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#1
Posted to rec.audio.pro
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Advice on buying my next piece of gear
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: 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. A Langevin DVC so I can have a good vocal pre as well as some good compressors along with it A TLM-103 or U87 if I can afford it to finally have a sure-fire vocal condenser mic. 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. I don't know, I'm sure there are endless possibilities and I'd love to hear your opinions. Thanks. |
#2
Posted to rec.audio.pro
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Advice on buying my next piece of gear
"jeffontheleft" wrote in message ups.com... 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: 1 more AKG 414 so that I can use them as a stereo pair for drum overheads or room mics I wouldn't. Even the older (and better, IMO) 414s are not necessarily the best for OH. and not have to be totally reliant on the NT5s. A Langevin DVC so I can have a good vocal pre as well as some good compressors along with it A TLM-103 or U87 if I can afford it to finally have a sure-fire vocal condenser mic. No such thing as a sure-fire vocal mic. Every vocal is different. The U87 is the best choice of the two, but I'd also look at Soundeluxe 195, and you already have the 4050. A really good tube mic would be a good option - but not a cheapie. I'd look at Lawson, Soundeluxe, maybe others. Don't succumb to the temptation to buy a cheap tube mic. Just don't. 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. I don't know, I'm sure there are endless possibilities and I'd love to hear your opinions. Thanks. Yeah, the 4050 is good, but I'm not sure I'd want two of them. You didn't say anything about monitors or room acoustics. That may be where you need to spend the money. Mikey Wozniak Nova Music Productions this sig is haiku |
#3
Posted to rec.audio.pro
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Advice on buying my next piece of gear
On Mar 22, 5:31 pm, "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: 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. A Langevin DVC so I can have a good vocal pre as well as some good compressors along with it A TLM-103 or U87 if I can afford it to finally have a sure-fire vocal condenser mic. 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. I don't know, I'm sure there are endless possibilities and I'd love to hear your opinions. Thanks. what are you monitoring with? i'd say spend that money on some good monitors and room treatments. The RNP and 414 you have will get you a long way. Nate |
#4
Posted to rec.audio.pro
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Advice on buying my next piece of gear
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. |
#5
Posted to rec.audio.pro
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Advice on buying my next piece of gear
I forgot to mention that I have a 421, so I'm not lacking a good
dynamic but I have been curious to try an SM7 on my vocals. As for monitoring I'm kind of stuck with my room which is roughly 15'x25' with arched ceilings that are maybe 15' at peak. The floors and ceilings are carpeted, the walls are standard sheetrock. Without any treatment the room produces a pretty awful flutter so I've added a ton of Auralex panels in a random configuration. Also, above my 20/20's I've hung more Auralex and 10' directly behind my desk I've put up two homemade bass traps. I'm glad to hear that the 4050 is held in such high esteem, still I feel like its a little dull and I want something fuller, more complete sounding. Thanks for the input so far. |
#6
Posted to rec.audio.pro
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Advice on buying my next piece of gear
"jeffontheleft" wrote in message
ups.com... 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: 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. A Langevin DVC so I can have a good vocal pre as well as some good compressors along with it A TLM-103 or U87 if I can afford it to finally have a sure-fire vocal condenser mic. None of those are bad ideas. You might check out a couple of other mics as alternatives to the TLM103 or U 87, including the Neumann TLM 49 and the Microtech Gefell M930. Also, a good high-end dynamic like a Sennheiser MD441 or an E-V RE20 will find lots of uses. 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. I don't know, I'm sure there are endless possibilities and I'd love to hear your opinions. Thanks. As you say, endless possibilities. I'd avoid the Chinese ribbons; if you want a ribbon with possibilities save up for a Beyer, Royer or an AEA, but make sure you have a really quiet preamp first. Also, some room treatment will almost always reward you. Peace, Paul |
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