Well, I've got two ADAT machines and a Carvin 24 track board, but I don't use them much anymore, I keep the ADAT's for AD converters and the use the Carvin for live gigs. Then I've got a Fostex 8 track stand alone, well, it's sort of stand alone, it doesn't hook to a computer, but it uses a SCSI hook up to a 3.5 gig disk drive, but I don't use that very much any more. Then I've got a Boss 4 track (I never remember the number so I call it the BR-549) that fits in my briefcase and takes batteries, it has some pretty decent guitar sounds and records to flash cards. I use that as a notepad when I travel and we've actually hooked it up to live boards for gig demos. Mostly, I use a PC with an ASUS dual core processor with a dual pentium 4. It has 4xDIMM max 8GB, DDR2-800/667/533 Mhz non-ECC unbuffered memory, with 400 GB storage on one 10,000rpm and three 7,200rpm hard drives...whatever the heck that all means. I use that a lot, I just turn it on and record with it.

I've looked at the UA 610, I like the 1176 compressor a little more than the LA2A, to my ear, it works better with both the voice and the bass, LA2A is great for the voice. I'd like to buy both eventually, but will probably go with the 1176 first. In the meantime, I use an ART pre that has a compressor and an eq, but usually just use the pre and keep the compressor to limit just the peaks. I've got some good plug-in compressors that do the trick. If I need high end, I go to friends' studios. You can't walk five minutes here without passing a studio.

Speaking of plug ins, I like Antress' VST free stuff, he's controversial, some folks say it's all eyewash, but I've found most of it to be useful and it's freeware. Also the mda free stuff is cool, and there's a really decent free eq called the Electroni-Q. You can find all these things with a search. Mostly VST, but there are some DirectX free things available.

If I had the money, I'd get a full bank of mics and tube pres, I wouldn't even read the names, just the prices, and buy the most expensive dozen or so.

Joe was Meek but Manley,
He called UA Shure thing,
He was proud of his ProTool,
And could make that Hammerfall ring,
One day as he was Roland along,
Emu'sed about saving Grace,
AKG fellow was old Joe,
But his Mistress kept him in place.
They dropped Acid and watched the Unicorns,
Play in the dawn's Fairlight,
Upon the lawn they'd Motu morrow,
Without Nuendo in sight.

All the Best,
Mike






You've got to know your limitations. I don't know what your limitations are. I found out what mine were when I was twelve. I found out that there weren't too many limitations, if I did it my way. -Johnny Cash

It's only music.
-niteshift

Mike Dunbar Music