Compression/Preamps

F

fespinal4444

New member
Hey, guys
I bought a Rode NTK and a DMP3 Preamp. I couldn't even wait to get home and try it and sound like a pro...yadayadayada...I'm not happy with the results, which brings me to the questions;
What else do I need?
Does the room environment have anything to do with it?
Better Preamp? Do I need a Compressor...?
Thanks
 
I sure hope you can take that stuff back, man.

March back in to your Guitar Center, and tell 'em: I bought this crap, and I still don't sound "Pro!" What' gives? Then take that NTK and shove it up his azzzz ! ! !

You should be sounding pro now cuz you got pro gear.
 
fespinal4444 said:
Hey, guys
I bought a Rode NTK and a DMP3 Preamp. I couldn't even wait to get home and try it and sound like a pro...yadayadayada...I'm not happy with the results, which brings me to the questions;
What else do I need?
Does the room environment have anything to do with it?
Better Preamp? Do I need a Compressor...?
Thanks
Click to expand...

i have heard things recorded through neve 1073's and neumanns that sound like crap. just cause the gear is "pro" or expensive dosent always mean you are going to get "pro" results. i have heard things tracked through crappy pres and sm 57's sound really good too. everything has to do with everything. thats the bottom line if you ask me. adding a compressor to your ntk and dmp3 will not make it sound better....it could make it sound worse. if it sounds bad coming off of tape than thats pretty much it unless you manipulate it somehow with a plug-in. you cant polish a turd.
the answer in my opinion to your question of "what else do i need" would be more experience with making the most out of what gear you have. yes,the room has a lot to do with it. and if you ask me anyones best bet that is seriously looking to get a nice mic pre would be to save up as much as you can and splurge on a channel of something really good. i would return the ntk and the pre and keep saving for a good pre and keep making the most using what i have.
good luck.
 
fespinal4444 said:
Hey, guys
I bought a Rode NTK and a DMP3 Preamp. I couldn't even wait to get home and try it and sound like a pro...yadayadayada...I'm not happy with the results, which brings me to the questions;
What else do I need?
Does the room environment have anything to do with it?
Better Preamp? Do I need a Compressor...?
Thanks
Click to expand...

What else do you need?

This could be a big list. I have the NTK and the DMP3. I think they make a great combination. I love them on my voice but the NTK is not great on my daughter's voice. A little too much sibilence.

IMO, it's not the mic and pre that are stopping you from sounding professional. I would be willing to bet, a pro studio could make a really good recording by starting with those two items. What is done during recording with mic placement and room treatment, and then how the tracks are mixed and mastered is what seperates the men from the boys IMO. I would look into improving your recording enviroment and then invest in some good recording software including good plugins. I don't know what your voice sounds like but I think the NTK is a really good vocal mic. AFAICT, the DMP3 is a great budget pre as well. Rarely does a track go untouched after recording. They are almost always EQ'd & compressed during mxdown.

Blessings, Terry
 
Alright, now that I got my smartass comment out of the way . . .


So you say you want to sound pro. Well, here's a good primer for ya:

Start with the source. What are you recording? Whatever it is, it better be a high-quality instrument or a vocal with impecable technique, because that's your foundation.

Secondly, learn proper mic placement. Study it . . . experiment with it, because the difference of a few inches in mic placement can make a huge huge difference. You'd be surprized.

Third, address your room accoustics. This is probably the most time-consuming and expensive part. And it's pretty geeky and unglamorous stuff, you should be warned. But learn how to calculate where your room nodes might be, where you might be getting early reflections and/or flutter, etc. and make sure you've got sufficient, balanced, broadband absorption and/or diffusion through out your recording and monitoring environments.

Lastly . . . feed your mind. Glean all the knowlege you can. Ask specific questions . . . study, crack open a book or two and read, read, read, and practice and experiment every day, untill you're satisfied with your results. The reason you don't sound pro right now is because you're not a professional.
 
Are you using high quality cables (Mogami, Canare, Belden, Monster, etc)?

What are you recording that NTK and DPM3 into?

Hard disk, ADAT, Analog tape? If you're using a computer, what kind of converters or soundcard are you using?

How is your room treated (acoustically)?

WHAT are you recording?

There's a whole lot more to sounding pro than a mic and preamp.
 
fespinal4444 said:
Hey, guys
I bought a Rode NTK and a DMP3 Preamp. I couldn't even wait to get home and try it and sound like a pro...yadayadayada...I'm not happy with the results, which brings me to the questions;
What else do I need?
Does the room environment have anything to do with it?
Better Preamp? Do I need a Compressor...?
Thanks
Click to expand...

You need to practice your instrument and practice recording (mic placement, recording levels, etc.). Your equipment is fine.
 
the dmp3 isn't bad.. but i think the ntk needs a better pre than the dmp3.. i've heard great results with the ntk through a 2480,RNP/RNC combo, Drawmer 1969...
whats the problem with the sound your getting.
vox, instruments.. what..
what type of monitors do you have.. all that stuff plays into what ever your doing sounding bad..

keep in mind the ntk is a tube mic, you shouldn't just plug it up.. give it some time to warm up... the longer the better. perhaps change the tube in the mic too
 
fespinal4444 said:
Hey, guys
I bought a Rode NTK and a DMP3 Preamp. I couldn't even wait to get home and try it and sound like a pro...yadayadayada...I'm not happy with the results, which brings me to the questions;
What else do I need?
Does the room environment have anything to do with it?
Better Preamp? Do I need a Compressor...?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Possible problems:
1. Room sound DEFINITELY plays a big part.
2. Pre amp might be a bit on the weak (sound quality) side.
3. Mic may not be a good match for your voice.
4. Mic placement (experiment with positioning).

________________
Post indie electronic
Meriphew
www.meriphew.com
 
Although I don't suppose an upgrade could ever hurt, generally speaking, I don't see the mic pre as being the weak link in most unprofessional-sounding recordings. Most often, there's quite a few other factors going on. Unless, of course, you're plugging it straight in to your portastudio or something. BTW -- The most professional sounding vocal I've ever heard tracked in the mp3 clinic was a Blue Dragonfly through the pres on an m-audio omni studio. It was actually quite stunning. Go figure.
 
What exactly don't you like about your sound?

In order to sound like a professional (commercial) vocal recording, you WILL need to compress, equalize, and probably add spatial FX like reverb/delay. If you don't compress, your recording may sound "thin" or "weak." If you don't equalize, your recording may sound dull or uninteresting. If you don't add reverb/delay, your recording may sound too flat, like your vocalist was inside a cardboard box.

Think of every part of your signal chain as being of equal importance. In order for the investment in the NTK to really pay off, get a preamp of equal quality.

And as long as you close-mic (3-8") with a cardoid (like the NTK), and as long as your room is sufficiently quiet, the mic won't pick up much of the room's sound, and simply adding good spatial FX will cover the room's sound and fool any listener. If your room is too loud, try a downward expander.
 
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