AKAI DPS24 MKII DAW vs ?

[bluemagic]

AHHHH!  So many DAWS, So little Time (and Money)!!!

Help.  I am trying equip my home-based studio for LIVE SOUND recording (i.e., very little MIDI sequencing or programming, if any) of 5 or 6 piece bands.  I also want to produce either demo or redbook (i.e., commercial quality) CDs and am considering purchasing the AKAI DPS24 MKII DAW.  I like this unit because it provides 12 XLR microphone inputs (i.e., channels) which I need because I plan on using 6 microphones for drums, 2 for Leslie speaker, 1 XLR channel for bass via DI box, 1 XLR channel for guitar via DI box, and 2 mike XLR channels for vocals.  With 12 separate XLR channels I can then apply EQ and other effects fairly easy on a per channel basis. I also plan to use several TRS input channels to handle other keyboards (i.e., digital piano) using their Line Level Outputs.

I was wondering if anyone had any experience with the AKAI unit or can offer an opinion on how it compares to the Roland VS2400 CD or Korg 3200 DAWS for Live Sound Recording.

Thanks

[tkeys86]

All I have ever heard about the DPS24 is good things... most people consider it better than Roland or Tascam... its AD converters are SICKK!!! But if you need more inputs, look at the Alesis HD24, which can record 24 tracks simultaneously (for half the price of the DPS24), or the Tascam X-48, which records 48 tracks simultaneously (and you can connect a monitor, mouse, & keyboard to it)!

[PianoWizard]

Welcome to the LGM family "tkeys86"....Be Blessed.

PianoWiz...

[tkeys86]

thanks, pianowizard.... I used to be on here under the name T_Keys, but I was getting harassed too much so I made a new name, and I've really laid back on my posting lol

[bluemagic]

Thanks tkeys86 (aka T_Keys) for the info.  A stand alone hard disk recorder like the HD24 would give me more inputs at a lower initial price BUT I would still need a separate mixer and other outboard gear like external effects units which would drive up the total price.  The TASCAM X-48 is AWESOME but it should be at $4500 which is a little, actually a lot, out of my price league. 

Actually tkeys, I ended up taking a lost cost route (look up the word "cheap" in any dictionary and you will see a picture of me :-) and purchased a Peavey PV20 USB mixer this past Friday which was on sale at a Rockville MD Guitar Center (regularly $499 on sale for $399 plus an additional $100 rebate from Peavey).  It provides 16 XLR mike inputs plus 2 stereo 1/4" inputs, 16 on-board effects, and a USB interface.  I will use the DAW PC software I already have to produce demo CDs.

Again, thanks for the input regarding the AKAI unit.  I may still get it at some later date.

[tkeys86]

no problem, but I have a question 4 you bluemagic... when you connect that Peavey mixer to your pc via USB, are you able to route each individual channel on the mixer to a channel in your daw, or do you only get a stereo output... in other words, during recording, does each mixer channel record separately on your PC?

[bluemagic]

I can only route the stereo output via USB which is definitely a limitation of this configuration tkeys  but I can pan, apply EQ, and balance the levels via faders on each channel prior to sending the stereo output over.  I can also apply EFX (i.e. reverb) on the stereo output.  There is also an INSERT on each channel which allows me to send any channel signal out to a processor (like a compressor) and then bring the signal back in to the mixer after its' been processed.   I can do some further processing of the stereo output with my DAW but I mainly use it to process the .wav audio files and burn demo CDs.

Like I said, I may get the AKAI once this studio is up and running (i.e., making money) but for $299 + tax the Peavey board at least gets me started.  Thanks again for your help.

[bluemagic]

Point of clarification tkeys.  I route the mixer analog stereo output to the stereo line input of the PC for recording by the DAW.  Once this analog signal is digitized by the DAW software into a .wav file then I can transfer the .wav file back to the mixer via the USB connection.  Sorry for any confusion.  A download of the mixer operators manual can be obtained from the PEAVEY website if interested.

[bluemagic]

OK I finally read the manual myself and after playing around a bit I discovered I can use EITHER the PC-to Mixer USB OR PC-to-Mixer 1/4" TRS Line Connections to record or playback audio.  I just have to select the desired interface via my DAW software.  DUH!!!!!