RE: semi cross post.... building a system for live recording
2005/10/15 01:28:30
(permalink)
Hey Kab
You don't really need that beefy of a system to record a lot of tracks at once...I mean you do, but nowadays modern laptops are plenty capable, imho. The real issue is the interface solution.
If money's no object, I'd get a RME Fireface 800 with either a Mackie Onyx or even better a Presonus Digimax 96. Of course, you'd probably need to get a Firewire 800 card, since most XP notebooks do not come with this yet. By now you've spent a LOT of money, but you have a portable system capable of 12 mic inputs plus 1/4in, midi etc...
If the cash is a little tighter, you could try getting two Firepods and link them together. That would give you 16 mic/line combi jacks, plus midi.
Sonar should just be able to see the inputs from the optical through your soundcard. Not sure how these would be numbered, though. Perhaps as 5-12 if the four on the RME are 1-4? I don't know...
Do you already have the computer (or have a specific one in mind)?
Purrrfect Audio DAW built by Jim Roseberry
Edirol UA-1000, Korg PadKontrol, Dynaudio BM 5A's
Reaper, Live, Sound Forge, Pyro