[Agent 86]

On Thu, 22 Mar 2007 14:31:22 -0700, jeffontheleft wrote:

So here's the deal. Over the past two years I've been collecting gear on
a very tight budget so I have mostly low-end stuff. I'm very eager to get
serious with my ambitions of running my own studio and start buying
professional-grade gear. Unfortunately, my budget hasn't changed much, so
I have to choose everything very wisely and not over- spend or buy things
that aren't adding much range to my setup. Here's my short gear list (I'm
poor, don't laugh!):

-Cubase SX 3.0
-Mix Wizard 16:2
-MOTU 896HD
-Hamptone HJFP2, RNP
-RNC, RNLA, Valley People Dynamite
-AKG 414 XLS-II, (2) Rode NT5s, AT 4050, Neumann BCM 104 --(I want to
sell this, if anyone's interested email me), Modded Oktava 219, 57's, 58's
and SM52

(then some instruments and a few cheap FX pieces not worth mentioning)

Right now I'm just recording a handful of rock bands but I'd like to have
the flexibility to do other genres and one day mastering. So I have about
$3000 to spend, here's what I'm thinking I should buy, tell me what you
think:

Before we get into that, what is your room like? You've got some decent
gear already, and if your room acoustics aren't up to snuff, you'll get
way more bang for the buck by taking care of that first - ESPECIALLY if
you're recording drums. And since you mentioned mastering, that's a
scenario where room acoustics are of the utmost importance. And room
acoustics and monitoring is about the only point of crossover (as far as
things you can purchase) between where you are now and a real mastering
studio. You didn't mention your current monitoring setup, BTW.


1 more AKG 414 so that I can use them as a stereo pair for drum overheads
or room mics and not have to be totally reliant on the NT5s.

Maybe, but the NT5s are just fine for OH, Of all the RodeNT mics I've
used, they are about my favorites. And there's no rule against mono
overheads, or using a 4050 in that role. Heck, if you're into the 3-mic
drum thing, it's just fine to use different mics for the snare side and
floor tom side. So in reality, you've got a reasonably versatile OH
capability already.

A Langevin
DVC so I can have a good vocal pre as well as some good compressors along
with it

Well, the RNP IS a good vocal pre, VERY good, actually. Likewise, the RNC
is a VERY good compressor. The DVC, is certainly excellent. So is a Great
River, Hardy, or GML into a Distressor or Trakker, and either of thone
combos would be way more versatile.

A TLM-103 or U87 if I can afford it to finally have a sure-fire vocal
condenser mic.

Around here, the 4050 works pretty damn well on an whole bunch of
different voices, but so does the U87. Like Mikey said, there's no such
thing as a sure thing vocal mic. I'll go one step further and tell you
that even if there was, it wouldn't be a condenser. You're pretty well
covered here because the 414 and the 4050 are about as night and day
different as two vocal condenser mics can be. But the most significant
thing I see missing from your mic collection is a REALLY GOOD dynamic.
Check out an RE20, SM7. If either of them ever suck on a vocal, it's
because the singer sucks. (not necessarily a bad thing if it's a really
cute girl singer). Plus you get an extra Kick drum mic for those times
your 52 just ain't cuttin' the mustard.


I'm thinking maybe just get another 4050 and use those as overheads/
field mics, keep the AKG 414 for vocals and save some dough for a nice
intro ribbon mic or something.

See my rant about overheads above. I love my 4050, but I wouldn't spend
money on another one, not even if I could find another B-Stock unit for
$400. I use it on almost every project, but I've never been on a session
where I thought I needed another one. That's really the key.

And FWIW, if you've got $3000 burning a hole in your pocket, you don't
need no stinking intro ribbon. Get yourself an M160 or a Royer.


I don't know, I'm sure there are endless
possibilities and I'd love to hear your opinions. Thanks.

The possibilities ARE endless, but my opinion doesn't buy you much. I
could tell you that if I had your gear list, $3000, and a good sounding
room, I'd get two channels of John Hardy, an RE20, an M160, and either a
Distressor or two (not necessarily matched) KM184s (am I over the budget
yet?). I could record rock bands and several other genres with that. But
it really comes down to when was the last time you had to use a less than
adequate signal chain on a session, and what would have been a more
adequate and/or optimal chain? If you can't answer that, go open yourself
a money market account. By the time it comes up again, you just might have
$3500 to spend.