$3000 vocal recording set up

[Judge]

Hey guys a mate of mine wants to set up a simple home studio to record his vocals for his own independent hip-hop projects, he can only afford 3g US max. Here's what i got any one else got suggestions

KRK V8’s $999
Shure SM7b $329
FMR RNP $450
DBX 160X compressor $200
Dbx 242 eq $200
Extreme Issolation Headphones $79
Digi Design mbox $449
Cables $120

TOTAL: $2,826

Is there something that could be bettered /added/taken away?

[djui5]

Assuming he's allready got a computer that would be a decent rig......in the right hands.

[jpaudio]

Originally posted by Judge
Hey guys a mate of mine wants to set up a simple home studio to record his vocals for his own independent hip-hop projects, he can only afford 3g US max. Here's what i got any one else got suggestions

KRK V8’s $999
Shure SM7b $329
FMR RNP $450
DBX 160X compressor $200
Dbx 242 eq $200
Extreme Issolation Headphones $79
Digi Design mbox $449
Cables $120

TOTAL: $2,826

Is there something that could be bettered /added/taken away?

Aside from personal taste, which is, well, personal, the only thing i'd suggest is losing the Extreme Isolation headphones... they're such a tight seal on the ears that most vocalists have a tough time hearing their natural inner voice and this can affect pitch in a major way, plus it forces the vocalist to push harder thus blowing out their voice prematurely. I use them for everything else, but when it's time for vocals, I swap them out for open-back AKGs.

[enharmonic]

Looks like you have enough money left to possibly score a Neumann KMS-105 in place of that SM7. I would jump on that in a heartbeat personally.

[PRS1JAZZ]

Will he be using the V8's as a door stop?


Get a pair of BM6's with a used amp or even the Mackie 824's..... anything is better.

[sdelsolray]

Originally posted by Judge
Hey guys a mate of mine wants to set up a simple home studio to record his vocals for his own independent hip-hop projects, he can only afford 3g US max. Here's what i got any one else got suggestions

KRK V8’s $999
Shure SM7b $329
FMR RNP $450
DBX 160X compressor $200
Dbx 242 eq $200
Extreme Issolation Headphones $79
Digi Design mbox $449
Cables $120

TOTAL: $2,826

Is there something that could be bettered /added/taken away?

Good choices overall. I'd consider some other mics, only because I don't know if the Shure will be best for your friend's voice. Swap out the headphones for open ones. The V8's are running about $800 now, not $1,000. So it should be possible to upgrade that mic a bit, perhaps a CAD VSM1 or a Studio Projects T3 or the ADK Hamburg Edition.

[brownmouse]

Originally posted by Judge
Hey guys a mate of mine wants to set up a simple home studio to record his vocals for his own independent hip-hop projects, he can only afford 3g US max. Here's what i got any one else got suggestions

KRK V8’s $999
Shure SM7b $329
FMR RNP $450
DBX 160X compressor $200
Dbx 242 eq $200
Extreme Issolation Headphones $79
Digi Design mbox $449
Cables $120

TOTAL: $2,826

Is there something that could be bettered /added/taken away?

i think i would go with a pair of used tannoy 6.5's with a hafler power amp instead of the krk's. i'd also skip the dbx 160x in favor of an fmr rnc, and change the dbx eq to a speck asc-t eq. ymmv.
good luck,
joshua

[chessparov]

Without hearing your friends voice, the Electro-Voice EV RE20
(or PL20) would be a safer bet than the SM7 within dynamic mic choices IMHO.

There are some other interesting mic pre or channel choices like;

1) Safe Sound P1 at www.frontendaudio.com
2) The new Joe Meek units, see www.joemeek.com
3) Groove Tubes "The Brick" tube mic pre, see
www.groovetubes.com

The Safe Sound and Joe Meeks use the Burr Brown INA217
chip, which is of the "clean" variety ala Grace or Sytek.
The GT is a full voltage tube pre vs. starved plate toob.

The DBX 242 can be modded by Jim Williams at www.audioupgrades for enhanced performance.
$200 for the unit itself sounds high, got mine for about $100.

The Kurweil Rumour reverb unit seems well worth checking into also, and its A/D convertors are supposed to be good.
Is a reverb unit needed?

How much $$ is your friend planning to allocate for acoustical treatment(s) of his room? Meaning NOT packing blankets!

www.realtraps.com is an excellent place to visit for this BTW.
They have FAQ's also on their site.

Chris

[Judge]

seeing the budget was that small we didn't think he was able to squeeze in acoustical treatment so that why i went with the sm7 cos i would of thought condensors would pick up too much outside sound and room echo.

thanks for the other sugestions i'll take a look at them.

just one not on the rnc, i herd there not realk good on rap vocals and i was better looking at an old dbx unit like the 160 - is this right?.

i'll definetly be looking at changing the monitors and headphones suggestions

yeah an effects unit would be great if we can fit it in the budget or even just some nice plug ins

keep it comming guys

[Judge]

This guy doesn't really wanna buy used monitors (doesn't trust people with there speakers), would a pair of bm5's and a hafler p1500 amp be better then the krk's? what else as far as monitors go for round the 900 dollar mark

[jpaudio]

Originally posted by Judge
This guy doesn't really wanna buy used monitors (doesn't trust people with there speakers), would a pair of bm5's and a hafler p1500 amp be better then the krk's? what else as far as monitors go for round the 900 dollar mark

I'd agree with BM5's and a P1500 over the KRKs.

also, for rap/hip-hop vcoals, might wanna check out a used Yamaha SPX90.

You could be right that the 160X might fit the style better, but the RNC is a great value for the money. Matter of taste.

[chessparov]

I don't understand how a nice clean compressor like the RNC could keep a vocalist from delivering their "sound"?

Also wondering if he wouldn't be better off with a pair of V4's,
along with the KRK sub, vs. a pair of V8's anyways?
(due to the compromised room)

Feel free to enlighten accordingly.

Another compressor with character would be one of the Ashly's I suppose. Recently bought a CL52E which is reputed to be excellent on vocals FWIW. (haven't had a chance to try it yet)

Chris

[warhead]

Yeah...I sell them in the USA...call me biased but...

How about knock out a very nice mic pre and invisible compression / limiting / expanding with the Safe Sound Audio P1? It's also an awesome D.I. so very much an all in one.

www.safesoundaudio.com

I also agree with your dbx 242 eq suggestion, great eq's and can be found cheap.

My $0.02

War

[mardyk]

Originally posted by enharmonic
Looks like you have enough money left to possibly score a Neumann KMS-105 in place of that SM7. I would jump on that in a heartbeat personally.

I personally find the SM7 to be a very good mic. It's gets more and more use everyday. I often choose it over my Soundelux U99 for some singers. Great for bassdrum and electric guitars aswell.