having a minor studio upgrade and need advice on monitors and mixers/preamps.

[idrisguitar]

well im not looking to spend much.

i currently have cheap monitors and a cheap mixer (bog standard behringer)

i am looking for a mixer with good preamps onboard for my acoustic guitar mics.

i think the mackie 1202VLZpro could be what im looking for.

or would i be better going for a dedicated preamp with mic inputs that outputs directly into my sound card?

would i get better quality from a mic preamp instead of a mixer. (i will only be recording one input at a time anyway,)


if so whats the best all -round preamp (for like acoustic mics or other acousitc instruments or miking an amp etc.) that is around the same price range as the mackie mixer i mentioned (around 170 quid)




also i am depsterate for better monitors, the ones i have currently seem unbalanced (especially when i test out the track in multiple other devices) and its hard to properly mix my tracks through them.

what are the best monitors out there for around the £200 price range ($370)

really hope you can advise me

thanks a lot

[tINY]

One at a time doesn't get much cheaper than a Rane MS1. It's a good unit too.

For monitors, you might look at used "audiophile" type speakers. There were quite a few decent 2 way 6" speakers starting in about 1988.




-tINY

[c.gymer]

+1 on the second hand audiophile speakers. I use a pair of B&W 601s and they are flat out brilliant. I couldn't recommend any other speaker at anything below £500-600. These go for around £150 a pair on ebay all the time.

As for mixer or mic amp, I would go with the mic amp. You can use the behringer you already have to monitor the returns from your computer. I've been using my keyboard players Focusrite Trackmaster Pro (the older version) recently and for the money I'd say it's not half bad. I'd rather acouple of API 512s but that isn't going to happen any time soon... Anyway, the mic amp is a massive step up from what your using now, the compressor is very simple, the eq is useable. All that for within your budget.

Job's a good'un.

[idrisguitar]

so ill look for second hand audiophile monitors on ebay okay cheers ill def do that.

and say if i go for the mic preamp then my inputs will be

acousitc guitar (or whatever acoustic instruments) into my mics (i have a pair of acoustic mics (naiant ms-1 pair) and an sm57) into the mic preamp, then that goes direct into my audiophile 2496 sound card right?

and the output form the soundcard can go into my mixer then to my montiors, or simply direct into my monitors (which of these would be the best option?.

does the mic preamp you say have phantom power? (i forget whether the sm57 actually needs phantom power though)


edit about the monitors

i see many bx5 from m-audio on ebay but no audiphile monitors per say,

the bx5 seems to be well in my price range, are they any good or shoudl i carry on looking for the b&w

[tINY]

You'll get a better bang for your buck finding used B&W - but it may take a while. You should consider acoustic treatment too.

As far as the Rane goes, it's XLR in and out with switchable phantom power.
http://www.rane.com/ms1b.html


-tINY