what to upgradefirst? Mics or preamp?

S

spoonie g

New member
Here is my current setup:

dell w/ 2.4 ghz pent IV, 2 120 gb hard drives, 1gb RAM.
layla 24 soundcard w/8 i/o.
steinberg nuendo.
presonus m80 8 channel preamp.
fmr rnc compressor.
2 marshall mxl 603's.
3 sm57's.
1 beta 57.
3 sennheiser 630 (i think that's the model?) tom mics.
audix d6.
event 20/20 bas powered monitors.

I am thinking of either upgrading two 2 extra channels or two more mics, ideally either a great river mpnv-2 or two akg 414's. The great river would be used for everything except drums, and the akg would be used for vocals and overheads, etc.
 
I generally think expensive preamps can bring more out of cheaper mics than vice versa. However, I notice that you don't even have an LDC at all, so I might go that route first.
 
You have a pretty good piece of preamp in the M80. Certainly something to be said for getting a Great River, but I wonder if you really need to move up so much as move sideways. Like...getting something like an RNP or a Grace 101...or maybe even cheaper with a DMP3 or Rane. BUT...I agree with most guys...you need many more mics before you think of getting a big preamp.

Get some LDCs... like the 414s. I would also consider other things to supplement the 414s, since you currently have no LDCs at all, like the CAD M179s, the SP B and C series, the M-Audio Solaris... other things not in the price range of the 414, are but are well regarded around the community... (I personally live and die by my M179s. They're my poor man's 414, and you can call up CAD to get a stereo matched pair of them for a pretty small price premium...)
 
spoonie. i'm a renegade when it comes to gear. i think you have way more than enough to do great songs.
my advice, forget the gear lust and focus on developing your mic positioning and song engineering skills. but go on a gear binge if it keeps you happy.
just my 2 cents.
 
manning1 said:
spoonie. i'm a renegade when it comes to gear. i think you have way more than enough to do great songs.
my advice, forget the gear lust and focus on developing your mic positioning and song engineering skills. but go on a gear binge if it keeps you happy.
just my 2 cents.
Click to expand...


this was kind of what my drummer and I surmised after discussing it for 30 minutes or so..... but I do plan on making upgrades somewhere in the future.
 
I gotta disagree. At the very least, a single decent LDC is pretty close to essential. My personal philosophy is not a few really insane things (like having a Neumann into an Avalon) but having many different combinations. I have many different preamps, all below 500 dollars, and many different mics, all below 400 dollars, and being able to swap out an Audix OM2 for a Shure SM7 for a crappy Superlux dynamic for a Studio Projects provides so much more than just positioning the mics and EQing what you can.
 
A will add a vote to you needing a good LDC. Something like the Audio Technica 4050 will offer you a great LDC that is versatile, and sounds good on most things you use it on. I had to pic ONE mic under $1k to use exclusively for recording, it would be a AT 4050.

Since nobody else has said it yet, I will add that you should learn how to get the most out of your gear before upgrading from where you are at right now, EXCEPT getting one good LDC. I think once you have pushed your current setup to it's fullest potential, gear upgrades, if you still feel the need then, would be upgrading the mics first, then the preamps. Really, most modern preamps are of okay quality, and spending 10 times as much on a preamp will not net you THAT much better sound. Adding mics to your collection WILL offer you a variety of different sounds that you currently can't get with your rather small mic collection.
 
spoonie, the only way to tell whose suggestion is right is to rent some elite gear. ive done this in the past. i still maintain a top audio engineer would churn out bery good songs with your fine gear list. gear imho is a small component imho. good musicians and songs .....
 
LDC = Large Diaphram Condenser

It has to do with the diaphram size on a microphone. Having at least one good LDC is pretty much a MUST if you hope to do great recordings. You will find over time though that having a collection of them is one of the biggest reasons great records sound great! (this is after you discover how to use them well)
 
sonusman said:
LDC = Large Diaphram Condenser

It has to do with the diaphram size on a microphone. Having at least one good LDC is pretty much a MUST if you hope to do great recordings. You will find over time though that having a collection of them is one of the biggest reasons great records sound great! (this is after you discover how to use them well)
Click to expand...

yeah, I know, and plan on it. just trying to budget my funds as well as possible. a ldc is definitely in the plans, though.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top