Digital What? Options

[CptAnalog]

OK, I read the rules, I'll try to be civil.
Ever since the 90's, Y'all have told me what a great new world digital audio is, never mind what my ears told me. Gone are the days of aligning tape machines and cleaning heads. Also gone are the days of great sound and being able to plug anything into anything and have it work.
I just spent three days configuring a digital system. I finally figured out that Cubase is seeing input on 5/6, not 1/2, as is the default. I get things happening from the SPDIF input of the interface, do some recording, fast forward to the next cut, then all heck breaks loose. It sounds like total crap, though the next selection is at a lower level. I quit, restart the computer, then there is nothing on the right channel.
It's not as if I can swap cables to find the problem.
I do love the editing capabilities, but for recording, I'll stick with my old Studer.

[monkeyboy23]

Interesting. If I read this right, you have done analog audio production for years and finally decided to take the digital plunge despite the wretched sound quality. Then, you spent three whole days trying to figure out a DAW and how to hook stuff up before chucking it in once the first problem arose. Did you do that when you first started recording old school style? I assume not since you're here. It can take weeks or months to learn how to use all the DAW offers, not to mention all the differences between analog and digital recording techniques. A craftsman does not blame his tools, especially after only three days. I think if you spend some more time with it you'll get it.

As an aside... why Cubase when you live in a city with more Pro Tools users per capita than anyplace on the planet? (I made that last bit up... but there are a ton) Pro Tools is more 'analog audio guy' friendly too. I used PT for four years before switching to Logic. It's easy to use for the most part.

One of the best sounding recordings I have ever heard is The Nightfly (Donald Fagan). It was done in 1981-2 and was all digital. The digital of today is far better than they had at the dawn of digital, so it stands to reason that we can do at least that well (if we have golden ears).

Remember to ask questions in the forums if you get stumped. Mostly friendly people are waiting to assist you!

OK, I read the rules, I'll try to be civil.
Ever since the 90's, Y'all have told me what a great new world digital audio is, never mind what my ears told me. Gone are the days of aligning tape machines and cleaning heads. Also gone are the days of great sound and being able to plug anything into anything and have it work.
I just spent three days configuring a digital system. I finally figured out that Cubase is seeing input on 5/6, not 1/2, as is the default. I get things happening from the SPDIF input of the interface, do some recording, fast forward to the next cut, then all heck breaks loose. It sounds like total crap, though the next selection is at a lower level. I quit, restart the computer, then there is nothing on the right channel.
It's not as if I can swap cables to find the problem.
I do love the editing capabilities, but for recording, I'll stick with my old Studer.

This post has been edited by monkeyboy23: Wed 25 Jun 2008, 01:49

[kayj_prod]

Gotta agree with Monkeyboy. You need to give it a bit more time and learn how to get the best out of a digital system. Its quite easy to produce lousy analogue recordings if you don't know how to use the system at its best. Equally, a digital system- like analogue with tape stock- will depend on the quality of converters and then what your software does with the data, just as your analogue recording will depend on your mixer.

Give it a bit more time and perhaps consider some other software options and looking at the other key parts of your digital system.

Good luck...

[CptAnalog]

Been there, done that. I used Protools in version 2! I preferred Dyaxis, simple, elegant, did what you wanted and nothing more.
My old SDII system still works, under OS7.5.
My biggest gripe is that there are no standards which can't be broken. Sure, if you can put up with everything one company has to offer, the system works. If you hold your mouth right.
Even in analogue these days, "balanced" does not mean the same thing to any two vendors. Give me transformer balanced, 600 ohm to and from everything, like God intended!
BTW: The system acted the same the next morning until I recorded silence for two seconds and returned to zero. Then, it output properly. I guess the gremlin was satisfied, but I still prefer to know what was wrong in the first place. I still don't wish to go into a session with the thought that anything like this can happen again. It will, at just the wrong moment.
Yeah, I love, "The Nightfly." Understand, that was done on the old 3M system with Elliot Scheiner at the board. That system, and the old Sony 3324 still sound better than most "modern" DAWs, go figure.
In any case, the snare still sounds like cardboard.