Upgrading home studio on a small budget

[tanner4105]

At the moment I have about $700 I'd like to use to upgrade my home studio so I figure this would be the best place to get advice. I've been reading around here for a few months, but just didn't register until today, and I know there are definitely a lot of people here who know what they are talking about

I think it would help to talk about what I already have, so right now I have a Presonus Firepod, BX5a monitors, an MXL 2001, MXL 990 and 991, a couple of Audix F10s and an F11, a Shure sm57, and a Zoom H4 (which I sometimes use to record overheads because of the instant and easy XY pattern). I also have a Mackie DFX12 but that was from before I got the Firepod. I record everything into Ableton Live.

My problem is I really don't know what I could go with next with the $700. I've used all this equipment almost daily for ~4 years and I really feel like I've hit the limit to the quality I can get out of it. It's a small budget, but I could probably hit $800 if it would make much of a difference.

I'm usually recording my drums for myself, but I also have a couple of small time bands and rappers that record at my place so I figured a good condenser mic pair that I could use for overheads or vocals would be great, but also maybe a good dual channel preamp, or maybe even a good compressor?

I'm completely lost as to what I should do so all advice is welcome.

Thanks!

[Jamie Mac]

If your not sure yourself what you really need, just keep saving money until you know what it is that you need and by then you'll have more money to spend on it.

[tanner4105]

Originally Posted by jamie mac

If your not sure yourself what you really need, just keep saving money until you know what it is that you need and by then you'll have more money to spend on it.

Well like I said I feel like new microphones would help, but also maybe preamps. I've never had the opportunity to use outboard rack gear, just plugins, so I was hoping someone hear could help push me in the right direction, though I'm feeling better microphones might help.

[DamnYankee]

Originally Posted by tanner4105

At the moment I have about $700 I'd like to use to upgrade my home studio so I figure this would be the best place to get advice. I've been reading around here for a few months, but just didn't register until today, and I know there are definitely a lot of people here who know what they are talking about

I think it would help to talk about what I already have, so right now I have a Presonus Firepod, BX5a monitors, an MXL 2001, MXL 990 and 991, a couple of Audix F10s and an F11, a Shure sm57, and a Zoom H4 (which I sometimes use to record overheads because of the instant and easy XY pattern). I also have a Mackie DFX12 but that was from before I got the Firepod. I record everything into Ableton Live.

My problem is I really don't know what I could go with next with the $700. I've used all this equipment almost daily for ~4 years and I really feel like I've hit the limit to the quality I can get out of it. It's a small budget, but I could probably hit $800 if it would make much of a difference.

I'm usually recording my drums for myself, but I also have a couple of small time bands and rappers that record at my place so I figured a good condenser mic pair that I could use for overheads or vocals would be great, but also maybe a good dual channel preamp, or maybe even a good compressor?

I'm completely lost as to what I should do so all advice is welcome.

Thanks!

The #1 priority purchase should be a set of professional monitors (dynaudio, tannoy, etc).

[mikethedrummer]

monitors wont improve your recording quality, just your ability to mix.

Acoustic treatment on the other hand will help the sound quality of your instruments as they will be more clear and defined.
If you build moveable traps you can move them in between the live and control rooms like I did at first.
Then you will have a treated mix room as well, which will help your listening abilities allowing you to mix better.

Owens Corning 703, Roxul Mineral Wool, and Other Acoustic Materials

Not to mention if you play in the room youll notice the results instantly
Best $700 I've spent yet.

[Roblee2803]

Tanner there is no one good answer to your question. But a piece of advice is to pick a level of quality you want to move to next and just move one pice at a time.
If its mics next thats fine but be aware that mic pres are not far behind and so on. Its not one thing that makes a quility recording its all things in the chain...

[Theo Desktop]

I tend to agree with the couple of posts above. I'm a believer in working from your front end to the back, and I definitely include room treatment as part of your front end.

You don't really have what I would consider a solid workhorse condenser mic. Something like a KSM44 or an AT4050. A quality pair of SDC microphones or do two 4050's or two KSM27's or KSM32's for drums. For budget mics I'm a fan of Shure and Audio Techinica myself and not so much of a lot of the other crap that's out there.

A good mic, pre and quality AD is much more important to me than high end monitors, initially. If your room is treated you can learn to mix well in that environment. If you have a good room, good mics, good pre, good AD, etc. you get the picture. Once things are captured well that part of the equation is done.

I've mixed on pretty cheap monitors and been able to get things to translate pretty well after listening on different systems. Good luck.

Theo