I'm quite a fresh home recorder and I've decided I don't want to be one anymore ;-), i.e., I want to upgrade my very humble and not very impressive equipment. I am using an M-Audio Audiophile 2496 soundcard, a DMP3 pre-amp and a Shure SM57 mic. I record mostly electric guitar, bass and sometimes acoustic guitar and a jembe drum. I know that I need condensers for the 2 latter ones but...maybe later. My guitar/bass amps are also kinda crappy but that is a different story.
I assume that it is a better pre-amp that could change things. What about the soundcard? Or maybe I should switch to some firewire?
cheers
I'd keep the SM57 for the djembe. Those things can be awfully loud for a lot of condensers. If you want to upgrade the djembe mic, at some point, you might try a Beta 57 or 565SD, but I'd probably stick with a dynamic mic for that. I've never actually miked one personally, but I've miked congas, and had good luck with
a 565SD above the heads between the drums and a PG58 in the blow zone, heavily mixed in favor of the 565. You could probably do something similar with the SM57 down near the floor to pick up lots of bass sound and a 565 a few inches above the heads. Things to consider for the future.
In the short term, though, my advice would be to grab yourself
an Apex 205 ribbon (about $100) and a metal pop filter ($15 from Nady) for your vocals and guitar cab work (no pop filter needed for the cab...). I'd also get a pair of Naiant X-Q condensers ($64 + s/h) for the acoustic. For about $200, you'd be in pretty good shape to record most anything, IMHO.
With regards to your sound card, you'd probably notice a more accurate high end and better stereo separation with a nicer interface, but it doesn't sound like you're doing a lot of stereo work anyway. Wait to upgrade to a nicer audio interface until somebody asks you record a drum kit. Then, you'll have the excuse of needing more inputs, too.
