I need to make a basic inventory of equipment to buy for a startup. what mixer e.g. Mackie Onyx, tube preamp etc. Can some one give a list of essentials for home recording ? thanks
I need to make a basic inventory of equipment to buy for a startup. what mixer e.g. Mackie Onyx, tube preamp etc. Can some one give a list of essentials for home recording ? thanks
What are you planning to record? How many inputs do you think you'll need at a time, how many will be mics, how many will be condensors (requiring phantom power)? Do you want to record via computer or standalone system? What's your budget?
Room, acoustic treatments, mic stand, mic, micpreamp, AD converter, soundcard/interface, computer with monitor and CD burner, software, DA converter, studio monitors, and headphones.
The list changes somewhat if you use a stand-alone recorder, sometimes called a SIAB (Studio In a Box): Room, treatments, mic stand, mic, SIAB, monitors, and headphones.
Don't feel bad... yours is a very common mistake... but a LOT more information is needed.
How many channels are you going to need? For example, a drum kit may require four or five microphones, and thus four or five preamps and four or five channels. Whereas a MIDI based keyboard only requires one channel and no preamps or mics at all. Are you going to be doing vocals? What kind? Screaming rock? Rap? Voice over? Karen Carpenter redux? Are you going to be recording to a PC or a standalone? If to a PC what quality of A/D/A conversion are you going to be happy with? What software do you expect to use? How much money do you have to spend? How fast do you need to be up and running?
Like everything else that is worth doing, this one has a learning curve. Don't give up.
Room, acoustic treatments, mic stand, mic, micpreamp, AD converter, soundcard/interface, computer with monitor and CD burner, software, DA converter, studio monitors, and headphones.
The list changes somewhat if you use a stand-alone recorder, sometimes called a SIAB (Studio In a Box): Room, treatments, mic stand, mic, SIAB, monitors, and headphones.
You're probably correct--depending on your definition of essential--but I think converters play an important role and should be listed right up there with mics and preamps. They really become an important source of focus as your studio improves and I think newcomers to recording might as well get started on the right path. The AD/DA distinction may also seem a bit irrelevant but it's important to emphasize that it's not just what goes into a recording but what comes out and how it's heard and perceived. Crappy DA converters can hinder the monitoring process in the same way that poor room acoustics or poor monitors affect sound. And, again, as people try to improve their skills and equipment, DA conversion and it's quality comes into play.