Tell me where to spend my dime...

OlScrapIron · Post by **OlScrapIron** » Sun May 31, 2015 9:03 pm

So I ended up with $2100 from stuff sold on ebay so I could buy a piece that is $1100 (Dangerous D-box). I am also gonna buy a new desk (FINALLY!) with some rack space in it, probably about $150 so that leaves $850 for FUN SHIT TO BUY!!! I am good on monitors, room treatment, plug ins (I think), headphones... I could use some mics but I'm lost as to what to get next. I have a good drum mic setup, Rode NTK, a CAD LDC, sm57s, a Cascade ribbon. My OH's are junk... Samson C01s. But is it worth it to get a stereo pair...? I really only use Superior drummer these days. A better ribbon, a nice LDC, a channel strip... I'm swimming.... Help me before I spend this money responsibly!!

vvv · Post by **vvv** » Sun May 31, 2015 9:13 pm

I've been buying tube mic's, lately ...

An RE20 or SM7b (or both) could be fun.

A portable recorder is always useful, whether a two-track or multi-track.

OlScrapIron · Post by **OlScrapIron** » Sun May 31, 2015 9:20 pm

Ya man... A portable recorder would be pretty sick. The NTK is a tube mic, but I wouldn't be opposed to getting another one... I will probably be willing to throw some money in out of pocket as well to get something spectacular...

joninc · Post by **joninc** » Sun May 31, 2015 10:16 pm

What have you got for pre Amps? Any outboard eq or comp?

OlScrapIron · Post by **OlScrapIron** » Sun May 31, 2015 10:39 pm

I have a UA TwinFinity, that's it. I could see getting another pre or a channel strip...

ott0bot · Post by **ott0bot** » Sun May 31, 2015 10:57 pm

The Daking PreAmp & Eq channel strips dropped in price and are around your budget, even less used. Definitely something different than the UA 710 you have. Also, you could get started on a 500 series set up. A smaller rack and a few modules would put you on budget. Lots of decent stuff there.

If we're talking mics an AEA A84 could be had for a bill. can't do much better than that.

joninc · Post by **joninc** » Mon Jun 01, 2015 12:38 pm

I like to think of things like this in terms of "what will inspire me to do better/more creative work"?

will it be a new flavor of instrument to work with? a synth or an accordion or an effects pedal? or some sonic sculpting tool like an outboard eq or filter or effect? a compressor
to mess around with on drum tracks?

500 series does give a lot of cool possibilities - so many great eqs/pres/processors/fx being made for that format now.

or another good question to ask is - "what am I fighting against the most in my work"?

is it bad drum tones? get a few different snare and cymbal options.

is it bad guitar tones? get a nice little amp for the studio like a blues jr or a champ.

HAVE FUN!

CraigS63 · Post by **CraigS63** » Mon Jun 01, 2015 7:30 pm

Do you have a uke? Everyone needs a uke.

wren · Post by **wren** » Tue Jun 02, 2015 9:14 am

joninc wrote:or another good question to ask is - "what am I fighting against the most in my work"?

^^This. But I think about it this way:

If I were you, I'd make your planned purchases and work with them for a little while. Sit on that spare $850 (and believe me, I KNOW how hard that is), and I'll bet the answer will come to you.

What I've found, personally, is that these days the things that end up actually helping me the most are workflow-related more than sound-related. I'm lucky - like you, I have a good monitoring situation. I have good mics (for what I do) and good pres (for what I do). Do I want more good mics and pres? Of course, but I'm finally at a place where I can pretty much record all the things I want to with good mics and pres, and I'm lucky enough to know some awesome people who are nice enough to lend me some of their gear when I need it (and I lend mine to them when they need it - it's a great arrangement). What helps me the most right now is to identify workflow bottlenecks and spend money correcting them. YMMV, obviously, but that's where I am right now.

Plus, correcting a workflow bottleneck almost certainly wouldn't take up all your money - you'd probably have enough left over to buy, like, a used Shure KSM32 or something. And then you've improved your workflow and have a shiny nice new toy.

coniferouspine · Post by **coniferouspine** » Tue Jun 02, 2015 9:22 am

With some of that extra mad money, you could get the Michael Joly mod done for your Rode NTK, and possibly make a GREAT mic out of a good one....he did the mod on my garden variety Rode NT2, changed the capsule and some of the wiring, and it made a world of difference in the sound.

dfuruta · Post by **dfuruta** » Tue Jun 02, 2015 9:48 am

If there's no single thing you can identify as really needing an upgrade to do what you do, then save the money until you know what it is you want...

OlScrapIron · Post by **OlScrapIron** » Sun Jun 14, 2015 7:11 pm

Man. All these responses are great... even the ones that contradict. haha. I LOVE the Blues Jr. idea... there is one in the store that has been callin' my name, and I am SICK of lugging my Peavey Classic 50 around 3 times a week (to bars where it is totally overkill). I am just kinda sitting on the money for now, it looks like a move might be in the near future and I could really use a new desk, so I gotta wait to see what the new place is gonna look like. Thanks again guys for the thoughts. Still love this forum.

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Tell me where to spend my dime...

Tell me where to spend my dime...

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