Multi tracks

Spicy Lauren

Howdy lads,

Any recommendation on a digital 8-track?
I need 'standard' jack input, midi input/output, usb pluggin, headphone jack.
Something simple and easy to use and carry around, enough memory, something that doesn't crash once in a whilE and as inexpensive as possible. Not sure about my budget yet, would probably get it 2nd hand.

Please help

Lauren

Doctor J

This might fare better in the recording forum... yoink.

Also, ask on Gigsmart too.

Edit -> I had a Boss BR1180 which was quite useful, sold it though after I got Pro-Tools. Do you need more than two inputs?

Spicy Lauren

Thanks for moving it Doc.

Well, I would probably record a track at a time as it's just for me to mess around at home. Been using a md player with condenser mc. it was fine for me to record myself singing and play but now i'd like to ad a bass line and some other bits and pieces so it's time to upgrade!

Doctor J

The price of them has come down hugely since I bought mine 4 years ago. You get things like virtual tracks which means you can select one of usually 8 different recordings per track, so you can experiment with different takes and such. I used to use a free drum machine called Hammerhead Rhythm Station to make my drums on the pc, then bounce it into the 8 track and add the rest there.

Would the likes of these be outside your budget?

http://www.thomann.de/thoiw6_artikel-177605.html

http://www.thomann.de/thoiw6_artikel-184396.html

http://www.thomann.de/thoiw6_fostex_mr8_8spur_multitracker_prodinfo.html

http://www.thomann.de/thoiw6_tascam_dp-01_prodinfo.html

http://www.thomann.de/thoiw6_artikel-175679.html

One of the nice features of the Boss was the DSP, digital effects, about 200 or so different things like distortions and other effects, compressors and the like which are definitely worth spending a little extra to have.

Edit -> if it's just for your own use you migth get away with a 4 track like this
http://www.thomann.de/thoiw6_zoom_mrs4_prodinfo.html

Spicy Lauren

Mmmm thanks again doc.
Bit pricey indeed, but second hand would probably be cheaper.
4 track is a no-no cos well, there's not enough tracks! I like the idea of an other 8 tracks behind the tracks themselves, but i'd rather delete each track as I go along cos otherwise it takes too much space.

Now, the silly question of the day: what is a TRS mic? is it just a standard jack input or what?

Eoin Madsen

A normal microphone outputs a balanced signal via an XLR - basically, there's three pins: an earth and two different signals.

(Skip this part if you're not interested) The two signals are 180 degrees out of phase with each other. Equal signals with opposite phase will cancel each other out when mixed. Equal signals of the same phase will add together. The idea is that you send the mic signal down the lead split into the two phases. At the other end you reverse the phase of one of them, and add them together. All of the noise that is introduced along the lead is (almost) equal in both signals, so when they're reversed back at the end, most of the noise is cancelled but the signal remains the same.

Any professional equipment will primarily use 3-pin XLRs for the mics. A "normal" jack is a TS (Tip, Sleeve) with only two connectors. A TRS (Tip, Ring, Sleeve) is a jack with an extra connection like on a headphone jack, so it can also be used to send balanced signals. If you plug a TRS into a TS jack input, the ring signal is sent to ground (discarded). You still get the signal but basically with reduced level. If you plug a TS into a TRS input, the net result will be no change to the TS signal. If you have an XLR mic and use an XLR to TS lead, the effect will depend on how that XLR to TS lead is wired. Normally it should be the same as going from TRS to TS - the extra signal is discarded.

A phantom powered mic (like a condensor/capacitor mic) won't work without all three pins connected properly to the mixer.

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Doctor J wrote:

Also, ask on Gigsmart too.

posting on gigsmart is getting worse

Spicy Lauren

It is indeed darling x

dalk

I know this is off topic, but if you have a PC, why not use that?

Even a low powered PC with a half descent sound card will give good results... (and more than 8 tracks if you need that).

Spicy Lauren

Ummm... Probably because... I have... no PC :rolleyes:

dalk

Spicy Lauren wrote:

Ummm... Probably because... I have... no PC

Yes ... well that would be an issue alright.

Still, i was playing back 16 tracks, easily on a Pentium 2 400mhz back in the day when that was a fast PC. People give away PC's with that spec now... Not very portable though, but fine for bedroom recording.