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Hi Sewa!

I totally trust LuckyMusic, I live 40Km from the shop and my office is 3Km far from them, so about once a week I go to there and enjoy some new synths.
I don't know your budget, but if you don't need a mixer, why don't you consider an audio interface?
PreSouns and Focusrite are making great products right now...
If you need a mixer to travel and gig live, and use it in the studio, too, I'm with Lorenzo about the Mackie, it sounds great (but it costs...) or with you about the Alesis...but if you need it "just" for the studio...

BTW, as I'm a huge MOTU fan, you can give a look to the UltraLite which can be used as an audio interface and as a mixer (without connecting it to the computer, too)
I use my MOTU Traveler in that way a lot of times, and it's simply great!



HTH,
regards

if you can avoid it , keep using PCI cards.
(i heard that macs work okay, but you can never know, most people talk and have no practical experience with things in the end, when it comes to firewire cards and recording many tracks).

on pc laptops you can have alot of issues that will **** you off 24/7.

noise from firewire ports(!). conflict with onboard drivers, more than one or two channels cant be recorded due to clips (even with 2gb ram).
I never use my m-audio firewire, it simply doesent work properly, i use my old delta 1010 pci, runs like a dream.

I know many ppl with similar problems with different brands, its hoax. Why dont they sell Sounscape boxes? and ssl instead of all this crap? Because its a money machine, and it's made for people that produce music 2 hours a month.

get iex. a cheap lt1010 and a soundcraft mixer with Graham blyth preamps where you can route them directly to your card.
If you need DSP stuff try to checkout a powercore pci.

If you don't plan to be mobile, stay stationary , that my advice.
Basically computers still suck if you - like me- plan to run minimum 16 tracks with 4-6 plugins on each. PCI is directly and fastest way to your cpu, firewire and usb is not good enough, no matter what any sales assistant will tell you.

if you got cash - buy a soundscape mixdream etc. You end up spending the same and get the best in the world.

only 2000+!? that is a great advice since sewa doesn't want to buy a mixer that costs 1000+ so at this time I think I should tell sewa: avoid all pci, fw, usb crap, buy a neve mixer, some isa and red focusrite, a multitrack dedicated recorder oh yes and if you need outboard for effects maybe a few lexicon etc etc. With 10000+ euros... well... you don't even buy a neve but "You end up spending the same and get the best in the world."

hi Sewa,

look into getting 2 firepods from presonus and also consider the octopres from focusrite or the saffire 26/10.

best of both worlds. Or simply get the 1640 .. u spend a bit more but you have more flexibility for future stuff ... using it live should be really good for you plus all the individually switched phantom power is cool.

also consider second hand Motu 896HDs but make sure that they work well. If you are using desktop PC then go with the 24i/o from MOTU.

kind regards

Oh yeah, Vim is right, consider some second hand gear, I'm sure you can find some great deals out there.
MOTU 828 is excellent (it only have two preamps), or 896HD which is a great audio interface...
Well, you just have to fix a budget and you'll have a lot of choice.


Regards

RME firewire units are also really good and if you can find them on the second hand market then that'll be great.

I love my Firepod. I never have trouble with it. It sounds great. It allows a main level and a headphone level. It has 8 inputs, 8 outputs, 2 FX sends/returns, lightpipe capable, MIDI sends, and 8 ample pre-amps. I never have issues recording on all 8 tracks. I run it with Sonar, Ableton Live and Nuendo. $399

Get two. I am.

And I am not an amateur. I would say semi-pro. I am putting together a studio for my band to record our next album. I've already purchased a stock of microphones (SM57's, BlueBird, Rode NT5 matched set), some dbx compressors, an Alesis 3630 limiter, Behringer tube pre-amp, Focusrite TrakMaster Pro vocal channel, the list goes on. I just want a few Universal Audio mic pre's yet, but they cost alot, so I have to save for them.

My band is playing a 3-show gig at HersheyPark tomorrow (Chocolate Town, USA), and headlining at an area club next weekend. Check us out on myspace. myspace.com/theaprilskies

I hope that somewhat establishes some credibility. Hope you like the tunes on myspace!

Thanks for all this information guys. I have just returned from holidays hence my feedback is a bit late.

Digitaal - its interesting what you said about drivers etc. issues with firewire equipment. I hate this kind of trouble as I'm not to good/interested in computers. My UB1204+PCI soundcard solution might be simplistic but it has been rock solid.

I had a look at those Presonus devices. Two of them would cost around 800 euros...nothing seems to beat the Alesis in terms of price/performance ratio. I will think about it though. The last thing I need in my audio chain are firewire related PC issues

Well, this is kinda late Sewa, but what did you settle on and what was your experience using what you bought. please share so that others making a similar decision in the future can aviod your mistakes or emulate your success.

kind regards

Vim

I'm still using my old Begringer UB1204. Last month I moved to a new appartment so for the moment, I'm busy with setting everything up. I finally have a dedicated room for music-making but I'm still not 100% up and running. In the evenings I'm drilling holes rather than making music...

sewa

Hi!!!

I'm really happy for you!!
Keep us posted and give us some pictures of the new music-room!!!


regards