Interface choices, please clear the confusion.

[viking]

Good day,

 

I have searched these forums until bleary eyed, and have read quite a bit of excellent information, but I guess I need a more straight forward answer to my "dilemma", Yes I am a noob, but learning quickly & taking this very seriously.

 

I am using Logic Pro currently, the Studio update is on my desk waiting to get installed I just haven't yet until I know my next step. Which is where this forum comes in.

 

I am using a Power Mac G5 & Pro 7, my question is what do you guys recommend for an interface for my situation.

 

I have a metal band, or am the band. I will need the ability to record an 8 piece drum kit, 2 guitars & a bass simultaneously. I was under the impression that I needed mic pres for all the drums, and overheads.

 

Am I wrong here?

 

I think I am dead set on two MOTU 8 Pres to get all the i/o that I need plus the pres.

 

Am I crazy thinking I need 2, 8 pres?

 

I would love Apogee hardware, but for the number of ins I need I can not afford that, or am I totally wrong in my thinking altogether?

 

Is the 828MKIII a better choice?

Is there another option that I should know about?

 

I helped recently with a session using a Mackie Onyx 16 channel firewire board into a PC, and we were fully capable of doing everything I needed, would that be a better choice of an interface?

 

It seemed like over kill or at least redundant with all the mixing options I have in Logic. I was not running the board, just beating on drums & doing guitar tracks, I wasn't really interested in the guys sequencer but couldn't help but notice how easy things went with the Onyx. That has pres on all channels, phantom power, but only main outs & headphone outs.

 

I'm now more confused than ever, please help get me straight.

 

Thanks in advance.

[David Nahmani]

I have a metal band, or am the band. I will need the ability to record an 8 piece drum kit, 2 guitars & a bass simultaneously. I was under the impression that I needed mic pres for all the drums, and overheads.

 

Am I wrong here?

 

You're pretty much right... what really matters is the number of microphones you're going to be recording at the same time. So if you wanted to use 3 mics on the first guitar cab, and a direct line as well, and the same for the other guitar, and 14 microphones on the drumkit (yes, that would be a lot - but some people do that), then you'd need 22 mic preamps, 22 mics, and an audio interface with 22 inputs.

 

On the other hand, if you're using one microphone for each guitar cab, 2 microphones for the kit, and one mic for the snare, you'd only need 5 mic, mic preamps and inputs.

 

So it depends on how you intend to mic the guitars and the drums.

 

If 16 inputs is what you need, then a couple of MOTU should work nicely. I would recommend them over an Onyx, but if you like the Onyx and it works fine for you, then you should get that. I just believe the MOTU are a little better quality and they come with a driver, while the Mackies are class-compliant, using Mac OS X's core audio drivers instead. If that works, great, if that doesn't, you're screwed... it usually works, but I've had problems with them in the past - those problems were solved by getting a Firewire PCI card for the mac, and plugging the Mackie in there. Then that worked great.

[viking]

David,

 

Thanks for the info, you were exactly who I wanted to hear from. I get so much info from all your posts, it is mind boggling.

 

I just figured out I will need a minimum of 10 drum mics, the instruments I can run direct and can mic cabs too. I can only do one guitar track at a time.

 

Am I right in believing that the 8 pre is what is says it is, like the be all end all of getting things into the can?

 

I thought the Mackie was limited & redundant.

[jugealt]

The 828M3 is a really good choice as it can be expanded quite cheaply via ADAT optical ins and out. this basically gives you 24 analogue ins and out.

Im not a fan of Behringer stuff but i use two ADA8000 units connected to my mk3 and they work well.

Ithink Creamware also makes and optical expander if you dont like behringer.

Just a thought

[viking]

Thanks Jugealt,

 

Could you explain adat a bit more for me. I see that on the 8 Pre, for example that I can get like, 8 more ins with the optical i/o, that would require another mixer though, right? Were as I would also need pres on those inputs, right?

 

But instead of two 8 pre units, I run one & then another mixer through the adat in?

 

Thanks in advance.

[jugealt]

The way i use them is i connect 2 of the Behringer ADA8000 units to the 828mk3 via ADAT optical. The ADA units have the mic Pres built into them 8x analogue inputs this is then sent via ADAT to the MK3 so basically you end up with 24 analogue inputs that can be controlled via cuemix or Logic.

Cuemix is the software supplied with all MOTU interfaces for zero latency monotoring.

[viking]

Bitchin, I see. so effectively if I use the 8pre & the Behringer I end up with 16 mic pres for about $800... even more bitchin'... Thank you guys very much!