2020 a year in gear (what have you/are you bought/buying?)

[Mushy Mushy]

/goes lofi and cheap ass way...
mixer in to audio interface

unless of course anyone would like to invest in vurts studio overhaul

Sensible.

Complexity = complexity² (ie it gets exponentially more complicated)

[vurt]

/goes lofi and cheap ass way...
mixer in to audio interface

unless of course anyone would like to invest in vurts studio overhaul

Sensible.

Complexity = complexity² (ie it gets exponentially more complicated)

totally different requirements too, you need precise timing, which is anathema to me
also, lofi, not really a huge problem either (to a certain extent of course).

[McLilith]

im assuming stereo for those that have it (pads n shit)

"Pads 'n Shit" is a brilliant name for a synthesizer shop.

[wickfut]

Woohoo!!!! Worked it out

1x RME RayDAT card
4x Behringer ADA8200 converters
1x 4U rack (to live in the corner behind the desk out of sight)

= 32 analog I/O + 2 MIDI I/O for €1200

I'd actually go so far as to say that's a bargain.

How are you monitoring? Do you have a mixer you're using along side this?

[jasonmads]

I keep buying to many things... Most recent Jomox T-Resonator II, I still don't know what it does, but it is fun to play with. Also got an ELZ_1, I think they should play together.

[skipscada]

Woohoo!!!! Worked it out

1x RME RayDAT card
4x Behringer ADA8200 converters
1x 4U rack (to live in the corner behind the desk out of sight)

= 32 analog I/O + 2 MIDI I/O for €1200

I'd actually go so far as to say that's a bargain.

How are you monitoring? Do you have a mixer you're using along side this?

I'm wondering about the same. The input side of a modular solution like this with a basic RME interface and preamp/AD combos seems easy to put together for a reasonable price, but the output side seems trickier. The ideal product for me would be some sort of small desktop unit with DAC, 2 outputs for headphones and 1 output for active monitors plus basic controls like volume and mute, but I can't find a product that hits the sweet spot in terms of price, features and ergonomy. What do people use?

[Mushy Mushy]

Woohoo!!!! Worked it out

1x RME RayDAT card
4x Behringer ADA8200 converters
1x 4U rack (to live in the corner behind the desk out of sight)

= 32 analog I/O + 2 MIDI I/O for €1200

I'd actually go so far as to say that's a bargain.

How are you monitoring? Do you have a mixer you're using along side this?

Via Cubase. Otherwise I wouldn't need the 32 ins and instead only need MIDI.
Not sure I follow otherwise.

Currently I use a Roland MX1 as interface/mixer along with a patchbay.
I do also have a Mackie 32:8 mixer but that hasn't been turned on for years due to various issues.

[whyterabbyt]

Woohoo!!!! Worked it out

1x RME RayDAT card
4x Behringer ADA8200 converters
1x 4U rack (to live in the corner behind the desk out of sight)

= 32 analog I/O + 2 MIDI I/O for €1200

I'd actually go so far as to say that's a bargain.

How are you monitoring? Do you have a mixer you're using along side this?

Why would he need a mixer? At most he needs a passive volume controller.

[wickfut]

Via Cubase. Otherwise I wouldn't need the 32 ins and instead only need MIDI.
Not sure I follow otherwise.

Currently I use a Roland MX1 as interface/mixer along with a patchbay.
I do also have a Mackie 32:8 mixer but that hasn't been turned on for years due to various issues.

What I'm getting at is do you really need to record 32 channels at once? That's going to be a complex set up in Cubase. Keeping tabs on 32 inputs, effects sends, mutes etc all in software doesn't honestly sound like fun. Your first layer of your Cubase mixer is going to be input channels which will need you to scroll pan through just to see them all. One wrong click of the mouse and all your "armed" monitor channels for the synths will be reset.

What I'm getting at is that I have a medium sized synth set up and I although I can record 32 channels at once if I need to, I've never actually recorded more than 4-6 tracks at once - ie a stereo synth and its effect send, or a small drum group with side chain comp.

So while this "woo I can plug each synth into its own channel to record them all at once" sounds wonderful. I find that it's never used and just having say a digital mixer with just 2-4 channels sent to the PC will be far more useful with setting up channel levels, record levels and monitoring than doing it all in software will ever be.

But good luck if you go with it.

[whyterabbyt]

What I'm getting at is do you really need to record 32 channels at once?.
.
.

So while this "woo I can plug each synth into its own channel to record them all at once" sounds wonderful. I find that it's never used and just having say a digital mixer with just 2-4 channels sent to the PC will be far more useful with setting up channel levels, record levels and monitoring than doing it all in software will ever be.

What you're describing is pretty much what he said he's trying to avoid, though. Ive done much the same with 24 ins, with and without patchbays, and vastly prefer having as much as possible on its own input, even if Im not recording all 24 at a time. Its actually -less- faff in the project, and less faffing with cables and patchbays.
Using an external digital mixer, for me, would be far less useful. Think about the scenario of running a hardware drum machine or synth through plugins then through external hardware. Wont work with a digital mixer.

[wickfut]

What you're describing is pretty much what he said he's trying to avoid, though. Ive done much the same with 24 ins, with and without patchbays, and vastly prefer having as much as possible on its own input, even if Im not recording all 24 at a time. Its actually -less- faff in the project, and less faffing with cables and patchbays.

So how do you monitor each channel? You have to go into cubase and arm/monitor icon each track, then keep tabs on all of them in the live input mixer window etc ? It just sounds messy as hell.

[wickfut]

Think about the scenario of running a hardware drum machine or synth through plugins then through external hardware. Wont work with a digital mixer.

Yeah I do . I run a Rytm Mk2 with 10 outs and 2 ins to my mixer. What is the issue you think I have with it?

[Mushy Mushy]

Stuff

No, you don't understand.

Let's start at the start. Currently I have 32 synths (it's different due to stereo configurations and lesser used items etc but for simplicity 32). I have these all plumbed into a patchbay so if I need to record the Nord I connect it to the patchbay, then to the interface, create a MIDI track, remember what channel it's on, hit record, stop record because I screwed up the patchbay, reconnect, re-record, etc.

However, going forward I would simply click on insert instruments, select the Nord, then render in place (yes, mind blown that render in place works with external hardware, as does freeze).

If it's all set up correctly it's one of these scenarios where I cannot possibly imagine technology getter any better or improving the process. It's an absolute dream.

[whyterabbyt]

Think about the scenario of running a hardware drum machine or synth through plugins then through external hardware. Wont work with a digital mixer.

Yeah I do . I run a Rytm Mk2 with 10 outs and 2 ins to my mixer. What is the issue you think I have with it?

Exactly where did I say I thought you had an issue with that?

Oh, I see. Should have been 'Wont necessarily work with a digital mixer' but I was eating my lunch and didnt hedge every bet. Happy now?

Glad we've got that sorted, so we can all work the way you want us to; clearly we dont understand our own setups and preferences.

[wickfut]

Think about the scenario of running a hardware drum machine or synth through plugins then through external hardware. Wont work with a digital mixer.

Yeah I do . I run a Rytm Mk2 with 10 outs and 2 ins to my mixer. What is the issue you think I have with it?

Exactly where did I say I thought you had an issue with that?

Oh, I see. Should have been 'Wont necessarily work with a digital mixer' but I was eating my lunch and didnt hedge every bet. Happy now?

Glad we've got that sorted, so we can all work the way you want us to; clearly we dont understand our own setups and preferences.

why are you being an arse?

You said that a scenario won't work with a digital mixer, I replied that I can do it with my digital mixer without an issue. Ahh fuckit. what's the point. Carry on.