Subject: Re: [linux-audio-user] Linux Multitrack Recording - HW & SW
From: Paul Winkler (pw_lists_AT_slinkp.com)
Date: Tue Jul 16 2002 - 03:21:51 EEST
On Mon, Jul 15, 2002 at 06:39:28PM -0700, Jason MacDermott wrote:
> Hi folks,
>
> I am moving into a house where I'd like to set up a little studio. I would
> really like to have it run on Linux if I could, and replace my aging ADAT.
> I have been reading about various software on the Web, like Ardour &
> ecasound, and the ALSA drivers, but I have a pretty fuzzy picture in my mind
> of house this fits together with audio hardware and the "live music" world.
>
> Ideally I'd like to record 8 tracks (using 1/4" or XLR inputs)
> simultaneously. What hardware/interface can I use? I know MOTU is big in
> the Mac world, but have not heard anything about it for Linux. What
> hardware options are there for multiple inputs (and outputs, for that
> matter)?
There is no MOTU support AFAIK.
You can use the RME Hammerfall with external converters (or RME's
add-on internal converters), or get an M-audio Delta 1010
which will give you 8 analog ins and 8 analog outs plus S/PDIF.
I have the Delta 66 (4 analog), it works nicely with alsa drivers.
> Also, what kind of system should I consider purchasing. I know ecasound
> will run on a fairly low-end system, but I imagine it would have to be
> pretty speedy for this many tracks.
What can you afford? :)
At minimum, you should consider getting 2 disks and dedicate
one exclusively to audio track data.
Otherwise, audio is one of the rare cases where you want to
get the most CPU (especially floating-point) power that you can,
but RAM isn't such a big deal as long as you have "enough"
(probably 128 MB is enough).
What kind of music are you recording? Recording live
groups with lots of tracks at once?
AFAIK, ardour and ecasound are your only real options right now.
Ecasound is much more stable than ardour, but the command-line
interface is a bit complex to work with for big projects.
It's pretty damn cool that it exists, though. :)
--Paul Winkler home: http://www.slinkp.com "Muppet Labs, where the future is made - today!"
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