Also Seeking Recording Advice

[lbpesq]

I am in the process of upgrading my PA and have expanded from 8 to 16 channels.  My new board, a Mackie DL1608 which is controlled by an iPad, can record in stereo, but doesn't record 16 separate channels.  I thought it would be cool if there was a way to record all the channels separately and simultaneously, so I could later mix down a rehearsal or live show.  I'm admittedly a bit of a Luddite when it comes to modern recording techniques.  I'm thinking that maybe there is a "pass through" type of recorder where I could plug everything into the recorder for recording or sending along to a computer while also allowing the 16 channels to "pass through" the recorder and plug into the mixer for the live sound.  Does such a beast exist?  Is there a better solution available?  Suggestions and/or advice greatly appreciated.


Bill, tgo

[cozmik_cowboy]

I did one soundman gig with a DL1608; I can see where it would be fun for a vid-kid YouTubing in the basement....... but as a professional SR tool?
My impression was that while wandering the room with the PA in my hand had it's advantages, operating it was akin to strapping a 6' long tube onto my face & riding a motorcycle.  ut then, I'm a Luddite old fart who's used piloting a starship, with it all right there.
As to your problem, most traditional boards have separate outs per channel; I'm afraid that's all I got for you (see "Luddite" above).

Peter (who's glad he had all those knobs & dials for an icebreaker when that cute little redhead walked to the board 33 years ago.....)

[paulman]

Long time Bill...hey didn't the Dead try something like this once?  Hee hee

I have a Zoom multi-track recorder that would do 8 channels at one time.  We used to use it to record band rehearsals, the monitor sliders and track levels were separate so we could adjust to monitor in headphones, and separately track with good levels at the same time.  I didn't like it for live performance mixing though.

That was semi-pro equipment about 10 years ago...before Amazon...this unit probably does what you want but still is old-school tech (gotta put the fingers on the sliders, connect wires and stuff).  I just Googled "16 channel recording pass through" and presto.  I'm sure there are much more refined systems than this too.  Good luck!

https://www.amazon.com/Presonus-StudioLive-16-Channel-Performance-Recording/dp/B001N0LI48

[Bradley Young]

We use a Behringer X32 (before you say "eww Behringer, go read some reviews, and it has Midas preamps) at church. It is capable of running all 32 channels into a computer via USB. This is actually fairly common for modern digital boards.

Bradley

[lbpesq]

I'm not looking for another mixer.  The  Mackie seems to do all I need for my main purpose - rehearsal and live performance.  It has six AUX outs that can be mixed individually and each band member can download the app to their phone or iPad and control their own personal mix through floor monitors, headphones, or IEMs.  I'm looking for some way to essentially just push a button and record the 16 tracks at the same time.  I don't need, or want, to mix them while recording - just get it recorded so I can later plug the sixteen separate channels into the mixer and mix down to stereo.  I also don't want to spend a couple of grand on this.  Is there anything out there that can do this?

Bill, tgo

[edwin]

I'm not looking for another mixer.  The  Mackie seems to do all I need for my main purpose - rehearsal and live performance.  It has six AUX outs that can be mixed individually and each band member can download the app to their phone or iPad and control their own personal mix through floor monitors, headphones, or IEMs.  I'm looking for some way to essentially just push a button and record the 16 tracks at the same time.  I don't need, or want, to mix them while recording - just get it recorded so I can later plug the sixteen separate channels into the mixer and mix down to stereo.  I also don't want to spend a couple of grand on this.  Is there anything out there that can do this?

Bill, tgo

As far as I can tell from looking at the literature for this mixer, you can't do it without getting some other gear to handle the recording. It might be possible if you get some of the iPad multitrack recording software, but my guess is no.

There are other ways to go about it, but it all depends on your budget.

[lbpesq]

I guess I could get an xlr splitter that splits each input into two outputs, then send one to the mixer and one to a recorder.  So the quest then is to find the simplest (and most economical) 16 track recorder that can also play back 16 tracks.  I don't need a recorder/mixer, just a recorder.  Something like the digital equivalent of a 16 track reel to reel, using either an internal hard drive, or an interface hooked to a computer.  Does such a beast exist?

Bill, tgo

[paulman]

This could break out your 16 channels to send to...something?

https://www.amazon.com/Seismic-Audio-Splitter-Fantails-Extension/dp/B003YISOF8

[lidon2001]

I would suggest selling the mackie and getting a Behringer XR18.  Includes 18 usb outs you are looking for at a very reasonable price.  And as Bradley says, these are not your old typical Behringer products. 

[edwin]

I would suggest selling the mackie and getting a Behringer XR18.  Includes 18 usb outs you are looking for at a very reasonable price.  And as Bradley says, these are not your old typical Behringer products. 

This is probably the most cost effective option. Otherwise, you'll end up buying something like the XR18 anyway, unless you got a used Alesis HD24, but then you'd need preamps. However, the HD24XR has fantastic conversion, can be had fairly cheaply if you can find it and is good enough to make records. It was the basis of my mobile rig, but then there were the Grace, 7th Circle, API, and other preamps to factor in.

Another option, although you lose the ability for everyone to make their own mixes, is the Metric Halo 2882 plus a used Presonus Digimax LT. It has an 80 bit digital mixer built in with preamps, conversion, and DSP that stands head and shoulders above all the prosumer gear mentioned above. (Disclosure: I'm a beta tester and long time user of Metric Halo).

However, the Behringer is probably the most cost effective.

[lbpesq]

If I were to sell the Mackie , it would be for the Mackie DL32 which does support simultaneous multi-track recording.  I'm finding the Mackie software quite user friendly and everything I've read praises the Mackie software and critiques the Behringer software.  But, again, I just want a simple recorder.  If it doesn't exist, it doesn't exist.  I can do a sepaprate mix to stereo on the Mackie and may have to settle for that.

Bill

[edwin]

If I were to sell the Mackie , it would be for the Mackie DL32 which does support simultaneous multi-track recording.  I'm finding the Mackie software quite user friendly and everything I've read praises the Mackie software and critiques the Behringer software.  But, again, I just want a simple recorder.  If it doesn't exist, it doesn't exist.  I can do a sepaprate mix to stereo on the Mackie and may have to settle for that.

Bill

I have to say that I agree with your feelings about Mackie vs. Behringer. There may be no really good reason for it, but there it is.

[lidon2001]

I bought a Mackie Onyx mixer for its firewire recording out.  Used it once, and returned it.  The Onyx has both analog and digital audio paths.  Analog outs sound great, but when recording, the output was very low.  Since analog has head room above 0db, and digital doesn't, Mackie lowered the output of the digital path by 18db.  This made the recordings pretty much useless, even with post gain correction. 

I did see a couple DL32r on Ebay that sold for about $700-800.  Something to watch for.

[lbpesq]

Thanks for all the ideas.  After some more research, it seems to come down to either upgrading to the DL32r or connecting two Zoom R16s as the most economically reasonable solutions.  Gotta think about it.

Bill, tgo

[mavnet]

Related question. I'm using a Soundcraft board similar to the ones people have been talking about that, in addition to analog to the PA, sends the individual channels out through USB. Right now, I'm recording that into a laptop running Reaper, and it seems to work well enough.

But I'd like to use the board's USB out and record into other things - I think I'm looking for a D/A converter that lets me take the multichannel USB input (out from the board) and convert it to analog (xlr or DB25), or optical, or etc.

I'm not sure how to search for something like this - can anyone aim me in the right direction?

Thanks, Mark.