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These days, I wouldn't bother with a second drive unless you use it as your boot drive, to make the system boot faster, to make apps launch faster, to make VIs load faster, etc. I used to do multitracking on a hard drive that got something like 6 MB/sec. Bouncing and freezing was sometimes...

I like reusing thematic passages to create a sense of musical connection between two pieces of music, and if I'm feeling really clever, I'll reuse them in ways that subtly reflect connections between the lyrics themselves. For example, the (Latin) Gloria contains the phrase "Qui sedes ad...

I'd expect that as well. A proper USB device ought to at least enumerate on bus power. That doesn't mean it will necessarily operate usably, but the USB chipset portion of the interface should be powered off of the USB bus. Otherwise, your digital ground isn't going to be the same as your...

I can't imagine any reason that a Thunderbolt to FireWire adapter wouldn't work just fine. It's just a Thunderbolt to PCI bridge and a Firewire controller, which shouldn't be substantially different than having it on the motherboard. Some people have complained about insufficient power for...

First thing to do is look at the coupling cap, and if it is ceramic, replace it. After that, you have a lot of options, from simple component swaps to complete circuit redesigns or capsule replacements. Have fun.

Just use a Thunderbolt to FireWire adapter. Should be fine. (I'm assuming it isn't one of the original 1998 or early 1999 iMacs, which AFAIK were the only iMacs that lacked FireWire and didn't have Thunderbolt. If I'm wrong, though, I think there were ways to adapt the Mezzanine slot into a...

I would ignore the discoloration of the plastic connector. I'm pretty sure the discoloration indicates that one of the components next to it is getting hot. I can't imagine having enough resistance in one of those conductors to produce enough heat to cause that kind of discoloration under any...

I'm pretty sure the RB500 is the same mic as the Nady RSM-2, but with a slightly different headbasket. I've used the Nady version for vocal and brass recordings on several occasions, always with great success. It takes EQ beautifully and is a remarkably solid performer for the money. (Heck...

The AT2020 is a decent SDC that has worked well for me as a general-purpose hammer. I'd pick a pair of those over either the SM57 or SM58 any day of the week, unless you're trying to do live sound reinforcement. I think you'd be happy with a pair of either the AT2020 or the M5 for guitar...

You can't break a mic by having the gain too high (unless you're using it as a speaker). It sounds like a loose wire on one phase that just happens to randomly connect properly. Either that or the coil got physically warped somehow (hot car?) and is hanging against some part of the inside of...

I think there's at least one more possibility. I seem to recall having a bunch of microphones that used a 4-pin connector in which the fourth pin was DC power (9V, IIRC). We originally used cables that were rewired to have a standard XLR and a 9V battery holder down at the plug end, but at...

Be careful when you choose a USB or FireWire mixer to make sure that the computer can record individual channels and not just the final mix. Some do, some don't. I'm not aware of any powered mixers that have built-in recording capabilities (though they may exist), but if you can't find such a...

Laptop power supplies are notorious for being grounded badly by design, resulting in massive noise floating on the signal ground. When you plug it into your speakers, the hum flows from the computer's signal ground to the nearest usable ground—the one on your speakers—through the shield on your...

Apps shouldn't crash just because the CPU is being used heavily. That's what fans are for. If they aren't working, there's something wrong with your hardware. But before you go blaming the hardware, the first thing I'd do is compare the crash logs to see whether it is crashing in a consistent...

Definitive answer? No. You'd pretty much have to find somebody at M-Audio to answer that. (Incidentally, my earlier comment was about the 1010LT, which is an entirely different animal.) That said, at this point, given that PCI-X slots are relatively rare in new motherboards, your next...

Buy hardware that's actually designed for recording. With the exception of M-Audio, the manufacturers you've listed are pretty much gamer hardware. If they work for recording, it's mostly luck. These days, cards are mostly used for extremely high-end stuff where you're going to need dozens of...

Not really.

Personally I'm a fan of ribbons for voice. They take EQ very well, so you can tailor the sound for each particular voice, and it won't get harsh or brittle. They're also great for brass, guitar cabs... pretty much everything but kick drum. :) For my voice, I also have a fondness for the CAD...

If you were recording a podcast or something (speech), where the sound quality isn't critical, USB mics are a so-so solution. For actual musical vocal recording, though, you're basically asking which is better for race car driving: a Ford Pinto or a Yugo. USB mics are pretty much universally...

Agreed. Particularly for trumpet, a ribbon mic is a must-have, IMO. Also, if you're talking about attaching a microphone to your horn, you absolutely do not want to place a microphone anywhere near a trumpet. Back off several feet for the best sound. I know you see a lot of people using...