i want to integrate more hardware into my setup

[steevio]

If your mixer has enough buses you can have one mixer bus per input on your interface. That way you can quickly record whatever mixer channel/s to whatever interface channels. It's also fun patching some of your interface outputs into mixer inputs so you can use your PC as an effects processor.

this is something which you'll find uesful if you're making the transition between ITB and OTB, however i dont find myself using my soundcard this way, but its probably because i'm used to old skool techniques.

i have a large analogue desk with 8 busses, and a pro-studio soundcard, and i bought this set-up for this very reason, however i can tell a discernable difference between my recordings done from stereo out on the desk and using multitracking.
somehow the multitracked recordings sound exactly what they are, there is a seperation, a coldness.
from the master outs to 24bit 96 or higher stereo i get a very warm analogue sounding mix, doing the final mixdown ITB doesnt sound right to me.
i suppose it partially defeats the object of the analogue desk, yet saying that i never noticed this using ADAT multitracking.

[AK]

steevio, is that the result of the desk eq or are you using it pretty much as a line mixer? Do you have any multitimbral synths and if so, do you use all available outs?

It's a stage im at, ive decided on the set up im getting but im stuck at the mixer stage (gonna post my set up after) but unsure to get a desk big enough to cater for all outs rather than internal summing on multitimbral devices. And if i do go that route, it assumes id be making use of the mixer channels eq - which also means more money for a desk with a good eq section.

I want to get away fro ITB mixing as much as possible, i hate the idea of recording in stems and mixing internally, too boring for me. Im going to use the computer for hd recording and sampling but ideally that's it. So i need the best sound i can get going in, quite how im going to get that i dunno yet.

I was thinking of just getting a large enough behringer eurodesk but then buying some sort of front end like a good pre or a tc electronic finalizer? If the eq section on said mixer is usable, i could work with it as the gear im getting has shaping tools built in too. Is yours an expensive desk and do you have any sort of front end or do you just go out to the s/card?

[steevio]

steevio, is that the result of the desk eq or are you using it pretty much as a line mixer? Do you have any multitimbral synths and if so, do you use all available outs?

It's a stage im at, ive decided on the set up im getting but im stuck at the mixer stage (gonna post my set up after) but unsure to get a desk big enough to cater for all outs rather than internal summing on multitimbral devices. And if i do go that route, it assumes id be making use of the mixer channels eq - which also means more money for a desk with a good eq section.

I want to get away fro ITB mixing as much as possible, i hate the idea of recording in stems and mixing internally, too boring for me. Im going to use the computer for hd recording and sampling but ideally that's it. So i need the best sound i can get going in, quite how im going to get that i dunno yet.

I was thinking of just getting a large enough behringer eurodesk but then buying some sort of front end like a good pre or a tc electronic finalizer? If the eq section on said mixer is usable, i could work with it as the gear im getting has shaping tools built in too. Is yours an expensive desk and do you have any sort of front end or do you just go out to the s/card?

ok bro first off, get that behringer desk straight out of your head.
i had a 48 ch Eurodesk, it was absolute rubbish. i cant recommend it to anyone. i used it as a giant patchbay in the end, i just couldnt bring myself to use the EQ on it.

my advice is to buy the biggest best quality British desk you can possibly scrape the money together for.
i've alot of experience of desks, and have had many different makes.
i currently have a Soundcraft Ghost 24/48 / 8/2, and i'm happy with it.

i would always recommend using the board rather than mixing in the synths, i always have an input for every output on every bit of kit ive got, permanently wired up for instant access, and i dont use FX returns, i always have my effects going to individual inputs on the desk.
if you mix in the synth, you cant take advantage of individual effects sends.

i also have tube EQ and dynamics processors, but i would advise going for more desk power, and leave the outboard for later when you can afford it. its not 100% essential if your desk has good (British)EQ. especially if you arent mastering yourself.

an absolute must is fully parametric EQ on the low and high mids, and you can get away with shelving on the bass and highs, which is a common set-up on good desks.
i have 8 auxilliaries on my desk, and i use them all but mostly for sending triggers to filters etc., i could probably get away with 6 if i wasnt doing that (3 stereo effects processors) 4 sends doesnt leave room for expansion.

in the end its all down to money, but a good desk can save you on other stuff like the Finalizer, outboard EQs etc.

so;
good EQ
as many channels as possible
as many Aux as possible

this is the most important to me in that order, you probably want at least a 4 buss desk so that you can run a stereo pair straight and another through a compressor at some point when you can afford one.
obviously 8 is better, then you can seperate your effects etc.

[klankeffect]

first of all thx for the replies guys

tone deff

for now i have just an m base and a condensor mic going in a apogee duet, so iam verry limited. i am planning to buy a vermona mono lancet, a drmk3 either a jomox xbase888 or 999 something like that, and i really like the sound of a prophet08, so i would like to have a few options open, you see i am totally new to hardware stuff, and i dont want to buy every two years a new mixer.
total recall=that its fully conected with my intern mixer and that the faders are motorised? ore what is it exactly?
fe this zed16 r has firewire, my laptop is using this one as my interface too? how it is going with the channels from my vst s fe? ican put them in to the mixer too?

[AK]

steevio, is that the result of the desk eq or are you using it pretty much as a line mixer? Do you have any multitimbral synths and if so, do you use all available outs?

It's a stage im at, ive decided on the set up im getting but im stuck at the mixer stage (gonna post my set up after) but unsure to get a desk big enough to cater for all outs rather than internal summing on multitimbral devices. And if i do go that route, it assumes id be making use of the mixer channels eq - which also means more money for a desk with a good eq section.

I want to get away fro ITB mixing as much as possible, i hate the idea of recording in stems and mixing internally, too boring for me. Im going to use the computer for hd recording and sampling but ideally that's it. So i need the best sound i can get going in, quite how im going to get that i dunno yet.

I was thinking of just getting a large enough behringer eurodesk but then buying some sort of front end like a good pre or a tc electronic finalizer? If the eq section on said mixer is usable, i could work with it as the gear im getting has shaping tools built in too. Is yours an expensive desk and do you have any sort of front end or do you just go out to the s/card?

ok bro first off, get that behringer desk straight out of your head.
i had a 48 ch Eurodesk, it was absolute rubbish. i cant recommend it to anyone. i used it as a giant patchbay in the end, i just couldnt bring myself to use the EQ on it.

my advice is to buy the biggest best quality British desk you can possibly scrape the money together for.
i've alot of experience of desks, and have had many different makes.
i currently have a Soundcraft Ghost 24/48 / 8/2, and i'm happy with it.

i would always recommend using the board rather than mixing in the synths, i always have an input for every output on every bit of kit ive got, permanently wired up for instant access, and i dont use FX returns, i always have my effects going to individual inputs on the desk.
if you mix in the synth, you cant take advantage of individual effects sends.

i also have tube EQ and dynamics processors, but i would advise going for more desk power, and leave the outboard for later when you can afford it. its not 100% essential if your desk has good (British)EQ. especially if you arent mastering yourself.

an absolute must is fully parametric EQ on the low and high mids, and you can get away with shelving on the bass and highs, which is a common set-up on good desks.
i have 8 auxilliaries on my desk, and i use them all but mostly for sending triggers to filters etc., i could probably get away with 6 if i wasnt doing that (3 stereo effects processors) 4 sends doesnt leave room for expansion.

in the end its all down to money, but a good desk can save you on other stuff like the Finalizer, outboard EQs etc.

so;
good EQ
as many channels as possible
as many Aux as possible

this is the most important to me in that order, you probably want at least a 4 buss desk so that you can run a stereo pair straight and another through a compressor at some point when you can afford one.
obviously 8 is better, then you can seperate your effects etc.

I know what you're saying bro, still they are very tempting at the price. British EQ's on the one I was looking at. I know Behringer gear gets a bad rep but the features are very tempting. http://www.behringer.com/EN/Products/SX3282.aspx

[steevio]

and i dont want to buy every two years a new mixer.

this is it, you'll be shocked at how quickly you use up those channels.

i can safely say ive never had enough channels on any mixer ive had.

i'd never recommend anything less than a 24 channel.

you are going to want to process all your drum sounds individually, theres no point in an analogue desk if you cant have seperate channels for your kick / HH / snare / Bass etc etc...

this is one of the biggest advantages of an analogue mixer.

if you want to overdrive your kick, its no good having your hats going through the same channel.

i know it may sound excessive to someone just starting out, and it so depends on how much you've got to spend, but from experience i can guarantee its false economy to buy a small desk. just wait till you can afford one which will last you a good few years.

[steevio]

I know what you're saying bro, still they are very tempting at the price. British EQ's on the one I was looking at. I know Behringer gear gets a bad rep but the features are very tempting. http://www.behringer.com/EN/Products/SX3282.aspx

they get bad rep for a good reason.
its false economy mate.... seriously

i couldnt wait to get rid of mine, i paid around £900 for my MX8000 ( they were being sold off at just over half price, and i thought i was a getting a bargain with all those features, and i only managed to get £300 for it 6 months later.

i looked at the specs of the one you linked too,

are they really British EQs ? who makes them ? or are they copies of British EQs, the later most likely, (its blatant hype)
but they are only 3 band semi -parametric on the mono channels, thats too basic.
and just a straight 4 non-parametric on the stereos (very very basic)

dont do it dude

[tone-def]

first of all thx for the replies guys

tone deff

for now i have just an m base and a condensor mic going in a apogee duet, so iam verry limited. i am planning to buy a vermona mono lancet, a drmk3 either a jomox xbase888 or 999 something like that, and i really like the sound of a prophet08, so i would like to have a few options open, you see i am totally new to hardware stuff, and i dont want to buy every two years a new mixer.
total recall=that its fully conected with my intern mixer and that the faders are motorised? ore what is it exactly?
fe this zed16 r has firewire, my laptop is using this one as my interface too? how it is going with the channels from my vst s fe? ican put them in to the mixer too?

it sounds like your got the right idea getting an analogue mono, poly and drums. maybe a bit over the top with the drums. do you really need the DRM-1 and one of the jomox? i think you would be better off using the money to buy a more flexible/better quality mono synth.

total recall is where you can recall a mix you did 6 months ago. if you have to go back to something in analogue you have to do the whole mix again. some people don't mind that but if you started mixing in a DAW it will feel like a waste of time. nothing beats motorized faders on an analogue desk but we're talking serious money. it's a lot of money without motorized faders too.

if your going to spend £1500+ on mixer and £3000 on instruments you probably don't want to record onto a laptop. you will want something with at least 2 hard drives. your got a duet, which means your a mac user, which means you need another £2000 for mac pro. that's a big investment and that's not including outboard.