Best cost/performance ratio

joel hamilton · Post by **joel hamilton** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 10:46 am

What are some of the best cost/performance ratios in gear that you have used or own?

I seem to marvel, regardless of price, at some of the things i use every day because of their usefulness to price ratio... (worst sentence ever).

A few of the things that made me post this:

Sage Electronics "SE-1" mic pre. Amazing, discrete, my go-to for many things. They are something like $679 a channel, canadian. Amazing.

Symetrix 501 complimiter. I use these all the time and I got mine for something like 50 dollars each. The amount of times I have used this compressor... crazy. The thing paid for itself in about 12 minutes of one session...

DBX 160 A or X or XT: same deal. Use them all the time for general purpose stuff and they dont cost much. They seem to "work" for anything that needs compression. Never super exciting, but always there for you. They can be had for anywhere between 100 dollars to 350 dollars. Still incredibly cheap for how many times they wind up in a mix.

Gates STA level: Totally amazing, world class vari mu compression for under 2k? Here ya go. They have gotten more expensive lately, but I found mine for a crazy deal. Got a pair... They are my go-to for main vocal alomost every time.

Neumann PEV EQ's: I think I paid something like 500 dollars for the pair I have. They are incredible EQ. Find some before they are too expensive. Use them all the time as well. Crazy. For 250 a channel, REAL EQ. I use these all the time even though there is a pair of pultec's right above them in the rack, along with a pair of melcor's, a manley massive passive, and tons of other EQ to choose from. The PEV just has that "something" that really makes it work for certain sources.

Spring verb of any kind: Totally cheap, can make a main vocal "glow." I got a few different nice spring verbs each for under 400 dollars. They all do something totally great...

There are a bunch more. What about you?

Russian Recording · Post by **Russian Recording** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 11:05 am

new gear (or used if you can find them):

Langevin Dual Vocal Combo: 2 great preamps, very tasteful EQ on each and a pair of Elops for 1600! Same Elop circuit that's in the Manley.

Both Hamptone preamps. That's a given.

And some may think this is ridiculous to call a great deal... but in fact it really is: Crane Song Spider. For what you are getting, it is an INSANELY awesome deal, even at 7500. 8 channels of jawdropping preamplification (same as the Flamingo pres) paired with 10 channels of mind blowing A/D (same as the HEDD a/d) along with full submixing capabilities, awesome tape simulation and an ultra stable house clock. Without all of the bonus features, the cost breaks down to $400/channel of preamplifier and $400/channel of A/D.

While none of these are "cheap" , their performance to price ratio is out of site.

i agree with the DBX 160x

Dubious · Post by **Dubious** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 11:10 am

im gonna go even cheaper:

Casio RZ -1 Drum machine (with 4 bit 1 second sampling) - i get something cool out of it everytime i turn it on - $25

MXR Distortion + - one of the greatest distortions ever... sounds cool on vocals, synth and bass too.. - $50

late 60's slingerland drumset - my babies - $250

1964 Fender Mustang - my main guitar for the last 15 years - $300

Alesis Nanocompressor - hilarious squashing for under $50

Gemini Echorder - wild lee perry dub stylee - $25

SM57 - gets used on every session for at least something - $25

hohner melodica - i love this thing.. this was my mom's from when she was a kid - free

Roland sh32 - the mikro korg killer for $199

mjau · Post by **mjau** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 11:23 am

Cool thread...

Alesis microlimiter - $50ish, and does the smash thing soooooo good

Beyer m69 - less than $100, but 10 times better on guitar cabs than a 57

Fender reissue '61 P-bass pickup - I think I paid about $60 or so, and it transformed my Mexi P-bass into a beast

;ivlunsdystf · Post by **;ivlunsdystf** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 11:27 am

Isolation headphones - I have the cheapie Vic Firth ones - crummy sound, but they are (for my purposes) a fantastic substitute for a control room for when I track.

Also fantastic for catching up on music listening while I mow the lawn.

Best $50 I ever spent on gear.

jrsgodfrey · Post by **jrsgodfrey** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 12:44 pm

AT 4033

nipsy · Post by **nipsy** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 12:53 pm

AT 3035

more bang for even lesser bucks

A-Barr · Post by **A-Barr** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 1:23 pm

SM57 - gets used on every session for at least something - $25

$25?!?!?

kayagum · Post by **kayagum** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 1:47 pm

Redco snakes
KRISTAL freeware
Danelectro reissue Baritone
Lindy Fralin pickups
McIntyre feather pickups
DR strings
Sansamp original

Dubious · Post by **Dubious** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 2:32 pm

A-Barr wrote:
SM57 - gets used on every session for at least something - $25
$25?!?!?

pawn shop

got the mxr for $35 at the same one if im not mistaken

sonic documentation · Post by **sonic documentation** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 6:07 pm

EH 12AY7 - This has been talked about extensively.

Alesis 3630 compressor - I don't care what you're thinking right now. I love this thing. It's noisy, unbalanced, has a useless gate, but sometimes it works really well. Never underestimate this comp.

Agree with the DBX 160A. I also like the 166, but it's unbalanced.

FMR RNC - I think it's probably cliche to list this.

Sovtek amps - They are pretty sweet for the price. Loud as hell.

AKG D112 - I almost always use it on kick. I love this mic.

joel hamilton · Post by **joel hamilton** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 6:13 pm

I forgot about the 12AY7! Good one.
Best tube mic pre for under 500 dollars. Really,.

trashy · Post by **trashy** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 6:56 pm

ev635a - $35

at this point, I'm pretty sure I could make a great sounding record with this thing. only. By FAR the best money I've ever spent. It's totally ruined me for more expensive mics. I see some schmancy ldc and think "Is it really twelve hundred dollars better than my ev?" the thing looks cool, too. I like to pretend I'm on the Lawrence Welk show. And it's built like a tank. I can see it from here. It's on the ground, by my dog. I'll prolly step on it in the morning. It'll work tomorrow afternoon.

Randy · Post by **Randy** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 7:09 pm

Alesis 3630 with Black Lion mod.

CAD M179 mic- variable pattern and nice sounding on almost anything. I use it more than my AKG c414. That's $500 difference in price.

another nod to the Alesis Microlimiter- $35

I just got a Sennheiser e906 that is still amazing me.

And even though it wasn't "cheap" the TC Electronic Powercore PCI card is probably the best buy I have made in the computer realm since I got a MOTU unit.

rhythm ranch · Post by **rhythm ranch** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 7:18 pm

Agree with the 160X, XT, Alesis MicroLimiter, SM57

Also:
DBX 163X compressor - Could find them for $20-$30 a few years ago, now more like $50-$75.
DBX 263X de-esser - same as above.
AKG D1000E - great SM57 replacement, $30-$50.
Fostex MN-50 (also marked as MN-15) - Unblalanced 4-input mixer, but the cool part is the built in compressor, unbelievable smashing. Only thing you can control is the release, but it kicks ass. $15-$40.

Also agree with the Alesis 3630, but with the Black Lion mods. Holy shit, those things are a whole new animal with Matt's mods installed.

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