Recording classical guitar with a Xonar Essence STX

It depends how "cheap" you want to go. To give the time-honoured answer, get the best that you can afford. There are dozens of brands and models of audio interface to choose from. They come in firewire versions and USB versions. The USB type are more likely to connect to whatever you have now and I don't think there is that much advantage to firewire types (although most of my gear is firewire because that's just how it comes).

I use a Focusrite Saffire PRO 40 but they do make a range of lower-cost interfaces that run USB. They have pretty much the same world-class pre-amps across the range, just fewer features. M-Audio and Lexicon also make low-cost interfaces. The only thing to watch for is that they provide phantom power to condenser mics. You may want to record classical guitar with a condenser mic so it's important to have that facility. Komplete Audio-6 is also a good brand for starting out.

Bear in mind that most audio interfaces have line level audio outputs. They wont drive normal speakers. You need either an amp to drive the speakers or active speakers with their own built-in amps. There is a good range of these - specifying any one brand in particular would cop criticism from someone. I use Yamaha HS80M, possibly a little outdated now but still sound good.

Get the best mic you can afford. I can't be honest and recommend anything cheap but I am aware that you may have constraints there. AKG makes a reasonable range of dynamic and condenser microphones for starting you up.

If your classical guitar has a piezo pickup - forget it... they make a hideously identifiable sound that I can't live with. Always record your acoustic guitars with mics.
 
Alas, the first thing to say is "Don't record your classical guitar with a Xonar Essence STX". It's really not suitable for the job. The only input is an un balance 6.3mm jack socket which can do both line and mic level. Guess what? Any microphone even vaguely worth using will have a balanced output on a 3 pin XLR connector. Most of the mics I'd recommend for classical guitar will be condensers which means they also require a source of phantom power.

So, what DO you need?

Well, as Guiitar Legend says, the first thing you need is a proper audio interface designed for recording, not watching videos and doing Skype calls. There are lots of USB interfaces on the market...GL has mentioned some but one you might specifically look at would be the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2. It has two very good quality mic inputs (because a lot of the techniques for classical guitar record in stereo with two mics).

Microphones? You'll get as many answers as there are posts I suspect. My personal preference for classical guitar would be 1 or 2 small diaphragm condensers. Bearing in mind that you want a cheap as possible, have a look at the sE Electronics sE1A. I have some rather more expensive mics (AKG C451 and C391) but often fall back on the sE1A for guitar--I've recommended them a couple of times in here and the responders have been happy. As I mentioned, I like to work in stereo--you can get a matched pair of sE1A mics or you can start with just one and add a second if you decide you want to. The sE quality control is good enough that I don't worry about matched pairs.

What else? Well, a mic stand with a boom arm...or two if you go stereo. Headphones so you can hear what you're recording as you do it. For mixing, ideally you'd have a set of monitor speakers. Again, there'll be lots of different suggestions.

Finally, your room. The acoustics in the room you record in can have a big effect. Some people like a fairly dead acoustic (lots of soft stuff around, or proper acoustic treatment) while others like a nice sounding hall or cathedral effect with the mic a bit farther from the instrument. As I've bored people with before, when I was still working in TV, on more than one occasion I dragged vocalists or guitarists into a brick-walled stair well...not glamorous but it sounded really nice!
 
Thanks guys, this is really helpful! I'll look around for your recommendations here in Norway and see what I can get, hopefully I'll upload a few recordings later on.
 
If you have trouble finding the sort of thing you want locally, may I suggest you try THOMANN in Germany. I know they ship to Norway (even if they don't have a local operation) and their prices tend to be very good. They've also been around for a long while so, unlike some eBay fly by nights, you know you can get support.

(No personal connection but I used to use them sometimes in the UK before I retired to Australia.)
 
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