Alesis Masterlink ML-9600

[aashton]

I was just wondering if anyone has one of these or has experience of using one and if so what is the CD24 function like - what type of recording time do you get on a blank ?
http://www.alesis.com/products/ml9600/about.html

Whilst I'm at it - does anyone have one of these a Tascam DS-D98
http://www.soundslive.co.uk/common/moreinfo.asp?ID=1103

I'm thinking of setting up a little home studio and just creating a wish list of kit :D :love:

All the best - Andrew

[Jamie Tate]

I have 6 Masterlinks. They're certainly problem children but I love them. I've mixed to one everyday since they came out (I bought the first one in town). I've had about five minor catastrophes. Not bad for an average of 1,500 songs a year over four years.

I think the recording time on CD24 for 24/96 is somewhere around 21 or 22 mins. It's longer for lower resolutions.



I remember a thread a few months ago about Masterlinks. Others have them too and gave their comments.

[Jamie Tate]

Here you go Andrew...

Another Masterlink Thread. (http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=12754&highlight=masterlink)

[Jamie Tate]

Ooops. Double post.

[aashton]

Thanks Jamie :) :righton:

Is the failure rate of the machine due to the pounding you give them - I can't see me racking up more than 100 hours a year on it and it is obviously less important to me if it goes wrong not being a toll of my trade.

If I can pick your brain a little - do you send it analogue feed and use it's internal ADC or do you use an outboard converter ?

All the best and many thanks :)

Andrew

[Joseph]

Andrew, here's a review from Stereophile:

http://www.stereophile.com/showarchives.cgi?605

[aashton]

Thanks Joseph - much appreciated :)

I may be down the shops on Tuesday :)

All the best - Andrew

[Jamie Tate]

Originally posted by aashton
Thanks Jamie :) :righton:

Is the failure rate of the machine due to the pounding you give them - I can't see me racking up more than 100 hours a year on it and it is obviously less important to me if it goes wrong not being a toll of my trade.

If I can pick your brain a little - do you send it analogue feed and use it's internal ADC or do you use an outboard converter ?

All the best and many thanks :)

Andrew

I was getting a message of OS Not Found. I'd have to re-load the software (from CD) and it would format the drive. One time it happened as I pushed the create CD button. Lost the whole drive.

I was also having the problem of bad track starts. It would place the starts a second or two into the song. Everything played back from the drive perfectly but it would make bad CDs. It didn't happen very often. Only once every four months or so but was a rather large inconvenience when it did happen. It only did it when making redbook CDs. So I found that if you made a CD24 with the same audio it would correct itself. I then loaded the audio back onto the drive and made a redbook CD. That always fixed the problem.

I use external converters. Makes a difference, especially when you hear it in a good mastering studio.

It's a really great machine when it works. I wish another company would have a go at the concept.

[Tony Plachy]

I have one, use it for archiving LP's, record at 24/88.2 KHz so that it is easy to burn a red book CD if I want one. Have not used it as much as a pro would so not sure about reliability. One think I hate is the HD (I have the 20 Gig version) whines like crazy, gives me a headache. Any suggestions?