What should be my next $1000 purchase?

ginsuthaironchef · 25th December 2009, 02:08 AM

What should I spend $1000 on?

This is what I have right now.

A crew of incredibly dope MC's

Shure SM7B
Avedis MA5
Mbox 2 W/PT LE
Massey Plug ins
Homemade PC. 3.4 Ghz, 2 GB Ram, 120 GB HD. Windows XP.
A pretty well treated room with a "booth" made of pvc and moving blankets and DIY Rockwool bass traps.

I'm thinking of the EL8 Distressor or a Digi 002 W/Black Lion Audio mod.

What's more important, Compression or Conversion and a good clock? What will improve my sound more dramatically?

I am tired of the pre's and converters on the Mbox screwing up the sound of my S950 and timing of my MPC60.

mobius.media · 25th December 2009, 02:09 AM

Compressor and/or get rid of PT LE and get a proper, fully featured, non-crippleware DAW.

ginsuthaironchef · 25th December 2009, 02:20 AM

Quote:

Compressor and/or get rid of PT LE and get a proper, fully featured, non-crippleware DAW.

I'm thinking the same. Hey...Can't I actually bipass the pre's on my Mbox by going DI or SPDIF from the Distressor to my Mbox? I can't do this from teh Avedis Ma5 because there is no DI.

What "non"cripple ware do you suggest?

ShadowBoxer · 25th December 2009, 02:31 AM

I am at a similar cross roads myself.
I must admit though for the money the digi 003 i think it is you get the input device and the control surface and software.
In the UK I think its around£1300.
It all works together and has been designed to work together.
Where as Logic and Cubase don't seem to have a specialised mixing surface other than the Mackie.
Sometimes I just think sod it I will just buy a hardware all in one for recording as the mind just boggles with the choices.

keylay · 25th December 2009, 03:55 AM

I would spend that $1000 on a theremin. And then make a record nobody's ever heard before. Best of luck, I look forward to hearing it when you've finished.

bgrotto · 25th December 2009, 04:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mobius.media

Compressor and/or get rid of PT LE and get a proper, fully featured, non-crippleware DAW.

For example, Pro Tools HD.

ginsuthaironchef · 25th December 2009, 07:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by keylay

I would spend that $1000 on a theremin. And then make a record nobody's ever heard before. Best of luck, I look forward to hearing it when you've finished.

Haha. "theremin". I thoght only kids who play dungeons and dragons and smoke cloves play those things. I wouldn't be supprised if Madlib or El-p incorporated one.

Whats goin in with the soul vibe crew Keylay? Yea, ima fan.

ginsuthaironchef · 25th December 2009, 07:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bgrotto

For example, Pro Tools HD.

For sure. Matter fact, lemme run out to walmart and grab some pt hd real quick. i think its in the same isle as the thermins.

cazdell · 25th December 2009, 07:31 AM

you have an mpc 60 so you make beats too. i'm at a point where i've got money to burn on equipment that i have deliberated long and hard to the brink of obsession. i think the money spent buying a distressor would be better spent on creative tools rather than processing tools. check out battery from NI, get an analog synthesizer, juno-106, dave smith mopho, buy some serious sample libraries. in my experience, outboard compression on an emcee can be your worst enemy. the session starts out rather calm with the rapper getting into their comfort zone. you spend some takes setting levels and off the session goes. ten takes later everyones excited it sounds great the energy is tremendous and the takes are perfect. now its time to mix, what youdidnt realize is the last takes had som much energy they got louder and you forgot to turn the gain on your mic pre down, the levels looked the same in the DAW but the compression you had origionaly set to a cool -3db is has now begun peaking at -7db. the ratio attack and release times were not set for that amount of compression and the takes wont sit well no matter how you mix the track. that $1500 compressor you lusted after has now worked against you and you wish you had bypassed it completely. I never could have imagined the day i wished the LA-2A wasn't in my vocal chain, but that day inevitably arrived. equally surprised i was the day i recieved my novation bass station and realized that an old $250 rackmount synthesizer had helped the quality of my production, in turn feeding the appetite of my emcees, beyond what i could have imagined. Besides if you've recorded good takes cleanly with good mic techniques, spend that money mixing in a big studio with all of the great pieces of gear and you will have a serious record.

JaeOne3345 · 25th December 2009, 07:35 AM

buy a midi manual. LOL sorry you walked right into that one

(inside joke folks)

mobius.media · 25th December 2009, 11:00 PM

I don't know what problems you're having with timing etc, but I would bet it is due to the fact that PT LE does not have built in delay compensation.

No need to buy PT HD. I'd switch to Logic if you're on mac (just because it comes with a lot of synths and processes that might be handy for hip hop) or Sonar on PC.

After that, if you still want to pick up an outboard compressor, you will have to dump the MBox next because as I understand, it only has two outputs (l/r) which you need to monitor playback with. If you're planning on bouncing out to hardware, you need something that has at least 4 outputs (2 for monitoring, 1 or 2 extra for bouncing).

Personally, I'd get something like an AudioFire 4. Since you're doing hip hop, an 8 i/o unit is going to be pointless.

Good luck.

ginsuthaironchef · 26th December 2009, 12:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JaeOne3345

buy a midi manual. LOL sorry you walked right into that one

(inside joke folks)

Hahaha.

trill · 26th December 2009, 01:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ginsuthaironchef

Haha. "theremin". I thoght only kids who play dungeons and dragons and smoke cloves play those things. I wouldn't be supprised if Madlib or El-p incorporated one.

.

haha

vdz · 26th December 2009, 01:28 AM

get the EL8 Distressor! i got mines for 1050 brand new out the door at gc pro

25th December 2009, 02:08 AM	#1
ginsuthaironchef Gear maniac Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 250	What should be my next $1000 purchase? What should I spend $1000 on? This is what I have right now. A crew of incredibly dope MC's Shure SM7B Avedis MA5 Mbox 2 W/PT LE Massey Plug ins Homemade PC. 3.4 Ghz, 2 GB Ram, 120 GB HD. Windows XP. A pretty well treated room with a "booth" made of pvc and moving blankets and DIY Rockwool bass traps. I'm thinking of the EL8 Distressor or a Digi 002 W/Black Lion Audio mod. What's more important, Compression or Conversion and a good clock? What will improve my sound more dramatically? I am tired of the pre's and converters on the Mbox screwing up the sound of my S950 and timing of my MPC60. __________________ "If I don't like it I dont like it, that don't mean that I'm hatin." " border="0" />

25th December 2009, 03:55 AM	#5
keylay Gear maniac Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 212	I would spend that $1000 on a theremin. And then make a record nobody's ever heard before. Best of luck, I look forward to hearing it when you've finished. __________________ http://www.keylay.com http://www.drumloopz.com

25th December 2009, 07:35 AM	#10
JaeOne3345 Lives for gear Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 1,109	buy a midi manual. LOL sorry you walked right into that one (inside joke folks) __________________ "but if i put it in a verse, yall would rather listen to some bullsh*t first"

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes	Rate This Thread
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode	Rate This Thread:

Similar Threads
thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Tascam DV-RA 1000 VS 1000 HD	Dave Ferris	Remote Possibilities in Acoustic Music & Location Recording	54	12th November 2009 07:34 AM

25th December 2009, 02:09 AM	#2
mobius.media Lives for gear Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 2,749	Compressor and/or get rid of PT LE and get a proper, fully featured, non-crippleware DAW.

25th December 2009, 02:31 AM	#4
ShadowBoxer Gear interested Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 22	I am at a similar cross roads myself. I must admit though for the money the digi 003 i think it is you get the input device and the control surface and software. In the UK I think its around£1300. It all works together and has been designed to work together. Where as Logic and Cubase don't seem to have a specialised mixing surface other than the Mackie. Sometimes I just think sod it I will just buy a hardware all in one for recording as the mind just boggles with the choices.

25th December 2009, 07:31 AM	#9
cazdell Gear nut Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Austin TX Posts: 79	you have an mpc 60 so you make beats too. i'm at a point where i've got money to burn on equipment that i have deliberated long and hard to the brink of obsession. i think the money spent buying a distressor would be better spent on creative tools rather than processing tools. check out battery from NI, get an analog synthesizer, juno-106, dave smith mopho, buy some serious sample libraries. in my experience, outboard compression on an emcee can be your worst enemy. the session starts out rather calm with the rapper getting into their comfort zone. you spend some takes setting levels and off the session goes. ten takes later everyones excited it sounds great the energy is tremendous and the takes are perfect. now its time to mix, what youdidnt realize is the last takes had som much energy they got louder and you forgot to turn the gain on your mic pre down, the levels looked the same in the DAW but the compression you had origionaly set to a cool -3db is has now begun peaking at -7db. the ratio attack and release times were not set for that amount of compression and the takes wont sit well no matter how you mix the track. that $1500 compressor you lusted after has now worked against you and you wish you had bypassed it completely. I never could have imagined the day i wished the LA-2A wasn't in my vocal chain, but that day inevitably arrived. equally surprised i was the day i recieved my novation bass station and realized that an old $250 rackmount synthesizer had helped the quality of my production, in turn feeding the appetite of my emcees, beyond what i could have imagined. Besides if you've recorded good takes cleanly with good mic techniques, spend that money mixing in a big studio with all of the great pieces of gear and you will have a serious record.

25th December 2009, 11:00 PM	#11
mobius.media Lives for gear Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 2,749	I don't know what problems you're having with timing etc, but I would bet it is due to the fact that PT LE does not have built in delay compensation. No need to buy PT HD. I'd switch to Logic if you're on mac (just because it comes with a lot of synths and processes that might be handy for hip hop) or Sonar on PC. After that, if you still want to pick up an outboard compressor, you will have to dump the MBox next because as I understand, it only has two outputs (l/r) which you need to monitor playback with. If you're planning on bouncing out to hardware, you need something that has at least 4 outputs (2 for monitoring, 1 or 2 extra for bouncing). Personally, I'd get something like an AudioFire 4. Since you're doing hip hop, an 8 i/o unit is going to be pointless. Good luck.

26th December 2009, 01:28 AM	#14
vdz Gear Head Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 46	get the EL8 Distressor! i got mines for 1050 brand new out the door at gc pro