Questiond before dm 4800 purchase

[wnlively]

Hi all
I am considering purcasing a DM 4800.
I also need some help with making a descion on this mixer. My current set up is
a RME UFX into a Mackie 32x8 buss and it sounds wondreful.
I currrently usie the Mackie for monitoring and sending signal to different musicians.
How do the pre amps sound on the dm 4800.
I would likely mainly use it as a control room monitor / mixer / comtroler

Does it play nice with pro tools ? in the windows format?

How durable is this mixer ? my mackie is biult like a tank

thanks for any help u can give

 

[captdan]

My advice: stick with the Mackie. You already know it, it sounds wonderful. And - with a little mucking about, can be adapted to a DAW. Even Protools. Perhaps not completely effectively (it's really analog, and all). But if there's a will - there's a way.

The DM4800 is too big, too complicated - and above all - too hard to learn. It can do practically anything, though. Its preamps are WAY cleaner and more transparent than the Mackie; the design, EQs, and efx are top drawer. And,it's solid state so it doesn't need a power supply bigger than a school bus. Once it's set up right, it'll remotely control ProTools; I know this for a fact, because my DM3200 runs Protools 10 without problems.

If you don't drop a DM4800 off the top of a mountain, treat it with respect, keep it clean and dry, it should last years without any problem. But there are no guarantees; monitors can go south; faders can freeze. Maybe a preamp capacitor craps out. But the same thing can happen to a Mackie; or a Neve. SoundCraft; Ghost - Yamaha, Roland........................

Anyway, just being honest. It's up to you to make the decision. Mackie 32x8s are much loved consoles. But I wouldn't trade my DM3200 for one. Even if you gave me an extra power supply to sweeten the deal.

CaptDan

 

[Jarno]

I would agree with CaptDan, if
1. you are happy with your RME UFX and it provides you all DAW I/O you need
2. you are planning to use DM as a control room monitor mixer + DAW controller

In this case, I would suggest you to buy a dedicated control surface (Mackie Universal?) instead.

But if you are planning to use DM as a mixing console, then go ahead. DM-4800+FW card is an unbeateble solution: nice clean preamps, good A/D conversion, versatile digital patch bay, great mixining console, 32 ch of DAW I/O and a DAW controller in one package.

 

[wnlively]

Does anyone know if the a/d conversion is equal to or better than the RME UFX

 

[captdan]

Concensus seems to be at least as good if not better.

RME is good product; DM consoles are too.

CaptDan

 

[wnlively]

I see that a lot of dealears are dropping the price on the dm 4800.
sweetwatwer told me $4100 for the mixer firewire card and the meter bridge.
Any ideas on the sudden price drop ? Maybe a new mixerf in the fall?

 

[captdan]

Yes, a new mixer in the fall. It'll have two faders, three preamps and a built in guitar tuner. It might also have an MP3 player and an iPhone docking station.

In otherwords, I really don't know. And I care even less.

Seriously, if i were you, I'd try to arrange a test drive on a DM4800. It may be exactly what you want, or your worst nightmare. Better to know what you're getting into before spending any $$. Find a brick and mortar dealer, a studio, or a facility and experience some hands on time.

My 2 cents, adjusted for inflation.

CaptDan

 

[berl]

But if you are planning to use DM as a mixing console, then go ahead. DM-4800+FW card is an unbeateble solution: nice clean preamps, good A/D conversion, versatile digital patch bay, great mixining console, 32 ch of DAW I/O and a DAW controller in one package.

+1

 

[wnlively]

No Doubt alot of bank for the buck.
I do really appreciate all of the info and feed back.
Livling in ruarl North west fla its kinda hard to find a brick & motor store.
the closest Guitar center is in Tallahasse and they dont have one.

With the direction i heading ill probally purcahse a DM 4800 close to the end of May

Thanks for all of your help

 

[captdan]

Everybody here who uses a DM console has been happy with it. So, in a way, I was playing devil's advocate. Obviously, if you ask a users' forum about their gear, you'll usually get glowing reports. So, I wanted to add a little reality check to the proceedings so you didn't think we were insincere sycophants.

If you're serious, committed and focused, and are willing to put in the time to learn the console, you'll find a DM4800 (or 3200) to a be a huge value you'll continually grow to appreciate.

And that's the truth.

CaptDan