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Advice Please (iMac, Gear Setup)
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| djwero |
Hi Guys,
I'm new here, so hello :)
I've just started getting half-serious about music production, trance in particular, and was wondering if someone has any advice for me.
I am on an iMac 2ghz (Intel), with 1.5GB of RAM. And I have GarageBand, Apple Logic and Reason (I love Reason, it's my new-found love :P). I tried Ableton Live, but it was running too slow, I also tried Cubase via Bootcamp, but didn't like it too much. And I have no equipment.
As I am starting out, and any upgrade is a massive bonus (As appose to me transfering the mp3 to my hi-fi in my other room to test what the bass is like and stuff for doing mastering, or streaming it over a media server to my ps3 which is hooked up to my hi-fi).
I am looking at getting a Novation Remote 61 SL USB MIDI CONTROLLER and for speakers, I'm thinking a pair of KRK RP5s.
Is there anything else I would need, or any advice you can offer? Is the sound-card inside the iMac alright, or do I need some form of firewire device?
Thanks |
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| echosystm |
| quote: | Originally posted by djwero
I am looking at getting a Novation Remote 61 SL USB MIDI CONTROLLER and for speakers, I'm thinking a pair of KRK RP5s.
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novation remote sls are very good, but just be aware of the limitations and (potential) problems with using the plugin wrapper. krk rp5s, on the other hand, are not very good at all. dance music is very bass-oriented, so i wouldn't even consider these 5" monitors, as they won't give you any bass at all. 6" is really the minimum. if money is an issue, i would spend less on the midi controller and more on the monitors. personally, i recommend yamaha hs80m or event tr6.
| quote: | Originally posted by djwero
Is the sound-card inside the iMac alright, or do I need some form of firewire device?
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no, its not good at all. look into getting an echo audiofire2/4 or a presonus firebox/inspire. |
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| Storyteller |
| I don't know if that iMac soundcard is the same as used in the powerbooks. I was honestly well surprised by it's quality when they recorded my set at a gig with the powerbook. It definitely sounded better than your average pc onboard soundcard. Of course an external dedicated card is always better though. :) |
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| djwero |
| quote: | Originally posted by echosystm
novation remote sls are very good, but just be aware of the limitations and (potential) problems with using the plugin wrapper |
The reason for me choosing this at first, was because I've heard good things, with good keys, many sliders/buttons, and the automap feature, it seems a good choice. I can assign things manually like on a normal midi keyboard can't I?
Would you be able to suggest a cheaper alternative if I were to spend more on decent monitors?
| quote: | Originally posted by echosystm
krk rp5s, on the other hand, are not very good at all. dance music is very bass-oriented, so i wouldn't even consider these 5" monitors, as they won't give you any bass at all. 6" is really the minimum. if money is an issue, i would spend less on the midi controller and more on the monitors. personally, i recommend yamaha hs80m or event tr6. |
Thanks for the heads up, would KRK RP8s be better than the hs80m or event tr6? Or perhaps krk5s and a subwoofer? (That way I can fool around seeing what it sounds like with different setups to help mastering).
| quote: | Originally posted by echosystm
no, its not good at all. look into getting an echo audiofire2/4 or a presonus firebox/inspire. |
Nice, thanks :)
| quote: | Originally posted by Storyteller
I don't know if that iMac soundcard is the same as used in the powerbooks. I was honestly well surprised by it's quality when they recorded my set at a gig with the powerbook. It definitely sounded better than your average pc onboard soundcard. Of course an external dedicated card is always better though. |
Yeah, I think i'd be better with an external dedicated card :) |
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| spolitta |
| quote: | Originally posted by djwero
I am looking at getting a Novation Remote 61 SL USB MIDI CONTROLLER and for speakers, I'm thinking a pair of KRK RP5s. |
Perhaps you could go for the SL compact and with the money you save get a better set of monitors. I can highly recommend you Samson Rubicon R8a.
| quote: | | Originally posted by djwero Is there anything else I would need, or any advice you can offer? Is the sound-card inside the iMac alright, or do I need some form of firewire device? |
No you need a proper sound card. |
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| DJ RANN |
Ive got exactly the same imac.
The onboard sound is OK - agree with storyteller, they're good for recording home DJ sets (better than most PC onboard soundcards IMO) but not for music production.
I'm considering an audiofire 4 myself. Seems good value and keep hearing good things about them. You need one because of latency issues, proper driver support and quality.
As for the automapping feature on the remote, it works for probably only about 30% of programs, and even then it's a bit sketchy. Don;t buy it if this is your main consideration. If you are going to use certain prgrams again and again, it's not difficult to create maps for those programs, and plenty of peeps here will help you out.
Don't go for the separate sub - just get slightly larger monitors (as ES said 6" and above are the only ones worth considering). The reason for this is that you are mixing for stereo systems, not people with 2 small speakers and a sub. with a 2.1 system, getting the balance of bass right will be greatly affected by wide open variables such as placement of sub, how the room is treated, how the sub interacts with the particular monitors etc. Too many for someone just starting out.
Just get decent 6"+ monitors. |
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| echosystm |
| quote: | Originally posted by djwero
The reason for me choosing this at first, was because I've heard good things, with good keys, many sliders/buttons, and the automap feature, it seems a good choice. I can assign things manually like on a normal midi keyboard can't I?
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novation remotes use their own "wrapping" plugin, which hosts the actual plugin you want... so instead of having plugin -> DAW, you have plugin -> novation plugin -> DAW. naturally, there will be some plugins that do not work with this. also, afaik, any project files you have used your novation with, will not open up on any other computer unless it has a novation remote installed.
the novations definately have the best build quality on the market, but the real value is from the automap feature.
| quote: | Originally posted by djwero
Would you be able to suggest a cheaper alternative if I were to spend more on decent monitors?
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m-audio axioms are quite good and the enigma preset editor works really well with them. that's probably what i would get.
| quote: | Originally posted by djwero
Thanks for the heads up, would KRK RP8s be better than the hs80m or event tr6? Or perhaps krk5s and a subwoofer?
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like dj rann said, adding a sub can be very tricky. it's not really ideal. having two decent monitors is alot better.
personally i really dislike krk rp8s. the woofer is poorly matched to the tweeter and you get a really nasty scoop in the midrange. i think they are popular because they sound good (lots of bass and highs), but they really suffer in terms of accuracy. if you really want krks, i'd probably only consider rp6s, but i still think there are better monitors out there.
hs80ms suffer the same kind of scoop a little bit, but nowhere near as bad. imo, hs80ms are the only budget 8" monitors worth looking at. event tr6s do not have as good bass as the hs80ms, but they don't have the midrange scoop. i think you would be fine with either monitors, you just have to be aware of the trade-offs and compensate for them when you are mixing.
when you go to buy your speakers, find the most expensive ones they have (genelec, dynaudio or adam) and a/b the KRKs against them. you will notice the scoop pretty easily, as the genelecs etc. will be a lot more linear. then a/b the yamahas or events and you should see that they share some common characteristics. |
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