Craig, SONAR and DA7?

[Matt.Hepworth]

How well would you say the DA7 integrates with SONAR (I use 4PE)? Mostly I want preamps w/ ADAT out and control surface features (faders and jog/shuttle, mostly), but I would be able to take advantage of the mixing capabilities as well to a lesser extent.

 

In your opinion would I be better off with something like the TASCAM FW1884?

 

I do rock music with 14-16 simultaneous tracks of recording and usually 30-50 total audio tracks. I like the idea of having more than 9 faders.

 

I would use the FW1884 in stand alone mode, rather than using it as a soundcard since I have an RME Multiface.

 

Either unit will cost me around $1000 in the configuration I need. I've used the FW1884 and I'm quite familiar with it, but I've been a DA7 admirer for the past couple years and I would use some of its mixer functions.

 

I appreciate your time.

 

Thanks!

[g8bassplayer]

Hey Matt,

I was a DA7 owner for 3 years and used it with Nuendo2 via lightpipe. The master PC board went out on the DA7 and it cost more to replace than the unit is worth, so it sits in a corner. I no longer use a board at all.

 

There was some integration with N2, but not the tight integration that I would have liked. You might check out the comments over at DA7.com There's lots of details about interfacing and some very knowledgeable people. They would probably be able to help you.

 

It really is a great board for the $$$ and as a center piece for routing sound / talkback / monitoring, it worked pretty well (till it crapped out).

Dave

[Matt.Hepworth]

Thanks for the reply, Dave. I probably will have to do individual assigments like you did - may not be worth it. If I don't get any more bites I will post on the other forums. Thanks for the suggestion.

[Anderton]

Well, I haven't used the TASCAM, so can't comment. I use the DA7 in several ways, mostly as a front end for recording into the computer, and to mix stems coming from the Creamware PowerPulsar's 16 ADAT outs. So basically, I'm mixing digital audio, not using it as a control surface. However, I do use the MIDI control surface aspect for adjusting parameters of outboard hardware devices (e.g., POD, synths, etc.), and the Radikal SAC 2.2 for adjusting MIDI control within the computer.

 

I think the DA7 sounds excellent and I love the UI. If you need only a control surface, maybe it's not needed. But if you need mixer type functions as well, it's a fine piece of gear.

[Matt.Hepworth]

Thanks Craig, I would use the mixer functions sometimes and the preamps and converters regularly. I would probably end up using it for stems as well. Thanks for the info.

[Anderton]

I like the converters and preamps. They're "trickle down" technology from a huge board that Panasonic designed for theatrical productions.

[Anderton]

BTW I think the reason why the EQ sounds so good is that it runs at double the sample rate. In other words, at 44.1, the EQ runs at 88.2. So the high end is nice

 

BUT it will never be able to do 96k if that's important to you.

[Matt.Hepworth]

Excellent! Thanks Craig. 96k is a myth, IMO, so that's not a concern.