I am now happy...

Since the early days of my time in the music industry, I have longer for my own multitrack rig. Granted it did not come easy, and I started out with analog gear (Behringer UB1202FX) and then added the FCA202 2-track firewire interface. However, I knew this was not good enough. Obviously I was going to need a decent sized system to record any number of things. So after years of borrowing systems and making do with "only two", I set it upon myself to go on a massive gear spree after my first semester of college. One word: eBay. It's as close to a treasure chest of gear as one could get in the virtual world. Quickly I found everythign I needed (or so I thought)- Firewire interface (8+ channels), preamps, power conditioner, small portable rack, and a compressor. And as many condenser mics I feel like adding. After little debate I went strictly for the MOTU 828. It had everything I neede-and lot's of people had them for sale for under $250 on eBay. 8 channels of analog bliss. Sweet. No LCD, paired volume knobs, but hey, I was on a budget. Well after several near outbids on this piece, I had to rethink my gameplan. Did I really want a 6 year olf piece of technology? Why not spring a few more dollars for the newer 828MKII? Decision made- and perfect timing. I found a like new for a should-be-illegal buy it now price. I happily paid and could not wait. Along the way I picked up a dbx 266XL, the little brother of the 166XL we have here in the analog studio at Hartford. Sweet. Then I found a great deal on a...Nady (I know, not so good, but does it for me) 8 channel preamp. Followed by a $50 Furman power conditioner (I will accept no other), and the oh so cool and highly contested Behri ADA8000. Wow, hard to find at a good price, but definately worth it. That would be used via ADAT optical audio for the 828MKII as an 8 channel add-on. Oh yeah, then the 8 space rack (shallow, but still kinda bulky), as well as a pair of entry level AT condensers.


Total price= About half as much as it would have been had I bought everything "new" from stores. You wouldnt be able to tell looking, or using my gear that it was used at all. Very very sweet.



Basically, this pile of metal kicks it- 18in/20out (all analog right there, thats not counting word clock, MIDI, S/PDIF of SMPTE i/o- like some audio manufacturers do). Oh yeah, and it works will all non-Pro Tools DAWs. I use Live 5.2, along with the included MOTU AudioDesk 2 software (which is basically just the audio functions in Digital Performer 5). Overall I am very pleased. I don't need it yet, but ill be looking for maybe an outboard reverb, and a two channel tube compressor and a patchbay to fill out the rack. Woohoo. Here's a slight video of the front and back of the beast.