Channel counts are rising, particularly in live (concert) audio. Orchestras can get way up there too.

I'd categorize a "high channel count recording" to be anything > 32 tracks. Interfaces / converters / network protocols seem to have settled on 32 tracks of audio in a single stream of data.

For those of you doing a lot of channels - how are you doing it? We'll need lot of preamps - what are you using? We'll need stable recorders - what are you using? We often need redundancy - how are you handling that?

I'm currently building a rig around a pair of Tascam DA-6400's, I already have some Dante infrastructure but I'm interested to know how you're handling these types of recordings.

It seems like at that # of tracks needed the situation one is working on is a big factor? How portable, how small-footprint, how fast a setup, what gear are you interfacing with, are you in a truck of your own, someone else's, out in the venue @ FOH, in a distant dressing room, what is the exact nature of any splits, are you making a live mix for who, etc etc etc... I don't see one solution working for everything I do or could potentially do....

my rig has a large i/o, channel and bus capacity and is based on madi (actually some form of 'muliplexed madi' called a-link) and has hubs which can get equipped with various multichannel cards; my primary recording rig is is via madi into a (pair of) rme madiface xt, redundant recording is via dante into another pc, a third recording option is via madi into a pair of joeco's.

so: i can do 192 tracks of redundant recording at standard rate or 96 tracks of redundant recording at double speed without having to rent additional gear - recording is mostly via nuendo live.

[technically speaking, i could go much higher in terms of channel/bus/track count but i hope i'll never have to do that!]

I usually do between 32 and 40 channels depending on the program.

Most of the converters are provided by the house as part of their Yamaha CL5 and RIO 3224D Dante based system. I use a Focusrite Red 8Pre and an HD32R, which gives me up to 64 channels into Protools Ultimate and HD Native. Usually I put my mains and the soloist mic on the Red 8 Pre's analog inputs.

This system also lets me run a redundant recording to a secondary Protools Studio system via Dante Virtual Soundcard.

The venue is getting ready to instal a new Digico Quantum 338T, so I need to sit down and figure out what their system is going to require. I think they are going to be able to run 96 channels at 96k with the new system. So I may be switching to MADI soon.

But, I guess I also consider high track count to be 120+ channels. Not 40.

My standard set up is redundant 192 channels @ 48 khz.
Sometimes dual redundant.
This is actually necessary for most recording of touring acts and or orchestral stuff with plenty of audience mics.
This is still MADI based because IP stuff is limited at 64 or 128 channels.
This is preferably on reaper because of stability and dual path recording.
If any editing or mixing is needed 1 of the systems will be pro tools.

Huub

I am not doing close to 192 channels but can do 48. All over Dante, Grace preamps, JoeCo recorder, Reaper for a backup.

At this point, I am pretty much out of the "high" track game and selling off the rig.

No one around here wants to pay for that sort of location recording, nor do they want to pay for a second engineer to share the work load. And I am too old to do that stuff by myself, even at my day-rate.

So I am down to toting a SD 788T and a few great mics, and doing okay recording nice folks making good music. And making a different but acceptable "other" day-rate.

I guess, upon consideration, that I can still do 32 tracks using my A&H SQ6 Dante (12 inputs this month for the Seattle Opera), Reaper as a backup. Special case though.

D.

MADI here, full RME setup with 2 Madiface XT and 2 computers. I have 2x 32 In flight cases on wheels + a lighter option with 28 In that I use for chamber music or string orchestras. My biggest setup until today was 56 In for an opera production last year.

I don’t want to start a debate about the need for high track counts, but I am interested in knowing who, exactly, is asking (paying) for this kind of service, and what is the primary goal of providing such high track counts?

In my case it's for video/film recording.
The video production company pays for it.
The track count is high because touring acts are so used now to giving everything its own channel.
So there might be a B and or C stage, maybe with its own drumkit. There might be some or a lot of playback tracks.
There might be a close miked orchestra..
But even without an orchestra I often go over 128 channels.
If it's a one off recording with say 20 filmcameras (and cranes, fly cams and steadicams and whatnot) I don't want to take a risk and put out as many audience mics as possible. Just to make sure that we get as much crowd reaction as might be needed.
I also mix the stuff myself, I know that having a lot of close audience mics really works. It's not bullshit and/or not necessary.
Recently I did a few close miked orchestral jobs with plenty of guest artists and electric musicians, in that case you really have to do your best to cram it into 192 channels.

Huub

who's paying? depending on situation either the taxpayer, the sponsors, the promotor or the audience, whereby the costs for the recording (or mixing) are one or more orders of magnitude lower than for other aspects of the events! - live broadcasts are often also about 'collecting' signals that have already been acquired/processed elsewhere (say in different venues across a city), meaning i don't have to provide mic, clip, tripod, cable, preamp, a/d converter for each and every signal myself but get multichannel audio via direct outs or submixes from other desks.

Re: Digico and recording: as an aside, the Digico UBMADI has worked really well for me--it's just a USB feed off the back of the console. No issues--Reaper saw it right away and I was able to do a Mac device aggregation with the 338 and a lowly 2 channel ADAC for TC without any problem.

Re: how do we get to such high track counts: as was said: client interest in track-per-mic recording for a mix later, multiple acts with fast changeovers, multiple percussion rigs in a high-stage volume situation (all close miced). This is just the way of the world now I guess, just like how in movie dialog recording we've gone to "everyone on camera gets a lav mic+record channel" and the mix is made in post. The numbers can increase really fast, and one wants to leave several channels available for last minute inspirations (and unexpected guests).