16 and 24 track digital recorders... any ideas?

[Twisteramps]

Ok, I've decided on getting a 16-24 track recorder. budget is around a grand, maybe a hair more, but would like to spend less. I know a PC based recording setup is superior, but I don't want to take a PC to my practice area, set it up, record, tear it all down, take it home, etc. I want portability, and the option to possibly record gigs if I want.

Things I HAVE to have:

8 tracks at a time recording
CD burner OR USB, pref. 2.0
Hopefully a way to get individual tracks in .wav (uncompressed) format into my PC, so I can mix/use the effects on my PC and the faster burner.

These are the recorders I'm thinking about... if you have any experience or info, please chime in. Thanks!

1) Tascam 2488 - seen these go for around a grand.
2) Yamaha AW16G - getting kinda cheap! $600-$700ish
3) Fostex VF160 - same as the yamaha. I had a VF16 (same thing, smaller HD, no CD burner) I would like USB though.

Anything I'm missing at my price point that I should consider, and why?

Pete

[spknoevl]

Re: 16 and 24 track digital recorders... any ideas?

You might want to check out a Roland VS1680. They're running around $1000 or less on Ebay. I've been using one the past few years with a couple of FX cards and been happy with the results. I also have Sonar running on my PC but agree with the portability advantages to a hardware based system. The Roland also has digital ins and outs so you can record your tracks over to PC and not have to run through an ADA converter.

[Twisteramps]

Re: 16 and 24 track digital recorders... any ideas?

[ QUOTE ]
You might want to check out a Roland VS1680. They're running around $1000 or less on Ebay. I've been using one the past few years with a couple of FX cards and been happy with the results. I also have Sonar running on my PC but agree with the portability advantages to a hardware based system. The Roland also has digital ins and outs so you can record your tracks over to PC and not have to run through an ADA converter.

[/ QUOTE ]

Can you get .wav files for individual tracks through the digital outs?

Pete

[spknoevl]

Re: 16 and 24 track digital recorders... any ideas?

It can convert to wav files, I'm not sure if you can access them individually or not. I'll take a look in the manual tonight and see.
Since it can be synched to any software program and if your PC has digital ins and outs, you can just record each track over to your PC multitrack one at a time and keep it in the digital realm, if that's what you're looking to do. Once it's on your PC, they will become wav files.

[spknoevl]

Re: 16 and 24 track digital recorders... any ideas?

The digital outs send whatever mix you have up. If you solo a channel, that is what will come out. You can sync up to an external sequencer or software program using MTC both as a master or slave. You can also hook up a Roland CD recorder and record an audio CD directly from the unit. It has a mastering program in it.

[Twisteramps]

Re: 16 and 24 track digital recorders... any ideas?

Yeah, I think the Roland won't do well for what I'm wanting. Sounds like a nice unit though if you were going to keep it all in the Roland. I'd go nuts running tracks one at a time into my PC.

[spknoevl]

Re: 16 and 24 track digital recorders... any ideas?

I run it the other way. I record the midi tracks on my PC and then record them one at a time, or in stereo pairs over to my Roland. Even if I'm planning on having a drummer come in and play on the track, I have some kind of drum loop as a reference track. I do all my audio recording in the Roland. I run my final mix from the Roland back into the PC for mastering and burning CDs. Occasionally when I do sessions where tracks are e-mailed or mailed to me, I will keep the whole project in Sonar.
I'm not aware of any hardware based recorder that will let you upload the entire mix onto a PC and then be able to access individual tracks, but I haven't really been looking at what's out there for the last couple of years.