weak link? advice needed

[rxfit06]

Hello all,

My last post (..those who like the portico 5042) got no responses, so after further research( and common sense) I would like a little advice and/or opinions please.

This still stems from having a difficult time hearing the effects of the aforementioned Portico 5042, but I was already trying to figure out what I need to uprade next. Here's my current setup:

I monitor with a pair of Tannoy PBM 8's, and a pair of Yamaha MSP 5's. The signal is routed out of a Firepod, then fed into a Samson C-control, so I can monitor both direct from Cubase or Wavelab,.. or, after I route the signal thru my rack.

Rack gear-mastering chain currently consists of:
Firepod-->aphex compellor-->portico 5043-->aphex exciter(as needed)-->portico 5042-->aphex dominator II-->HHB 830 cd burner.

I track with a Universal Audio LA-610, an Aphex 207-d, through either of the above units. My main vocal mic is a Rode K2. Other mics include sm 57's, rode nt 3's, cad e-100, and an oktava mk 219.

I you were to upgrade one link in this chain, and could spend around $2000, where would it be, or for that matter, can I make noticable improvements for that amount?

To me, the weak links would certainly be:
Firepod
converters ( currently only within the firepod )
monitors
Samson C-control ( could it be coloring the signal in a bad way? )
Cd burner

Opinions? Advice?

Thanks,
Marc

[cosmos]

converters, room ( if needed ), monitors .

[flail19]

You have a very usable set up IMHO. I don't see anywhere in your post that you have any specific concerns. Which part of your sound are you unhappy with? Maybe we can narrow it down. Having a difficult time hearing the effects of the portico 5043 may not be because of any of the other gear in your chain. I think there will be plenty of people on here that will help you spend your 2 grand, we all can upgrade something. Just be a little more specific. Good luck!

[rxfit06]

Originally Posted by flail19

You have a very usable set up IMHO. I don't see anywhere in your post that you have any specific concerns. Which part of your sound are you unhappy with? Maybe we can narrow it down. Having a difficult time hearing the effects of the portico 5043 may not be because of any of the other gear in your chain. I think there will be plenty of people on here that will help you spend your 2 grand, we all can upgrade something. Just be a little more specific. Good luck!

I suppose my wanting to "upgrade" stems from the many posts I've read on converters, and how how they can effect the sound, ie, clarity, detail, openess, etc. This is also true on some of the monitors I've read reviews on. This was sparked again when I purchase the portico 5042 tape emulator . I am having a very difficult time hearing the efftect the unit has on the signal, and haven't read where anyone else is having this difficulty. I understand those who would suggest perhaps it is simply "my ear", ... yet , I do get complements on my work. I will also state that with my current monitoring system, I can hear as little as .25 db changes, using either the uad-1 eq's , or the waves eq's,.. which is what confuses me even more as to my problem with the 5042. I realize this is suppose to be a subtle unit,.. but it seems as though I have to hammer the thing, at 7.5 ips, just to hear the effect. Basicallyit seems to be all or nothing.

Now, indeed I did hear a difference when I upgraded my Yamaha msp 5's, and purchased a used pair of Tannoy pbm 8's,... so now I'm wondering if other upgrades would help my ability to produce a better product.

Understand, since this "studio" is at my home, in a bonus room,.. I have to be very particular as to what clients I accept as far as recording goes. Because of this, I have been marketing towards more "mastering" as of late,.. so I can do most of the work by myself. I will note that I'm well aware that I may never have the bucks to turn this operation into a commercial quality mastering house. Yet, I do make significant improvements on local artitsts demos and such, .. as well as recording and producing my own originals.

As to the first response to this post,.. the room is very "dead". Too dead to be sure, as it was first designed to just teach drums out of, so all the walls are treated with ductboard, with carpet over that. My question to that is, since I'm monitoing with near fields, will the room have that much effect on what I'm hearing?

Marc

[thermos]

You will hear more of a benefit from better converters than you will from the 5042 probably. If you are mastering through that analog chain, there will be some large detriments with those converters. I would definitely upgrade those first.

An Apogee Rosetta 200 would be great, even a Kurzweil Rumour would be 8xs as good as what you have (the A/D/A is pretty damn good in that unit seeing as that its sub $500).

If you are doing at home recording, maybe invest in a better mic as well. The 610 should be fine for a pre, but I think the 5042 is maybe superfluous until everything else in your chain is happening.

[Frost]

I suggest this to almost everyone... spend a little money and get the acoustics of the room in check, then save and save and save and get the best monitors you can afford. Good mics, preamps and conversion mean nothing unless you can hear and mix the differences effectively.

Frost

[nadsatrebel]

Originally Posted by rxfit06

Hello all,

My last post (..those who like the portico 5042) got no responses, so after further research( and common sense) I would like a little advice and/or opinions please.

This still stems from having a difficult time hearing the effects of the aforementioned Portico 5042, but I was already trying to figure out what I need to uprade next. Here's my current setup:

I monitor with a pair of Tannoy PBM 8's, and a pair of Yamaha MSP 5's. The signal is routed out of a Firepod, then fed into a Samson C-control, so I can monitor both direct from Cubase or Wavelab,.. or, after I route the signal thru my rack.

Rack gear-mastering chain currently consists of:
Firepod-->aphex compellor-->portico 5043-->aphex exciter(as needed)-->portico 5042-->aphex dominator II-->HHB 830 cd burner.

I track with a Universal Audio LA-610, an Aphex 207-d, through either of the above units. My main vocal mic is a Rode K2. Other mics include sm 57's, rode nt 3's, cad e-100, and an oktava mk 219.

I you were to upgrade one link in this chain, and could spend around $2000, where would it be, or for that matter, can I make noticable improvements for that amount?

To me, the weak links would certainly be:
Firepod
converters ( currently only within the firepod )
monitors
Samson C-control ( could it be coloring the signal in a bad way? )
Cd burner

Opinions? Advice?

Thanks,
Marc

I'll bet that C-Control isn't doing you any favors.

[rxfit06]

Originally Posted by thermos

You will hear more of a benefit from better converters than you will from the 5042 probably. If you are mastering through that analog chain, there will be some large detriments with those converters. I would definitely upgrade those first.

An Apogee Rosetta 200 would be great, even a Kurzweil Rumour would be 8xs as good as what you have (the A/D/A is pretty damn good in that unit seeing as that its sub $500).

If you are doing at home recording, maybe invest in a better mic as well. The 610 should be fine for a pre, but I think the 5042 is maybe superfluous until everything else in your chain is happening.

I had considered the Rosetta, or something comparable,.. yet my problem is that I do need the 8 inputs and various outs the firepod offers me. That being the case, if I still used the Firepod for my inputs, then fed into the Rosetta stereo left and right,...then out to my chain,.. the initial conversion has already been compromised as soon as I go into the firepod, correct?

Is there an a/d/a converter that would allow me the 8 inputs,.. kind of an "all in one unit" , as it were?

As for your comment on the 5042 being superfluous,.. are you saying that if I upgraded my converters and/or interface, this would help my sound "sonically" to the point where I would then be able to hear/use the 5042 to it's full potential?

[GearHunter]

First, get a better converter.

The Rosetta, as previously suggested, would be great.

The RME ADI-2 is also excellent for $700. That would enable you to afford another mic-pre. You'd get much bigger better performance out of something like a Great River ME-1NV, a Chandler Germanium, or a TAB-Funkenwerk V78. All of those have great headroom, detail and dynamics, with nice musical color. You could still use the compressor in the LA (or could you? I guess that device doesn't have a separate line-in to the compressor only. That's too bad because then you'd still be going through that 610 amp, which is notorious for lack of headroom and distorting too easily). Well, I guess there's a reason that a mic-pre/compressor combination that should be $3500 is only $1500.

[Ethan Winer]

Marc,

> the room is very "dead" <

That's not the same as proper acoustic treatment!

> all the walls are treated with ductboard, with carpet over that. <

Yikes.

You definitely need bass traps, and probably better mid/high frequency absorption too. That will do ten times more to improve your situation than any "gear" you could buy at any price. And 10x is not an exaggeration.

> since I'm monitoing with near fields, will the room have that much effect on what I'm hearing? <

Yes! You'd have to put your ears two inches in front of each speaker to "remove" the room, and even then there will still be bass problems. And good luck getting both ears two inches in front of each speaker at the same time!

--Ethan

[thermos]

If you want 8 in/out, I would suggest the Lynx aurora 8. I do think if you had better converters, you could hear the 5042s effect better.

[goatie]

Originally Posted by Ethan Winer

... And good luck getting both ears two inches in front of each speaker at the same time!
--Ethan

That would make some very heavy headphones

[Glenn Kuras]

Originally Posted by Frost

I suggest this to almost everyone... spend a little money and get the acoustics of the room in check, then save and save and save and get the best monitors you can afford. Good mics, preamps and conversion mean nothing unless you can hear and mix the differences effectively.

Frost

Boy you took the words right out of my mouth. Sounds like you do not have really any treatment in that room.

Glenn