Purchase advice

Dragonfly · 21st April 2005

I'm looking for some gear advice on what would be the most important thing I should upgrade at the time right now. I have about $3k to spend and it would be on one of three things:

1) New G5 when they're released
2) Dual or Quad mic pre, focusrite Red1 or something similar
3) Vocal mic, high end, many options

I currently am working on a 1ghz G4 Powerbook. It is getting a bit sluggish trying to handle the larger sessions now.
My pres right now are just a Presonus Digimax and stock 002 focusrites.
My vocal mics are a Dragonfl and a KMS105.

Which would you guys suggest make the biggest impact on the sound and productivity of my sessions?

chuckj · 21st April 2005

Since you stated that your current computer is becoming sluggish, then I would opt for the computer upgrade. A great mic or mic pre is not very beneficial when your system shuts down or is sputtering helplessly. If you find yourself doing an increasing number of large sessions, I would think the upgrade would be imperative. Just my .02.

Ethan Winer · 21st April 2005

Dragon,

> Which would you guys suggest make the biggest impact on the sound and productivity of my sessions? <

If not a new computer, maybe acoustic treatment to help you get more accurate mixes.

--Ethan

21st April 2005

I will second that!

The acoustic work I did, did wonders! Thank Ethan!

PLayer and room make more impact then any piece of gear.

D

joeq · 21st April 2005

You don't specify what is making your sessions "larger". Are you taking 2 close mics, a room mic and a direct feed for every guitar track and keep them all on separate channels? Are you triple tracking the Backing Vocals? Are you putting a ton of plug-ins on everything? Consider some bouncing/premixing to save tracks. Consider some Audiosuite instead of realtime plug-ins.

Maybe you can figure some ways of keeping your track/plug-in counts under control without sacrificing your musical options. That would enable you to hang on for a while longer with your existing computer- always a good idea because the longer you wait to upgrade your computer the cheaper and more powerful the new computers will be.

I bet when you bought your G4 it was the hot new machine, right? How long ago was that? Now its 'sluggish'! How long before this new G5 is superseded? How long before the G5 is obsolete? Computers are a necessary evil, not an investment. Sooner or later you will of course need a new one, but why not make it later if at all possible?

A new computer will let you have _more_ tracks.

A good mic/pre/compressor will hold its value indefinitely and will also have a real impact on your sonic bottom line. The acoustical treatment suggestion is another wise idea. You may even find yourself using fewer plug-ins because you are happier with the way things sound.

chetatkinsdiet · 21st April 2005

What do you mean on the computer issues? Is it getting sluggish on tracking or mixing? You really have to pile the RAM on those things to get PT to run properly on a Powerbook. So, more details would be nice there to help with the decision process.

But, as for the other, you have a decent vocal mic with the BLUE. As usual, I'm going to say get an API lunchbox and a couple of OSA pres. That'll set you back around $1500. Heck, after that, you can get a new pre for $500-600 any time you run across some extra cash. You don't mention how you record, or what you normally do in your recordings. Is it a single instrument at a time? MIDI based with some vox and guitar overdubs? What? Is this the only two mics you have? What about compressors? Monitor system? If you track others, what about the cue system?

later,
m

Dragonfly · 25th April 2005

The computer I bought about a year and a half ago, it was a couple months before they upgraded the Powerbooks to accomidate more Ram and I am stuck with a 1 gig cieling. What reallt bogs me down is in mixing when I start tacking eq's and reverbs on there. I'm using the Waves Diamond bundle and Altiverb and some other miscellaneous things and they do tax the cpu.

I'm always reluctant to bounce or sum tracks, I always like to leave my options open for when I want a little more kick or if I want to blend the guitar mics differently. I have considered acoustical treatment, perhaps that is something I should heavily look into for September. As far as monitors go, I'm working on Adam S!A's at home and genelec 1031's, ns10's, auratones, and some tannoy mains (dont know the model).

At this point, I think I am going to go with the computer for now. The new G5's are rumored to be introduced tomorrow, or at least it will be very soon. The session I'm working on now makes my computer cry, so I feel just for productivity I should go with a faster more powerful machine so I don't get bogged down with cpu rendering and dae errors. Thanks guys

Dante

21st April 2005	#1
Dragonfly Gear maniac Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 189 Thread Starter	Purchase advice I'm looking for some gear advice on what would be the most important thing I should upgrade at the time right now. I have about $3k to spend and it would be on one of three things: 1) New G5 when they're released 2) Dual or Quad mic pre, focusrite Red1 or something similar 3) Vocal mic, high end, many options I currently am working on a 1ghz G4 Powerbook. It is getting a bit sluggish trying to handle the larger sessions now. My pres right now are just a Presonus Digimax and stock 002 focusrites. My vocal mics are a Dragonfl and a KMS105. Which would you guys suggest make the biggest impact on the sound and productivity of my sessions?

21st April 2005	#3
Ethan Winer Gear Guru Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: New Milford, CT, USA Posts: 12,050	Dragon, > Which would you guys suggest make the biggest impact on the sound and productivity of my sessions? < If not a new computer, maybe acoustic treatment to help you get more accurate mixes. --Ethan __________________ Ethan's audio book is coming!

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Advice on a purchase Please...(channel strip)	Barznbeats1	Rap + Hip Hop engineering & production	15	21st April 2006 07:56 PM
Mixer purchase advice, please	stones@rocheste	Music computers	0	27th February 2006 11:06 AM
next purchase....any advice???	DrewEpton	Low End Theory	6	4th June 2005 05:58 AM
Advice on Purchase please	DonnyVito	High end	1	4th April 2005 06:12 PM
online purchase	tuna	So much gear, so little time!	5	30th April 2004 04:21 PM

21st April 2005	#2
chuckj Gear nut Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 132	Since you stated that your current computer is becoming sluggish, then I would opt for the computer upgrade. A great mic or mic pre is not very beneficial when your system shuts down or is sputtering helplessly. If you find yourself doing an increasing number of large sessions, I would think the upgrade would be imperative. Just my .02.

21st April 2005	#4
Guest Guest Posts: n/a	I will second that! The acoustic work I did, did wonders! Thank Ethan! PLayer and room make more impact then any piece of gear. D

21st April 2005	#5
joeq Lives for gear Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: New York Posts: 9,251	You don't specify what is making your sessions "larger". Are you taking 2 close mics, a room mic and a direct feed for every guitar track and keep them all on separate channels? Are you triple tracking the Backing Vocals? Are you putting a ton of plug-ins on everything? Consider some bouncing/premixing to save tracks. Consider some Audiosuite instead of realtime plug-ins. Maybe you can figure some ways of keeping your track/plug-in counts under control without sacrificing your musical options. That would enable you to hang on for a while longer with your existing computer- always a good idea because the longer you wait to upgrade your computer the cheaper and more powerful the new computers will be. I bet when you bought your G4 it was the hot new machine, right? How long ago was that? Now its 'sluggish'! How long before this new G5 is superseded? How long before the G5 is obsolete? Computers are a necessary evil, not an investment. Sooner or later you will of course need a new one, but why not make it later if at all possible? A new computer will let you have _more_ tracks. A good mic/pre/compressor will hold its value indefinitely and will also have a real impact on your sonic bottom line. The acoustical treatment suggestion is another wise idea. You may even find yourself using fewer plug-ins because you are happier with the way things sound.

21st April 2005	#6
chetatkinsdiet Lives for gear Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,493	What do you mean on the computer issues? Is it getting sluggish on tracking or mixing? You really have to pile the RAM on those things to get PT to run properly on a Powerbook. So, more details would be nice there to help with the decision process. But, as for the other, you have a decent vocal mic with the BLUE. As usual, I'm going to say get an API lunchbox and a couple of OSA pres. That'll set you back around $1500. Heck, after that, you can get a new pre for $500-600 any time you run across some extra cash. You don't mention how you record, or what you normally do in your recordings. Is it a single instrument at a time? MIDI based with some vox and guitar overdubs? What? Is this the only two mics you have? What about compressors? Monitor system? If you track others, what about the cue system? later, m

25th April 2005	#7
Dragonfly Gear maniac Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 189 Thread Starter	The computer I bought about a year and a half ago, it was a couple months before they upgraded the Powerbooks to accomidate more Ram and I am stuck with a 1 gig cieling. What reallt bogs me down is in mixing when I start tacking eq's and reverbs on there. I'm using the Waves Diamond bundle and Altiverb and some other miscellaneous things and they do tax the cpu. I'm always reluctant to bounce or sum tracks, I always like to leave my options open for when I want a little more kick or if I want to blend the guitar mics differently. I have considered acoustical treatment, perhaps that is something I should heavily look into for September. As far as monitors go, I'm working on Adam S!A's at home and genelec 1031's, ns10's, auratones, and some tannoy mains (dont know the model). At this point, I think I am going to go with the computer for now. The new G5's are rumored to be introduced tomorrow, or at least it will be very soon. The session I'm working on now makes my computer cry, so I feel just for productivity I should go with a faster more powerful machine so I don't get bogged down with cpu rendering and dae errors. Thanks guys Dante