Need to upgrade my converters/mixer/etc...front end basically

[3rd Degree]

Hey everybody, I have been lurking the site for awhile, don't really post.

My current setup: Yamaha mg 12/4, m-audio delta 1010lt, Tannoy active monitors. I use this with PT 7.1 or Acid Pro 3.0, depending on if I am recording vinyl or vocals. I do alot in Reason but also use an ASR 10, MPC 1000, and an S2000 rack sampler. I want to expand my hardware with synths but don't have the $$$ at the moment.

I am looking to upgrade my converters for the most part. You can see I am lacking a preamp but I don't do alot vocal recording, anything done is more of a "scratch pad" than final for now.

My predicament. My mixer is having issues. It needs to be replaced. I can either go for an all in one unit like a Layla but I prefer to have a dedicated mixer.

My 3 options. I can buy an analog mixer with an interface that supports enough I/O to compliment my mixer. I can skip the mixer and go with just a flexible interface. Or I can go with a digital mixer and upgrade my coverters seperately.

My budget is not set. I am willing to spend up to $3000 over a time period but more immediately, I would say $800-1500. I am looking for suggestions on all options to just research further, I need to make up my mind on where to go myself but I know their are so many people who can lead me better than myself.

[TaazKareem]

That all depends on how you want to work...I could say go with just a flexible interface and bypass a mixer..but then you might find you may need a mixer in the future. As far as better converters...IMO unless you're going in the box > going out the box > and then back in, you're not gonna hear a huge difference.

[deuc647]

I gotta disagree with the above post about conversion. It is a very very important part of recording today. A good AD will be able to give you more room when it comes time to mix. Greater front to back depth and better width. When u start to stack a lot of tracks is when u start to see where ur extra dollars went on conversion. A good preamp is also needed. People all rave about neve pres, but I found when I used them that when u start o stack a lot of em, u can get a build up in low mid frequencies pretty fast. I like em on certain things, but not as a all for 1 pre. DA is equally important because you want to be able to hear what uve tracked clearly. It all depends on what u wanna do. It sound like 3k is the top of ur budget for a while so I say, stay ITB and get a rosetta 200 with a sm patch 2 monitor controller and that sould leave u with about 1500 left to spend on a really good pre. Preamps are all subjective so u gonna figure that one out on ur own. Im persnally going for a clean approach this time around. Used to have a sebatron vmp 4k and a rosetta 200 and it sounded great, sold it all and now I want to go with a more clean approach, maybe rosetta with a audio upgrades high speed mic pre.

[orangeoctane]

Another chain to ponder:

Keep your existing interface for monitoring DA for the time being. Get a cheap-ass behringer mixer to plug all your hardware into - you're only gonna need this for monitoring your scratchpad. Then get an API A2D which has both a nice set of AD converters *and* a set of 312 preamps. Use can use these pres for both vocals *and* for hardware through the direct inputs on the front. Once your scratchpad is worked out, start tracking everything one or two channels at a time into the A2D via the S/PDIF input on the 1010. This should give you some nice tonal options to work with and some of that well-respected API sound at your disposal.

Cost:
$1900 API A2D (or less if you can find one used)
$75 - $200 Cheap-ass Behringer mixer
$900 for a dedicated high quality DA later down the line

$3000 total cost

[tonymission]

Originally Posted by deuc647

I gotta disagree with the above post about conversion. It is a very very important part of recording today. A good AD will be able to give you more room when it comes time to mix. Greater front to back depth and better width. When u start to stack a lot of tracks is when u start to see where ur extra dollars went on conversion. A good preamp is also needed. People all rave about neve pres, but I found when I used them that when u start o stack a lot of em, u can get a build up in low mid frequencies pretty fast. I like em on certain things, but not as a all for 1 pre. DA is equally important because you want to be able to hear what uve tracked clearly. It all depends on what u wanna do. It sound like 3k is the top of ur budget for a while so I say, stay ITB and get a rosetta 200 with a sm patch 2 monitor controller and that sould leave u with about 1500 left to spend on a really good pre. Preamps are all subjective so u gonna figure that one out on ur own. Im persnally going for a clean approach this time around. Used to have a sebatron vmp 4k and a rosetta 200 and it sounded great, sold it all and now I want to go with a more clean approach, maybe rosetta with a audio upgrades high speed mic pre.

This.

Interface (Apogee gets my vote too) and pre. Forget the mixer.

[Fabian M]

Lovin lynx aurora!!! Changed my life

[3rd Degree]

Thanks everyone.

I am still iffy on loosing the mixer. I have always had one first of all so it is nice to be able to adjust everything to a rough mix very easily. Secondly, I do like to mix through my mixer, my converters just don't justify it. Sometime I actually get a better mix even with my current equipment, just because I HAVE to get it right. Also, if I keep my mixer, I can go with a smaller interface. I have to track out 1 or 2 tracks at a time but I have also done that for years so it doesn't matter. 90% of my music is made in software but from vinyl so I still benifit from better converters there.

I don't need any preamps that far exceed my yamaha ones as my studio doesn't get much vocal stuff done.


Anyway, thanks for everything, got to research some more.