Anything I need to know before taking the plunge?

C

chava

New member
I am getting ready to DUMP (get rid of) my $200 audio interface and replace it with a $3000 signal chain right from the mic to the box (budget does not include the computer). I will be primarily buying used from ebay to squeeze more quality out of my dollar. I have done a LOT of research around, including on this forum so I pretty much have a good idea of what I'm getting into. I just wanna make sure I am not overlooking anything that may land a big suprise after the fact and render part of my investment unwise. Anything from your experience when you were at the same stage? (Anything on the "clock" thingy?)

Suggestions too on what to get are highly welcome. Maybe you have seen something on Ebay that's worth looking at?

P.S: My recording chain is purely for vocals for now...so I am trying to keep it two channels and below to squeeze more quality out of a channel.

Thanks guys.
 
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1) Just off the top of my head - I wouldn't want to be shoving a $3,000 signal into a $200 interface...

1b) You don't need $3,000 to get a wonderful signal chain - including the interface. Heck, you could grab an API A2D and have a rather premium preamp/AD and any AES/EBU interface would then get it into the box.

2) Monitoring and room treatments. Always first, always the most important purchase you will ever make, by far, no question, every single sonic decision you make is based on that factor (your monitoring chain and the way it reacts to the space it's in).
 
Massive Master said:
1) Just off the top of my head - I wouldn't want to be shoving a $3,000 signal into a $200 interface...
Click to expand...

Thanks for your input MM. You missed something in my post though. I said I am getting ready to get rid of the $200 interface i.e I am replacing the interface with a signal chain whose budget I have set at $3000. I have already factored in room treatment and monitoring.
 
If you have not made your jump yet I would suggest taking a look at an older Lynx Two. I just got one for $500 and I recently saw one going for $550. It is a rock solid (so far, for me) interface and it sounds beautiful. I think you could do a lot worse.

For Preamps I would look at the Great River line. I have a few of them and love them for all vocals and guitars (well, almost anything.)

For a mic, if I had to pick two mics for now until the end of time for vocals I would pick an SM7 and an AKG 414.

So, if my math is right:

$ 550 Used LynxTwo-A
$1150 Great River MP-2NV http://www.mercenary.com/greatrivmp1.html
$ 350 SM7 http://www.mercenary.com/shuresm7b.html
$1000 AKG 414 http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/AKG-C-414-BXLS-Condenser-Microphone?sku=278590

Looks like you could do it for $3050. And frankly you can get the SM7 used for $275 and the Great River used for $950. I got my older AKG414 for about $450.

Obviously this is not the only way to go, just a suggestion.
 
Of all the stuff I bought there was nothing, not a single thing that came as close to getting a Neumann U87 as far as improvement. I have a Jensen Twin Servo mic pre but even through my Presonus Blue Tube the Neumann sounded great... beyond great.

So for me, I'd screw everything in order to get a U87, and then go for good monitor speakers, a great mic pre and a tube compressor. The Summit 1/2 rack mic pre's and comps are probably the way to go.

The sound I want from mic's is the Neumann sound. I tried 414's and to me they didn't do it at all.

But it's like shoes, if your happy, that's all that matters and it's very doubtful you would prefer my type and size of shoes.
 
Actually listen to as much gear as you can BEFORE buying. Hard when you are using e-bay (I know, my studio is largely purchased through e-bay and the GS Board), but if you can listen to friends' gear or at a shop, you will have a much better idea about what each piece of gear contributes and whether you really like it or not. Personal taste does factor in. For example, like a previous poster, I love the SM7. Great mic, useful for many, many things. Have three of them. Ambivalent about the C414. Have a pair that mostly get used for overheads. For me, they are pretty limited in application (some instruments, not vocals), and they are not on my short list of gear I'd necessarily recommend to anyone unless you were just looking for a few more decent mics to fill out an already burgeoning mic closet.

Get the best monitoring and mics that you can. Those items will have the biggest impact on your recording. More so than outboard and preamps.

What platform are you using? PC? MAC? If you are using MAC, the Apogee Duet and Ensemble are relative bargains for the quality of the pres and converters and integrate well.

BTW, the Great River MP-2NV is more like $2275. The single channel ME-1NV is $1150. A great preamp, but no, you are not getting 2 channels at that price.
 
pohaku said:
BTW, the Great River MP-2NV is more like $2275. The single channel ME-1NV is $1150. A great preamp, but no, you are not getting 2 channels at that price.
Click to expand...

Sorry about that. I meant the 1 channel version. I will correct my post.
 
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