Your thoughts on Focusrite Platinum VoiceMaster Pro

[dizzyd0420]

lemmie know you thoughts whats better just around $700 for rap vocals

[bgrotto]

Originally Posted by dizzyd0420

lemmie know you thoughts whats better just around $700 for rap vocals

Don't think much of em...they don't even touch the "real" Focusrite stuff (ie - the Neve stuff).

For $700, you could probably do better; just depends on your specific needs.

[Mossberg]

You can do much better in my opinion.

[dizzyd0420]

like what what options ne pres u guys recommend

[Traxx]

Originally Posted by dizzyd0420

like what what options ne pres u guys recommend

In that price range i'd recommend a summit audio 2BA-221. The summit is a very nice piece. It has a lot of tone out of a small unit and it goes for $629 from most retailers. If you want to stay in the focusrite family for some reason, the isaone is a nice piece as well. Does not have the tone options of the summit but it has a good sound. It generally goes for $799. Either way you can't go wrong but my money is on the summit...

[Trillion]

Originally Posted by Traxx

In that price range i'd recommend a summit audio 2BA-221. The summit is a very nice piece. It has a lot of tone out of a small unit and it goes for $629 from most retailers. If you want to stay in the focusrite family for some reason, the isaone is a nice piece as well. Does not have the tone options of the summit but it has a good sound. It generally goes for $799. Either way you can't go wrong but my money is on the summit...

What are your thoughts about having the Focusrite VoiceMaster Pro as an all-in-one signal chain for recording, when your budget is under $1,000 dollars.

[Traxx]

Originally Posted by Trillion

What are your thoughts about having the Focusrite VoiceMaster Pro as an all-in-one signal chain for recording, when your budget is under $1,000 dollars.

If its under a $1000 for a channel strip that'll be your choice... Theres not a lot in that price range for channel strips and it will definitely get the job done. Its not a bad unit I just think you can get better but not for a full channel strip for under $1000. Its the focusrite and the eureka which im a fan of when you get the burr brown mod done to it..

[Traxx]

To be honest for hip hop you can almost use any decent channel strip to get a good sound. I know a ton of people including talib kweli that use that unit for their vocals. At least he use to anyway I don't know if he still does..

[dizzyd0420]

the focusrite platinum is what i was looking at for it being a strip but i also want a good mic for it also all for rap vocals tho

[phillysoulman]

Drawmer makes a decent channel strip called the mx 60 for under 1000 dollars

[Stitch333]

Originally Posted by bgrotto

Don't think much of em...they don't even touch the "real" Focusrite stuff (ie - the Neve stuff).

I agree: From Neve to Soundcraft is not a very distinguishing shift.

The Focusrite 215 is what you want...

[dizzyd0420]

doyou think its better than the focusrite???

[Trillion]

Originally Posted by phillysoulman

Drawmer makes a decent channel strip called the mx 60 for under 1000 dollars

I appreciate this suggestion, this is more of what i'm looking for a cheap all-in-one solution with many features.

[bgrotto]

Originally Posted by Trillion

a cheap all-in-one solution with many features.

Re-read that last bit...think about it: the more features a company crams into a single unit, all while maintaining a certain ("cheap") price point, the more compromises are gonna be made in that unit's quality. Do you really wanna inflict "quantity over quality" on your music??

[dizzyd0420]

im lookin for quality but i need it to be in my budget and a strip would be nice im going from no preamp to one ine the $700 to 1000 price range i know its hard to work with

[bgrotto]

Originally Posted by dizzyd0420

im lookin for quality but i need it to be in my budget and a strip would be nice im going from no preamp to one ine the $700 to 1000 price range i know its hard to work with

Get a used Great River.

[Trillion]

Originally Posted by bgrotto

Re-read that last bit...think about it: the more features a company crams into a single unit, all while maintaining a certain ("cheap") price point, the more compromises are gonna be made in that unit's quality. Do you really wanna inflict "quantity over quality" on your music??

I understand that but I am just getting this to experiment with recordings, until I get enough money to afford a console and hi-end equipment.

[bgrotto]

Originally Posted by Trillion

I understand that but I am just getting this to experiment with recordings, until I get enough money to afford a console and hi-end equipment.

But you don't need a console (nor could you likely afford one!). And high-end equipment can be had for your under-$1k budget. Why not start there? You'll get better results, and you'll have a piece that's gonna hold some degree of resale value.

[Traxx]

I hate to see ppl who are new getting pushed in so many directions. To be honest, like I said any of the above mentioned will work for what he is trying to do. I know it is cliche to say this but it really is the user. I seen another post about the "ultimate vocal chain" which proves this. So all i'm saying is all the recommendations are good ones but the root of any good recording is knowledge of knowing what you are doing. Period... Good luck to the original poster because this could go on forever with everyone recommending different pieces of gear... I say make a decision on a certain piece and make music. I use to be the same way about gear now I don't care about any high end piece I own, i just learn to make music. I can swap my manly and millennia out for a focusrite and rode nt1 and still make a good recording which I doubt anyone could tell me what I used to record with. Good luck with your purchase though, wether you go for the focusrite or any other recommendation please don't think the gear is going to do the work for you. Good gear just makes the job easier when you already know what you're doing..

[Trillion]

Originally Posted by bgrotto

But you don't need a console (nor could you likely afford one!). And high-end equipment can be had for your under-$1k budget. Why not start there? You'll get better results, and you'll have a piece that's gonna hold some degree of resale value.

I was going to start with something that is low end, master my craft and upgrade in a couple of years, I know I am know where near affording a console, thats why I am saving my money, I got college tuition to pay for, so I don't expect to see myself with a console within 3 years. I will purchase one once I have my own spot and get a treated room.

[Mossberg]

Get an RNP and RNC combo. Those are pretty cheap but sound great.

[psycho_monkey]

Originally Posted by Trillion

I was going to start with something that is low end, master my craft and upgrade in a couple of years, I know I am know where near affording a console, thats why I am saving my money, I got college tuition to pay for, so I don't expect to see myself with a console within 3 years. I will purchase one once I have my own spot and get a treated room.

bgrotto's point is that you'd do better with just a midrage preamp, and handling the rest of the processing in the DAW, than buying a cheap all-in-one preamp.

Plenty of pros track without compression - in these days of 24bit recording there's no need to crank the level to the computer.

And again - you probably don't really need a console either. Not unless you're planning on spending serious cash for a serious OTB mix or tracking room.

[dizzyd0420]

i think imma go with the focusrite platinum pro if i dont like it i return it and get a better one ya know see what works for me i already got a mic lined up

[drethe5th]

Originally Posted by dizzyd0420

i think imma go with the focusrite platinum pro if i dont like it i return it and get a better one ya know see what works for me i already got a mic lined up

Thats the best thing to do. If you are starting out with this type of thing, then get it, try it out, take it back.

Make sure you try out some higher end stuff too, just so you see the difference. Use a credit card if you need to. If your budget is 7 hundred play in that area, and then grab something that is maybe 12 hundred and bring it home and play with it. Even if you cant actually afford it, and have to take it back it will let you know what direction you need to go in. And playing with it in the store wont work. The rooms are treated, sound tested and set up so that everything, including the lower quality stuff sounds good.

Youll eventually hear somethnig you like.

Also I agree with some of the other posters. I own the Presonus Eureka. It is an ok unit. It is not very warm or full sounding but it sounds better than no pre at all. The compression is decent as long as you dont push it real heavy and what it cant handle, can usualy be handled in the DAW your using. So like some one else mentioned, you may want to get a good preamp only, no channel strip, and use your plug-ins from your DAW to compress, and to EQ with. I wish I would have made that move myself earlier on.

Now I am using this gear to the best of my ability and have figured out various ways to make it sound better, with mic placement and using my plugins so regardless work is getting done. Ill sell it probably with in a year and shoot for the Presonus ADL-600, used. BUt the bottom line is learning your gear well enough to comlete a project. Ultimatley youll never be satisfied untill you are using all high-end gear like the pro's, but that shouldnt stop your work from being complete.

Look at Dr. Dre for example. He hasnt released his next album becasue he says "its not ready yet" , so even a top notch producer can find themselves unsatisfied for any given reason, but the issue then is, what is the effect of not completing aa project.

MC's who have bad sounding albums are still heard. (master p)
Those who only have "great ideas" are not.

Choose to be heard and finsh your work brother.

[Trillion]

Originally Posted by psycho_monkey

bgrotto's point is that you'd do better with just a midrage preamp, and handling the rest of the processing in the DAW, than buying a cheap all-in-one preamp.

I understood what he said but I perfer hardware or software. I enjoy touching knobs rather than, using a mouse.