Best 16 - 24 Ch for under $4k

Whats the Best 16 - 24 Ch for under $4k? I need to hook it up to my computer, firewire or USB 2.0 is fine. I want great sound. I'm using a MOTU MKII 828 and a Presonus Digi LT.

Isn't that new Toft console under that amount?

Digital or analog?

Forget my last suggestion - I don't think it has firewire or USB 2.0. You might want to check to make sure, but I don't believe it has it.

I think the toft is going to have a FW option...eventually.

Do you mix ITB or in your mixer? how do you pass your audio back and forth your computer? or do you have hard disk recorder?

Ooo!!!! This makes me happy in my pants!

I've been looking at the 01V96 for a while; what's IIRC. I'm still null to what's digital and what's analog.

I want to get a fat clear sound for drums and vocals, and I can get ok results with my current set up, but I know I can get better with something better.

I had been looking at the 2480, that sounds good too but I remember some one telling me to stay away from Onyx stuff.

Which would be better 01V96 or 2480. If I can spend less great! If I'm spending more I just want to make sure the rate of $$$ to sound is worth it.

I just dbl checked, I lied, it was he Yamaha 02R96 I was looking at a while back, thats when I had more money. My truck is not usable anymore so I had to buy a new car and $250 a month is braking my balls.

Originally posted by xiwiwix Ooo!!!! This makes me happy in my pants!

Oh, man, too much information....

Analog-no AD or DA conversion.

Digital- ADDA converters.

plus, with a digital console you have parametric eq and dynamics on each channel. With an analog you usually get low and high shelving and just 1 band of parametric or semi parametric in cheap stuff, and no dynamics. Usually you have more busses, aux sends and options with a digital. if you want all that analog, you'll have to ebay your house and maybe that new car the question is. Do you need it or not? because you could have all of those things, and more actually within the computer, so ill recommend you to search and learn as much as you can before making a spend.

I don't think the Onyx-2480 has a firewire option. You would need to use a separate A/D converter. It will cost a lot more than 4K. That is not necessarily a bad option if you need 24 channels though.

How would I get the channels in to my computer? Sorry for being such a noob.

Originally posted by xiwiwix How would I get the channels in to my computer? Sorry for being such a noob.

The main concept is this:

you need a digital to analog converter to take your audio out of the computer.

You need analog to digital conversion to put audio into your computer.

Now how you do that? weel one option would be to have an analog to digital converter with 24 inputs and enter your instruments and voices individually to record each track separately in your computer, or you could have a converter with just 2 inputs and record the stereo out of your console.

If you decided to record each track separately and now you want to mix them in your mixer, then you need a digital to analog converter with 24 outputs and wire each of those outputs to each channel in the mixer and then you could mix.

Now the converters need a way to stream the audio they have converted to and from the computer. then youll need and interface with adat lightpipe conected to your computer, or to have one of those converters that can be conected to your computer via firewire.

That would require a lot more money that you are willing to spend. An option i would consider if i were you is this

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/DM3200/

with this

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/IFFWDM/

Then you have everything you want in two pieces. The mixer have converters, both DA and AD, and the card would to the streaming from and to the computer.

Originally posted by xiwiwix How would I get the channels in to my computer? Sorry for being such a noob.

Dont worry for being a noob, i learned everything i know (and it is not that much) in this forums and magazines, so the best thing you can do is stay here. And dont be afraid to ask "stupid questions" since the isnt such a thing.

But i would advice you, if you have $4000 to spend and you dont really know that much, i would tell you...you dont need to spend that in a mixer. You could buy a wonderful studio with $4000, and if you want suggestions on how to spend it, you are in the right place.

What about the Mackie HDR 24/96?

I think I found something

Mackie Onyx 1200F

Could I hook up 2 of these into my computer? Would Cubase SX 3 see all 24 tracks (pre amps)? Is the sound quality as good as the 2480?

EDIT: *Dual FireWire ports for daisy chaining and direct connection to Mac or PC

SWEET!!!

Originally posted by xiwiwix I think I found something Mackie Onyx 1200F Could I hook up 2 of these into my computer? Would Cubase SX 3 see all 24 tracks (pre amps)? Is the sound quality as good as the 2480? EDIT: *Dual FireWire ports for daisy chaining and direct connection to Mac or PC SWEET!!!

You could do that!!

And then mix withing cubase.

Wooden, Do you think the Onxy Pre Amps are better than the Yamaha 01V96? What about compared to MOTU's HD896?

Phil, where02190, what do you think?

I havent used any of that gear, so i can only tell you what i have heard.

They say pre amps on the yamaha are very clean and rather trasparent but not have that much gain.

They say motu's pre amps tend to be in the "dark" sounding side.

That's al i can say for what i read, but i dont really know. would you use them live or in the studio?

Studio.

There is this option also

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/VS2480DVD/

if you prefer hardware, you have pre amps, recording, editing, mixing effects and pretty much everything in one package.