How to improve my sound quality?

Y

Yeeeessssss

New member
I'm fairly new to the recording world and don't know much about recording/mixing. I have some basic knowledge about recording but its limited. Ill just go ahead and list out all the things i have/use for recording. I've got a little bit of money to work with and i want to know where to put it to make the biggest improvement in my sound quality. I typically only use the condenser mics as the mixer has issues with static noises coming from it and sounds from the mic are much more clean and clear. Some instruments I'm interesting in recording- Drums, Vocals, Electric and Acoustic Guitar, Bass Guitar, Trumpet, and Keyboard.

Mixer: Mackie 402-vlz3

Microphones: Samson USB C01U and C03U

Laptop: HP Pavillion dv9000

Software: Freeware (Audacity, Tracktion 3 which came with mixer)

Headphones: Bose Ae2

Monitors: No monitors

Room Treatment: No room treatment

Thanks a ton!
 
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For a start, do some reading before you buy anything else. The threads at the top of this section of the forum on Mixers and Home Recording, FAQs and Intro to Multitrack Recording are a must.

USB mics limit you to one track recording at a time - maybe you have figured out already that you can't plug a USB mic into that Mackie mixer. If you record drums, you are probably going to want at least 4 tracks (and probably more) and will need a good audio interface with multiple mic preamps for this. The mixer has audio outs only, no analog-to-digital converter to get the signals into yoru computer.
You will need monitors for mixing. A full-featured DAW such as Reaper. Room treatment depends on the room.
 
Depends on how much cash you have to spend, and (often overlooked point coming up) when can you spend that much again? The obvious answer is a decent audio interface, mics, speakers, and room treatment, but if you're budget for the next year is only $500, maybe a cheap audio interface, a couple of cheap mics, and a better pair of headphones (blaspheme, I know).
 
Ok for sure ill check them out!

Well, I've been able to get two tracks at a time because i have 2 usb inputs. That may not be what you meant though idk.
What is the difference of simple audio outs to an analog-to-digital converter? Will that change quality? and I mainly do not use the mixer.
Thanks!
 
I'd be willing to spend from around $100-$200. Id have another 100 or so in a couple of weeks. Lets say i'm shooting for just a decent interface and a solid mic. What would the price range in their be to get that and not a cheapy poor sounding/quality one. Also is their a certain mic/interface you can recommend? Thanks!
 
You might consider looking into used equipment because for 200 new you will get only a mic or interface. Not both.
For interfaces I personally like Focusrite stuff (firewire Saffire range. Haven't tested out the new Scarlett range, but seems okay), but check out also Edirol/Roland and Steinberg interfaces (Don't look cheap interfaces under say $150).
Only one microphone on a budget is a tough choice. Lots of guys like Rode NT-1a. I don't. Probably would get SE Electronics X1.
 
I don't know how you are able to use 2 USB mics at one time now, but if you can ...

On your budget, look at used equipment, but consider holding off buying anything and instead save up some cash. Buying cheap stuff now means you will probably want to get rid of it in a year.
There are a number of (new) audio interfaces available for around $150 that allow 2-4 tracks at a time, and in the gear selling section of this forum there's a guy selling a Tascam US-800 for $125 - that's a good deal, its the AI I use. Musicians Friend has the Tascam US1800 at $199 right now - a very good deal!
 
Also, can anyone say a few words about studio one producer and the $150 presonus audio box usb? Their seems to be a deal on buy the box and get the upgraded software free and i want to know if the software is even good? That would help greatly! Also their is a $150 Scarlett interface also if anyone can say a few words on that! Thank you all so much for the help!
 
Yeeeessssss said:
Also, can anyone say a few words about studio one producer and the $150 presonus audio box usb? Their seems to be a deal on buy the box and get the upgraded software free and i want to know if the software is even good? That would help greatly! Also their is a $150 Scarlett interface also if anyone can say a few words on that! Thank you all so much for the help!
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I have had performance issues with Presonus USB. It could be the software as this was on two different computers, but same DAW. I couldn't get the buffers below 1024 without sound issues. I switched and don't have any problems. This was important to me as I record "wet" and too much delay was giving me issues. There will be others who will weigh in, but the latency issue was a problem for me.

Studio 1 looks fine, I never used it. I did use the Cakewalk version, but switched to another. The reason for the switch was more to do objective than anything else.
 
Well being someone who is/was just in your shoes I'll explain how things went for me and maybe you can avoid the same mistakes. On round 1 I went budget all the way. I picked up an mbox mini which was 2 channel, 1 phantom power. It worked fine (although it was cheap, I knew it was cheap and was willing to accept that it was not a pro piece of gear, I didn't expect pro results. Next I decided I wanted to record guitar in stereo so I needed more inputs and phantom power. I gave my mini to a friend and purchased an Mbox mobile pre. This gave me the ability to record in stereo. Again I knew it was budget gear and was willing to accept that.

For my first mic I got an AT2035. It was a huge improvement over using the mic in my gaming headset and again I was happy. Decided to pick up an SM57 for a different sound and was VERY HAPPY with this purchase. I got it used for $50. Started recording some friends for practice and quickly decided I needed more inputs. I purchased an Allen & Heath ZED 10fx. This has 8 inputs with 4 preamps (phantom power). This was a fantastic purchase. It was clean sounding and in my opinion was able to give me the sound I was looking for. No noise on the line from the preamps or whatever caused it. I LOVE the sound of that mixer. My problem now was with recording, the mixer only outputs 2 channels, Left & Right so even if I hook up 8 instruments or mics I only end up with 2 tracks in my DAW.

Decided I needed to up the mic now since I had the great mixer and got an AKG C214. Great purchase I love the way it sounds. After that I waned to record more inputs as individual tracks and went out and got the Presonus Studiolive 16.0.4. Now I can do 16 channels in and out through the mixer and have onboard effects that are decent. Again very clean sound and happy.

I said all of that to point out that I could have saved myself A LOT of money if I had just been honest with myself about what I wanted out of my gear. Before you spend another penny decide what you want that gear to do, and what you expect. Are you wanting amazing quality and enough mics to mic a whole drum kit and still have inputs for your guitars and singers. Are you happy doing more demo quality stuff?

If you come back and say you want something with 12 inputs, has to record 12 tracks into your daw instead of 2, and anything else you can get some great answers and spend you money more wisely than I did.
 
Figured I'd add some rough numbers to show what I wasted

Mbox Mini = $149
Mbox Mobile Pre = $249
Allen & Heath ZED10fx = $299
Presonus Studiolive 16.0.2 = $999
AT2035 = $149
SM57 = $50
MXL 993 Matched pair = 249.99
AKG C214 = $499

I could have saved myself about $850 if I had just been honest about what I wanted to do and saved to purchase the right gear the first time. The pieces I no longer use because they are crap quality or I have given away are. Mbox mini, mbox mobile pre, ZED10FX, MXL 993s, AT2035

**These are rough guesses on the prices when I purchased, some items may be cheaper now
 
Mics gona hear what they hear..

Room Treatment: No room treatment
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No gobos or anything to even put up around a mic at all...?

:rolleyes: What was that quest again, oh yeah little money, but to make the biggest improvement in my sound quality'
 
The presonus VSL box has fantastic software with DSP capabilities that are way above this price range. But that same money spent towards a Tascam unit, for example, would give you more I/O. This possibly being at the expense of superior latency performance.
 
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