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Author Topic: Searched Digi 003 without finding satisfaction  (Read 8382 times)

Bill_Urick

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Re: Searched Digi 003 without finding satisfaction
« Reply #15 on: June 23, 2008, 05:57:00 PM »

Sorry if this was addressed and I missed it, but especially if you're on a tight budget, I 'd consider giving the control surface a miss. You don't need it, it will double the cost of your interface and the control surface portion is the most likely to give you problems. I would vote for an 003 or 002 rack unit.

Also, get some decent mics and monitors and spend some time on the acoustics forum (get the room right) before you worry about converters, clocks and mic pres.

I know what I'm talking about, because I did everything completely backwards even though I knew better!

Embarassed
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Good sense is, of all things among men, the most equally distributed; for everyone thinks himself so abundantly provided with it, that those even who are the most difficult to satisfy in everything else, do not usually desire a larger measure of this quality than they already possess.

Galil

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Re: Searched Digi 003 without finding satisfaction
« Reply #16 on: June 23, 2008, 06:59:53 PM »

Adam The Truck Driver wrote:

I have access to a Tascam TSR-8 but can't get tape anymore.


Why not?  I just got a delivery of some RMGI and ATR Magnetics tape last week.  Not saying that you should stay with the TSR-8, but if your lack of tape stock is really forcing this move, it might not really be necessary.

Check out:

http://www.rmgi-usa.com/rmg_studio.html

http://www.atrtape.com/

Galil
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Adam The Truck Driver

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Re: Searched Digi 003 without finding satisfaction
« Reply #17 on: June 23, 2008, 11:27:04 PM »

Galil wrote on Mon, 23 June 2008 17:59

Adam The Truck Driver wrote:

I have access to a Tascam TSR-8 but can't get tape anymore.


Why not?  I just got a delivery of some RMGI and ATR Magnetics tape last week.  Not saying that you should stay with the TSR-8, but if your lack of tape stock is really forcing this move, it might not really be necessary.

Check out:

http://www.rmgi-usa.com/rmg_studio.html

http://www.atrtape.com/

Galil


Absolutely awesome! The TSR-8 isn't mine, but I always liked how a lot of stuff sounded on it. It belongs to a friend and I just passed on this info to him. I don't know where he was getting tape before, but he had said he couldn't get it anymore, and I've read some posts about some pro studios having stock piled tape as they knew it was going to become hard to find. If I can get a good supply of tape I think I might rather have a reel to reel myself, a 2" 16 track perhaps...like a Studer A800, or 820. Now what can I get one of those for? lol...time to go surfing.
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Adam Brown

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Adam The Truck Driver

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Re: Searched Digi 003 without finding satisfaction
« Reply #18 on: June 24, 2008, 12:02:22 AM »

Seems Studer A Series multi tracks are hard to come by...and only 1 2 track machine, an A807 on eb...there is a Sony APR 24 for $3750 asking that is missing a card and has a couple buttons on the remote messed up.

 http://cgi.ebay.com/SONY-APR-24-Multi-Track-2-Tape-Recorder-  w-Remote_W0QQitemZ220249271070QQihZ012QQcategoryZ15199QQssPa geNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

What is that machine like? I'd read some article in an industry mag quite a while back that a Studer makes other machines sound lacking in comparison. I can't recall if it was an A80, 800, or 820, or 827...but it was up against an ?Sony/MCI?
and an Otari I believe. Oh well.

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Adam Brown

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Galil

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Re: Searched Digi 003 without finding satisfaction
« Reply #19 on: June 24, 2008, 11:27:00 AM »

If you are considering a MCI/Sony multitrack, you really want to know about:

http://www.blevinsaudioexchange.com/

They are master techs and parts support for these machines.  If you have questions about the above machine, they would know.

Galil

Still nothing to say on the Digi 003.  Sorry for the thread hijack.
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Adam The Truck Driver

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Re: Searched Digi 003 without finding satisfaction
« Reply #20 on: June 24, 2008, 08:16:16 PM »

All this analog gear news is awesome indeed. I wasn't aware there was a living market for it still.

Back to the Digi 003/PTLE rig...how many firewire ports are required to run it to full potencial. I'm hoping just one cause thats all this computer has. Hoping I won't need to buy another computer. If I do I might just go analog instead. I don't know.
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Adam Brown

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Halfway Competent

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Re: Searched Digi 003 without finding satisfaction
« Reply #21 on: June 24, 2008, 08:31:07 PM »

Adam The Truck Driver wrote on Sat, 21 June 2008 18:00

Does the Digi 003 table top version get any respect here? On it's own merits is it worth a damn at recording and mixing music?

I'm going to teach myself how to record and mix. I had initialy though I'd purchase a respectable collection of microphones, a rack of premium front end gear, premium converters, premium computer, premium DAW software and the rest of the required accessories, but was advised not to.

I then had the idea to get the microphones, but instead of seperate preamps and converters, something like the Apogee Ensemble would be the way to go for me, but thats still going to lead to major bucks for me to have to spend, before I even learn proper recording.

So now I'm on to the Digi 003 or it's competitors if there are any. I've read that M Audio gear leaves something to be desired in sound quality. I already own a Acer PC tower which I'd like upgrade the memory on if I used it as it only has 512MB I think, and this Acer Aspire 5920 Core 2 Duo, 1.66GHz,667MHz FSB, 2MB L2 cache, 3GB DDR2 laptop, both relatively new, and running on Vista. I am not looking to do this for a living/professionally, but do want something that can be capable of at least damn near professional sound quality if not pro sound quality. I want to do simple recordings i.e. 3 miked drums, DI/miked bass, DI/miked guitar cab, and vox. Might have a real horn come in too, or an electronic keyboard player. Might stereo, or 3 track a local church chior. Will certainly record myself on drums, and singing those sappy ballads I like to sing.

Anyway back to the Digi 003...any opinions? Experienced opinions? Options?


Hey Adam,

I own a Digi-002 Rack and have been using it for several years.  The only difference I could see between it and the 003 are the look, and the 003 has a little more flexible monitoring section.

Anyway, the 002 converters are decent, though not fantastic.  The built-in preamps are pretty unexceptional and unexciting; about Mackie-VLZ grade.  (I think the pres in my Mackie Onyx board sound better, actually!)  They'll get audio into the unit on a budget.  

All that said, for what it is, I think it's a great unit.  Unless you really want the control surface, though, get the rack version and save a grand.

I bought a dbx 386 2-ch mic pre with onboard A/D.  It sounds notably better than the pres on the 002.  The unit costs $500, and is a really good upgrade to the 002/3.  I used it, and an Audio Technica 4047 to record the vocals on this track:  http://www.tewsnet.com/dropbox/sample.mp3  

The guitars and bass were recorded thru the 002 preamps, using Audio Technica 4033 microphones.
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Adam The Truck Driver

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Re: Searched Digi 003 without finding satisfaction
« Reply #22 on: June 24, 2008, 08:42:17 PM »

Halfway Competent wrote on Tue, 24 June 2008 19:31

Adam The Truck Driver wrote on Sat, 21 June 2008 18:00

Does the Digi 003 table top version get any respect here? On it's own merits is it worth a damn at recording and mixing music?

I'm going to teach myself how to record and mix. I had initialy though I'd purchase a respectable collection of microphones, a rack of premium front end gear, premium converters, premium computer, premium DAW software and the rest of the required accessories, but was advised not to.

I then had the idea to get the microphones, but instead of seperate preamps and converters, something like the Apogee Ensemble would be the way to go for me, but thats still going to lead to major bucks for me to have to spend, before I even learn proper recording.

So now I'm on to the Digi 003 or it's competitors if there are any. I've read that M Audio gear leaves something to be desired in sound quality. I already own a Acer PC tower which I'd like upgrade the memory on if I used it as it only has 512MB I think, and this Acer Aspire 5920 Core 2 Duo, 1.66GHz,667MHz FSB, 2MB L2 cache, 3GB DDR2 laptop, both relatively new, and running on Vista. I am not looking to do this for a living/professionally, but do want something that can be capable of at least damn near professional sound quality if not pro sound quality. I want to do simple recordings i.e. 3 miked drums, DI/miked bass, DI/miked guitar cab, and vox. Might have a real horn come in too, or an electronic keyboard player. Might stereo, or 3 track a local church chior. Will certainly record myself on drums, and singing those sappy ballads I like to sing.

Anyway back to the Digi 003...any opinions? Experienced opinions? Options?


Hey Adam,

I own a Digi-002 Rack and have been using it for several years.  The only difference I could see between it and the 003 are the look, and the 003 has a little more flexible monitoring section.

Anyway, the 002 converters are decent, though not fantastic.  The built-in preamps are pretty unexceptional and unexciting; about Mackie-VLZ grade.  (I think the pres in my Mackie Onyx board sound better, actually!)  They'll get audio into the unit on a budget.  

All that said, for what it is, I think it's a great unit.  Unless you really want the control surface, though, get the rack version and save a grand.

I bought a dbx 386 2-ch mic pre with onboard A/D.  It sounds notably better than the pres on the 002.  The unit costs $500, and is a really good upgrade to the 002/3.  I used it, and an Audio Technica 4047 to record the vocals on this track:  http://www.tewsnet.com/dropbox/sample.mp3  

The guitars and bass were recorded thru the 002 preamps, using Audio Technica 4033 microphones.


That sounds pretty sweet to me here in the truck with my big computer speakers plugged in. 3 way computer speaker big I mean.
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Adam Brown

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danickstr

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Re: Searched Digi 003 without finding satisfaction
« Reply #23 on: June 24, 2008, 10:48:12 PM »

that track by halfway competent is a testament to what can be done on a small budget and still achieve a nice sound.   Could have been a much bigger studio and not gotten much more in the way of clarity, if any at all, depending on the myriad of factors that can plague or enhance a recording.  

If you are just starting, get that setup and when it sounds that good, move on, if you must spend more.
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Adam The Truck Driver

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Re: Searched Digi 003 without finding satisfaction
« Reply #24 on: June 24, 2008, 11:29:55 PM »

danickstr wrote on Tue, 24 June 2008 21:48

that track by halfway competent is a testament to what can be done on a small budget and still achieve a nice sound.   Could have been a much bigger studio and not gotten much more in the way of clarity, if any at all, depending on the myriad of factors that can plague or enhance a recording.  

If you are just starting, get that setup and when it sounds that good, move on, if you must spend more.


I agree 100%. I don't know why I feel/felt a need to spend thousands of dollars on microphones and thousands more on preamps. A friend of mine has an AT4050 which to me has always sounded dreadful but that might of been his preamp, however that AT4047 into that dbx thing with her voice sounds totally delightful. I think. I have to adjust my thinking. *Don't need $20K worth of preamps*
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Adam Brown

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patrick_pendleton

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Re: Searched Digi 003 without finding satisfaction
« Reply #25 on: June 25, 2008, 09:53:49 AM »

If I could have stuck with my 001 I'd still be using it today because it sounds better than both the 002 and 003 (all of which I've had).  It is so completely frustrating that the quality of these products has been steadily heading down hill.  I just bought an apogee ensemble to use as a front end for the 003 (rack) and it sounds incredible.  I only wish I could run tools using it alone.  I'll be checking out logic I guess.  Anyone out there make the switch?
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Halfway Competent

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Re: Searched Digi 003 without finding satisfaction
« Reply #26 on: June 25, 2008, 01:59:20 PM »

patrick_pendleton wrote on Wed, 25 June 2008 06:53

If I could have stuck with my 001 I'd still be using it today because it sounds better than both the 002 and 003 (all of which I've had).  It is so completely frustrating that the quality of these products has been steadily heading down hill.  I just bought an apogee ensemble to use as a front end for the 003 (rack) and it sounds incredible.  I only wish I could run tools using it alone.  I'll be checking out logic I guess.  Anyone out there make the switch?


Actually, I have to respectfully disagree on the Digi-001.  The preamps on that unit were abysmal; everything I recorded through it sounded flat and gritty.  Perhaps, though, with good preamps attached to it, it sounds better.

My biggest gripe with digidesign's newer hardware is the faceplates made of large, bulgy pieces of plastic.  The designs seem to be getting only more toy-like.  Sad
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RM

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Re: Searched Digi 003 without finding satisfaction
« Reply #27 on: June 25, 2008, 02:30:56 PM »

To me, all of the LE interfaces are somewhat similar sounding, although I've never used the pre amps much at all in any of them.  In any case, they're all within the same ball park.

About Logic: I have made the switch.  Or, more accurately, am gradually making the switch.

It's different, not necessarily better or worse on the surface.  However, out of the box, sound-wise, it's great!  Just don't expect it to behave like Pro Tools in a number of it's functions; expect to spend some time with it to get your workflow down.

I switched because of the hardware issue with Digidesign.  I'm sure many are.

To make this relevant to the original post.  If you're starting from scratch and are trying to decide what digi system to buy, I would say that the Ensemble with Logic (even Express is great for beginners!) could be an excellent purchase.  

Just a thought.
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Halfway Competent

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Re: Searched Digi 003 without finding satisfaction
« Reply #28 on: June 25, 2008, 06:19:26 PM »

danickstr wrote on Tue, 24 June 2008 19:48

that track by halfway competent is a testament to what can be done on a small budget and still achieve a nice sound.   Could have been a much bigger studio and not gotten much more in the way of clarity, if any at all, depending on the myriad of factors that can plague or enhance a recording.  

If you are just starting, get that setup and when it sounds that good, move on, if you must spend more.


Thanks!  I'm glad to hear you all like the sound of the track.  Smile  A good part of it is that she's just really good...
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danickstr

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Re: Searched Digi 003 without finding satisfaction
« Reply #29 on: June 26, 2008, 12:00:02 AM »

shhh...that is the best-kept secret of engineers.  The talent can actually make a difference.  Cool
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Nick Dellos - MCPE  

Food for thought for the future:              http://http://www.kurzweilai.net/" target="_blank">http://www.kurzweilai.net/www.physorg.com
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