Sometimes engineers or PA (live sound system) companies try to offer you live recording as an "add-on". Here's why taking a feed off the PA board is a bad idea. Multitrack Recording (i.e. DA88, ADAT, Hard Disc) 1) The feeds for the recording is usually taken from the "direct outs" of the board, which most of the time are after the equalization. When setting up the PA system, the engineer equalizes it to sound good in that particular room. To some degree he/she is compensating for the inherent flaws in the microphones, speakers, and how reverberant or "echoey" the room is. The main point here is that this equalized sound is made to sound good through the PA, but likely will sound dramatically different through good studio monitors in a recording studio. All this equalization will have to "undone" later in the studio at best. 2) The feeds are also usually after the fader, meaning that signal levels to tape linked together with how loud it is in the room. When push comes to shove, the PA usually wins, and the levels to tape are less than ideal. 3) PA microphones usually, but not always, are inferior. A greater tendency to use dynamic mics on the choir, for example, instead of a more appropriate condensor mics. PA companies prefer more robust, economical workhorse mics. Stereo "Board Mixes" (DAT, Minidisc, CD Recorder) 1) Board mixes usually sound horrible for reason #1 above, the equalization is based on listenin through PA stacks and a reverberant room. Yuck. 2) ...but it gets worse. The mix that goes to tape is the same mix that feeds the PA speakers. Problem is, that mix usually strong on vocals and weak on instruments that are already loud (such as drums, bass, gtr). It'll sound find in the hall/church because you can hear the drums acoustically and the bass/guitar amps, but the PA mix doesn't contain these sounds, and once this is recorded, it can't be undone as with multitrack. 3) Same goes with PA microphones as above. Microphones are the most important part of the signal chain! In both cases, when recording is "added-on" to the PA system order, it requires the engineer to do double-duty, and usually something gets compromised. The PA usually wins because it's what gets them paid that night. The recording..."oh who cares, they won't hear it until tomorrow"

What Goin' Mobile does that's different!

1) Use microphone splitters to get the signal right off the microphones. It passes through nothing else on the way to our truck 2) Our board is devoted exclusively to your recording. No dual allegiances. 3) We carry our own selection of quality microphones and choose the most appropriate for your recording 4) Our truck allows us to listen in an isolated environment and hear Exactly what is being recorded! 5) Our truck is stable, known system that works. Plus it's already mostly set up which speeds setup time dramatically. Goin' Mobile On-Location Audio Recording Since 1985 (617) 232-7969