Rate my current set-up?

Recording Techniques, People Skills, Gear, Recording Spaces, Computers, and DIY

Moderators: drumsound, tomb

operator_tape
suffering 'studio suck'
Posts: 411
Joined: Thu Oct 28, 2004 4:34 pm

Rate my current set-up?

Post by operator_tape » Tue Feb 14, 2006 6:14 pm

I am looking to upgrade somwhere along the lines of aiding my sound quality, Its not bad at all now but I was wondering where should I upgrade.

Mics:

Blue Baby Bottle
MD 421
AKG d112
SM 57 X2
SM 58
KSM 137X2
Audix D2
Oktava MKL 2500
Tape OP Ribbon

Audio Interface:
Emu 1820M

Pre-amps:

Focusrite Voicemaster Single Channel
2X Emu Pre-amp
RNP
M-Audio DMP3
Joe Meek Three Q
Line 6 Pod XT (Cool for Synths or Guitars)

Comps:

Valley People Dynamite dual channel compressor
DBX 160X


Can anyone help me with either an area to concentrate in improving or eliminating some gear for better gear.

mwingerski
pushin' record
Posts: 201
Joined: Sun Jun 08, 2003 7:38 pm
Location: San Francisco
Contact:

Post by mwingerski » Tue Feb 14, 2006 6:17 pm

I'd probably start with better mic pres... or else better converters... my life took such a turn for the better when Apogees came into my life...

operator_tape
suffering 'studio suck'
Posts: 411
Joined: Thu Oct 28, 2004 4:34 pm

Post by operator_tape » Tue Feb 14, 2006 6:19 pm

what were you using before? what mic pres should I look at?

mwingerski
pushin' record
Posts: 201
Joined: Sun Jun 08, 2003 7:38 pm
Location: San Francisco
Contact:

Post by mwingerski » Tue Feb 14, 2006 6:26 pm

i went from soundblaster live many years ago, to digi 001 to digi 002 to digi 888's to 96 io and finally to apogee... and it's SUCH a huge difference... not at all subtle... the bass became so much fatter, the top end was so much less brittle sounding... all of a sudden the mic pres that i bought and knew were a good thing to have, sounded like these amazing instruments... it was a huge eye opener... I've heard that a good clock can do the same thing.

But from the looks of it, it wouldn't hurt to get an upgrade on your pres...depends on how much you want to spend though...the RNP is good bang for the buck... if you're handy with electronics, i've heard good things about the hamptone (never heard one though)...

mwingerski
pushin' record
Posts: 201
Joined: Sun Jun 08, 2003 7:38 pm
Location: San Francisco
Contact:

Post by mwingerski » Tue Feb 14, 2006 6:33 pm

for pres, though... i went from mackie stuff to UA 2610, which I really like, some people have issues with it for sounding too spongy...
I love the bottom end on it...
i have a great river NV1 that is really good, but i always reach for the neve portico instead of it nowadays because you can flip a switch in and it sounds mighty damn similar to that or it sounds similar to something cleaner, like the 9098 (also neve designed)...
Bang for the buck, I think the focusrite ISA 428 is a great deal... 4 channels for under 1500 bucks... also neve designed and very clean... they get hot as the blazes though...
you can also add a converter card in the back of those for like 500 bucks and it will basically have the same converters as a digi 192, which is pretty decent...
The grace 101 is pretty good for the money, although i'm not a huge fan of it...

just my opinions on this stuff.. some very intelligent people with good taste have inverse opinions from mine...

operator_tape
suffering 'studio suck'
Posts: 411
Joined: Thu Oct 28, 2004 4:34 pm

Post by operator_tape » Tue Feb 14, 2006 6:34 pm

I guess in my position, I should get handier with a soldering iron and build some stuff from kits then from scratch. I like the specs that digi-lif gave the emu- 1820m, they were openly comparing them to RME, Lynx type converters, the pre-amps suck on them but the line in converters are preety good, -120 db signal to noise ratio. I think thats good? Maybe I can pick up those apogee 8 in a/d converts and put them though adat? Do you think that is worth it or just get a 2 channel a/d at 192 from apogee? I should inform myself and see how much they cost first.

operator_tape
suffering 'studio suck'
Posts: 411
Joined: Thu Oct 28, 2004 4:34 pm

Post by operator_tape » Tue Feb 14, 2006 6:59 pm

any cheap ideas, I informed myself how much the apogee 2 channel a/d is, can anyine recommend any price point ideas?

JasonW
gimme a little kick & snare
Posts: 85
Joined: Sun Feb 22, 2004 11:25 pm
Location: Houston, TX

Post by JasonW » Tue Feb 14, 2006 9:12 pm

That 1820m is a nice piece of kit. Decent converters and mic pre's are designed by the design guy from Joe Meek.

Honestly, you've got more than enough equipment to make GREAT sounding recordings. Maybe you should invest in room treatment.

User avatar
surf's up
pushin' record
Posts: 270
Joined: Wed Jan 19, 2005 12:34 am
Location: Texas

Post by surf's up » Tue Feb 14, 2006 9:36 pm

JasonW wrote:
Honestly, you've got more than enough equipment to make GREAT sounding recordings. Maybe you should invest in room treatment.
This is not a bad idea. I think the question you need to ask yourself is what are my recordings lacking. that will help you decide where your money would best be spent. But even a few hundred dollars and a little knowledge of acoustics can improve most spaces. And if you're willing to invest a little more you could probably make the room pretty damn good. idk, it all depends on how good your room is at the moment.

among the things you listed, i might recommend a distressor if you can afford it. that thing gets more use than anything in my studio, except maybe the computer/interface.

operator_tape
suffering 'studio suck'
Posts: 411
Joined: Thu Oct 28, 2004 4:34 pm

Post by operator_tape » Wed Feb 15, 2006 4:03 am

The room is something that i am thinking about. my room that I am using is really small, the tracking room is really small aswell (untilwinter is over then I will track in my garage) My present room is about 12X7X6, the ceiling to the floor is six feet!! Yeah I guess room acoustics would be the best option for me at the moment.

User avatar
I'm Painting Again
zen recordist
Posts: 7086
Joined: Wed May 07, 2003 2:15 am
Location: New York, New York
Contact:

Post by I'm Painting Again » Wed Feb 15, 2006 6:48 am

Room treatment and acoutics including monitoring is always good to think about..

I will add that a studio should be a place for music first way before its a place for recording equpment..we should reralize that adding a variety of quality, classic amps and instruments can go a long way in the sound of the records we record..

User avatar
Rufer
pushin' record
Posts: 253
Joined: Mon Dec 27, 2004 2:53 pm
Location: Washington DC

Post by Rufer » Wed Feb 15, 2006 7:24 am

beard_of_bees wrote: I will add that a studio should be a place for music first way before its a place for recording equpment..we should reralize that adding a variety of quality, classic amps and instruments can go a long way in the sound of the records we record..
Awesome.

User avatar
nipsy
pushin' record
Posts: 273
Joined: Fri Feb 13, 2004 10:47 pm
Location: the ubiquitous Portland

Post by nipsy » Wed Feb 15, 2006 7:43 am

If you're looking for bang for yer buck pres', someones got a sytek over in the buy/sell for $750 which is a cuckoo good deal....



Jay

User avatar
Rick Hunter
dead but not forgotten
Posts: 2022
Joined: Wed May 07, 2003 7:22 am
Location: El Granada, Ca
Contact:

Post by Rick Hunter » Wed Feb 15, 2006 8:47 am

man, you have a lot of stuff. I would buy a new car, or what beard of bees said.

User avatar
trodden
on a wing and a prayer
Posts: 5651
Joined: Wed May 07, 2003 8:21 am
Location: C-attle
Contact:

Post by trodden » Wed Feb 15, 2006 9:38 am

most definitely a new car. preferably a hybrid or at least biodiesel.

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 44 guests