Putting together an analog studio at home

F

Fjordfunk

New member
Hi all!
I am new to this forum and just started to read very helpful threads and articles here. I hope to make a minimalistic recording studio at home, keeping it analog all the way to the master result. I have good friends that are musicians that i can practise on. The recording idea is a result of many years as an audiophile and facination about good music and good recordings.
I dont have much equipment for this and hope for advice regarding this. I will use reel to reel recorders for capturing. I was given an Eela broadcasting mixer but dont know if that can be used. I also have some mic`s for a start but know i need more and more dedicated mics for different purposes. I have the chance to record a professional celloist, a jazz trio and part of a rock band. All these musicians are friends of mine and i guess they will be happy to have some beer and a fun sessions at my place

Will be happy if i can get advices and be guided to threads on this forum covering my needs. I see most of the threads is about digital and software based recording and know that would be more clever to do but as said; i want it all analog. Since this is starting as a hobby i am not in a position of buying high end components.

Cheers
Aron
 
Fjordfunk said:
Thanx!
How could i miss that one? :-)
Click to expand...

Not there yet tho'? I understand (commiserate?) your analogue leanings but a couple of technical matters come to my mind..

Tape machines need a lot of looking after, in addition to basic cleaning every tape change they will need a periodic level,THD and response check and if you need to change tape brand a more in depth line up.
To keep on top of that you really need a good audio signal generator and a good AC millivoltmeter, an oscilloscope is also very handy. Test tapes are very expensive but so long as this is for a hobby/self <script src="https://adservice.google.co.uk/adsid/integrator.sync.js?domain=homerecording.com" ></script><script >processGoogleTokenSync({"newToken":"FBS"},5);</script>interest you can do without assuming the machines are not 'mucked about with' and are still close to factory specification.

Then "Broadcast Mixer"? These are generally optimized for high headroom NOT lowest noise although you might get away with some outboard preamps (Cloudlifters?) I shall Google that mixer.

I apologize if I have underestimated your technical knowledge and equipment base. BTW, I hope you will not be SO purist that you will not hang an AI onto the front end of the tape recorder to catch a 'safety copy'? !!

VAST! Range of Eela products. Model number please.

Dave.
 
Found Eela, very nice, straightforward website, got a spec for the S120(say) mixer very easily.

As I suspected. Noise out is -88dBu, not State of Art in this digital world and they use the uncommon (in studioland) reference level of +6dBu and all specs are quoted into a 600 Ohm termination.

WTGR if that last sentence baffles you, you have a lot of reading to do!

Dave.
 
"<script src="https://adservice.google.co.uk/adsid/integrator.sync.js?domain=homerecording.com" ></script><script >processGoogleTokenSync({"newToken":"FBS"},5);</script>"

WTF is that ^ Mods?

Dave.
 
ecc83 said:
Found Eela...
Click to expand...

These are broadcast mixers, Dave. Some of the finest around. That's why they have different specs.

Selling it just might get enough $ to buy another appropriate recording/live mixer. Depends on where you are. For some reason, some buyers believe broadcast gear is the best around. It's just a mixer with a different layout.

It can be used as a recording mixer, but they usually don't have guitar (Hi-z) inputs and enough mic channels. But that depends on your particular mixer, as they are extremely customizable.
 
Hi Dave/cyrano and thanks for taking the time
I have been messing around a little with r2r and are famiiliar with the alignment procedures required to have it performing agw.
I have an oscilloscope, alignment tape but miss a precise 0db tonegenerator. For a start i will use my Otari MX5050BII but i also have a 50`s Philips monstreous r2r but that needs a lot of tlc to get up and running. It will serve as my "harddisc" when up to specs.

The broadcast mixer i got is the SBM unit. I also have a Rane unit but both these mixers are coming in next week so i do not know for shure what configuration they are set up with.

I dont know what "AI" is but you are right about having another parallel storage unit. It could as well be harddisc based

Cheers
Aron
 
"I dont know what "AI" is but you are right about having another parallel storage unit. It could as well be harddisc based "

"Audio Interface" The Alesis i02 would serve you very well, under $100 and that would give you an excellent 24bit copy the output of the mixer. Yes, excellent mixer gear Mr C! The less than audiophile noise spec is of little moment for tape recording.

An AI can also be used as a sig genny! Audacity can generate signal levels of precise frequency and level and at distortions well below tape. Mix in a few NE5532 op amps and resistors and a 1/2 decent DMM and you can spec check. Or you can easily build a very good 'line level' AC voltmeter around a gash VU meter movement.

Or! Keep a weather eye on E bay for "Levell" audio kit.

Dave.
 
And! This might be slight heresy but if you have an 8 track recording with all the 'ferric goodliness' why not 'mix down' to stereo to digital? You won't 'loose or gain' anything? After all you can hardly 'distribute' as 1/4" masters? Could 'diss' as cassette I guess but surely CD or .wav makes better sense?

Dave.
 
Hi
Yes, an AI would be very handy. To begin with i will only do live "studio recordings" in my livingroom. I want to go the analog, minimalistic route without too expensive components. I need to learn and experience the phase issues when rigging mic`s etc and will use my spare time to read up on this and as much else i can. Ending up with 1/4" tape is not making me sleepless :-) I can mix my own tapes or in future if this goes well i will move downstairs to a smaller room that can be rigged as a real studio with control room. If i can get that far i can send the 1/4" reels to professional mastering.

Aron
 
I'm finally getting around to doing music again after a rather long absence. I'm strictly a hobbyist. I wouldn't know a high end piece of gear if it came up and stole my wallet. Depending on your budget, location, and stomach for fixing problems, you can do this.

You're already talking used gear if you go analog and that comes with some risk, but, you can also shop carefully. I picked up a Fostex A8 for US$40 a few years ago, because the seller didn't realize he was using bad Ampex tape.

I've found this book helpful:
Amazon.com: Musician's Guide To Home Recording (Mclan) (Music Sales America) (0752187914709): Peter Mclan, Larry Wichman: Books

also, this Home Recording For Musicians - Revised: Craig Anderton: 9780825615009: Amazon.com: Books and the original version has Sting on teh cover with a TEAC-3440 and a plastic record made using that deck.

If you want to go the 4-track route, the TEAC 22-4 is a little newer and uses 7" reels only, but they can be had for really really good prices. I found 1/4" 1/2 track decks a little harder to find at good price points. If you're in the USA near a bigger city, Craigslist can be a good option. Ebay is overrun with assholes who think you should pay Maserati prices because they breathed on the bit they're selling, you'll have to wade through them to get a decent deal anymore.

Something like dbx 266A compressor can be had ~$US50-sh if you shop around. It already has low noise components, and if you're handy slinging a soldering iron, you can upgrade the VCAs. An electret condenser can be OK and even cheaper than Chinese mics that everyone thinks sound too harsh. Or, you can get a cheap mic, and get an upgrade kit from someplace like microphone-parts.com.
 
Fjordfunk said:
Hi
Yes, an AI would be very handy. To begin with i will only do live "studio recordings" in my livingroom. I want to go the analog, minimalistic route without too expensive components. I need to learn and experience the phase issues when rigging mic`s etc and will use my spare time to read up on this and as much else i can. Ending up with 1/4" tape is not making me sleepless :-) I can mix my own tapes or in future if this goes well i will move downstairs to a smaller room that can be rigged as a real studio with control room. If i can get that far i can send the 1/4" reels to professional mastering.

Aron
Click to expand...

Experimenting with mics etc using tape will be a HUGE PITA! You will barely get a test "Mary had..." out of your chops and the leader will be flapping!

A PC/laptop with AI is a nigh on inifinite run 'tape recorder'.

Dave.
 
ecc83 said:
Experimenting with mics etc using tape will be a HUGE PITA! You will barely get a test "Mary had..." out of your chops and the leader will be flapping!

A PC/laptop with AI is a nigh on inifinite run 'tape recorder'.

Dave.
Click to expand...


Haha :-) Know what you mean! AI is allready in order

Aron
 
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