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kennyburrel « A product without competition in its category »
Published on 10/04/10 at 09:06Digital and analog
It records onto hard disks (40, 80 gb or more), 2 hot-swappable caddies.
16 bits and 24 bits / 44.100 and 48.000 Khz (there's a more expensive 96.000 version, too)
It can take all sort of mics, but consider a preamp for +48V.
8, 16 and 24 simultaneous tracks in groups of 8 only.
UTILIZATION
Relatively easy setup but it's better to study it before the session.
Nothing replaces your mileage!
No effects nor internal sounds, it's a recorder, period.
The user's manual is downloadable and clear enough.
SOUNDS
The converters are good, if you consider their value for money.
The same goes for the transparency.
Good dynamic response, but not enough because it depends on all the hardware you use with it (microphones, preamps, etc.).
For example, a digital recording + Berhinger ADDA 8000 preamp (yes, yes!) + Audio Technica AT 2020 mics (indeed!) + ART wordclock (absolutely!) + good cables and connectors = excellent results to record acoustic sounds.
Different strokes for different folks, depending on your budget.
OVERALL OPINION
I've been using it for about five years.
There's simply no equivalent in terms of value for money and the number of tracks-functionalities.
Awesome sturdiness and reliability.
The Fireport is pretty effective to make relatively fast track transfers.
A good competitor to soundcards in terms of reliability.
Small capacity hard disks (40 gb) are more reliable.
The removable hard disk caddy system us very handy.
Consider connecting your gear via the wordclock BNC, it's very stable.
In conclusion, it's a good hardware unit that you can optimize choosing adequate hardware.
The HD 24 can be rack mounted.
Don't skimp on the quality of the cables and connectors (multicore, adat, bnc, etc.).
It records onto hard disks (40, 80 gb or more), 2 hot-swappable caddies.
16 bits and 24 bits / 44.100 and 48.000 Khz (there's a more expensive 96.000 version, too)
It can take all sort of mics, but consider a preamp for +48V.
8, 16 and 24 simultaneous tracks in groups of 8 only.
UTILIZATION
Relatively easy setup but it's better to study it before the session.
Nothing replaces your mileage!
No effects nor internal sounds, it's a recorder, period.
The user's manual is downloadable and clear enough.
SOUNDS
The converters are good, if you consider their value for money.
The same goes for the transparency.
Good dynamic response, but not enough because it depends on all the hardware you use with it (microphones, preamps, etc.).
For example, a digital recording + Berhinger ADDA 8000 preamp (yes, yes!) + Audio Technica AT 2020 mics (indeed!) + ART wordclock (absolutely!) + good cables and connectors = excellent results to record acoustic sounds.
Different strokes for different folks, depending on your budget.
OVERALL OPINION
I've been using it for about five years.
There's simply no equivalent in terms of value for money and the number of tracks-functionalities.
Awesome sturdiness and reliability.
The Fireport is pretty effective to make relatively fast track transfers.
A good competitor to soundcards in terms of reliability.
Small capacity hard disks (40 gb) are more reliable.
The removable hard disk caddy system us very handy.
Consider connecting your gear via the wordclock BNC, it's very stable.
In conclusion, it's a good hardware unit that you can optimize choosing adequate hardware.
The HD 24 can be rack mounted.
Don't skimp on the quality of the cables and connectors (multicore, adat, bnc, etc.).