoot, expand and contract the setup as needed.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members UstadKhanAli Posted May 18, 2011 Author Members Share Posted May 18, 2011 The RADAR look great, but are bloody expensive. Since I'm going to use my Apogee for I/O anyway, I was thinking that I would use a good, robust stand-alone DAW that was good for mixing, editing, etc. and be done with it. That's my thought with these things, anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Lee Knight Posted May 19, 2011 Moderators Share Posted May 19, 2011 But... the way I look at stand-alones, is that they have a specific task. To capture efficiently and accurately. And you do have a Pro Tools setup. So, if it were me, I wouldn't complicate the choice by trying to have it do editing and mixing too. I'd look for the one piece of hardware that will compliment you current workflow. Capturing is not really the forte of a native PT system. So yeah, I've looked too. But why worry about the GUI etc? Personally, I'd go for whatever Alesis 24, Mackie or whatever that works nicely with your AD. Then transfer to PT and overdub, comp, mix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members UstadKhanAli Posted May 19, 2011 Author Members Share Posted May 19, 2011 Lee: If I were to go this route, I'd be looking to ideally replace Pro Tools, not augment it. I don't have enough scratch for both. One or the other ideally. I suppose if I could keep an older Pro Tools rig running, that might work, though, but then that's more crud in my studio, where space is already at a premium. Radman: I don't think I need that, do I? I just need ADAT I/O to get my eight channels of Rosetta 800 in, that's all. And I usually record at 44.1kHz anyway. I just need something that works that requires a minimum of fiddling. I never track more than 16 tracks at a time anyway, and rarely more than eight. I could go on and on about audio interface nightmares, reinstallation woes, irritating little things that keep cropping up, seemingly having to fix everything twice, etc. in the last eight weeks, but it'll just make me want to smash my fist through a computer monitor again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ggm1960 Posted May 19, 2011 Members Share Posted May 19, 2011 I don't know if that monitor is included but I'd want a WAY bigger one, preferably two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Anderton Posted May 19, 2011 Members Share Posted May 19, 2011 I could go on and on about audio interface nightmares, reinstallation woes, irritating little things that keep cropping up, seemingly having to fix everything twice, etc. in the last eight weeks, but it'll just make me want to smash my fist through a computer monitor again. Lee, I really, really understand your frustration...given how much stuff I beta test, and what with advance copies of software, I've had my share of nightmares. But the experience you went through seems truly out of the ordinary, a perfect storm of everything possible going wrong. No matter what you get, you'll encounter reliability issues at some point...probably less with a stand-alone recorder, but it too will have something go wrong at some point. That said, this is the reason why stand-alone recorders exist - because some people would prefer to have one than deal with computers. Certainly for location recording, it's easier to cart around one box than a laptop, adapter, interface, maybe an external hard drive, and the like. The X48 is relatively old but that really doesn't mean much if it did what it was supposed to do...in that case, why revise it? I wouldn't give up on computers, despite their occasional issues; then again, once I find a combination of things that work, I stick with it as long as I can. I did go through some birthing pains when moving over to Windows 7 64-bit (although some of that was due to a motherboard losing its mind - stuff happens, and once I restored it to defaults, it was fine), but now everything is working happily and I gues I'm set for at least a few years Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Lee Knight Posted May 19, 2011 Moderators Share Posted May 19, 2011 ...but now everything is working happily and I gues I'm set for at least a few years Uh oh, now you've gone and done it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members UstadKhanAli Posted May 19, 2011 Author Members Share Posted May 19, 2011 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Anderton Posted May 19, 2011 Members Share Posted May 19, 2011 Uh oh, now you've gone and done it. It's okay, I knocked on wood. With all the guitars here, that's no problem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members UstadKhanAli Posted May 19, 2011 Author Members Share Posted May 19, 2011 Lee, I really, really understand your frustration... Oh, I see, we're doing that "last name" thing now, Anderton? ...given how much stuff I beta test, and what with advance copies of software, I've had my share of nightmares. But the experience you went through seems truly out of the ordinary, a perfect storm of everything possible going wrong. That's for sure.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Anderton Posted May 19, 2011 Members Share Posted May 19, 2011 Oh, I see, we're doing that "last name" thing now, Anderton? Ooops. I had just read Lee Knight's post and had Leeness on the brain. I know your real name, Bob. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members UstadKhanAli Posted May 19, 2011 Author Members Share Posted May 19, 2011 I knew it was some kind of mix-up like that, Greg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members UstadKhanAli Posted May 19, 2011 Author Members Share Posted May 19, 2011 ...had Leeness on the brain. And also, perhaps you should you see a doctor about this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jeff da Weasel Posted May 19, 2011 Members Share Posted May 19, 2011 My new punk band: Ken Lee Knight Rider. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members UstadKhanAli Posted May 19, 2011 Author Members Share Posted May 19, 2011 Yes, they shared a bill with Ken Lee Flier, didn't they? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members LRon Butterfly Posted May 19, 2011 Members Share Posted May 19, 2011 Ken, have you looked at the RME Fireface UFX? It will allow use of your Apogee and records directly to USB media. It would be a decent interface for whatever program you are using and function as a stand alone recorder if your computer takes a dump. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author MikeRivers Posted May 20, 2011 CMS Author Share Posted May 20, 2011 Ooops. I had just read Lee Knight's post and had Leeness on the brain.[/quote Is Leeness on the brain something like banjo on the knee?] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Anderton Posted May 20, 2011 Members Share Posted May 20, 2011 Only if you're from Aleebama. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members UstadKhanAli Posted May 20, 2011 Author Members Share Posted May 20, 2011 Ken, have you looked at the RME Fireface UFX? It will allow use of your Apogee and records directly to USB media. It would be a decent interface for whatever program you are using and function as a stand alone recorder if your computer takes a dump. I did, and will still consider it. I was looking for a cheaper solution in terms of an audio interface because I don't need really great converters on the audio interface. But the RME stuff is really well-regarded, including their drivers and customer support, and they have rock solid reliability from everything I've heard, so that's why I would be interested in it. But we'll see how this PreSonus goes. Since I got the second one, which actually works, it's been great so far, knock on wood! T'anks!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.