Were should I upgrade ???

[loke]

Hi there.

I am geting over som cash in a week or two and can spend it all on gear :-D

So I am starting to think were i should start doing some upgrades in my small recording studio.

for a list of what i use go here ->

http://www.roos-laub.com/d/equipment_d.html

so please help me out here.

I have around 2000$ to spend and I was thinking of geting 2 x AT 4050´s but i don´t know (and that would not cost me 2000$)

OK, thanks

[loke]

???

[Rab]

No insult intended, but your front end looks firmly set at "prosumer" level. In your position, I'd probably start looking at developing at least one good input channel... maybe start with a decent mic pre and convertor. There are a whole bunch of threads floating around at the moment regarding mic pre's. Maybe look at an Apogee MiniMe as a decent stereo convertor (the pre's in this aren't bad either). Improving these stages would elevate the whole sound of your recordings.

[entropy]

I'm with Rab..... a f**k off pre or channel strip and you'll make a large step forward.....












......and you're a bit light in the Apple Mac department, maybe a couple more and you'll be there (jus' kidding)

[RyanR]

Your only synth is a JV 1010 - Since I'm a synth guy, I have to suggest a much, much better synth based on principal alone. Take all $2000 and get a used Moog Voyager, or an Andromeda A6, or Studio Electronics SE-1X.

Alright, so you might not want a synth. In that case, I agree with the front end idea as well. Sell off some of your front end, add it to your $2000, and get a very nice front end chain for whatever is most important to you.

[Bobalou]

two digi 002r's?..

..between the 8 pre's total (from two 002's) the 8 pre's off the octopre, the single pre off the voicemaster, and not too mention the Mackie board pre's, thats a boat load of focusrite mic pre's.

Maybe look into a real quality 2 channel pre like the Great River MP-2NV, which is considerd a Nevesque style pre with lots of color. $2100.00...a real departure in the right direction from all those neutural sounding pre's you own...I think the 002 converters will be fine for now as you begin to improve on your mic pre flavors.

[loke]

hi thanks for the response

Sorry that is an error I "only" have one Digi 002r :-D

Keep it coming guys, any more Pre´s that woudl be good for me...

On what should I use a Good Pre when I do a recording??

When i do drums then i use it for OH ??
And on everything else I always use it??? like 2 is enoughe for all other instrument (i think)

Thanks

[DeadPoet]

Unless I'm overlooking something I see little or no small diaphragm condensors ???

Something in the line of C451's, KM184's, Earthworks,... ???

Also as said above: the Mackie would seem to me a weak link, but two brand isn't gonna get you far in that department either.

My 2 €-cents,
Herwig

[loke]

The AT 4041 are two SD microphones. The ywork very well even if I want to get a pair of KM 184 some day :-D

[Paul Turpin]

On what should I use a Good Pre when I do a recording??

It depends a lot of course.
When on drums - you might start with Snare and Kick. It depends on your mic's whether the pre would make a difference. Its important to note - that its not just the right mic for an application or the right pre - but rather the right combination of the two. Matching the right mic to the right pre in front of the right source is one of the key skills in this trade.

I second the vote on KM184's.
AND I second the vote on a good input channel.
When I was in your shoes I bought a pair of KM184's - not long after that I bought an Avalon VT-737.
It seems like KM-184's were cheaper back then though (something about international trade - strong american dollar vs the mark etc etc).

However one of my best additions was a used stereo Millinea Media HV3 mic pre for $900. It had something wrong with it - I sent it to Millenea - and it came back as the best mic pre I own!

on the website - I think you should list keyboards and midi gear in their own section.

[Paul Turpin]

On what should I use a Good Pre when I do a recording??

It depends a lot of course.
When on drums - you might start with Snare and Kick. It depends on your mic's whether the pre would make a difference. Its important to note - that its not just the right mic for an application or the right pre - but rather the right combination of the two. Matching the right mic to the right pre in front of the right source is one of the key skills in this trade.

I second the vote on KM184's.
AND I second the vote on a good input channel.
When I was in your shoes I bought a pair of KM184's - not long after that I bought an Avalon VT-737.
It seems like KM-184's were cheaper back then though (something about international trade - strong american dollar vs the mark etc etc).

However one of my best additions was a used stereo Millinea Media HV3 mic pre for $900. It had something wrong with it - I sent it to Millenea - and it came back as the best mic pre I own!

on the website - I think you should list keyboards and midi gear in their own section.

[loke]

ok, but then we are on square one again, cuz what do I get first. Microphones or Pre amps?

I can´t get both at the same time due to lack of money right now :-(

As for now, would it make more sense to start with the Pre´s then with the Mics or the other way around?

Thanks

[Jason Poulin]

get a pre

API 3124 is a good starter.

Jason

[De chromium cob]

Originally posted by Jason Poulin
get a pre

API 3124 is a good starter.

Jason

I agree...Good pres will make decent mics sound better then good mics through crappy pres. The API is a great bargain at about $500 per channel. The pres in the 002R are 'for me to poop on'! (I dont know if you get Triumph the insult comedian dog reference over there) Those lower end focusrite pres are also 'for me to poop on'. When it comes to focusrite you have to go for the blue range like the ISA110, 115, 215.....

You should really have a SM7 for vocals. Normally I'd put 'IMHO' but thats just a fact that cannot be argued.
The 4041s will sound much better through something like the API, and aren't better or worse then 184s, just different....certainly very usable.

Lose the multigate and get a Drawmer DS201 for a gate you can actually use.

I personally hate the Event monitors- and good monitors are VERY important.

[jobi7]

Originally posted by loke
ok, but then we are on square one again, cuz what do I get first. Microphones or Pre amps?

I can´t get both at the same time due to lack of money right now :-(

As for now, would it make more sense to start with the Pre´s then with the Mics or the other way around?

Thanks

You can get both if you're willing to do a single channel. The Great River ME1NV single channel mic pre with a Soundelux U195 is just a bit more than $2000. They will give you some great sounds and lots of flexibility on many sources.

im waiting for the benchmark adc to come out and will most likely start with that. then 2 ch d/a(lucid or benchmark). next come better mics, then monitors/room treatment of some sort.

thats just how i plan to go about it.

[bdunard]

Pres are a good choice.

I would get anything you can get a deal on:

Right now there is a Phoenix Audio DRS1 on ebay.

Also there is a Great River ME1NV.

Both of those pres are great and are in the same family somewhat. I personally AB'd them side by side with a bass guitar and found them to be close. Althought I think the Great River is a bit more flexible. By changing the loading of the pre I was able to get a very upfront agressive sound vs. a less aggressive transparent sound, this would come in handy in the situation of lead vox vs. back up vox...solo horn vs. background horn section. If you can afford two channels it's great for keyboard line outputs as well. I can't think of a better piece for you right now the more I talk about it. You might be able to get one for a little more than $2000 for 2 channels new. My 2 cents.

[DeadPoet]

FWIW I just got a matched pair of KM184's for almost the price of one (€995/pair, that's including 21% VAT)..seems to be an offer from Neumann these days - Will be adding a nica 2ch pre one of these months as well ( step up from Soundcraft Ghost pre's + mobile 2track)


Herwig