Gearslutz.com - View Single Post - Q: For Folks Doing Mostly R&B, Hip Hop, House, Sampled Based Music (Runnin Logic..)

Exmun · 14th November 2003

If all you're doing is recording MIDI modules and a mic for vocals, latency is not an issue to worry about (IMO) since all of your inputs have the same amount of latency. Audible latency in the analog world is a nonissue since we're talking a couple milliseconds. And since all inputs on your sound card have the same amount of latency, when you play the track with everything on the hard disk, all of it is coming to you at the same time.

Latency is really only an issue if you're using softsynths. Many soundcards have an auto correction for latency while recording another track to a prerecorded track.

IMO, your best bet is to beef up your mic and pre. The Great River is a good piece. Perhaps add a good two channel mic preamp. You can go for a "cleanish" one or a highly "colored" one. I suggest a cleaner two channel preamp first (Perhaps 2 channels of John Hardy M1). I own a Sebatron VMP 2000. It's a 2 channel tube preamp of the "cleanish" variety. It can be colored if you push it. Great sound, good price (under $1k for 2 channels). You could put your keyboards into the 2 channel pre when you're recording and bypass the mixer(this will get you a better sound than through the mixer). When you're just composing or playing, just keep the modules in the mixer.

Then get a better mic, many of the other suggestions were spot on. The 4033 is a keeper mic for stuff other than vocals. so just add to what you have if you can afford to. You'll also need a decent analog compressor. The Distressor is a nice unit for this. Perhaps try an FMR RNC (~$200) if you can't reach that high.

14th November 2003	#11
Exmun Lives for gear Joined: Jul 2003 Location: Fort Myers, FL Posts: 613	If all you're doing is recording MIDI modules and a mic for vocals, latency is not an issue to worry about (IMO) since all of your inputs have the same amount of latency. Audible latency in the analog world is a nonissue since we're talking a couple milliseconds. And since all inputs on your sound card have the same amount of latency, when you play the track with everything on the hard disk, all of it is coming to you at the same time. Latency is really only an issue if you're using softsynths. Many soundcards have an auto correction for latency while recording another track to a prerecorded track. IMO, your best bet is to beef up your mic and pre. The Great River is a good piece. Perhaps add a good two channel mic preamp. You can go for a "cleanish" one or a highly "colored" one. I suggest a cleaner two channel preamp first (Perhaps 2 channels of John Hardy M1). I own a Sebatron VMP 2000. It's a 2 channel tube preamp of the "cleanish" variety. It can be colored if you push it. Great sound, good price (under $1k for 2 channels). You could put your keyboards into the 2 channel pre when you're recording and bypass the mixer(this will get you a better sound than through the mixer). When you're just composing or playing, just keep the modules in the mixer. Then get a better mic, many of the other suggestions were spot on. The 4033 is a keeper mic for stuff other than vocals. so just add to what you have if you can afford to. You'll also need a decent analog compressor. The Distressor is a nice unit for this. Perhaps try an FMR RNC (~$200) if you can't reach that high.