Fletcher wrote on Sun, 01 November 2009 09:40 |
Are you in a budget range? I remember sitting behind one of these once a LOOooOOong time ago. What I recall of the experience was thinking that it was short on headroom and short on depth to the audio [sorta like a "Soundcraft" or an "Allen & Heath"]. I take it you're looking for a mix platform... how many inputs do you think you require? What kind of room is this going in? Budget?
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Thanks for the post Fletcher I knew you would have at least crossed paths with one of these. The lack of headroom AND short on depth to the audio are both deal killers.
He states the center section mod has really opened up the board sonically. This to me is as big a Red Flag Flying thats ever flown over Beijing. If indeed the Center section mod helped that much what about all them there channels and all that implies. It would lead me to believe that each channel sucked and would need if even feasible to be modded as well.
Seems to me if all the channels suck then having a modded center section doesn't make a sh*t.
Okay now that being said Fletcher I have paid cash for every piece of gear for the last 25 years of collecting vintage outboard rack gear and microphones. I worked in Corporate America in sales and would use bonus checks and the such to buy said gear for future use. I only paid $1,800.00 for my pair of Neve 1081's 18 years ago.
So back to the issue of do I have a budget, yes. I've a 5k to 8k floating cash reserve I would consider as a budget. I want to pay cash and thought for sure I'd find some sleeper console in this range.
Yes as well to wanting it for a mix platform but also for tracking. I have and love my Radar II and the Classic Converters, the Radar provides a great TDIF transfer to a Mackie d8b at this point so I can do somethings rewarding, I empathize some.
BUT I am sick as hell of the horrible latency issues and all of the frigging M. C. Escher routing needed to access my outboard gear at mixdown thus creating massive latency issues that require math that Einstein would have a hard time figuring out.
Why in the hell did Mackie design a digital console to compete with the o2r when they didn't have a clue how? Why did they design the board so the inserts allows one to use their outboard during tracking but NOT during mixdown. For me to use my outboard in mixdown the preceding paragraph is understating my problems with the issue.
If it was not for a bunch of guys on the d8b forum rewriting the entire manual and publishing all of the hundreds of work around's on the d8b I'd be really pissed for buying one. I've a damn good one but all of the Mackie stock digital comps, eqs. and even their MFX and UFX effects cards with their expensive plugs to buy, Massenburg EQ my ass, Drawmer, Antares, TC, they are all worthless AND they are Latency hogs with charts and mathematic tables to work with, designed by a member of the d8b forum NOT Mackie, but they still suck.
My son and a couple of friends run Logic and use the Hui mode to do their midi heavy "Retard Fusion" and it works for them as a controller. I know there's better controllers but it meets their needs and I don't use it so I guess it stays for that.
So Fletcher I want out of the digital domain except for my Radar, then the 2 pcs. at the end of the 2 Buss, Apogee A/D to my MasterLink.
My studio complex is "Private". I say complex because I've a 2 room on the 3rd floor and the main in the converted barn. The barn has 2 rooms but the "Live" room 36 x 26 x 18 with a 26 x 24 x 18 outside dim. control room with a splayed interior room of 16 x 24 x 14. To describe what the Culls sound wants to be think "The Clash" and all that implies from London Calling to Sandinista.
I'd prefer something more than the min. of 24 channels to the Radar although this is not inputs. I've considered the Toft ATB 32 and I am sure it would have ample inputs. So something along those lines as far as number of inputs and channels.
So buy a Toft ATB 32, well maybe a new one but no Pilots, ver.1's or ver.2's to many things squirrely. I may be reading to much into the dozens of pcs. read on the Toft but the word MOD is thrown around a lot starting with the center section to really improve it's headroom. I know not to buy into every opinion on the damn internet but this Mod is discussed by at least 50% plus of Toft owners. I've not kept records of how many various pieces of information I've read on the Toft but Mod seems to be in all, except in Toft and it's distributors lit. but I would not expect them to.
Sorry to run on so long but I've a lot of angst built up over this. Me thinks my budget or my cash on hand needs to increase but that does not mean I'll find one worthy because it costs more. I've studied the next level of consoles as well and there's plenty of Crap Hyped. The older better thought of boards need maintenance and there's no one out here in the Boondocks and it's a hike by car from Dallas so I'd need to find a restored one.
As far as I'm concerned "You The Man", you know your sh*t, brutally honest if need be and there's plenty of fantasies needing correcting and your knowledge spans recording history, so when you comment I listen.
Well I'm listening now and thanks in advance for your recommendations, regards ,,deda,,
The Inside of a Mackie d8b!