Tascam DR-680 or Alesis HD24?

[Mikungfu]

This may sound like comparing oranges with apples, I'm aware of that but, still... I'm not sure what will be a more useful/appropriate tool for me to capture audio during film making. Specially since I'll be capturing with Tascam FW-1884 to Nuendo. I have many imputs on the FW-1884 (Jack balanced, Adat, Spdif and XLR)...

The DR-680 has 6 unbalanced RCA outputs and Spdif digital stereo input.
The Alesis has 24 ins and outs (balanced and pseudo-balanced).

I do events, publicity, documentary, institutional and some indie Film making. I used to work with a Tascam DA-88 for multitrack audio capture (on concerts and films, for instance)... Which should be the best way to go now... DR-680 or Alesis HD24?

Thanks for the advice, in advance.

 

[Sam Mallery]

If you're doing documentary, the Alesis HD24 and the FW-1884 with an attached computer are both impractical. The DR-680 is a battery powered device for field work, the other two are not.

If you don't need to be mobile, I don't really understand why you would need an HD24 or the DR-680 in addition to the FW-1884 and Nuendo set-up you already have (unless you're recording the audio onto two sources at the same time).

It all depends on your needs.

 

[Petros Kolyvas]

Another question might be how many tracks you need when you're working on location? All the types of work you've listed are generally "bag work" gigs where you work with a small field mixer/recorder over-the-shoulder in lieu of a cart-based setup where the HD24/FW-1884 might work - though even there you'd be using music production gear in a film/video production environment and would find you're not able to do basic things you might need in the heat of the moment.

On a positive note, the DR-680 has continued to be hailed for punching well above its weight category. Many location sound recordists who do single-system audio (where you're mixing into the camera) use it for isolation tracks in case they're needed and I think the quality of the inputs means it would be just as invaluable as a primary location recorder if you could find a setup for doing sync-sound that you are comfortable with.

The one caveat with the DR-680 is that the unified gain knob (I believe there's only a single knob for all the inputs) means it's not particularly easy to do adjust levels or "ride the fader" on sources/talent as one normally would during production.

Ultimately, I think you need to refine your query a bit. There's vast difference even between the two products you mentioned, and neither would work on it's own for field production of audio.

I can't imagine you were using just a DA-88 for film production, so perhaps I'm just misunderstand the question and all you're concerned about is the field recorder to mate to your existing front-end (mics, pres, mixing).

In that case the DR-680 is fine, or if you have the money, get an SD-744t or SD-788t or some kind of proper, time-code centric field recorder (Fostex/Zaxcom/Aaton/Sonosax).

I hope you'll find folks are here to help... even if at first it seems like the sky is falling!

 

[Noiz2]

If I'm interpreting your question correctly, your doing post with Nuendo not production. I think what fooled the other posters was your use of "capture", which was something we used to do with tape (DAT, DA-88, etc) but something you don't do with file based recorders.

That said the others questions were pretty on point. If your cart based and need a lot of tracks (doing concerts and what not) then the 24 track recorder would be handy. If your over the shoulder (like most doc.s) then you need battery operation.

Personally IF your cart based I would take a look at Boom Recorder since it has a LOT more tracks and is designed for production recording.

 

[Petros Kolyvas]

If I'm interpreting your question correctly, your doing post with Nuendo not production. I think what fooled the other posters was your use of "capture", which was something we used to do with tape (DAT, DA-88, etc) but something you don't do with file based recorders.

That said the others questions were pretty on point. If your cart based and need a lot of tracks (doing concerts and what not) then the 24 track recorder would be handy. If your over the shoulder (like most doc.s) then you need battery operation.

Personally IF your cart based I would take a look at Boom Recorder since it has a LOT more tracks and is designed for production recording.

I only recently discovered boom recorder. I'd seen references to it repeatedly but never paid attention, dare I say ignored it. Recently I took another look. I can't believe my stubbornness and hope to be building a cart setup around it!