Spending no more than $5000.00, build me a low end studio.

[Tom Hakala]

Originally Posted by CassidyGT

Adam A7 - 1000
Mackie 1200f – 1400
AT4050 Pair – 700 (used)
Shure SM57 (4) - 400
Shure SM7 – 300 – (used)
Good set of cans - 150
Stands, Cables etc. – 300
Room Treatment – everything left over - 750

Great setup!

[Monroe/Rampart]

Originally Posted by Evanskyler

Preamps: Seventh circle audio 8 unit chassis with PS, wiring harness, 2 A12 (api) Preamp Modules, 2 sc25 opamps, and 2 N72 (Neve) preamp modules (Some minimal assembly required). $746.00 at Seventhcircleaudio.com

I know I'm couple of months late on this one, but, dude, how did you come up with those numbers? There's no way that chasis/ps/wiring and six modules cost only ~750$. I mean, ps/chasis/wiring + n72 and an a12 combo goes for ~950$, and chasis/ps/wiring + single n72 one goes for ~650$.

Is there any super-dramatic-discount that I don't know of, since I was considering getting only an n72 (need it for vocals only), but it sure would be great to have api and jensen clones next to the neve one...

[Zachary]

i eventually settled for the audiofire 4 and hs80m's. axiom 25 for a controller

so far so good

[yrlk]

Zachary,

Can you tell us the following:

1) What is the typical max amount of channels that you desire to record?
2) What gear do you have already?
3) What typical genre/style/sound of music do you desire to create?
4) Do you have a computer and software already? If so... which?

Also... one more question: if you could have a "high-end" piece of anything (i.e. microphone, preamp, compressor, monitors, etc.) eventually, which pieces would you look to EVENTUALLY have in the high-end range of things?

These are crucial pieces of information that I feel will certainly help myself and others give you the most appropriate purchase recommendations. Many of us know gear, but it's not about knowing gear: it's about knowing what gear may be the best fit for you.

Feel free to PM me too, and cheers - Brad

[KeithMoonwannabe]

Read posts 5,6, and 11. He answers all your questions. He doesn't need software, a computer, and he wants 8-16 channels. He wants to do all kinds of music. He runs an HP PC with Sonar 7.

I would agree the Mackie Onyx 1200R is the interface to go with.

The ADAM A7 are great, if money is tight Yamaha HS50M or HS80M are probably my next choice.

Headphones: Beyerdynamic DT770 pro

Mics: (try to get used if possible)
Heil PR40 (awesome for voice, kick drum, bass cabs)
3 Pack of CAD M179 (useful on so many things especially toms)
Shure SM57 (as many as you can get)
Audio Technica AT4047 (great LDC for that famed vintage german mic quality) if you can wait the KEL Hm7 may be the same kinda thing for far cheaper
Audio Technica AT4050 pair (great all purpose mic)

maybe: Heil PR20, Shure SM7, Sennheiser MD421, Sennheiser e609/e906, Audix i5, Sennheiser e902, Shure Beta 58, Electro Voice N/D 767a, E/V RE-20, KEL Hm1, Kel Hm2, ....etc....

Cabling: just go to redco and build them yourself you will save tons of money. Premade cables I like are the Blue Kiwi mic cables as B+H has them pretty cheap.

I'd try to get as nice of headphones, monitors, mics, and an interface as possible.

Then as you get more money look into the Waves bundles, SSL Duende, and UA DSP cards for effects. Another step forward will be to begin investing in a few really nice pres. The Langevin being a great example. Others being things like UA Solo 610, Groove Tubes Brick, Great River, Avalon, Focusrite ISA, etc.

[yrlk]

Hello friend...

Jotted a bunch of thoughts down for you in this spreadsheet... sorry it's a bit sloppy, but there's some good information in there, and it should also help you keep cost in mind.

One more thing I'll recommend - if possible now or in the future - is that you pickup a nice compressor eventually. For recording vocals and/or bass guitar, a decent compressor (such as a TLA-50, VERY reasonable, for example) will really help you get a bit more out of your recordings. Not sure if that's the one everyone would recommend, but it's a workhorse and well under appreciated. =)

Peace and again feel free to PM. We're all excited for you!

- b

[guy0012]

okay, but can you buy anything used off ebay? well heres my list with some very high used prices.

RME Fireface 800 - $1300
Adams A7 - $1000
2 channel preamp - $500-600
- Trident s20
- Grace 101 (2)
- FMR RNP
Shure sm57 (3) - $200
Shure sm7b - $300
Sennheiser md421 (2) - $500
Akg D112 - $150
Condensors (pair) - $800-1000
- Akg 414
- At4050

[yrlk]

Hey Guy,

Not sure what you're trying to say... are you saying that the prices on eBay are not always lower? If so, you are right. Sometimes, you have to wait for a deal for a week or two, but make no mistake: it will come. =)

Of course, if you're saying that it's not wise to buy everything on eBay, well... that's up to you, but in my over 250 transactions (many of which have been audio products), I've pretty much had no problems with anything - not for myself or others. Just try and buy from US sellers with lots of feedback. That's my rule of thumb. =)

Also... just a note: I would strongly advise against buying 421's at any price. After doing a shootout with them against PR-20, PR-30, and of course the, SM-57, the 421 finished last in EVERY case! Shocking, but that's what we heard. Here's what it was tried on:

3 different guitar amps with 3 different cabs:

Vox AC-15
Fender Twin (or was it a Vibrolux or something?)
Marshall with an old vintage 4x12 cab loaded with 4 different speakers

Kick drum, floor tom, and snare.

I'm serious: it lost every time. For as much as it costs, and as much as we've all used it, we were shocked at the results.

B

[guy0012]

Originally Posted by yrlk

Hey Guy,

Not sure what you're trying to say... are you saying that the prices on eBay are not always lower? If so, you are right. Sometimes, you have to wait for a deal for a week or two, but make no mistake: it will come. =)

Also... just a note: I would strongly advise against 421's. After doing a shootout with them against PR-20, PR-30, and of course the, SM-57, the 421 finished last in EVERY case! Shocking, but that's what we heard. Here's what it was tried on:

3 different guitar amps with 3 different cabs:

Vox AC-15
Fender Twin (or was it a Vibrolux or something?)
Marshall with an old vintage 4x12 cab loaded with 4 different speakers

Kick drum, floor tom, and snare.

I'm serious: it lost every time. For as much as it costs, and as much as we've all used it, we were shocked at the results.

B

no i just meant it would be easy to get everything very quickly at those prices. You should be able to win most auctions with those prices.

[yrlk]

Yes, I agree with you. Bottom line is, any wise person will always do his best to NOT WASTE money... even if it's only 10 or 20 bucks. Why? Because a few times of wasting 10 or 20 bucks all adds up very quickly! =)

Good to hear that other people are finding great deals on eBay. Hopefully, we're not all bidding against each other to no end. =)

Cheers, my friends - b

[jsrockit]

Best Interface you can afford
Shure SM7b
AT3035
Adams A5
Adams Sub
Sennheiser HD202
Grado SR225
Great River One Channel Pre

[manning1]

Z.(the op.)
i'll play ..lol.
rock bottom good quality imho.
1. quad core pc q6600 xp/two 7200 rpm drives.
recording drive with 32 mb cache.
700 buks.
2. reaper (cockos.com) plus realband daw software(pgmusic.com)..which people are going bonkers over.
180 buks for both.
3. echo mia midi interface 129 buks at zzounds.
many others eg..echo audio fire etc.
or for single trak at a time toneportgx 60 buks.
4. to start get a few apex cheap mics n audix.
600 buks will buy quite a few mics. (scan zzounds.com for prices.)
you can buy beyer (good brand..) under 100 buks.
lots of under 100 buk mics. or old used ev dynamics or shure.
5. mebe as a general mixer folks seem to like those soundcraft compact 4 mixers.
200 buks. or epm mixers.
6. couple of good mic pre's for up front traks ??
vtb1. and/or rane ms1b.
7. speakers. yorkville powered monitors .
300 buks.
8. headphones eg apex have cheap ones.
5 for 200 buks idea or teknika.


the above is about 2500 buks.
imho if you cant do a good song with the above i doubt you will with anything.