'Poor Man's Studio' for 5k-10k What next? HELP!

DreamSound · 6th April 2006

Hei guys, I'm just getting started building my studio, I've honestly spent the past 3 straight days, researching and reading this forum. This is what I've got right now:

Recording System:
Pentium D 3.0 GHZ 4MB RAM
Digi 002 Console w/ Pro Tools 7.0

Monitor: M-Audio Studio PRO 4

Amps:

Vox Valvetronix AD100VTH Head
Mesa 4x12 Cabinet
Crate BX-100 Bass amp

Mics:
2 Audix f15 (overhead)
3 Audix f15 (tombs/snare)
2 Audix I5 (guitars
Shure Beta 52A
Shure SM58 (vocals)
Sennheiser e835 (vocals)

Instruments:
Guitars: Custom Ibanez 520QS scalloped neck/jumbo frets/edge pro/Active EMG's
Ibanez UV777BK
Jackson DXMG with Dimarzio's Air Norton (neck) and Dsonic (bridge)
Hamer Slammer Series

Bass: Schecter Stiletto w. active EMG's
Keyboard: M-Audio Radium 49
Pacific Drumset w/Evans heads and Zildjian ZBT cymbals

I got all of this for under 10K. I still got 2K, based on all the research I've done so far I'm looking at:

- Studio Projects C1 (condenser microphone)
- DAV BG-1 Preamp
- M-Audio DX5 Biamplifed Monitors
- Some Pro Tools Plug Ins - not shure what to get
- Guitar Rig 2
- Maybe exchanging the Valvetronix for a Peavey JSX (how is the direct recording option on this head?).

I have several questions:

1) What should I get or not get at this point according to your experience
2) Where can I find a good protools plug-ins for vocal effects, since I do metal and techno. I have the cosmonaut voice and is awesome.
3) Can I do w/Pro Tools compressors plug-ins for now, or should I get a 'real' one?
4) Should I get the Studio Projects C1 for vocals? What's better on that range?

My goal is to get this sound:

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page...?bandID=147856

He did it with a 5K-10k Home studio!!! Check his page for gear information.

THANKS

Dr Gruv · 6th April 2006

buy my Langevin Dual Vocal Combo by Manley Labs - Langevin DVC

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=7405247534

$1200

Seriously a high end studio quality mic -pre with compression will really help your sound - mics are another question

DreamSound · 6th April 2006

Thanks, but I'm too '''poor''' for that right now and I need the other gear as well.

edwinhurwitz · 6th April 2006

I'd budget at least $3-400 for room treatment. For that money you can build quite effective bass traps using the 5.5" acoustic cotton. I did this and it made a huge and obvious difference. All the great gear in the world is worthless if you can't really hear it.

Edwin

RadioBox · 6th April 2006

[QUOTE=Dr Gruv]buy my Langevin Dual Vocal Combo by Manley Labs - Langevin DVC

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=7405247534

$1200

DAMN! I was going to buy it but it was already sold. Maybe the buyer won't pay you, and I can move in on it.

jcool · 6th April 2006

the protools plug-ins will be fine for now--especially if you are still learning how to use the gear. Might not want to fall for the extra-cheap-studio-condenser trap. Just make sure you aren't buying gear that you'll want to upgrade in a few months.
Wait, maybe you shouldn't buy everything at once. Save up for a few more months and that will give you some extra time to research. Try some things out--get the recording setup going and shop around for the instruments in the meantime.
My opinions:
1)skip the plug-ins for now.
2)ditch the Mesa 4x12--too freakin heavy
3)mic the guitar amp. the "buffered" 1/4 out usually sucks real bad.
4)AT4040 is great--I've used it on almost everything--try it out.

opentune · 6th April 2006

Sometimes it´s the small things (like a decent DI box, a good pair of cans, or
an instrument cable that actually works...) that make a session working smooth.

So investigate if there are some little helpers that might improve your
workflow, before you spend all the money on "a bigger piece of gear".

Just a thought...

nathanvacha · 6th April 2006

Yeah, everyone likes those 4040's. I don't have one, but i've used the 4050.thumbsup

Always Always mic the amp unless you are super desperate and for some reason can't. Direct is not the same, no matter what a manufacturer says.

Those m-audio monitors are not going to cut it if you want to progress. You will need something bigger.... even it it's at least a nice big home stereo. Especially for metal and techno... chances are you're gonna want to crank it up and feel it a little, and those just won't doo it. As i remember, the m audio's didn't sound that bad, though, and are easy to listen to.

Definetely put the money into your room, too. And screw foam, it's too expensive and the fiberglass will give you better results.

You should concentrate ( I think) on a good mic, a good pre, good monitors, and a good sounding room.

b.t.w. -- i too would ditch the mesa. unless, of course, you're playing out and need it live.

kenm · 6th April 2006

How about spending a little bit more than $2K and get a 4 channel API mic pre? It will kill on drums/guitars/bass/vocals. Other than that, I suggest you spend as much as you can on some mice pres.

Ken

DreamSound · 7th April 2006

Thanks for everyone's reply. Let me mention that I WAS going to exchange my Mesa Mark IV for a cheap Valvetronix head so I could have money for others, but playing with the Mark IV last night made me realize how much I love that tone and decided not to sell it. Which leaves me with about a 1,000 to expand my studio for a while :(.

Really good suggestions. What did you guys think about that link w/home recordings I posted? Like I said, that's my goal and he didn't use ANY fancy dandy equipment. In fact he used a Behringer's preamp!

Right now I'm thinking: Shure SM7 (vocal mic), Presonus MP20 and M-Audio Bx5a monitors (???)

Can't do the treatment right now due that I'm moving to Southern California in 7months (to go for my recording major :D).

6th April 2006	#1
DreamSound Gear addict Joined: Apr 2006 Location: Lake Elsinore, CA Posts: 328 Thread Starter	'Poor Man's Studio' for 5k-10k What next? HELP! Hei guys, I'm just getting started building my studio, I've honestly spent the past 3 straight days, researching and reading this forum. This is what I've got right now: Recording System: Pentium D 3.0 GHZ 4MB RAM Digi 002 Console w/ Pro Tools 7.0 Monitor: M-Audio Studio PRO 4 Amps: Vox Valvetronix AD100VTH Head Mesa 4x12 Cabinet Crate BX-100 Bass amp Mics: 2 Audix f15 (overhead) 3 Audix f15 (tombs/snare) 2 Audix I5 (guitars Shure Beta 52A Shure SM58 (vocals) Sennheiser e835 (vocals) Instruments: Guitars: Custom Ibanez 520QS scalloped neck/jumbo frets/edge pro/Active EMG's Ibanez UV777BK Jackson DXMG with Dimarzio's Air Norton (neck) and Dsonic (bridge) Hamer Slammer Series Bass: Schecter Stiletto w. active EMG's Keyboard: M-Audio Radium 49 Pacific Drumset w/Evans heads and Zildjian ZBT cymbals I got all of this for under 10K. I still got 2K, based on all the research I've done so far I'm looking at: - Studio Projects C1 (condenser microphone) - DAV BG-1 Preamp - M-Audio DX5 Biamplifed Monitors - Some Pro Tools Plug Ins - not shure what to get - Guitar Rig 2 - Maybe exchanging the Valvetronix for a Peavey JSX (how is the direct recording option on this head?). I have several questions: 1) What should I get or not get at this point according to your experience 2) Where can I find a good protools plug-ins for vocal effects, since I do metal and techno. I have the cosmonaut voice and is awesome. 3) Can I do w/Pro Tools compressors plug-ins for now, or should I get a 'real' one? 4) Should I get the Studio Projects C1 for vocals? What's better on that range? My goal is to get this sound: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page...?bandID=147856 He did it with a 5K-10k Home studio!!! Check his page for gear information. THANKS

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6th April 2006	#2
Dr Gruv Lives for gear Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 535	buy my Langevin Dual Vocal Combo by Manley Labs - Langevin DVC http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=7405247534 $1200 Seriously a high end studio quality mic -pre with compression will really help your sound - mics are another question

6th April 2006	#4
edwinhurwitz Lives for gear Joined: Aug 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 975 1 Review written	I'd budget at least $3-400 for room treatment. For that money you can build quite effective bass traps using the 5.5" acoustic cotton. I did this and it made a huge and obvious difference. All the great gear in the world is worthless if you can't really hear it. Edwin

6th April 2006	#5
RadioBox Lives for gear Joined: Mar 2006 Posts: 600	[QUOTE=Dr Gruv]buy my Langevin Dual Vocal Combo by Manley Labs - Langevin DVC http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=7405247534 $1200 DAMN! I was going to buy it but it was already sold. Maybe the buyer won't pay you, and I can move in on it.

6th April 2006	#6
jcool Gear maniac Joined: Jan 2006 Posts: 192	the protools plug-ins will be fine for now--especially if you are still learning how to use the gear. Might not want to fall for the extra-cheap-studio-condenser trap. Just make sure you aren't buying gear that you'll want to upgrade in a few months. Wait, maybe you shouldn't buy everything at once. Save up for a few more months and that will give you some extra time to research. Try some things out--get the recording setup going and shop around for the instruments in the meantime. My opinions: 1)skip the plug-ins for now. 2)ditch the Mesa 4x12--too freakin heavy 3)mic the guitar amp. the "buffered" 1/4 out usually sucks real bad. 4)AT4040 is great--I've used it on almost everything--try it out.

6th April 2006	#7
opentune Lives for gear Joined: May 2005 Location: good ol´germany Posts: 1,553	Sometimes it´s the small things (like a decent DI box, a good pair of cans, or an instrument cable that actually works...) that make a session working smooth. So investigate if there are some little helpers that might improve your workflow, before you spend all the money on "a bigger piece of gear". Just a thought...

6th April 2006	#8
nathanvacha Lives for gear Joined: Dec 2005 Location: Orlando Posts: 1,231	Yeah, everyone likes those 4040's. I don't have one, but i've used the 4050.thumbsup Always Always mic the amp unless you are super desperate and for some reason can't. Direct is not the same, no matter what a manufacturer says. Those m-audio monitors are not going to cut it if you want to progress. You will need something bigger.... even it it's at least a nice big home stereo. Especially for metal and techno... chances are you're gonna want to crank it up and feel it a little, and those just won't doo it. As i remember, the m audio's didn't sound that bad, though, and are easy to listen to. Definetely put the money into your room, too. And screw foam, it's too expensive and the fiberglass will give you better results. You should concentrate ( I think) on a good mic, a good pre, good monitors, and a good sounding room. b.t.w. -- i too would ditch the mesa. unless, of course, you're playing out and need it live.

6th April 2006	#9
kenm Gear maniac Joined: Apr 2004 Location: berkeley, ca Posts: 251	How about spending a little bit more than $2K and get a 4 channel API mic pre? It will kill on drums/guitars/bass/vocals. Other than that, I suggest you spend as much as you can on some mice pres. Ken

7th April 2006	#10
DreamSound Gear addict Joined: Apr 2006 Location: Lake Elsinore, CA Posts: 328 Thread Starter	Thanks for everyone's reply. Let me mention that I WAS going to exchange my Mesa Mark IV for a cheap Valvetronix head so I could have money for others, but playing with the Mark IV last night made me realize how much I love that tone and decided not to sell it. Which leaves me with about a 1,000 to expand my studio for a while :(. Really good suggestions. What did you guys think about that link w/home recordings I posted? Like I said, that's my goal and he didn't use ANY fancy dandy equipment. In fact he used a Behringer's preamp! Right now I'm thinking: Shure SM7 (vocal mic), Presonus MP20 and M-Audio Bx5a monitors (???) Can't do the treatment right now due that I'm moving to Southern California in 7months (to go for my recording major :D).