Hardware to record long session from mixer

[nate_dog]

Hi there, I'm holding a night in a few weeks and wanted to record the whole thing! So looking at hardware solutions (recording to a pc will be error prone I've read) and came across multitrack recorders as the piece of kit required.
There are loads cheap ones on ebay but I'm unsure if they would work for approx 6 hours and all the channels seem unnecessary. My idea is to use the Rec output of the mixer thats setup for the DJ monitors with Boss BR-8 (or something similar). Will this work? Is this the best setup?

Cheers

[Sam Spoons]

What is the mixer in question and what is your budget?

The BR-8 will probably work if you have one to hand, just record two inputs panned hard Left and Right. To record just over 6 hours of stereo wav at CD quality (16/44) will require a 4 GB memory card, but bear in mind the file sizes will be too big to record that as a single file, my portable recorded splits long recordings into 30 min sections (seamlessly, and I can just join them back together on the computer later). If your device lets you record .mp3s they will use much less memory with a 4GB card lasting for 3 days.

OTOH well set up laptop will be a pretty reliable solution and teamed with an inexpensive USB audio interface can produce very good quality recordings.

[MOF]

You need a recorder such as the Zoom H6n with a 32GB card. This is a +4dB line level device, some are 0dB ‘line level’ and they will distort if a true line level is sent to them.
SD cards are cheap now so get a 32 GB card so you don’t have any worries about available time. For 1 minute of stereo recording at 24 bit, 48khz rate you need 17 MB of storage, 24 bit, 96khz is 33MB, see here for full details https://www.sweetwater.com/sweetcare/ar ... recording/
I calculate that at 48khz you would need 6.12GB for six hours of recording. However if you use the stereo mic for audience reaction and split sources from the mixer groups it would treble that requirement.

[James Perrett]

(recording to a pc will be error prone I've read)

Not if properly set up. I have a Windows 10 laptop which I use for live recording - usually with a Behringer X32 mixer and on these occasions I have it running continuously from the first soundcheck at about 3pm until the end of the last performance at around 11pm. The same goes for the Windows XP laptop that sits beside it recording the ambient mics.

If you have a computer with an audio interface give it a try. Otherwise just try anything else that you have around. As Sam says, just be aware that there may be a file size limit (2GB in the case of .wav files) so you need to check that the recorder splits the file properly once that limit has been reached.

[CS70]

Nowdays we aren't short of solution for that. If you're using a digital mixer you can usually take a stereo feed (or even the individual channels, I do that with my TouchMix) so long you have a "certified" hard disk attached (fast enough and with enough througput).

A conventional recorder will do as well.

As James say, don't discount a PC: so long is not connected to the internet and there are no background programs, it's usually hassle free to let it record for hours.

In all these cases, your main issue will be transferring and working with one gigantic file!
If you can, it's a good idea to pause and restart on purpose - you may lose a second or two but make your life much easier afterwards.

[nate_dog]

Thanks for all the replies I really appreciate it. Looking for a low cost solution so will go buy the cheap BR-8 and see how it preforms as it doesn't look principally different to a touchmix ect just a little older! Will report back findings.

[MOF]

The BR8 uses 100MB zip disks, not enough storage for your requirement and not as robust as solid state media.

[nate_dog]

Ah for some reason thought BR8 would be an 8 channel version of the BR16...

BR1600CD, then is what I'm planning to use has a 40gb hard-drive.

[Hugh Robjohns]

Why would you buy an obsolete multitrack recorder when all you need is a simple stereo device?

I'd go for a Tascam DR100 at around £300 because it is such a brilliantly capable and versatile device... But even a little Olympus LSxx or Tascam DR05 would get the job done for £100...

[Eddy Deegan]

I'd go for a Tascam DR100 at around £300 because it is such a brilliantly capable and versatile device...

It's a relief to know that at least one non-keyboard audio-related device I bought a long time ago was a good choice

Always been happy with mine - I mainly use it as a glorified dictaphone and to record thunderstorms these days but it's served me well and I've recorded a couple of (my own) gigs on it as well with no problems whatsoever.

[ef37a]

As a backup you might consider a hard drive video recorder such as one of my three* Freeview recorders? One Toshiba and a two Panasonics. They can record two channels (at near CD quality Hugh?) for almost as long as you like. You can even program the machine so it kicks in when you want it to.

*Actually four! I have another one, a Pioneer that is in the 'studio' but that has a random lockup fault and I just use it to play DVD into the AI.

Dave.

[paulfromcamden]

Has anyone used the Cymatic uTrack24 that Thomann offer? 24 line inputs for £329 seems like a decent deal!

If the event is/was using a desk with direct outs it could be a neat way to multitrack.

[Arpangel]

Why would you buy an obsolete multitrack recorder when all you need is a simple stereo device?

I'd go for a Tascam DR100 at around £300 because it is such a brilliantly capable and versatile device... But even a little Olympus LSxx or Tascam DR05 would get the job done for £100...

Another happy owner of a DR100, amazing, best of the handy recorders.

[cyrano.mac]

Has anyone used the Cymatic uTrack24 that Thomann offer? 24 line inputs for £329 seems like a decent deal!

If the event is/was using a desk with direct outs it could be a neat way to multitrack.

We've got two of those. No complaints. A bit basic, but perfect sound. Gotta watch the media you record to. SD cards are way less reliable than harddisks. Format before recording...