Filling up the rack with crap

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Auxillary

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I just bought some nice preamps and I have some good compressors and limiters. Im all set for good stuff, now I want to get some crap. Have budgeted 1300$ on buying cheap "tube" pre's compressors etc... Got 8 rack spaces to fill, and I already spent nearly 25,000$ on more expensive gear, so please dont tell me to save up for XXX super class-a ultra warm pre, Im already there.

I have been looking at stuff like the preosnus blue tube, behringer ultragain, focusrite units, bellari rack units, art dual channel thing. Already have 2 rnp's, dont want more. Cheap stuff. Id be willing to grab maybe 1 400-500 unit in this portion, but that's it. And it must fit in a rack, I dont have any desk space available at all. thank you.
 
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whats the point of getting cheapy pre's if you already have some great o nes? i fail to see the logic...if you want the money out of your pocket just give it to me:D
 
You can get cool sounds from cheap stuff. Not everything needs to be ran through a neve. Id like suggestions for things that have a unique sound, not questioning of my budget. Sorry if i seem angry or something, I am not in a good mood today:)
 
I'm also not sure about your strategy of buying cheap stuff, but I'm not questioning your budget.

Also, there's cheap, and then there's "crap". I don't see any point in filling your racks with crap. So my suggestions below are for gear that's cheap but still has some redeeming qualities. For example, no Behringer. If you've spent $25,000 it would be an injustice to yoruself to put a bunch of Behringer junk in your rack. That just makes the good gear you bought look bad, and doens't make the best impression on any prospective clients or producers/musicians who may want to use you or your studio for projects.

However, here's a few suggestions:

ART PRO VLA. I'd put that at the top of your cheap stuff list.

Vintage DBX compressors. Like the 160X or 160XT. Or get a 900 rack and fill it up. I just got a 900 rack and filled it up with great stuff for $1,000 total.

Guitar effects. Some older Digitech rack stuff is cool, like their RDS delay series. There's also a lot of stomp boxes to consider. This would give you lots of sounds for cheap. Think chorus pedals, distortion, like that. you could mount the pedals on a rack drawer and just pull the drawer out when you need it.

Electrix Filter Factory or Warp Factory.

BBE, Aphex, or DBX "sonic maximizer" type boxes.

SPL Virtualizer. Some of the older models can be found cheap used.

Well, there's a starting point anyway. Again, cheap can be cool, but don't fall into "crap" like the Behringer stuff. It's got no sound other than just cheap. Go for anything with personality.
 
Um yeah, but what if you want a cheap sound? Hahaha.

I dont care what this looks like to other people. I am putting this all together to help myself and friends, not make money out of it. I didnt spend my life savings to have some dolt come in my studio and tell me how to record his record. This is for me baby! I started out with cheap stuff, radioshack reverbs, old 50's compressors, behringer mixers, shotty monitors. It is part of me now, even with newer gear that I think sounds fantastic, there is still part of me that wants a scratchy gross fuzzed up acoustic guitar sound with tons of line noise and 60hz hum. Not all the time, but sometimes. I am also a person who feels it should be gotten right going in, so I dont think it is best to run my api 512 into the DAW and smash it izotope vinyl, I rather just record it that way to begin with.

I am new to this forum obviously, it will take me some time to learn the etiquette. Please forgive me if I say something improperly or word something so that it may be inflammatory or insulting. I am wishing to be friendly as possible!
 
So let me get this straight . . .


You're looking for cheap stuff that sounds bad?

Alright, here's what you do: Go to the MP3 clinic and ask all those guys there what they're using. :D :D :D

Just kidding, fellas.

Honestly, though, guy . . . I think I have just the site for you, and I realize we're not supposed to post links to other BBS's, but this is just too perfect for you. Got to: www.harmonycentral.com

Those guys should be able to hook you up nicely.
 
It sounds to me like what you are looking for is a "vibey" kind of sound, including lo-fi maybe but also a little different from lo-fi.

I'll stick with my recommendations above, including staying away from Behringer, or most new gear in fact. If I were you I'd go a-hunting on eBay, flea markets, pawn shops, yard sales, etc., and pick up a bunch of vintage stuff dirt cheap.

A lot of the recommendations you'd get at Harmony Central or most places will be low end "prosumer" type gear, new stuff. That's the gear you still want to avoid in my opinion. Seriously, stock up on the old DBX stuff like the 117, 118, 119 stereo compressors among other things. Try to find the older 70's and 80's solid state pro gear that's currently out of favor. There are some Urei eq's that you can find cheap these days. Also pick up the ART PRO VLA (one of the few new units I'd recommend for this), but also cheap older tube gear. I know you want rack gear, but some older tape decks are tube and have a real sound to them.

Hope this helps.
 
Sounds good for hunting on ebay. Any other suggestions though? :) I dont see why be adverse to the cheap stuff, it has it's place as everything else.
 
Auxillary said:
I just bought some nice preamps and I have some good compressors and limiters. Im all set for good stuff, now I want to get some crap.
Click to expand...

Okay, what gear are you using now?

MP
 
6 api 512c in 500h racks.
1 Chandler tg1
2 1272, 1 dual vintech 1 dual BA
2 Avalon 727
4 1176, 2 urei, 1 UA original, 1 UA 1176ln
Grace 201
2 El8
1 Fatso jr
2 RNC
2 RNP
Various effects units from lexicon and eventide, onloan right now.
4 Alesis nanolimiter
Blue Sky system one monitors
Samson C-control

Apogee da-16 (not used yet) outside rack budget.
Crane song spider (not used yet) outside rack budget.

All new gear, Not all of it is hooked up. Some peice of the puzzle are still mising, particularly interface for computer, and purchasing a new computer soon.

I use the software called tracktion to track and edit. Planning on getting samplitude for mixing and a controller, but I am not sure. I am very happy with tracktion so far.

I spent rest to purchase nicer instruments, furniture, and cables. Working on getting a good size room to construct and treat.

Dont get it wrong, I have yet to have any clue of what I am doing. I dont expect to get it right all the first time or have perfect records made just because I have good equipment. Ive saved for a long time, once I finish setting up it will be 24/7 learning and experimenting.

I will surely be asking a lot of questions here as I do on tapeop messageboard often. Thanks for the help guys!
 
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The mic collection is growing soon as well. When I get a chance to audition some microphones I will be purchasing mics as well. For now I just have a few cheap condensers, some 57's and miscellaneous dynamics. My budget covers 7500 for mics, but If i have questions it will be posted in the appropriate forum.

Also trying to find another pair of monitors that are the antithesis of the blue skys. Looking strongly at the dynaudio and some hi-fi speakers. Have not heard anything else I like so far. Once again, will be posted in the appropriate forum if I have questions.

Thank you.
 
Aw lumgabo, c'mon, give the guy a break! He'll probably buy ten of them. :-)

Okay, that's an interesting list of some mostly really great gear. You've kind of got all the "hot 2003" items. It's like a list of every "most recommended" piece of gear on internet pro audio message boards in the last 12 months.

It scares me a great deal to read something like "I have yet to have any clue of what I am doing" immediately following that very expensive list of gear.

I have a really good suggestion for you:

Stop spending money and use the gear you already have for 6-12 months. At the end of that period, or during it, you will gradually become aware of the areas of your studio you need to work on. Studio gear should really arise out of the musical need. If you get to the middle of a song and you need some trashy effect, then get a trashy effect at that point. Believe me, you could trash up your sound plenty as it is with the gear you have. The Distressors alone are very colorful compressors, and combined with some of that other stuff the possibilities are endless.

In any case, put together what you have and see how it works for you. If you blow all your money now, you will find after a while that you spent on areas you didn't need to, and didn't spend on things you did need. The only way to avoid that is to buy based on musical need from real world use, not pre-imagined need. Big difference.

Well, if you started the day a little irritable, then perhaps this post will push you over the edge! Just trying to share based on my own experience.
 
That is a good suggestion, and yes you're right, I worked on recommendations from many many people. Forums and in-person. I will take the advice and wait a bit, For now I simply need to get a working computer interface. Probabaly going to grab an RME and try to set everything up. All I needed was a kick to the head to stop my zealous buy outs.

Still need to grab a few mics though!

Thank you.
 
how about some Joemeeks, HHB compressor and lots of mics like Audio Technica, Studio Projects, MXL, Caddy and whatnot? If you really want crap sound, get a terrible soundcard and a PC mic:D

Al
 
Just go to Guitar Center and ask to see all the cheapest rack gear, units that have the word 'PRO' in their names will probably be good choices. You might wanna pick up a nice Radio Shack mic collection too.
 
looks to me

like you already have enough equipment.
there are lots of free plug ins for mangling and crunching.
or if you want to do something different do what i do
and build your own mic preamps. its a great learning experience and you can get lots of different textures in your sound
by using different parts. just the strategic use of RC networks can do serious changes to your audio if you build them correctly ,
plus you save money.
 
Yo' Aux, for low-priced,bottom-o'-the barrel,outboard gear, peep
this:

1)-Alesis 3630- Unit introduces audible artifacts during ops, yet when used in conjunction with a bass,will produce wierd efx when thresh and ratio is set hi offering a distinctive "ooomph" to freq'ys below 70hz. Also effective in capping annoying "hiss" found in most drum machines my incorporating unit's gate function. Otherwise, the unit is useless in dynamic control.
$79 new at var retailers;cheaper on E-bay and wayyyy less if you
wanna buy mine! (Hit me with an e-mail)

2)-Behringer AutoCom-Decent & useful unit offering more than adequate comp'ing and limiting functions. Though unit's settings must be increased at a much greater level than most, mid/upper-level processors to achieve similar control of signal dynamics, unit
will provide some satisfactory capping and control. I wouldn't recommend unit for voc's (though it will offer a modicum of "sssss/siblance" control), powerful lead git perf's, or percussive-bass technique, the AutoCom will afford workmanlike
processing for your average use.
$60-70 fr retailer or check the Bay of E!

3)-Lexicon MPX200-@ $169, this efx unit, while not having a wide array of adjustable effect parameters nor 'Verb algorithms that can be fine-tuned in at least a .2-3+ incremental value, the 200's well-captured efx does serve-up a well-designed and most useful
and realistic 'Verb/area diameters. In comparison to Beh's DSP Pro1000 or a Zoom RFX, the 200's sound engine (w. L/R proc'ing)
does not contain that metallic sound found in the aforementioned units. A more than useable addition addition to h-reccers on a budget.

4)-ART TPS Pre-Can be had for $165 at your local retailer, the TPS
is more than adequate for rhythm git and bass while average on
acoustic (even when utilizing the Variable Voice Function). Noticeable "coloration" added during amp-micing a lead using either a SMack 57 or 58 (mid-freq'y's are more pronounced), and hi-sense mics on voc's appear a bit to "shiny" (thought issue can be corrected via eq adjmt according to taste). With a +20db pad and cross-ref'ing unit's instrument range against type, some degree of "warmth" can be achieved thru signal-dynamic control.
With a certain amount of expermentation with unit's VVF,some pleasant operation and signal control can be achieved.



Just my .00000000001 cent opinion.
 
Use a computer mic, and a soundcard that comes WITH the computer. Genius :D
 
i think i've heard it all....

Auxillary said:
Im all set for good stuff, now I want to get some crap. I already spent nearly 25,000$$$
Click to expand...


I got a bunch of crap I'll sell you!
How about some crappy monitors and some crappy cables....

i'm laughing to keep from crying...daamn.

seriously, some rep at Guitar Center will love to help you out...your probably a dream customer.
 
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