Intro and 828mk2 : Windows question

[ootini]

Hey all, I'm new here so I guess I should give you a little of my background. I'm a gigging keyboard player, looking to get back into using a DAW. My experience in the past started using Cubase on a PC then shifting to DP on an old G4 Power Mac. I haven't really touched a computer for use with music in a long time.
Basically, I've got a small live keyboard rig and I'm looking for a submixer to make it easier when turning up to gigs to just hand the engineer a single stereo pair, there's loads of mixers that would do this, but I'm also thinking of getting back into using a DAW. I like the idea of using a MOTU 828Mk2 to do this. As I understand it, I can create mixes at home, while it's hooked up to my PC via Firewire and then use that mix out playing live, tweaking it if need be.

I've just noticed that some of the software is Mac only, does this mean I wouldn't be able to create mixes on the 828 using my Windows based PC? Or is it a different piece of software that's used to create the preset mixes?

Has anyone got any experience of using the 828 as a standalone mixer in a live situation? I don't really need much hands on stuff as it would literally be a case of pairing a few analogue inputs, setting a rough level then summing them all to outputs 1 & 2 as a left and right pair, hard panned. I'm new to this so I apologise if I've made a fundamental error somewhere or I'm asking stupid questions.

Thanks a lot.

[torrentg]

Hey...

"I've just noticed that some of the software is Mac only, does this mean I wouldn't be able to create mixes on the 828 using my Windows based PC? "

Sure, you can use Windows to great success.

Here are some softwares that I can recommend, in no particular order:

Cakewalk Sonar
Steinberg Cubase
Sony Sound Forge
N-Track Studio
Goldwave

These programs are all excellent. Sonar, N-Track or Cubase are for multitracking projects mainly, and they handle MIDI as well.

Sound Forge and Goldwave are excellent to edit/add effects or whatnot, but of course the previous examples can do so as well.

[ootini]

Hi thanks for that. Are the DAWs you listed capable of setting up preset mixes for the 828 when it's used as a standalone digital mixer? Or do I need to use CueMix? AudioDesk?

I'm planning on using Reaper as my DAW as it's cheap and very reminiscent of Cubase, which I'm familiar with. I must admit, I never really got on too well with DP4, found it too "fiddly".

I've just noticed I can't type the name of "another DAW", it's just coming up as R***** is that a normal thing?

[ootini]

Anyone?

[williamsongs]

You can set up and save mixer settings on the 828mk2 without any computer at all. They refer to it as "standalone mode" but basically the front panel settings can be saved into I believe 4 "mixers" if that helps. The idea I guess was to use it in a live show for mixing synths or something. Anyway, hope that helps.

Also it's only one DAW name that gets redacted, the previous post lists about five other DAW programs without redaction. Interesting indeed...

[ootini]

Very unusual indeed.

It's the standalone mode you mention that is the main reason I'm interested in the 828.

I want a submixer for my live keyboard rig, but also an audio interface for my DAW. So when I read about the 828 it seemed perfect. I can use it as a front end for faffinf about at home recording demos etc. Then unplug it and use it to sum all my synths on stage to give the engineer a left and right pair to stop him moaning. Perfect.

Am I right in thinking should I need more analogue IO I could use something like the Behringer ADA8000 connected to the 828's lightpipe ADAT port?

Also, one last question, are CueMix and the 828 itself compatible with 32bit Windows 7?

[williamsongs]

I can't say about the Windows 7 compatibility, I'm using XP still, but I do have a Presonus Digimax connected to the ADAT ports for 8 more analog input/outputs and it works just great for that.

I just discovered that the 828 works better when I have it slave to the Presonus' wordclock, which apparently is much better. Anyway, your idea should work just fine. I actually think you can even integrate a second unit to the ADAT port, set it up and use it, still without any computer!

[ootini]

Thanks. Just out of interest, are there any other MOTU interfaces that would work in a similar way? I know the 828 is pretty much the ideal candidate so far, but are there any other boxes I should also be considering? I understand if you can't name "other brand" machines. Preamps aren't a big concern for me, 99% of what I do is synth based so just line level inputs are enough. Lots of them preferably and the ADAT port sounds very handy.

[williamsongs]

I really don't know. The 828mk2 is what I have, so that's what I use.

[ootini]

Right I'm 99% certain that what I want is a MOTU 828 Mk2. I just want to be absolutely certain it will do exactly what I want before I fork out any cash. Could you good folks here have any idea if it is capable of the following.

I'd like to use CueMix to build a preset mix for when I use it as a submixer live. This is basically how I'd like the mix set:

Inputs 1&2, 3&4, 5&6 stereo linked, to act accept the stereo outputs from my synths.
Inputs 7&8 to act as a stereo return from my effects unit.
All 8 of those channels routed to Master OUTPUTs L & R which are then sent to front of house.
Also send those 8 channels to output 1 (mono) to be sent to my powered monitor.
Channels 5&6 to send on another pair of outputs (3&4?) which are the auxiliary sends to my effects unit.

I hope this makes sense, in essence inputs 7&8 and outputs 3&4 would act as my effects loop for the synth plugged into channels 3&4. And the whole lot gets routed to the master output pair and the monitor output.

Can the 828 do what I'm after?

Thank you very much for your help