Setting Up A Home Studio DAW

OnceNeverRead

New member
About 6 months ago I started recording things for my band using some pretty bad mics, the input on my SB LIVE soundcard and Sonar XL. I have gotten pretty good using Sonar, but these mics and the soundcard just aren't cutting it for sound quality. I want to buy a recording interface that uses a PCI card, such as basically all of the products from the Delta line of M-Audio and i have seen others from Aardvark and other companies. I need some advice and some info on what to buy. I need to record at least 6 inputs at once, for drums, and i need the hardware to be compatible with Sonar XL. I also need mic preamps. I was mainly looking at the Delta 1010 from M-Audio. It has all the inputs i need and it has gotten basically good reviews, but i don't think it has built in mic preamps. That will cause me to buy external mic pre's, which will cost even more money than the initial 600 for the Delta 1010. Or would it possibly be better to buy something like the the Delta 1010lt and buy an external mixer that has built in mic preamps. The 1010lt would be cheaper but would also give me the inputs i need, if i get a mixer. This hardware is going to be paired with my future purchases of near field monitors, drum mics, mics for recording vocals and guitars, a bass direct box, and a vocal harmonizer unit. Can you please give me some input. It would be much appreciated. Thank you.
 
It doesn't sound like you need much help.

You're pretty much on the right track. The 1010 and the 1010LT are both good . . . the 1010 probably a little better. And you'll need mic pres either way - the LT's mic pres pretty much suck.

A mixer will give you a lot more bang for the buck in terms of the amount of mic pres you'll get with it, along with all the other mixing and monitoring options in one package. Some good options to consider are the Mackies and Soundcraft. Both have good preamps, while the soundcraft gives the added bonus of some pretty nice eq to boot.
 
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