External Harddrives

[Thea]

Hi, so I haven't set up my studio yet, I am still in the process of purchasing equipment. Just ordered a new Power Mac G5 and will be using Logic 7. I've got a Rhodes tube microphone, an M-audio interface and Roland montiors. The sales guy at Sam Ash suggested I get a microphone pre-amp because the one in the M-audio interface is not that good. He specifically suggested the Grace 101. I also need to purchase an external harddrive. At Sam Ash they sell a 250 Glyph GT drive for $350. However, when I called Apple they said that the Glyph drive is a rack drive. They suggested I get the LaCie D2 harddrive extreme, which is also cheaper. They said it has a firewire 800 as opposed to firewire 400 speed. I've been checking online and price comparing, there are so many choices, I don't know what is best? Any sugesstions? Also, the Apple people said that most people who do music production professionally do non use a second internal ATA drive, I heard differently. Any opinions on that?

[sile2001]

There's already a thread about this over in the Computer Recording & Soundcards forum:

http://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=162647

[Thea]

Hi, thanks...I reposted this over there, though I think that's against the rules. but I would really like a reponse soon so I can purchase and get started with the set-up.

[dwillis45]

Originally Posted by Thea

Hi, so I haven't set up my studio yet, I am still in the process of purchasing equipment. Just ordered a new Power Mac G5 and will be using Logic 7. I've got a Rhodes tube microphone, an M-audio interface and Roland montiors. The sales guy at Sam Ash suggested I get a microphone pre-amp because the one in the M-audio interface is not that good.

Before you follow the salesman's suggestion, you should take a look at the RNP. It offers two channels, costs somewhat less than the Grace, and has received a lot of praise here and elsewhere. I would also make shure that your M-Audio interface (you didn't mention the model) is capable of accepting an external preamp.

[Thea]

Originally Posted by dwillis45

Before you follow the salesman's suggestion, you should take a look at the RNP. It offers two channels, costs somewhat less than the Grace, and has received a lot of praise here and elsewhere. I would also make shure that your M-Audio interface (you didn't mention the model) is capable of accepting an external preamp.

Thanks for the response. M-Audio firewire 410 (4 ins/10 outs). Should be capable, otherwise I don't think the salesman would have suggested it. Yeah, I'm a newbie and did not go to sound engineering school, so unfortunately I am at the mercy of the salesman. He had mentioned that a lot of studio's use the Grace 101. Where would one purchase RNP? Online?

[SonicAlbert]

Originally Posted by Thea

M-Audio firewire 410 (4 ins/10 outs). Should be capable, otherwise I don't think the salesman would have suggested it.

Your innocence is rather charming. Have you ever heard the story of the wolf in the hen house? That's sort of like that salesman and your wallet.

Originally Posted by Thea

Yeah, I'm a newbie and did not go to sound engineering school, so unfortunately I am at the mercy of the salesman.

Always a dangerous position to be in. The more you can educate yourself the better.

Originally Posted by Thea

He had mentioned that a lot of studio's use the Grace 101. Where would one purchase RNP? Online?

The Grace 101 is actually a very good suggestion. All kidding aside, this salesman seems like he is giving you solid advice: a quality preamp and an affordable but still respectable converter/soundcard. So far so good.

I've heard the RNP and while it is good, I wasn't blown away by it. I have a Grace 201 that I'm vey happy with.

As far as the hard drive, Glyph does make quality products. But they are premium priced and the LaCie would probably be just fine for your purposes.

Regarding the second internal drive not being used, I'm not exactly sure what the Apple person you spoke to is talking about. Pretty much everybody I know that's doing recording has a second internal and a bunch of external firewire drives too.

[Thea]

Originally Posted by SonicAlbert

Your innocence is rather charming. Have you ever heard the story of the wolf in the hen house? That's sort of like that salesman and your wallet.



Always a dangerous position to be in. The more you can educate yourself the better.



The Grace 101 is actually a very good suggestion. All kidding aside, this salesman seems like he is giving you solid advice: a quality preamp and an affordable but still respectable converter/soundcard. So far so good.

I've heard the RNP and while it is good, I wasn't blown away by it. I have a Grace 201 that I'm vey happy with.

As far as the hard drive, Glyph does make quality products. But they are premium priced and the LaCie would probably be just fine for your purposes.

Regarding the second internal drive not being used, I'm not exactly sure what the Apple person you spoke to is talking about. Pretty much everybody I know that's doing recording has a second internal and a bunch of external firewire drives too.

Thank you for your candid responses. Would you happen to know what the difference is in the one hundred and two hundred series of the grace pre-amps? Also, would anyone know where one might purchase a glyph drive at a good price? Also, I'm not quite sure what a rack drive means? I don't plan on having a rack, would I still be able to use a glyph?

[Rstiltskin]

Originally Posted by Thea

Thank you for your candid responses. Would you happen to know what the difference is in the one hundred and two hundred series of the grace pre-amps? Also, would anyone know where one might purchase a glyph drive at a good price? Also, I'm not quite sure what a rack drive means? I don't plan on having a rack, would I still be able to use a glyph?

for what you are paying, you should get an integrated system and not just a bunch of boxes. for what you are doing, an internal sata drive from seagate or maxtor in the 250 to 400 gigabit range should do you just fine. if you are getting the superdrive, you can back up to that. why would you not use the internal drive bay?

save the money on a external hard drive and get the biggest video monitor you can afford, and the best audio monitors that you can afford, after all, the speakers are your mix, and what you look at all day long is your video monitor.

truly, if you are getting this all at one place someone should come out and set it up for you! for 2 grand, best buy will come out and set up and install your big screen tv. you will have 5 grand or more in this, make them put it together AND DON"T PAY A FUCKIN DIME TILL IT WORKS TO YOUR SATISFACTION!!!!!!!!!!!

you are wayyyyyy too trusting.

maybe call apple and see if they have a resellar nearbye that will quote you an alltogether price, with setup and ,say, 4 hours of training.

oh yeah, at least 1 gig of ram minimum, 2 if this is a dual processor unit (maybe all the g5's are dual? am pc guy myself)

[dwillis45]

Originally Posted by Thea

He had mentioned that a lot of studio's use the Grace 101. Where would one purchase RNP? Online?

http://www.mercenary.com/

The Grace 101 is a single channel and sells for roughly $500-600. The RNP is two channels and goes for slightly less ($499). The 201 series Grace preamp has two channels but comes with a larger price tag in the $1,800 range. There are also a number of other really good single and double channel preamps, including the Great River wich I use.