3 channel audio recorder

markeditor said:
Hi,

This is for playback of a fireworks show. The composite audio lives on the stereo pair and goes to the house public address system, and voice cues live on track three, and go to the director's and pyro crew's headsets. So I need at least three distinct playback outputs. The Roland R-26, as well as comparable units from Sony, Tascam, Edirol, etc. are all excellent recording devices, but again the problem is they don't have enough discrete analog outputs- Th Roland in fact only has headphone outputs. The problem with the Roland and the other contemporary multi-track standalone, is that they all generally mix down within the unit, providing only a stereo output. What I'm hoping to find is a reasonably (cheap) priced device that will output at least three completely iindependent, discrete channels. The only thing I've found is an analog/digital interface that has at least four output channels such as the Echo Gina, starting at around three hundred bucks. I found a legacy Gina, but it needs to interface to a desktop computer via PCI card. If I'm going to incorporate a PC, I need it to be a laptop,which means for me either USB or firewire interface. I'm hoping to find something either new or used, substantially inexpensive. It can either interface with a PC or be a "standalone" device. Even the old minidisc multi-track recorders would work, if they had discrete channel outputs instead of mixing down to a stereo output. In the meantime, Thank You for taking an interest in this quandary.....
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Just to confirm though; the Roland R-26 does not mix down the tracks internally. You have the individual different tracks recorded separately, and then you can mix them yourself in post as necessary.

See this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUeVI1LgzoI

At around 2.34 they do a demo outside using 2 lavaliere mics, and the inbuilt omni mics. They start mixing between the individual different tracks.
They are not output live, but saved as individual files.

So are you talking about an audio recorder (for recording individual tracks) or some sort of a mixer (for doing live events)?
 
He's looking for a recorder for recording and then playing back individual tracks. Similar to what multi-image slide shows used to use, but with an actual voice cue track rather than just a beep for an auto-controller.

In terms of outmoded gear, you'd be looking at the Tascam 133: T133 right side.jpg (although I guess I don't remember if you could anything but the cue pulses on the cue track)

But I think The Dingo's suggestion of the R-44 might be worth a look instead. :D
 
I haven't read though this whole thread so I apologize if this is OT/stupid/etc.

The Marantz 661 allows you to set up tracks as Stereo/Mono/or D. Mono.

The D. Mono repeats the track at -20 db I think, in case you accidelly peak, etc.

But the pure mono gives you 4 tracks. There are only 2 XLR inputs though. You might need a mixer to pump the correct feeds to each of those tracks. I have a Shure filed mixer with 3 XLR inputs, one to each track plus an additional input.

I know there are some lower end recorders that are also 4 track. Do they support mono also, so that you can get 4 separate tracks? If you inport correctly into CS6 Premiere Pro you can traet those as 4 separate tracks.


Sorry, jumping into a long thread without reading all. Apologies if this is not helpful. I'll loop back later.

Michael
 
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