Upgrading My Rig

[RollingStonei3]

Hey guys I am new to this forum and look forward to your further insight.

Currently I have had an original Mbox for about 3 years. I have grown to love it for my own home studio recordings and am appreciative of being able to learn the industry standard that is pro tools. I have developed a very strong affinity to Pro Tools and after working with lots of other programs, I find myself going back (No Pro Tools bashing!). At the moment, my only mic is the Rhode NT1A. It has served a very good purpose in my early recording projects, but I looked to increase my sonic horizons. In terms of what I am recording, its pretty much doing overdubs of acoustic and electric guitar, vocals, and bass (direct). At first, I figured that I could really benefit from an investment into another mic(s), such as a Shure SM 57 for amps or a pair of pencil condensors like the Shure SM 81 for acoustic guitar. I went to my local music shops (not a center :P) and explained my situation to the salesmen there. They instantly told me that better preamps should be higher on my priority list. Then that eventually led to talking about better converters and so forth. Eventually after going through individual preamps and converters they told me that I would be limited with the Mbox and told me that the best bet would be to go with a 002 or 003 system. They told me it would be a solution to get much better converters, more inputs/outputs, and I could send it to a local person who can "mod" the system's preamps for a moderate price around $500 which people say it is the best thing ever. My real question is would investing into the 002 or 003 system be the best logical and economic decision to have an "end game" home studio (or even pro without going with the HD system) set up that would dramatically increase the sound quality or is this just an rash and unnecessary way to spend money to get a minimal change?

Thanks in advance for your advice

[johnwayne]

I use a 002r and also have the Mbox2. I think external preamps are needed to get a really good sound. I use a Dav BG-1, and a Universal audio solo 610. There are so many factors that it's hard to say what you need.

IMO I think you have to have room treatment and good monitors. Then get some more mics and a preamp. Now take a look at your converters. If you have all of this it does not guarantee good recordings. It's all in your technique, mic placement, mixing, arranging and so forth.

Buy as you need and buy equipment that you don't have to upgrade.

[*CISKO*]

yo have probably heard this from a million people but here i go
get good mics,pre amps and converters and speakers
the mos t important ones being mics and speakers, they are the ones translating the sound from the source to you
so the better ones you get the better off your going to be

always make sure your source sounds the way you want it to and make sure your mics translate this properly into your speakers and what you hear in th control room is as close as possible to the one in the live room.
I just got a new system
i got a pair of blue blueberry mics, adn a 002 I already owned a focusrite isa 428, for speakers i got a pair of event asp 8´s

so see where you can best invest your money and do it step by step, you´ll hear the difference