It’s not a didactic section (when needed I’ll link related pages on manufacturer site) but so as to explain my approach to recording.
Hi,
since 1997 I recorded live shows like orchestra concerts, jazz ensemble and others with several audio recording systems.
I started with a dat-recorder Tascam DA-30 MKII, very reliable system, but with a no longer span memory (digital tape is a data frame with linear access) and 16 bit word-lenght. It worked from 48kHz to 32kHz (long duration). Tape lenght at 44.1/48kHz was from 5′ to 120′.
Today, it’s still available on my studio to transfer dat tape on audio files.
At the same time I bought two Alesis Adat blackface to make available multitracks recording with JLCooper Datamaster syncronizer.
This system worked with VHS tape at 48kHz@16bit to 42′ maximum recording lenght, as a consequence it was difficult to use it in live recording.
Adat blackface (image from net)
First recorder system on HD which I bought was two Roland VSR-880 coupled with digital consolle Roland VM7200.
At that time I was a Roland audio pro exhibitor.
Roland VSR-880
After I made a mobile workstation with an Apple iBook with RME Fireface800 and OctaMic. Actually I choose to substitute iBook with a MacBook.
Apple iBook with RME Fireface800 + OctaMic
Later I built a DAW Windows based with RME HDSP 9652+9632 (total 34 tracks). I used it to record Ottavo Ritcher “Molly’s Malone” live album (here Watermelon man from album). Today this mobile station is discontinued.
PC Windows mobile recorder with HDSP 9652 + 9632
Today I have three workstations avalaible:
– Apogee Rosetta800 with firewire card coupled with Apple MacBook.
My best workstation: eight Shoeps microphones, eight Millenia preamps and eight Apogee Rosetta800 AD/DA channels.
It’s a stand-alone system, 24 tracks, it write an audio streaming directly to external HD up to 96kHz@24bit, very reliable and with a very fine AD/DA converter. It’s perfect to record 24 tracks at 96kHz@24bit
I bought it in september 2012 to record 24 tracks 10hour/day for three months (over 900 hours total) during Alberto Garutti exposition at the PAC – Padiglione d’Arte Contemporanea in Milan.
It’s not a didactic section (when needed I’ll link related pages on manufacturer site) but so as to explain my approach to recording.
Today I’ll speak about the second ring of the audio chain that is a microphone preamplifier.
I tried several of them while I was thinking about the adage “the worse ring define entire chain quality”.
At the end I chose Focusrite and Millenia.
Focusrite ISA series
This serie is originate from an original Rupert Neve’s project, realized to George Martin’s Air studio which sidecar of Studio One’s Neve consolle and later developed into well-knowed Forte consolle (late eighties).
Sir George Martin with original sidechain and ISA110
Neve consolle A4792 with FSA110 modules sidecar (far left)
Earlies modules made from FSA110 were ISA110 (premic/eq section) and ISA130 (dynamic section) where ISA standing for Input Signal Amplifier.
Further developments were ISA430 (producer pack) and ISA220 (session pack) strip channels with premic, eq section, dynamic section (ISA220 only compressor), de-essing and output stage.
Today it’s possible to find some racked channel strip.
Latest models are microphones preamplifiers rack modules ISA428, ISA828, ISA One (desk version) and Isa Two.
I bought two ISA428 with AD converter card and two ISA220.
They work very fine on vocals, percussions and instrumental direct inject like electric bass, guitar and piezo transducer with a nice and solid presence. I like ISA220 coupled with NeumannU87ai to record voice.
ISA eq is very sharp gear and all the small changes are immediatly audible and it’s perfect to add warmth, presence and intelligibility to every tracks. Dynamic section is beautiful with capaticy to forceful gain reduction (10dB) without artefacts.
I use both ISA220 like a sidecar of my analog consolle D&R Dayner.
Focusrite ISA 8-channel ADC cards on board on my ISA428 sound like my Apogee Rosetta800 (that is very good) and they convert eight channel each, summing ISA428 four channels with four external channels. Then two ISA428, eight microphone amplifier and sixteens AD channels conversion.
In this record I used FF ISA428 on drums and direct input of ISA220 for bass (mix is only level and panpot, no eq, comp or fx)
Their gear is precious on acoustic instruments, classic and jazz ensemble and everywhere it’s fundamental absolute sonic and musical purity.
I bought a Millenia HV-3R, remote controlled version, eight channels microphones preamplifier to work at the best with my Shoeps microphones (see here my post on my microphones)
His sound is very clearly with excellent focus on mid and low frequency and very open high end.
This year I recorded a jazz ensemble (electric guitar, double bass, violin, sax and accordion) in a my studio but in a live like situation. Without worries about ambient noise, I used Shoeps and Millenia to best separation and quality of the sounds. The musicians have been very impressed, me too 😉
In oUr ATtitude WE truST 