PG Music Home Forums General Discussion Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic) TEST BENCHMARKS OF VARIOUS DAW MULTITRACK SOFTWARE AND AUDIO INTERFACES.

charlie.
my reply.
1. SMT/VLSI chips.
i always understood that MTR's utilized some custom proprietary engineered VLSI/SMT unique to each company/product, and its not as simple as using just common parts one would find in any electronics catalogue.

True. It's also true this type chip is rare to be a failure issue. In the event it is, outside of a heat or abuse issue, such a failure would most assuredly occur within the warranty period. These proprietary chips can be updated to new versions via a firmware update and since they are also customized to the specific hardware unit, will never become obsolete. There are dozens of items in a complex CPU system that would likely fail before one would see a failure in a chip in even the most economical MTR unit with normal use.

2. BIAB/RB.
the user has to have a certain level of knowledge to use BIAB, thus why not go the whole hog, and record all song audio in daw software on the same computer like i've been doing for ages with no problems; Like a slew of other people all over the world??
the key is the right audio interface.

This a a more complex question than it appears. First, you're correct. It is a far more common procedure to create backing tracks in BIAB, move the tracks to a DAW for further editing, mixing and processing. First, part two, to create tracks with BIAB and move them to a DAW, no audio interface is necessary. The on-board sound card is completely sufficient.

The complexity of the question becomes relevant once a user's level of knowledge in the use of BIAB is applied to a project. The BIAB program functions as a very advanced multi track recorder in its own right in comparison to most stand alone hardware MTR devices. Applying MTR recording principles and techniques to a BIAB project allows for quite complex arrangements from within the BIAB project either before moving tracks to a DAW or without the need to move a project to a DAW. Very few, if any songs posted in the BIAB User's Showcase ever make mention that any BIAB MTR features have been applied to the song posted. There are many procedures BIAB algorithms can apply automatically that are faster, easier and are absolutely commercial grade quality that is on par with any DAW on the market. Once someone has learned how to access and take advantage of these features, they have to be really proficient in their use of the DAW they use to equal what BIAB has produced. It is easy to replicate the total number of tracks the normal song post in a BIAB User's Showcase song, the number of instruments, their arrangement of instruments including the number of vocal tracks and adding the Backing vocals without ever leaving the BIAB project.

If you have a song that uses a Style with 5 instruments that you move to your DAW, create 3 soloist tracks or 7 multi riffs to comp in the DAW, create two additional tracks of the same RT acoustic guitars and then top off your instrumentation with some RT Ooh's, Aaah's, a few bars of a fiddle and another few with a pedal steel guitar, a lead vocal and some vocal harmonies, for 22 total sum of tracks. This is a piece of cake to do totally within any recent version of BIAB, whether PC or Mac, including matching up the instrumental arrangement of bringing instruments and vocals in and out. Using RB or a DAW makes it easier visually or if one is not familiar with MTR recording techniques and principles.

this part of your argument i dont get. one has already used BIAB to do a songs bed tracks on computer. so why not use RB or another daw to do the rest on the same computer ??

1. It is easier to record your own live audio tracks to a hardware MTR than in a DAW and eliminates the need for an audio interface.
2. A Hardware MTR is more mobile for recording tracks than a computer recording set up. Some examples: You can go to a session player rather than one coming to you. You can move to a better recording environment than you may have. You can go to a remote place for a recording when it's inconvenient to record in your normal studio setting if your studio is in an apartment complex or you have a spouse or children trying to sleep or you live beside a busy street, railroad track or airport...
3. MTR recording is always latency free, driver failure free, in most cases, easier and has more inputs/outputs for access to external hardware.
4. Some MTR devices are excellent for mixing and adding effects to BIAB tracks without the need of a computer using an MTR can greatly reduce or eliminate CPU usage when mixing and adding effects created from the computer.
5. Most hardware MTR's today also are recognized as mass storage devices by a computer making transfer of files between the MTR and and computer/DAW fast and seamless.


so you have peaked my curiosity. what is your workflow on a song ??
beds/guide traks useing biab THEN MTR for vocs etc etc ??
is this because youve had probs with audio interfaces ??
what audio interface do you use currently ??

I have a wide range of recording workflow scenario's available. Using an MTR, I can capture up to 8 channels of audio either in my home studio or remotely while providing an additional 8 channel backup recording. Over the past few weeks, I sold my Tascam DP-24, DP004, Zoom R24 and have sent out on long term loan to a songwriting collaborator, my Tascam DP008.

At home, I still have a Zoom HD16 - 16 track/8 channel MTR. I also have a Presonus 22VSL 2/2 audio interface. A Presonus Studio 192 8 channel 26in/32out 8 preamp audio interface. The DAW's I have are RealBand, Cakewalk, Studio One 4.6, Protools 6, Ableton Live 9 and 10, Cubase and Studio One Artist. I mostly use RB or Studio One 4.6.

I'm aware that Forum user, Henry Clarke still uses a stand alone multi track recorder to record all of his vocals. At one time, so did Floyd Jane but I don't think he does in every case any longer. Several Forum members including Ed Shaw uses a stand alone multi track recorder too.


ps. every time ive tried screens/menus on an MTR, at a music store it just wasnt for me.
couldnt get on with it. much happier on computer. but thats me i guess.

I agree with you that MTR's are not for everyone. However, it's my opinion that using an MTR is a great choice for many BIAB users. There's no disputing that in most cases, an MTR will be cheaper, much easier to learn to use and become proficient on, requires much less supporting hardware and software, is better suited for remote applications, superb integration between the OS and hardware giving excellent reliability, integrates seamlessly with BIAB import and export of tracks, provides latency free recording and can provide years or decades of service without becoming obsolete.
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back to original thread.
for benchmarkers and particularly DAWBENCH there are radio shows/podcasts , just google DAWBENCH radio show podcast.
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