Gear Help & Advice: Setting up New Home Recording Studio to record new band!

B

BORNintoMUSIC

New member
Hey everyone! I'm really excited that I'll be recording a new band at my home. I've got an awesome opportunity to have a control room and live room. I need some advice before I start digging into this project. Quick FYI my DAW is Cubase 7.

My question is about my gear. Currently I have a Steinberg MR816CSX which has 8 microphone inputs. But to record this band I'll need additional microphone inputs so I was thinking about getting a Focusrite Scarlett with 8 microphone inputs, giving me a total of 16. That being said, will I be able to link the Steinberg unit to the Scarlett using the ADAT connection? If so, I've never done anything like this, can someone give me a quick heads up on how that works exactly? Would you guys recommend any other type of interface other than the Focusrite Scarlett?

Also, my Blue Sky EXO (Generation 1) monitors have died. I'm looking to get new monitors. Since NAMM 2017 happened do you guys have any recommendations for monitors around the 600 dollar price point (for both speakers)? Or should I go with Blue Sky (Gen2) 2.1 setup?

Now I have questions about talkback and possibly setting up a webcam interface so they can see me and I can see them between the CR and LR. First, do you think it's necessary that they can see me or better yet, have it go both ways so I can see them and they can see me? Traditionally all control rooms have a window between the two rooms so people can see each other. Do you think setting up a camera system between the two rooms and streaming it would be advisable (or that advantageous?) Or could I get away with just having talk back between the two rooms?

Lastly, any other thoughts that come to your mind?

Thank you so much for any help / advice!
 
A lot of thoughts come to my mind!
The MR816CSX got a very good review in Sound on Sound in 2008 but it WAS 2008! Lot of water under the computer recording bridge since then. As you want to expand your track count AND setup a two room talk back system this might be a time to consider a different, integrated multitrack setup? The Soundcraft Signature mixer range e.g. Maybe bite the ££/$$ bullet and look at an RME system?

Are you PC or mac? If the former you might like to see if there are W10 Firewire drivers for the MR? You will probably have to jump to the OS sometime. I know nothing of macs except that there seems to be a trail of defunct hardware each time there is an OS change!

If you do got for an ADAT pre amp be SURE to get a refund agreement. Have everything setup such that when it arrives you can test it out SAME DAY and if it glitches, bounce it back!

Control Room viewing? Yes, I have long since thought a 32" FST either side of the dividing wall would simulate a window quite well. I hope you have some electronics smarts since a T/B system really needs anti-howl back interlock logic (just relays really).

Dave.
 
Just like to add. No need to get "computerated" with web cams. You can buy very decent 12volt cameras for £20 or so and these will drive the combined video inputs found on any FSTV (or if not the SCART socket) .

Dave.
 
ecc83 said:
A lot of thoughts come to my mind!
The MR816CSX got a very good review in Sound on Sound in 2008 but it WAS 2008! Lot of water under the computer recording bridge since then. As you want to expand your track count AND setup a two room talk back system this might be a time to consider a different, integrated multitrack setup? The Soundcraft Signature mixer range e.g. Maybe bite the ££/$$ bullet and look at an RME system?

Are you PC or mac? If the former you might like to see if there are W10 Firewire drivers for the MR? You will probably have to jump to the OS sometime. I know nothing of macs except that there seems to be a trail of defunct hardware each time there is an OS change!

If you do got for an ADAT pre amp be SURE to get a refund agreement. Have everything setup such that when it arrives you can test it out SAME DAY and if it glitches, bounce it back!

Control Room viewing? Yes, I have long since thought a 32" FST either side of the dividing wall would simulate a window quite well. I hope you have some electronics smarts since a T/B system really needs anti-howl back interlock logic (just relays really).

Dave.
Click to expand...

Thanks Dave!

I took at look at this piece of gear and it seems really interesting.
Soundcraft Signature 22MTK Muti-Track Mixer, 22-Channel, New

It's got a USB interface and 22 inputs for $800?? My question is obviously going to be the quality of the preamps, considering the amount of hardware you get compared to something like the Focusrite Scarlette for $500. The downside to this Soundcraft mixer is the portability, but I'm not really concerned lugging this thing around since my house will be the studio.

It says it interfaces via USB so I would assume Cubase would use this as it's primary audio driver, yes? The next question is going to be latency. This unit has 22 mic preamps which is more than enough for me. Do you think monitoring / mixing in real time with all 22 inputs being used, is going to be a decent experience? I've only used this Steinberg rack mount interface for the longest time. I assume the levels I set on the Soundcraft mixer is still going to be independent of the faders in Cubase's DAW?

Now as far as the control room viewing. I've got a webcam in my CR and can potentially set an Apple laptop (with a webcam built into it) in my LR. This is obviously not as ideal as a 32" FST but I'm trying not to spend a ton of money at the moment. Something like the Soundcraft mixer and a new set of monitors is going to push my budget a little high, but it's doable. I would like to consider myself a fairly knowledgeable electronics person but I'm not following you when you say the T/B needs an anti-howl back interlock logic. My guess when you say this, is that T/B is prone to feedback?

Lastly - I used to be in a band that played our own independent live shows quite often. I have 3 Bose L1 towers (mostly shunned by the audiophile community, I know... but honestly they worked extremely well for us at the time). Now they serve as the monitors for the performers in the garage. Should I potentially look at selling and invest it into a diferent setup for the LR? Or keep it and retain the ability to perform wherever we may want to in the future?[

I appreciate all of your insight!!
 
The mixer gets a good rep here..Soundcraft Signature 22 MTK | No mention of latency but you can always ask on their forum! (since mixers have inherent Latency Free Monitoring, do you need a PC return for tracking?) Mic pres are said to be great.

Talkback logic: Say you have playback speakers in the recording room, "studio" and monitors in the Control Room. Live mics in the studio so if you want to shout at 'em you will complete the feedback "ring" and all H will be unleashed. So, TB button fires a relay that kills the CR monitor feed.
Note too that the TB button should be "Hold To Talk" otherwise you WILL one day leave it open and call the drummer a ***t! If you have a relay, you have DC power so a BRIGHT flashing LED is a good idea.

You can pick up FSTs VERY cheaply from S/H and charity shops. I got a stonking 24" JVC for grandson's Xbox for £20.

Lastly, when cash gets topped up you could get a flight case for the mixer for location work.

Dave.
 
ecc83 said:
The mixer gets a good rep here..Soundcraft Signature 22 MTK | No mention of latency but you can always ask on their forum! (since mixers have inherent Latency Free Monitoring, do you need a PC return for tracking?) Mic pres are said to be great.

Talkback logic: Say you have playback speakers in the recording room, "studio" and monitors in the Control Room. Live mics in the studio so if you want to shout at 'em you will complete the feedback "ring" and all H will be unleashed. So, TB button fires a relay that kills the CR monitor feed.
Note too that the TB button should be "Hold To Talk" otherwise you WILL one day leave it open and call the drummer a ***t! If you have a relay, you have DC power so a BRIGHT flashing LED is a good idea.

You can pick up FSTs VERY cheaply from S/H and charity shops. I got a stonking 24" JVC for grandson's Xbox for £20.

Lastly, when cash gets topped up you could get a flight case for the mixer for location work.

Dave.
Click to expand...

Very interesting. This is definitely going to take some time for me to be able to "see" the clear picture on talkback logic. I understand what you're saying in terms of the feedback ring being completed and then all hell breaks lose, which is obviously what I'm trying to avoid. It's probably going to be a matter of me playing with it until it "clicks" completely in my mind.

That's a good idea about getting a modest FST for 20 bucks! I had no idea they got that cheap. So the thought here is to hook my laptop up to that FST, so that they can see me better?

Also - After a lot of thought I reluctantly decided against the Soundcraft Signature series, and opted for the Focusrite Scarlette. Yes, having hardware faders and FX would be really nice to have, but the pre-amps in the Focusrite have been mostly reported as "superior" sounding. In either case, if it doesn't meet my needs then I have 30 days to decide whether or not I want to keep it. That being said, I've got my old MR816CSX which is still kicking around. I'm thinking about using the ADAT connection to output the sound to the Focusrite. My question is - will the Steinberg still have to be plugged into the firewire port on my computer to be able to use it this way? Or can the Focusrite control manage all of the audio input and output?

Thank you for all of your help Dave. :)
 
WHO! Has told you the Focusrite pre amps are "superior sounding"? And "superior" to what and how? A Grace 101? A Neve? Yes, F'ite's pres are excellent but their adpuff dept SURE do a good job!

Then, regardless of make, the mic amps in an interface are always going to be a compromise. ONE gain control, usually no HPfilters, no EQ, no polarity flip. In contrast a mixer "strip" can accommodate all these things AND there is room to fit a more sophisticated pre amp design. The bottom line as well is that Soundcraft have always had a very good rep for their pre amps (I have seen the circuitry and know a VERY clever man who worked for them!)

I have read of some people having problems with ADAT setups. You could be lucky but there is always a chance of a bork when you kludge equipments of different mnufcts together.

And no, don't tie up a laptop as a camera (might as well use it as a door stop!) CCTV basic cameras are very cheap.

Dave.
 
I'm returning the Focusrite. The look of the materials used seems pricey, but when you get down to the details everything has been crafted as quickly as possible. I can see this unit providing decent recording quality though.

When you talk about the circuitry and how well it was designed, that to me speaks more than just the "highlights" on the package from a big box. Thanks for the direction stear and I'll let you know how I fair when I try it out.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top