Need interface and mic recommendation

J

johnnycr

New member
Hey all, this is my first post here. I've spent some time today browsing the forums reading stickies, faqs, and other posts. I play guitar and would like to have the ability to record some songs on my computer. After reading the forums I see that I should get a USB interface but I'm not sure which one to get. I have around $100 give or take and it looks like one of the following interfaces would be best: Focusrite Scarlett 2i2, Presonus Audiobox, M Audio Fast Track Pro, Tascam US 200. Of those, I have no clue which one is best. I've heard good and bad for pretty much all of them!

Also, I need to get a cheap microphone, but I unfortunately only have $50 to spend there. Eventually I will probably upgrade the microphone and get a mixer, but I just need a cheap mic to get started. Any recommendations there? I was looking at a used Shure SM58 but wondering if there are other cheaper options.
 
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I'm sure people get sick of answering noob questions... but I really have no idea which interface to go with and the options are overwhelming. Any guidance would be much appreciated.
 
At that price point you're not going to get much.... and I'm not the expert in cheap interfaces.

And you don't need a mixer to record, so don't bother with saving for one of those.

Check the noobies forum for similar questions and recommendations. There are millions. But really... save more if you can. If you can get $300 together over time you can buy at a level that you won't be trading in in a year's time... YMMV...
 
I don't think there's anything wrong with a Shure SM58 for 50 bucks. That should serve you well for years unless you have an affinity for condenser mics. In terms of the audio interface, check out what software comes bundled with the interface. All interfaces at that price point will be similar. It's the recording software that will vary according to taste and preference. Try looking at YouTube vids on the software packaged with the AI and see what appeals to you.
 
You'd be as we'll saving for a bit longer and buying focusrite's recording pack. It comes with a 2i2, large diaphragm condenser microphone, set of headphones and a copy of cubase LE. It's £200 including 20% tax in the UK so will be about $250 in the US.

$100 will get you nowhere if you're looking for something half decent.
 
johnnycr, I hope you don't mind an old fart chiming in! An SM58 for $50 is a great deal. That's what I use for my home recording. Another option is the Shure Beta58. I use one for my on stage vocals and it does an excellent job. As far as you USB interface/mixer situation, if your computer has a STEREO input on it's soundcard you can use it. That is what I did. I got a hold of a used Behringer UB802 mini-mixer and patched it into the stereo input of my computer. You can find them or something simular on flebay fairly cheap. The best thing about doing it this way is that avoid all the "latency" problems that seem to be built into a lot of USB interfaces. Now I use Cool Edit Pro 2.0 for my DAW and do my mixing "in the box" or using that program and I get excellent results. Yes, I know it's an old program but it works great and it works well with my older computer. There are bunch of FREE DAW programs out there that I'm sure will do more than you need to get you started.

These are just a few suggestions to get you going without a large cash outlay.
I hope this helps.
 
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