Can You Help Me Set This Up?, Recording to Powerbook G4 from BR1600CD Options

[twentytwenty]

Having finally invested in Logic Pro 7, and familiarising myself with its capabilities, I'm wondering if anyone has used a Boss BR1600CD as an interface, and if so, what is the best (and cheapest) way to connect it to a Powerbook G4.

Rather than investing in another device (ie Edirol FA-101), I'm hoping that I can utilise all the XLR and RCA inputs of the BR1600CD to capture into Logic Pro 7.

The BR1600CD can transfer MIDI to my laptop, but I actually want to capture real instruments into Logic Pro 7 and be able to monitor them in the same way as an FA-101 would allow for instance.

It is possible to transfer tracks one at a time over USB (after recording), but this method appears to be slower than continental drift, and doesn't allow for 'live' monitoring. In the hope that a visual helps, Boss BR1600CD

Am I merely postponing an inevitable purchase of more equipment? Or is there someone who can help by recommending a solution?

Thanks in advance for your help.

[lepetitmartien]

As far as I can see (I may be wrong… though a bit unlikely) it's a digital recorder with MIDI and USB control and facilities but it's not advertised at all as an audio interface… Have you thoroughly browsed into the manual to check the audio part and USB?

[twentytwenty]

Thanks for responding so quickly lepetitmartien. I appreciate it very much.

I have browsed the manuals thoroughly, and you are correct - at no stage is it advertised as an audio interface. They are of course trying to market it as a self-sufficient recording device.

What it does say is that the 'digital out' connector's output is identical to that of the 'Line Out' jack. It says the output, being digital, can be recorded to external digital devices such as CD-R, MD and DAT recorders.

So I'm wondering, is there a way (cable?) to use that to feed into the laptop?

[Morbass2004]

I have to maybe try to help ( I hope!) I don't have a Roland, what I have and still use on occassion is the Korg D-16 which is no longer made so it doesn't
have all the features of your Roland, but one thing is does do is IMPORT and EXPORT, what you had to do on the korg was copy the tracks that you want to export to the clip board then export it to a cdr (or what I used to use was a cdrw (so I can use the disk again for something else) then after doing the exporting process which intailed burning it to a cdrw then taking it out of the Korg and putting it into my G4 Laptop to Import into Traction (Mackie audio digital system). It was quite quick and you didn't lose anything transfering the audio files.
I hope this helps
Gene

[maestro254]

why not get a Motu interface instead???????? loike the Traveler for instance???

[twentytwenty]

Thanks Gene,

I appreciate your suggestion there. It is certainly possible to export tracks using the CD-R function on the BR1600CD - and it is a function I will use if I can't find a way to cable the two together.

I guess I'm hoping that it's possible to output the sound from the BR1600CD in such a way as to be able to record it in the laptop, and monitor through the laptop's output. This may not be possible of course - but I thought it was worth sussing out with the tech gurus here.

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Thanks maestro254, for your suggestion - while I am sure the MOTU is a great piece of gear, I was hoping to ascertain whether I could use the equipment I have already, instead of forking out more moulah.

20/20

[emgcarra]

Hi All:

There is a new one on the Motu side. They call it: UltraLite it is about
$ 549,oo and it seems to be OK. Half rack space...I guess I´wll do that one.
If you are a musician writing songs..what do you need 8 mic preamps for ?
And 36 outs...? We have to start thinking in our real needs instead of Ad´s.
It is just an opnion...

Keep working

[gdoubleyou]

Exactly what kind of digital out put is it? is it coaxial(RCA) or optical? You didn't say what Mac you have, some of the newer models have optical I/O. SPDIF is a stereo format, that means soloing each track and recording one at a time.

Much quicker to burn the files to cd.

[Mac Daddy]

emgcarra,

If it's MOTU you can't go wrong. Especially if you're only using it for writing songs, smart move.

[emgcarra]

Thanks Mac Daddy...
Yes. I do songwritting but I guess I will also do some other pretty stuff with it
This box have plenty of feautures and there is a $ 1.450 gap between this and Ensenble from Apogge, which was my alternate choise....May be in the future.
I´ve already ordered it...