joey2000
New member
? Why not an AI?
Which Digital Audio Workstation best for newbies?
- Thread starter LionMessy
- Start date
Yes! Yes! An AI!! You have me out of context. What was said iirc is "Get a mic preamp and run that into the line* input of the laptop" .
Any 1/2 decent preamp is going to be the thick end of $100 and for that you could get any number of 2 mic input mixers (NEVER, ever buy a single mic channel mixer or AI!) The preamp quality will be easily as good but mixers are vastly more versatile.
But! If I have NOT made it clear enough? Audio Interface!
*This is fraught. Most ltops have only a mic jack and the high level out of a mixer or indeed a pre amp usually overloads them.
Dave.
Pretty sure Joey is in USA? Long way to come for a 'non jerk' staffed shop Einar!
Heh! I jest (a bit) Trouble is, if you don't 'know' than you don't know if the information is 'jerklike' or not!
(if you pay peanuts, you get monkeys)
Dave.
As often, a bit off the wall understanding wise G' but. If that is a gen 1 USB mixer it is 16 bits and you have to set Windows up for it. Do that and you get about a -80dB noise floor. I doubt the mic/line +OBS can do better?
Dave.
garww
New member
"*This is fraught. Most ltops have only a mic jack and the high level out of a mixer or indeed a pre amp usually overloads them".
Compared to what ? A CD player that out 2 to 9 volts peak to peak ? No, I've had all my interfaces overloaded. Ya, you can have your LED peak meters constantly +6, or, +12, but that's not the rule of the day
Compared to what ? A CD player that out 2 to 9 volts peak to peak ? No, I've had all my interfaces overloaded. Ya, you can have your LED peak meters constantly +6, or, +12, but that's not the rule of the day
garww
New member
Knobs and switches are noisy, The console/mixer is convenience, rather that straight wire fidelity. "how many times can we get away with inverting this signal" ? hahah
causnorign
New member
I'm also a newbie, had to get an interface to match my mixer to the computer. I'm playing around with Audacity for two reasons: it is totally free, and there are tons of instructional videos on youtube. If I really get into home recording (right now I am just using it to improve my playing and singing) I'll probably buy a more feature loaded DAW, but at least I'll have some idea of how it works.
joey2000
New member
Then stop saying mixer!
Because that is HORRIBLE advice in the U.S. Many stores use staff with knowledge which is, as the saying goes, a mile long and an inch deep. Aren't quite the experts you'd hope for. Not long ago I went into a Guitar Center and asked about an A.I. and said how much gain does it have. He went: "? gain?"
I decided to buy online.
The reason of my advice.
Not totally true Dave.
Many people buy stuff that don't fit them. Then they dump it as "hardly used" on the full used stuff market for low prices.
Then you pay peanuts for more than monkeys.
I love it if i can pay with peanuts for good stuff. And that happens all the time. You only have to know were to lure were there are no monkeys.
I have no problem with "hardly ever used for only two months" for less than half or even a tenth of the price.
Paying with peanuts can bring you clowns too. 
So my advice. You can spend as much as you wish. Even later still. So try to pay for what's good for you. No more, no less. Spending money isn't that difficult. Spending it well is.
BTW, if i would blab out what my full studio with all possibilities from all gear did cost* me some would either laugh (thinking that is impossible) or some would cry out loud (for what they paid for the same). And as i know that it is possible, that i produce accepted good quality .......
(eating some left over peanuts)Ow man. It's the same everywere. Next to the fisherman with the $1000 rod that kids with a stick with a rope knotted at it catches the most fish.
(*that is what it did cost me. Not what this quality would cost in the store which would be easily 10-20 times more
)
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The reason of my advice.
Not totally true Dave.
Many people buy stuff that don't fit them. Then they dump it as "hardly used" on the full used stuff market for low prices.
Then you pay peanuts for more than monkeys.
I love it if i can pay with peanuts for good stuff. And that happens all the time. You only have to know were to lure were there are no monkeys.
I have no problem with "hardly ever used for only two months" for less than half or even a tenth of the price.
So my advice. You can spend as much as you wish. Even later still. So try to pay for what's good for you. No more, no less.
BTW, if i would blab out what my full studio with all possibilities from all gear did cost* me some would either laugh (thinking that is impossible) or some would cry out loud (for what you paid for the same). And as i know that it is possible, that i produce accepted quality .......
(*that is what it did cost me. Not what this quality would cost in the store which would be much more. Easily 10-20 times more
I am referring to the sales people 42 not the hardware. I worked a a domestic electronics service tech for 40 years (M&B as they say) and was often asked to help out a sales person with a technical matter, usually with audio kit. These days no such techs exist and sales peeps are on minimum wage.
Not only that but they lie. A recent 'Watchdog' consumer progg on out BBC TV showed Virgin Media reps blatantly giving "160-200MB, 140 absolute minimum" When in fact many customers were lucky to get 10Mb and some half that.
Well trained, well informed, enthusiastic, well paid sale staff are a thing of the past, a fact mostly the fault of the penny-pinching consumer forever chasing the cheapest deal.
Joey: I mention mixers because in perhaps 10 to 15% of noob enquiries they ARE the right solution.
Dave.
Ok. Misunderstood you then.
But in that case the frase "pay peanuts, get monkeys" on which i reacted isn't at it's place. "Pay big, get monkeys" would fit better then.
You're right. Substantive knowledge is hard to find these days. Exactly part of why i don't buy at stores. I judge myself, and pay peanuts for clowns.
And it gets very scary if those "lies" you mention become alive on forums like these by those who believe them (and all others).
Don't let yourself get fooled by stupid lies. It's not true that spending more money is always better. It's not true that starting off small is always wrong.
Quality is within the gear. Not in the amount of lights at the outside.
All these words fit ontopic. Audacity is a very good way to start and experience, to get the knowledge you need to know what you want next.
But in that case the frase "pay peanuts, get monkeys" on which i reacted isn't at it's place. "Pay big, get monkeys" would fit better then.
You're right. Substantive knowledge is hard to find these days. Exactly part of why i don't buy at stores. I judge myself, and pay peanuts for clowns.
And it gets very scary if those "lies" you mention become alive on forums like these by those who believe them (and all others).
Don't let yourself get fooled by stupid lies. It's not true that spending more money is always better. It's not true that starting off small is always wrong.
Quality is within the gear. Not in the amount of lights at the outside.
All these words fit ontopic. Audacity is a very good way to start and experience, to get the knowledge you need to know what you want next.
SamWattRock
New member
It's a problem all over. They orange vest guy at the hardware store told me it was illegal to sell hatchets in California. (They were in the next aisle.)
garww
New member
Well, he wanted them all for his hobby. But really, you can hardly find a gear spec online, anymore. Heaven forbid you damage some common core kid with too many numbers
seeking
Member
Hi
Sorry to hear that. Here in Kristiansand town, Norway, population 100000, we have two music stores, and they both have excellent staff. Not all, but both have at least one person who knows there "homestudio". Kind of sad, if u cant get good advice if you go into a music store and ask for basic setup for a home studio......
-einar-
Sorry to hear that. Here in Kristiansand town, Norway, population 100000, we have two music stores, and they both have excellent staff. Not all, but both have at least one person who knows there "homestudio". Kind of sad, if u cant get good advice if you go into a music store and ask for basic setup for a home studio......
-einar-
joey2000
New member
Bears repeating. This DAW is underestimated IMO and light years easier than any other DAW I've ever used. They all could take a few tips from it.
I used to love GarageBand when I was using my Mac to record my songs. It was simple, and quick.
When I switched to PCs as my DAW, I took the plunge and started to use Reaper.
Even though I had been recording in the analogue and digital worlds for a number of years, for some reason, I found initially that it was difficult to get to grips with Reaper because a lot of things were just not intuitive, from my perspective.
However, as with most things, perseverance has been rewarding, and one of the things that I love about Reaper is that you can make it as complicated or as simple as you wanted to be.
Given that you can evaluate Reaper for free, and that if you decide to buy it, it is extremely cheap, and very, very versatile, and that it comes with an impressive number of quality effects, I would suggest going with Reaper if you are on PC.
Good luck.
When I switched to PCs as my DAW, I took the plunge and started to use Reaper.
Even though I had been recording in the analogue and digital worlds for a number of years, for some reason, I found initially that it was difficult to get to grips with Reaper because a lot of things were just not intuitive, from my perspective.
However, as with most things, perseverance has been rewarding, and one of the things that I love about Reaper is that you can make it as complicated or as simple as you wanted to be.
Given that you can evaluate Reaper for free, and that if you decide to buy it, it is extremely cheap, and very, very versatile, and that it comes with an impressive number of quality effects, I would suggest going with Reaper if you are on PC.
Good luck.