Next purchase to improve my project studio...please advise!

pizzaforbreakfast · Post by **pizzaforbreakfast** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 8:54 pm

I've done several recordings all with just a digi 001 on a pc running pro tools LE with no outboard gear whatsoever, except for a behringer multicom compressor. i'm a little uncertain what to buy next...i am prepared to invest $1500- $2000 in some really good gear...thinking of spending most of that on a good mic pre, and maybe an RNC compressor? Was looking at pre's on the budget level, (stereo projects vtb1, but decided to wait an spend a little more an invest in something I'd use for ahwile...any suggestions?

zesbez · Post by **zesbez** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 9:54 pm

Man, if I had your setup and that budget, I'd buy a Black Lion modded 002, Shure SM57 (x2), Shure SM58, Shure SM7, Shure KSM127, and maybe something like an AT 4033.

Then I'd use the pres on the modded 002 and compress ITB. If you did wind up buying a pre, get you a small format mixer like something from the Onyx series. This would give you some decent monitoring possibilites as well.

~ eric

A-Barr · Post by **A-Barr** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 10:19 pm

What monitors are you using?

What mics?

What instruments?

Mane1234 · Post by **Mane1234** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 10:25 pm

Has your room been treated properly for sound reflections and absorbtion? I'd spend some money doing this. I can't wait to do my room next month. I know the gear gets all the glory but if you can't hear things accurately then what's the point of doing this?

jtdeans · Post by **jtdeans** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 10:30 pm

What specifically are you trying to record (rather important when making gear decisions). is this just for personal use? etc etc etc

- etc[/u]

mwingerski · Post by **mwingerski** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 10:59 pm

I'd have to say that a great mic pre is the best early purchase I made. When I got better monitors, I was even more happy with what I had purchased... A great pre will be a piece of gear that you will not want to get rid of, and will keep surprising you with how cool it makes even cheap mics sound... Get something with 2 channels... plenty of options in the $1200-1500 range...

pizzaforbreakfast · Post by **pizzaforbreakfast** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 2:48 am

A-Barr wrote:What monitors are you using?

What mics?

What instruments?

oh sorry...

im using M-audio studiophile SP-5B's and NS 10's, and a Groove Tube GT66 mic. i'm tracking/mixing everything from guitar based loud rock bands to electronic stuff, everything with vocals. i found a great room in town that i track drums in and do everything else here with plug ins...

very happy with the way things are going, but feel like i can make the next step...

kinger · Post by **kinger** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 2:52 am

+1 on getting some decent mic pres, and you can't go wrong with an ART PRO VLA for some colour, as well.

Sean Sullivan · Post by **Sean Sullivan** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 5:26 am

I second the Black Lion Audio mod. For $350 your microphone pres would be on par with some $1000 units and have much higher quality clock. If you are recording drums, you are going to want more than a GT66. But, you are going to need an outboard pre because it must be hard to record with only 2 mic inputs. Maybe a Focusrite Octopre (never used) or a Sytek MPX-4ii (recommend)...something with a lot of inputs. Then I would get a good pair of inexpensive overheads like Oktava 012s, a SM57 for the snare, Beta 52/D112/i5 for the kick, a MD421 for the floor tom and maybe another SM57 for the other toms. You could use the SM57s and MD421 on electric guitar as well and the Oktava's for acoustic guitar.

trodden · Post by **trodden** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 11:29 am

First, i suggest stop having pizza for breakfast, that shit will catch up with you fast, especially if you're over 30.

oat bran with vanilla soymilk with fresh strawberries from the garden has been treating me well.

second, i rock the digi 001 still as well.. what's the point of buying a black lion modded digi 002 when you could spend less and just get black lion to mod your 001? the 002 doesn't seem to be that much of a step up...

however, i'm using my 001 stock. can't afford the mod right now, spending money on other things and some of those things you should check out..

whoever mentioned room treatment above, good one. my recordings started to sound better with room treatment, bass traps, clouds, etc.. i'm recording in a basement with 7.5 ceilings... room treatment helped A LOT!

i don't have anything too fancy in my set up. Keep using the digi001, the more you record, the better your recordings will be. Over the past 7 years, i've slowly added stuff to my digi001 rig. an alesis ai-3 for 8 more converters via optical, an api 3124+ for some nice pre's, some modded sx202 pres, art pro vla, old finalizer for a clock source as well as two more much better converters via spdif, a soundtracks board to mix through, some basic ashly and symetrix comps, your standard collection of mics..(421's, 012's, 57's, 56's, re20's, e602, cheapo ribbons, at4047, old cad e300, etc)

but really, over the 7 years when i just had a digi 001 ran off of a old blue and white g3 and some used KRK monitors, and some 57's to start out... i think its been the passage of time and experience that have really helped my recordings...along with room treatment! I won't be ditching the 001 or PT 5.1 on OS9 anytime in the near future.. i've got add some more treatment, pay for patchbays/cableing, and tour with the band...

calaverasgrandes · Post by **calaverasgrandes** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 11:54 am

get some acoustic treatment. At least for the wall behind your head and the side walls. Complete deadness isnt teh goal just lack of resonance or echo. I test with a staple gun (t55) if it makes too much of a rackety echo I put more up. Also look into better AD/DA. If you are doing a lot of just fidgeting with plugs a better DA will let you hear what you are doing better. And of course better monitors. Thats where I am at right now. Looking for that perfect set of monitors. Nothing too strident or bassy. Nothing too expensive either!
Oh yeah. And a lava lamp. Got to have a lava lamp or they wont put your studio picture in any magazines.

Moon Unit · Post by **Moon Unit** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 12:07 pm

Is that the only mic you have -- the GT66 ? ?

Good grief.

You need more mics, man. Like seriously. How do you even survive?

RefD · Post by **RefD** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 12:11 pm

so...

more mics, treat that room and stop eating pizza for breakie!

pizzaforbreakfast · Post by **pizzaforbreakfast** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 1:06 am

Moon Unit wrote:Is that the only mic you have -- the GT66 ? ?

Good grief.

You need more mics, man. Like seriously. How do you even survive?

well, i track drums at a great room here in town, he's got tons of great mics and i get a really good bro rate...i track guitars and bass at my place with a plug in, so that leaves only vox and the occasional accoustic guitar, both of which i'm happy with the way the groovetube sounds...so i have put off another mic purchase...but I'm curious, what would u recommend?

calaverasgrandes · Post by **calaverasgrandes** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 1:31 am

i takeo-fence at your tracking guitar thru plug ins. Roun these parts...
no really, at least get a small amp to mike. I think it makes it tons more fun to mike up an amp and blast away. Even a 5 watt amp can sound good,if not better. And there are tones that have not been discoverd yet out there. So how could they have been modeled? And you just cant "model" a guitar feeding back.
my 2 sense

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Next purchase to improve my project studio...please advise!

Next purchase to improve my project studio...please advise!

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