Workstation or DAW?

Matthew R. Rodwell

Matthew R. Rodwell

Well-known member
We are shooting a feature and we have the option of using some equipment for our audio recording. Our first option is a 24 track digital workstation with a built in 80gb harddrive. Option number two is using a Tascam FW1082 connected to a laptop using Sonar Producer 6.5. Both of these options have 4 XLR inputs with phantom power.

Could someone let me know some pros and cons with using a workstation or a DAW or any other recommendations?
 
DAW stands for Digital Audio Workstation. So your question is wether a DAW is better or a DAW...

The stand alone may be more portable for production but won't be all that flexible in post. Sonar I have heard pretty good things about for post. If at all poss I would use systems designed for what you want to do. Post needs are not the same as production needs. If you were on a Mac I would say go for Boom Recorder for production and ProTools for post. Bu your on a PC so??? Don't know what would work for production. I suspect that the stand alone will be a pain (PITA) that will come back to bite you but? PT (Le) on the PC is not a good post choice because of it's lack of video support. So SAW or Nuendo, or poss Sonar would be better options.
 
My mistake I ment a stand alone system.

Since I have decided to go with the HD-P2 option my question is about mixers, most of our audio recording will not need to be portable so would you recommend using something like a Mackie 1202 and just renting a SD302 on the 2 or 3 days that we will need a bag mixer? Or will I run into problems with using a mixing board like that?
 
Hey the P2 wasn't one of your options ;~), but a good choice. I'll preface with, I don't do a huge amount of production recording so Oleg or Phil will have more knowledgeable opinions. The Mackie is an OK mixer pretty quiet etc. What a location mixer adds are things like EQ more tuned to your needs, limiters, portability, tone, slate mic (more useful than you would think), and durability (though the 1202 is a tank). If your using two or fewer mics you could go straight into the Tascam. I think the P2 mic pre's are probably pretty close to the Mackie in quality so...
 
It was my option B, i posted it later :P lol

Thanks for the advise, I am familiar with music recording but recording sound for film is a league of its own. I also was looking at the Onyx series because that is something I have also been wanting for music and post stuff. I think the talkback feature on the Onyx could be useful for quick communications from my sound mixer to my boom operator too.
 
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