6th October 2009
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#1 | | Gear interested
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1
Thread Starter | I need some advice on using studio equipment.
Hello,
I'm new hear and new to recording but have a few questions I need answered about interfaces and connecting gear to it.
So I can be taken seriously I would like to give you the back story on the gear I have instead of getting called out for having professional equipment and not knowning how to use it.
My grandfather left me all of instruments and studio gear in his will as I was the only one that use to sit around with him when he recorded. He hadn't used it in years, but I always remembered when I went to visit that he had everything set up just like I remembered, only there was a tarp over some things so they wouldn't get dusty. I was very close to him, he bought me my first drum set, and I feel like I owe it to him to learn. He left me mics, eqs, comp, limiting amplifiers, however I have no idea how to use some of the things like tape machines and a small recording console. I think one of the reasons he left me everything was because I'm pretty much the only one that wouldn't turn around and sell it and blow it on drinking and partying and I was the only one to go and graduate from college. I want to learn or atleast learn enough to start using it until I find someone else in my family that might be able use it.
First off, he was old school and he never used a computer, I'm more familiar with computers and want to use a DAW. Cubase looks very easy to learn and I've dabbled in the LE version. So I think I'm going to go with Cubase 5.
I have some questions and was hoping I can get some help with setting up a studio as I can't get my head around a few things.
The first thing is, interface. I have a pc and a pci and pcie slots available. On an xp machine. I was reading about adats and wanted to see if I can get 8 or 16 ins with an adat card(lynx adat maybe?) and a middle of the line converter. I searched threads and saw that the Behringer Ada8000 is a sleeper converter, so I was thinking of using that. What that be a good set up that will let me have 8 ins for now?
Also, if I'm reading correctly, perhaps I can use the DA part of the behringer to route audio into compressors/eq and then back into the AD.
Now my question is, what do I need to be able to route signals in and out of the computer. Just the Behringer ADA8000?
I realise if I like recording enough I can upgrade later. $200 isn't much to spend to learn something, and spending $2000 on a grade a converter might not be in my best interest yet.
And some others questions:
What kind of signal comes out of the DA? Line or speaker?
Can I run the audio from a DA to a preamp to see what the results might be, or do I need something in the middle to attenuate the signal?
I have also have a couple of universal audio limiting amplifiers, and a couple cbs labs audimax which I would like to try to use. However there are no normal looking connection in the back for microphones, how would I go about setting those up? Is there a cable I can buy for those? I went to guitar center and they had never seen something like that. It's a bunch of screws in one line.
If you guys can help I would be very grateful for your time. Please be advised I will probably have follow up questions.
Feel free to email me at deankellyst AT gmail.com also though I will check this thread periodically.
-Dean Kelly
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6th October 2009
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#2 | | Gear nut
Joined: Nov 2008 Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 129
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You need to wire the terminals in the back to xlr or actually any connection you need but probably xlr but you'll need to plug your mics into a mic pre first then into the compressors.
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6th October 2009
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#3 | | Gear Head
Joined: Jan 2009 Location: London
Posts: 60
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Hey Dean
Im sorry to hear about your Grandfather Passing away and the will he left is very generous of him!
Its good to here your eager to learn about recording and to use the gear your Grandfather left you, i would like to help you!
If you could throw a list together of the gear that has been left to you, this would help me start you in a good direction.
In the meantime check out the resources available for you to learn, check out books, wikipedia, youtube etc
Good book to check out at this stage is "Modern Recording Techniques" by David Huber, a good break down about all the parameters and history in recording studios  | |
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6th October 2009
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#4 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,354
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Dean, maybe you can find a friend or someone close that records, and see if they are willing to help you. You might be in a good position if you let them use a couple pieces of gear in your studio.
I'm sure you're making your grandfather very proud of you for not thinking about selling the gear.
The back of the cbs and universal audio gear, they are called 'terminal strips'. You should have a 'hot' 'cold' and 'ground' connections, and you can easy rig that up by cutting a normal mic cable. Also, vintageking.com sells pre-cut ones and they are called 'pigtails'. Here are female and male versions of it here: Pigtails Mogami 1' XLR-M/spade pigtail | VintageKing.com | |
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6th October 2009
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#5 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Feb 2008 Location: Ypsilanti, Michigan
Posts: 1,521
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6th October 2009
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#6 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Apr 2006 Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 2,847
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Hey Dean, that is awesome that you have some stuff to rememebr him by. Why don't you post your location. I'm sure any gearslut worth their salt would be happy to come over and spend some time helping you out while getting to check out some of your grandfather's gear. Things like the cables you can buy but they cost around 70 bucks a pair and someone with half a clue could knock them up for you a lot cheaper. Good luck with it all, I put my money on you getting totally hooked and becoming a regular here.
Cheers
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6th October 2009
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#7 | | Gear Head
Joined: Mar 2009 Location: Minneapolis
Posts: 60
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Dean-
You are a fortunate man indeed! I commend you for realizing the value of your inheritance, and the foresight to put it to its intended use.
go to Tweakheadz.com. There is a wealth of information there for anyone starting out with the notion to record. After spending some time there you can make the decision as to what sort of studio you would like to build. What sort of music will you be recording, mixer-based, mixerless, ITB, etc. These choices will dictate the direction of your purchases.
Please don't buy any gear regarding your interface decision until you are well informed on the subject! Make sure your computer is powerful enough to handle any upgrades and your DAW. XP is a "safe" platform on which to build- not too many issues these days with software, compared with 5-6 years ago. So stick with it while you're learning.
I would suggest one piece of gear right off the bat: a patchbay. They're not too expensive, and once you wire up all your gear to the patchbay you'll find it much easier to use. You won't regret the purchase, and if you decide to stick with this endeavor you can always upgrade the quality of both the patchbay(s) and the cabling.
Be careful swinging the Behringer word around here! You'll find quite a lot of hatred for their pieces on GS. But consider this: while their build quality may be haphazard, if you don't have a ton of cash to throw at this hobby, it is fine to learn on. Later on you can always upgrade, but realize that you won't recoup your costs when you try to sell.
Good luck, sir! Keep us posted!
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6th October 2009
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#8 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Jan 2005 Location: Alaska
Posts: 1,404
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What an honor for your grandfather to have his off-spring enjoy something that was very near and dear to his heart. Sounds like you might be sitting on some nice equipment. Please be mindful that you should not allow yourself to be vulnerable as audio equipment can attract burglary or rip off artists. I am not saying that you should be paranoid-- just be cautious.
Putting a studio together can be like assembling a puzzle where the parts can fit together in a number of different ways. This forum could give you more concrete suggestions if you posted a list of the items that you have. What kind of mixing board do you have? Pictures might be helpful if you aren't sure what you have.
I agree that you should weigh your interface options before making the plunge. A person can paint himself into a corner.
__________________
Jon
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