I've just recently purchased a used DA7 (not MKII unfortunately) with SMPTE card, 1 lightpipe, and 2 AES/EBU cards. I'm a bit mind boggled about where to put my money for recording media. After checking out this great forum I'm leaning toward Tascam 2424 and either DIGI 001 or Nuendo for my 1ghz Dell (which I will purchase and setup first while I save for the Tascam). I haven't decided on a soundcard if I go the Nuendo route. Could y'all brag abit about your setups so I can make up my dang mind :-) Bryan

PS any links for a used meter bridge would be appreciated.

Well, there are many ways to go depending on what you are most comfortable with. Me, I am most comfortable on a computer-based system such as Paris or Pro Tools. However depending on how you work, you might prefer Cubase, Digital Performer, or scrap the computer all together and go with an HDR2496, Radar, or the MX2424...even analog, etc. There are definitely many options to choose from....

The point is you NEED to go with what's best for your needs which means to talk with someone that can help you find out what those needs are. Man, I talk to some guys that refuse to use anything but tape, yet they'll have digital consoles up the wazzoo!!! go figure.

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I run 3 TDIF's from the 7 to a MX2424. Works real good. No problems to this point. I'm still on 1.54 of MXOS so can't use 96K yet. Really don't need it.

Bryan - I looked at the meter bridge - and other folks can chime in - but it just wasn't worth it....UNLESS....you bring in clients that like to look at stuff like that. Then by all means purchase one.

I'm fine with the internal display capabilities. Could be better......but is OK for what I do.

the list -

MX2424 (lightpipe & analog interfaces)
DA7 os 2.01 (3x lightpipe)
3x DA78HR
2x Pulsar
Logic Platinum 4.72
Nuendo 1.52
WaveLab 3.04
Cool Edit Pro 1.2
Sound Forge 4.5
P3 1gig 768 DDR ram matrox 450 32 meg
(for Nuendo / Logic)
P3 500 256 ram
(for Mastering / MX View)
assorted mic pres / mics / comps

I'll be trying the RME stuff soon. The latency on the Pulsar is not good for virtual instruments. The new Hammerfall stuff looks very good. Also the Nuendo hardware is repackaged RME gear. Nuendo is still fairly new and a bit buggy. I suspect that it'll improve as time passes. I have yet to spend enough time on Nuendo to fully understand it, however my early impression is very good.

The DA78s are for redundency on location gigs and backup for the MX2424. I choose lightpipe on the MX for it's versatility and because TDIF combines I/O on a single cable.

Hey Good Buddy, I'm a bit confused (as usual) by your statement. What is the advantage of litepipe having seperate cables for I/O ? I know it's probably obvious as the nose on my mug, but help me out anyway!!
Tanx, envoid

If you use TDIF to connect a MX2424 to a DA7, both the inputs and the outputs can only go to the DA7. If you wish to use an external converter to record with, you can't connect to the DA7 to monitor at the same time.

With lightpipe (or AES for that matter) you can take the converters outputs to the MX's input while using the DA7 to monitor.

Im using Nuendo 1.5.1 with Steinberg's 96/52 card. This is housed in a Pent.III/933. I'm running lightpipe x 3 between the DA7 (2.01 OS) and the PC. I'm monitoring on Mackie HR824s.

If you do a lot of post production work, Nuendo is great! It's great for locking music to picture or just editing commercials, etc.. It's equally adept at tracking bands like a Pro Tools system.

BUT if you intend to do mostly tracking of bands or the like and you won't require the upper level functions that Nuendo provides, I'd suggest going with an HDR. There's FAR fewer hassles and a MUCH LOWER LEARNING CURVE than will be found with ANY DAW!

I still don't get it...are you saying that you're daisychaining the 3 interfaces? If I use a converter(such as?) , I'd gointa the converter from the DA7, out of the converter into the MX, out of the MX back to the DA7 ? My head hurts -it's been a loooong week, sorry Tin...

"My brain hurts...." ..some guy named Gumby.

Each of these formats work in blocks of 8 channels.

TDIF - 1 cable carries 8 channels of input and 8 channels of output together (16 ch. in all).

Lightpipe (toslink...) Each cable handles 8 channels of either input or output (2 cables of 8ch. ea.).

Basically, because lightpipe has different cables for input and output, you can physically patch them to two different devices. TDIF, due to being a single cable, can only physically connect to one device at a time.

Digital patch bays and format converters change this limitation. RME has a cool format converter. I'm lookin into picking one up.

[This message has been edited by TinderArts (edited 07-27-2001).]