Trying to move forward......what now??

[JMURRAY16]

Hi guys,
I am trying to move into the next level of recording. To do that now I feel I need to expand my gear to allow me to continue to grow and learn and produce better music.

Right now I have the follwing:
-Powermac
-Cubase SX
-Firepod
-Grace 101
-RNC Compressor
-AT 4033
-3 SM57's
-Audix i5
-Dynaudio BM5a
-M-Audio Oxygen

A basic beginners setup essentially.
I have about $2500 to invest right now and could have another $2500 in a couple months.
So where should I go from here? I play guitar, acoustic and electric, and sing. Right now I am mainly recording myself and friends. Trying to make my first EP. The music we play is indie rock, prog rock, blues, and classic rock.

So some things I was thinking about:
Software - Reason, DFH Custom/Vintage, Plugins (maybe Waves Gold collection)

Mic Pres - Great River, Chandler Germanium, Groove Tubes Supre

Mics - Peluso small consensors, AKG 451, Soundelux U195, AT 4060, Royer R121/122, AEA R92, Beyer M160, Peluso LC

Control Surface - Tascam - FW - 1082, Tascam US-2400

Outboard - Compressor or EQ

Guys any advice on what would be the next best purchase for me or otherwise would be greatly appreciated. I just keep going over it in my head and cannot decide what the next best step is.

Thank you so much for reading and all advice you can give.

[TER]

One really good but not too expensive mic (I'd go for the Rode K2, personally --I have tons of mics and that one is a real standout at its price) and for one really good color preamp (GT Brick). Then I'd look at a pair of small condensers, GT44, AT4051, AKG451, whatever floats your boat, and then another Brick.

If you want to jump right over the middle ground I think that an API 3124 would eat your $2500 right up and you'd never need a "better" preamp.

Good analog hardware holds its value. Digital stuff and plugs are, well, let's just say they won't be worth what you paid for them by the time you get them home.

-tom

[Kiwiburger]

edited

[Curlymon]

IT's not about gear dude, it's about skill. Listen to your monitors, and keep working!

[Jazzpunk]

Originally Posted by Curlymon

IT's not about gear dude, it's about skill.

Am I on the right site?!

[Jazzpunk]

Originally Posted by JMURRAY16

Hi guys,
I am trying to move into the next level of recording. To do that now I feel I need to expand my gear to allow me to continue to grow and learn and produce better music.

Right now I have the follwing:
-Powermac
-Cubase SX
-Firepod
-Grace 101
-RNC Compressor
-AT 4033
-3 SM57's
-Audix i5
-Dynaudio BM5a
-M-Audio Oxygen

A basic beginners setup essentially.
I have about $2500 to invest right now and could have another $2500 in a couple months.
So where should I go from here? I play guitar, acoustic and electric, and sing. Right now I am mainly recording myself and friends. Trying to make my first EP. The music we play is indie rock, prog rock, blues, and classic rock.

So some things I was thinking about:
Software - Reason, DFH Custom/Vintage, Plugins (maybe Waves Gold collection)

Mic Pres - Great River, Chandler Germanium, Groove Tubes Supre

Mics - Peluso small consensors, AKG 451, Soundelux U195, AT 4060, Royer R121/122, AEA R92, Beyer M160, Peluso LC

Control Surface - Tascam - FW - 1082, Tascam US-2400

Outboard - Compressor or EQ

Guys any advice on what would be the next best purchase for me or otherwise would be greatly appreciated. I just keep going over it in my head and cannot decide what the next best step is.

Thank you so much for reading and all advice you can give.

As you are mainly looking to record your own music right now, I would look at it as what you think will immediately inspire your recording/mixing process. I think upgrading your A/D and D/A conversion would be a step in the right direction

[Kiwiburger]

I started to say something similar and then changed my mind. But it's true.

If you have to ask random people on a forum what to buy next, you don't really know your existing gear very well.

If you use your exisiting gear, and reach a brick wall, you will know exactly what you need to buy next.

What brick wall have you reached?

(If you don't know, then perhaps investment in a high quality DAC, and headphones and monitors will allow you to hear what you can't already hear).

[TonyBelmont]

For $2500... I would probably recommend an API A2D (which will give you 2 channels of top notch preamp and A/D), and a good LDC... You could grab a Peluso 22 251 and the API A2d for a little bit more $, and that would be a giant leap forward!....

[JMURRAY16]

Originally Posted by Kiwiburger

I started to say something similar and then changed my mind. But it's true.

If you have to ask random people on a forum what to buy next, you don't really know your existing gear very well.

If you use your exisiting gear, and reach a brick wall, you will know exactly what you need to buy next.

What brick wall have you reached?

(If you don't know, then perhaps investment in a high quality DAC, and headphones and monitors will allow you to hear what you can't already hear).

I kind of always believed that this is what these forums are for. For people who are new to something to learn from the more experienced.
I feel like I have hit a wall with all my gear, thus the question. I wanted advice from people who have done this longer than myself as to what would give me the greatest jump in performance for the money I have to invest. I am truly not attempting to be rude at all, answers like this just always seem to be saying "you don't know....well then don't ask" - makes no sense to me.

To those that did give advice thank you for your time. I appreciate it. I will look into AD/DA converters a bit now too......
Any other advice would be appreciated.