Microphone and Preamp upgrade

D

dekodesigner

New member
Right, straight to the point.

I'm looking to upgrade my mic and preamp from a behringer ultragain and a rode nt1.

What would you suggest?

I am a hip hop artist who simply needs a cleaner vocal as I use Audition and Acid pro for my effects.

I've looked at a True Stystems P-Solo but that seems like a more instrument based pre right?

Also, heard good things about the Grace 101 and the Focusrite VoiceMaster pro with A/D card.


Along the lines of a mic, i am really not sure what one I want to go for, i just want a good sounding vocal for my tracks, if you want to hear some of the work you can go to my newly set up myspace page at

www.myspace.com/wakefieldsfinest1



AKG C414B-XLS is probably the only mic i have had a little look at.

Budget is £1,300 for the pre+mic so any advice would be highly appreciated as I have just seen pages upon pages of equipment and I don't know which pre-amp works better with vocals and types of mic.

Thanks, James. (UK)
 
Interface

my mistake, forgot to let you know that my interface was a tascam us-122 (usb 1.0 but can run on usb 2.0 speed)

I'm happy using the Tascam but I'm also happy with selling it to upgrade for firewire or even a better USB 2.0, or quite simply a tascam US-122a (usb2.0)

I have no problem with limitations with the equipment as I'm not going to be adding any second mic etc, i will simply use the same channel and switch mic. So I guess the US-122 is not the issue here?

I have a quad core pc and a good enough spec for good recordings, but the sound im making with what i have right now is not satisfying me any longer (3 months from purchase) So I really want to upgrade fast.

When monitoring i use a pair of hd565's and have my eyes on some KRK rp-6's as i like to work outloud at times, so I wouldn't mind any input on a decent pairs of monitors for the kind of music i'm recording (if the kind of music makes a difference to what monitors people go for).

I will return the favour by helping people within this community (that's if there is anyone with less capability than me on here as after reading, you guys have got it on lock here and I love that) as and when I can.


Thanks in advance, James.
 
hip hp vocals you'll want somthing with some color,

Youve got 1300 pounds which is probably 2.5x the us dollar which is about $3200 which isnt bad. please correct me if im wrong.

first, do oyu have a treated room?

If not, you could get a sm7 as the mic and spend more on the pre

If you think you will want to muy more preamps down the line get a lunchbox and fill it with 500 series preamps. API would set u back bout $600. you could grab a great river 500 series (800 odd) for a neveish flavor, up to you. + 400 for the lunchbox. then you could grab an sm7 as the mic. thats about $1300 +shipping (for api, lunchbox +sm7)

I dont know why i didnt do that... but neway:D

from what i read, and ive been reading bout this stuff for years (i have a lot of spare time at work) its better to have a better preamp.

any of the 500 series pres will be GREAT. If you have more money (as you have 1300 pounds), you could look at a mic like a peluso or a pearlman. You would not be dissapointed.

if you or anyone u know are good with a solding iron look at the kits from www.jlmaudio.com

Ive got the baby animal at home (finnishing it tonight) its a seriously a bang for buck preamp

I then plan to get his version of the LA2a compressor. i then plan to get new mics ...but i'll stop rabling bout that shit, hope i gave u some stuff to look into.
 
large-diaphragm cardioid - I have heard that after treatment, these kind of mic's are very good if the mic placement is correct, would something like this be a good move to use for close recordings over the dynamique i have (rode nt1). I can then use the Rode for distant recording such as backings and adlibs for strengthening?
 
From what I have read at SoundOnSound, other than treatment, mic placement and a mic the next things to go for are:

1. mic preamp
2. decent headphones
3. monitors.
4. compression (i will use audition 2.0's built in compressor)
5. pitch correction (can i get a plug in for audition or would i have to run it through reason, and connect audition to reason as a track recorded?) Or is it better to go with hardware?

6. rever, again any plugins for audition or is hardware the way forward?

I will obviously need a mixer if i am going for a pre, as well as hardware form of reverb and pitch control as my tascam only has 1 line in/out.

Help will be much appreciated!

James.
 
Salutory warning. I spent a fortune on a Blue Mouse mic because the reviews said it was good. I hated it. If you are going to spend a lot of money try to get hold of a variety of different mics to try out before hand because some mics will suit your voice and others will sound wrong even if they are expensive condensers.

John
 
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