[linux-audio-user] GSG for home studio? (Newbie question)

[Jan "Evil Twin" Depner]

Chris,

	I just went through the same thing.  I wrote it all up -
http://myweb.cableone.net/eviltwin69/ALSA_JACK_ARDOUR.html - with a
justification of the gear I bought in the introduction.  Also some good
HW links.

On Fri, 2002-12-13 at 16:57, Chris wrote:
> 
> Vexing questions:
> 
> 1) How important is a da-ad converter, and how much must one spend on this?
> 
	External is better just from a noise point of view.

> 2) What does one look for in a soundcard.  Is it necessary to invest $600 
> in one -- I mean, where is all that money really going?  What makes a card 
> like the hammerfall so great?  How much on these cards is "fluff" and how 
> much is really practical for just recording.
> 

	Check the web page above.

> 3) Do people actually use fiber for their lines?  Or is this super-duper 
> high end stuff?
> 

	Got me.  I don't but then I don't have a digital mixer either.

> 4) I have spent some time on some sites of card manufacturers... and I 
> can't quite piece together how multiple inputs work on the cards... is it a 
> one for one deal (one input = one channel), or is their some software or 
> hardware that allows for more than one channel per input?
> 

	Generally 1 input = 1 channel however some cards have two different
types of inputs for a pair of channels.  The DSP 2000 has two XLR
ins/outs OR two 1/4 inch ins/outs for channels 1 and 2.

> 5) how good is open-source software for effects processing... I saw 
> something on the ardour site saying that it does not support "plugins"... 
> (due to lack of a standard)... does that mean no effects?
> 

	LADSPA plugin effects, Steve Harris' are the best.  There are quite a
few.

> 6) What do you guys do for a drum machine solution, is software adequate or 
> do you really recommend getting a drum machine?
> 

	I'm cheating, I'm using my el cheapo RP100 to dump a drum track as a
"click track" and then I get my drummer to record something "real" when
I get finished recording my bit.

> 7) Does everybody go direct on this, or do they mic their amps (I am 
> primarily a guitar player).  How do you keep the sound quality up if you 
> are direct?
> 

	I do both depending on the sound I'm looking for.  I always mic the amp
for my harp but I'll use direct on guitar sometimes.

> 8) I want to build a **QUIET** machine... Any suggestions on computer 
> hardware?  (I have bought from quietpc, and found that some of the stuff 
> was no quieter than normal --even louder some times).
> 
	Don't know for sure.  I don't even know how you'd find out from a
vendor.  My system is not exactly quiet but it's not bad.  More fans =
more noise.

> 
> I have a marshall jmp-1 preamp with a valvestate 8008, a RockTron 
> intellifex, proq and guitar silencer (all rackmount) on top of a marshall 
> jcm-900 lead-1960.  I would be sad to see some of it go, but since I am not 
> performing, I would be willing sell some off if there is better stuff for 
> home recording.  I would only need about 4 simultaneous inputs.
> 

	The midiman Delta 44 or 66 might be your best bet for a 4 (analog)
input card 24/96 although the converters are onboard.

> Excluding the pc I must build, I would like to try to keep the price around 
> $1000 (including the sound card).  Is this realistic?  I might spend more 
> if I wind up selling some of my current equipment.
> 

	I gutted my previous system for the hard drives and CDRW.  Then I
bought a new case, AZZA MB, AMD Athlon XP 1700+, 256MB memory, and A
DSP2000 for a total of about $700.

Jan Depner