full MOTU recording set-up... let's tawk

[mkaran]

hey now! mark karan here (lead guitarist w/bob weir & ratdog). i just posted my first post at the gear emporiuma few days ago, offering up a bunch of stuff for sale. thanx to those that are grabbing stuff and to those that directed me here for recording interests... and howdy to all y'all in this area.

so, all this selling of guitar stuff in the "gear emporium" is actually to support my newest resurgence of madness... record-a-holism... i'm trying to buy the "real" **** (for at home!) and mics, pres and the pro-tools HD rig i just bought are EXPENSIVE!!!

anyway, i have a complete MOTU hi-end digital recording system for sale... DP4, the core audio card, a 192 interface, a 2408 mkII interface, etc...
not sure how to price this stuff. let's talk...

there's also...
central station monitoring hub ($350)
furman sound SRM60 monitor hub ($300)
neumann "M149" ($3000)
set of audix drum mics (i think there are 7... i have to check) ($1200?)
empirical labs distressor ($1,000)
tascam DA-88 w/sync card & remote (16bit but sounds GOOD) ($350)
pair of DBX 163x's ($50ea)

i'm reasonably familiar with pricing on this stuff but am open to offers.

and check out post at the gear emporium.

again, thanx to all who pointed me here and "hi" to the guitar recording freaks.

yours, MK

www.markkaran.com

 

[LSchefman]

Hi, Mark, welcome!

That's some really desirable stuff you have for sale...

 

[joseph]

Les, what's your recording gear setup in a nutshell, ie is it all hard-disk, or tape which ultimately goes ProTools hard disk, etc?

Are you running the video commercials integrated into a DAW?

 

[mkaran]

it's all great stuff... i've just got the bug. i just switched from DP4 to pro-tools HD, so the MOTU stuff needs to go.

the rest of the stuff is leaving cuz...

well, it's a long story. i had purchased a great tube stereo multi-input to L,R summing device to open up the sound of my DAW... amazing difference. great sound! then i went to AES (geek show... woo-hoo!) and saw A) his "atomic squeezebox"... a RIDICULOUSLY cool tube compressor that is INVISIBLE at HUGELY squished settings... had to have one (actually trying for stereo now!) and then... well, he had made this mic... anyway... i fell in love with the guys stuff (stayne mc lane "inner tube audio"). so, yeah, lotsa cool stuff needs a new home now to pay for all the new tweak-head stuff.

what do you do and use lou? i see joe has asked you about your rig etc. i'm new here soooo... i'm pretty clueless frankly.

nice to meet you, MK

 

[LSchefman]

>>Les, what's your recording gear setup in a nutshell, ie is it all hard-disk, or tape which ultimately goes ProTools hard disk, etc?<<

It's been a work-in-progress for 15 years, but here it is:

First, every input and output goes into five 96 point TT patchbays, and the whole studio is wired with Mogami.

I still use an analog console, I have an early 90s Tascam M600 (the last one imported into the US, actually!) which is 64 input, 16 busses, plus stereo outs, etc. All connections are by D-Sub. A lot of people aren't crazy about Tascam boards, because the EQ is pretty ordinary, but I don't use EQ at the board much. I use outboard EQ or plug-ins. I've had this board since new, and taken care of it, and I really like how it sounds. It has a big low end, the summing amps are quite good considering the board cost under 30 grand, and it's nice and warm.

I've used a Mac running Digital Performer since it first came out, with a 1296 I/O. Clock is an Aardvark TimeSync II, which also syncs to video machines and analog audio machines when needed. However, I sold my analog machines years ago, and even my DA-88s are gone at this point.

I use Focusrite ISA and Red mic preamps for important tracks like vocals, but I like the mic preamps on my console for lots of things just fine. I have the usual assortment of outboard gear that everyone else has, plus synths, samplers, etc. Racks O' Stuff.

I just gave my son my hardware samplers, and have switched over to MOTU Mach Five, except for one remaining Kurzweil 2500 just in case. I also run several software synths, and Reason as a plug in.

Mics are important, I like Blue, AKG, and Rode, as well as Shure.

>>Are you running the video commercials integrated into a DAW?<<

Yes, mostly. But, I also run videotape and DVD with SMPTE.

I have a 3/4 inch Sony VO 5800 that I make Quicktime movies from, or I load them in from VHS or DVD if the clients don't give me video in Quicktime format, which is increasingly being done.

I run video into a window in DP, and have done this for about 6 years. The Sony outputs SMPTE time code onto a sync track, however, and I always run the picture from the Sony at some point in the process, to double-check the accuracy of my hit points, slaving DP to the SMPTE. The Time Sync locks to picture in milliseconds.

I'm probably paranoid, but there have been times where the QT movie has been just a little bit off from the original video. I have no idea why this is, but why take chances?

The Sony also has a sync card, and I can lock it to an analog machine with a synchronizer on those rare occasions where a client wants me to work in analog, and I have to rent a machine or studio.

I used to need a ton more gear than I still have; everything's moving from hardware to software in my world, except I still like the sound of an analog board.

Oh yeah, another crazy thing: I've switched from Genelec 1031A monitors to the little Mackie 624s. I love the way Genelecs sound, but I was having trouble with reverbs and low end with them. Just on a whim, I bought these little Mackies, and they are easy to mix on, so I sold the Genelecs and blew the money on Guitar Gear.