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-- It's becomming very clear...

It's becomming very clear...

That I need a DI box for tracking vocals in addition to a proper sound-card.

I'm going for the E-Mu 1616M for a sound-card.

Now, I'd like to know what I should be looking for as a good, versatile, and reliable first microphone (male, female, instruments) and a front end (compressor/de-esser/EQ/whatever else you think I should look for).

Please feel free to recommend the more esoteric bits of kit that are a bit more expensive than what's really called for but I'd also really appreciate some suggestions that are both budget and value minded.

I really like my JoeMeek OneQ - it's very versatile (EQ, opto-compressor, de-esser, enhancer, etc.), has digital and analog outputs, etc. It's priced well below boutique preamps - I got mine for $500, but the street price for new ones nowadays are usually around $700. I see them on eBay stores brand new for under $600 on occasion.

In the same price range, the new Drawmer MX60 Front End One ($625) looks like a real winner. SOS gave it very good reviews. The only major drawback I can see is that it doesn't have a digital output, if that's a concern for you. It's got a ton of features on that 1U box, and it's a Drawmer, which speaks for itself. BTW, I haven't used it, so I can't vouch for it beyond specs/word-of-mouth.

http://www.drawmer.com/products/mx-...ont-end-one.php

A good reliable all-around mic is the Rode NT-1A, or better yet the NTK for a tube mic. If you've got a bit more budget, the AKG C414 is a great all-around mic.

Shure Sm57 everytime, apart from the fact Its legendary for vocals its also affordable, durable, and sounds great for loads of applications. Especially good for female vocals.

That is if you want a dynamic mic, if you want a condenser mic which are even better for vocals/overheads/room micing etc then try a AKG Perception 120 but you will need to phantom power it from a desk of your interface.

Think about getting or making? a vocal booth we just use wooden frames with material and foam between on hinges so we can put them away. It keeps the room noise to a min, especially when working with more sensitive condenser mics.

Oh and definately beyond a shadow of a doubt get a pop shield to go in front of the mic.

Edit: if your going to record insruments as well dont bother with the AKG go for the shure sm57. Sounds great in front of guitar amps, bass amps, on top of a snare drum, or as I say for vocals.


Also cryo's suggestion of the c414 is a great one too.

Rode NT-1A is a very good option. I've used this in the studio a lot and always got nice results. The sm57 is an instrument microphone and doesn't sound very nice with vocals. Unless you mean the sm58.

quote:

Originally posted by Simon_N Rode NT-1A is a very good option. I've used this in the studio a lot and always got nice results. The sm57 is an instrument microphone and doesn't sound very nice with vocals. Unless you mean the sm58.

yeah I did sm58, it was probably clear from my explanation.

Edit: I actually did mean the sm57. However I got my wires crossed on the vocal bit for vocals its the sm58 which is especially well suited to female vocals.

These are excellent, you guys. Awesome.

Thanks for giving my research a leg up. Looking through the Sweetwater catalog is fun for developing gear lust but short on information of a practical regard. I really appreciate this.

Bad choice of interface.

Get a decent interface, skip the preamp, get an Audio technica 4050/4040. Or the Rhodes are apparently quite good on a budget...

quote:

Originally posted by kitphillips Bad choice of interface. Get a decent interface, skip the preamp, get an Audio technica 4050/4040. Or the Rhodes are apparently quite good on a budget...

Are you saying the 1616M is a bad choice? I've read some disgruntled murmurs but I like the specs E-Mu's touting for them.

It's not the best bang for your buck these days. It's a rather dated interface and it's drivers haven't always been the most stable. quality wise it has a good reputation though.

How about the M-Audio - Audiophile 192?

Dated as well, good quality too but a bit less than the e-mu, I've had the 2496 myself and never had a problem with it unlike my friend who had the e-mu.

The least you should be looking at is a motu or an echo, I'd recommend an RME if you can stretch it. M audio and E-mu are definate no gos. If you save $700 on a preamp, then you can put that back into getting a decent quality interface. You should really be looking to spend well over $500 to get anything worthwhile out of an interface.

Remember, if you actually want to record, this is your/your vocalist's performance that your capturing, you want it to be brilliant, it'll only happen once.

I second that. I'm a very happy Echo user myself. Haven't ran into problems with my echo audiofire12 which I have about 18 months or so now.

Alright - will definitely look into those - I've been toying around with the notion of going top-shelf and splurging on the MOTU HD192, anyway, just because I can expand on that. That's probably overkill but I'll be looking into the other options of that brand, along with the echo.

Thanks.

quote:

Originally posted by EddieZilker How about the M-Audio - Audiophile 192?

Jesus Eddie, are you reading early 2005 issues of SOS or something to make your interface choice?

Get an RME, Lavry, Mytek or Lynx if your loaded, a Motu if you're a bit less loaded and need a ton of different connectivity or get a Echo Audiofire if you want the best cost effective interfaces.


Forget M audio and Emu.

quote:

Originally posted by DJ RANN Jesus Eddie, are you reading early 2005 issues of SOS or something to make your interface choice? Get an RME, Lavry, Mytek or Lynx if your loaded, a Motu if you're a bit less loaded and need a ton of different connectivity or get a Echo Audiofire if you want the best cost effective interfaces. Forget M audio and Emu.

It was either that or a Fostex four track recorder








Actually, I had just jumped onto the Sweetwater website and browsed through some of the first ones. Will definitely stay away from M-Audio (More disgruntled murmurs all over the internet even though I had a Delta 44, a while back and was relatively happy with that.)

quote:

Originally posted by EddieZilker Alright - will definitely look into those - I've been toying around with the notion of going top-shelf and splurging on the MOTU HD192, anyway, just because I can expand on that. That's probably overkill but I'll be looking into the other options of that brand, along with the echo. Thanks.

MOTU is far from top shelf. RANN's advice is good IMO.

Do you mean its overkill in terms of quality or number of inputs though? Their quality isn't that amazing, but its more than workable. Definately not overkill though.

quote:

Originally posted by kitphillips MOTU is far from top shelf. RANN's advice is good IMO. Do you mean its overkill in terms of quality or number of inputs though? Their quality isn't that amazing, but its more than workable. Definately not overkill though.

Both number of inputs and price range. I'm pretty much deterred, however, at this point from E-Mu, M-Audio, or MOTU. I think I'm going to be an RME man, just based on everything I've read to this point but that's just the direction I'm leaning in, currently.

quote:

Originally posted by EddieZilker Both number of inputs and price range. I'm pretty much deterred, however, at this point from E-Mu, M-Audio, or MOTU. I think I'm going to be an RME man, just based on everything I've read to this point but that's just the direction I'm leaning in, currently.

I would take an RME over a motu in a heartbeat.

If you've got the money to buy a new HD192, then the RME is in the same price bracket but in a completely different league quality wise.

Don't bother with a fireface400 - it's basically incredibly similar to an Echo Audiofire but more than twice the price, but the RME FF800 is superb.

M-audio were great 10 years ago but honestly not a consideration now vs. the competition - I had a Delta Audiophile 2496 and it was amazing quality for the money but things moved on and they got sloppy with support and started to go too mass production and low end.

I'm now the seriously happy owner of a Echo AF4, and honestly working with Protools HD rigs all day long at work, i'm still content with my home interface.

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