First real Home Studio need advice

[wargasms]

Oooohh!!!! Stay away from multi-channel USB stuff! It never works right. You always end up with lag problems. Go PCI any time you can.

the omnistudio usb has been good to me.

I bought my first in 2004, i have used it with 3 computers and a laptop without any lag or latency issues when using the last version of the drivers.

In 2007, i sold my recording gear. I regretted it and have been re-buying. I tried Presonus, tapco by mackie firewire interfaces. both had issues. Tapco had some noise and signal dropping, the presonus inspire wouldnt sync. So i went back and bought another omnistudio usb, installed the drivers and had it up and running and recording again within minutes.

i have had a great experience with this unit, and and thats why i reccomended it. Im keeping this one!

 

[guap_man]

hrm

since i trust you guys it seems that both the usb omnistudio and the dm3 and reliable.....
but since im not that knowledgeable that i can look at all the specifications on a product and be able to compare them....is there somewhere i can get a comparison on the 2.....im leaning toward omnistudio for the easy of use and price

 

[PhilGood]

the omnistudio usb has been good to me.

I bought my first in 2004, i have used it with 3 computers and a laptop without any lag or latency issues when using the last version of the drivers.

In 2007, i sold my recording gear. I regretted it and have been re-buying. I tried Presonus, tapco by mackie firewire interfaces. both had issues. Tapco had some noise and signal dropping, the presonus inspire wouldnt sync. So i went back and bought another omnistudio usb, installed the drivers and had it up and running and recording again within minutes.

i have had a great experience with this unit, and and thats why i reccomended it. Im keeping this one!

I had the Quatro and it was infuriating!

 

[dgatwood]

ok....what is gonna give me better quality...

delta 44-$100 /M-Audio DMP3-$120 /v67g-$100

total $320

orrr...

v67 mogami edition-$220 /omnistudio usb interface-$100

total $320

Both interfaces are M-Audio gear, so neither is going to have great sound quality, IMHO. M-Audio tends to have cheaply built analog sections that result in brittle sound. The DMP3 might be an exception—not sure.

If I were trying to buy something on the cheap, I'd buy a used MOTU 828 MKII on eBay for $200-300. Any cheaper interface is a waste of money, IMHO.

As for the mic, Musician's Friend has jacked the price of the MXL 960 up to $250. At that price, it is almost certainly not a good buy, IMHO. I can't imagine a Chinese condenser design being worth that much based on the ones I've heard. MF's new price is also terrible. You can get it for $200 from:

http://www.audiolines.com/MXL-960-p-15772.html

That said, even $200 is really too much for a Chinese condenser. You should be able to easily get a CAD M9 on eBay for about that. With an M9 and an 828MKII, you should come in at under $500 and get stunning sound quality.

 

[guap_man]

ok?

why would i buy a 300 preamp with 20 inputs when i only need one....and what am i gonna plug it into my sound blaster.....is there anything thats good quality without all the bells and whistles

 

[Shadow_7]

I guess it depends on how you define quality? I picked up an M-Audio Mobile Pre (usb) for $80. Actually I got two of them for $80 each. 1/8" out, 1/4" outs, 1/8" in, 1/4" ins, XLR ins. Basically two channels in and two out. Even an extra 1/8" out with volume knob for monitoring. Of fair quality sound wise. 16bit/48kHz x2. But the preamps and converters are noticeably not as good as a DMP3 + Delta 44. Still better than a soundblaster. Or an Art MP + Delta 44. And since the Mobile Pre is a sound device, you don't even need to run it to your soundblaster. Or step it up a bit with a UA-25, EMU 0404, Layla 3G, and others that are noticebly better still. But a bit beyond your suggested budget.

 

[MCI2424]

Hey everyone i was hoping for some suggestions from knowledgeable people. iv been rapping for about 3 years now, and i wana take it to the next level "Recods some songs."

--There are some problems tho...My budget. No more than 200 dollars to get this cracking.

Heres the thing, im set on getting the shure sm58 mic as iv heard great things, leaving me with around 100 dollars

Now all i care about is getting the best quality sound....and my sound blaster isn't gonna do the job.

What will get me the best sound for the money on my computer.... a nice pre amp for 100 and use my sound blaster audigy se...orrr a preamp/interface combo for under 100

iv heard the maudio audiobuddy is good but with my soundcard will it shine or barely help......i also seen a preamp/interface combo its called rolls gci404 is that any good....anyways any help is appreciated

Give Up 910 Letters Min.

 

[hairylarry]

Why to get the DMP3

Hi,

I have two DMP2 preamps. They are similar to the DMP3, just an earlier line and LED meters. I use them all the time on everything. My mics sound noticeably better through them. It is especially apparent on sources like acoustic guitar where they just sound a lot better in the upper octaves.

DMP3s are new for about $150 but they hold their value well and used still go over $100. But this is for two channels which means you can record stereo.

You can build a cable and take the output from the preamp into your existing line in on your soundcard. If your sound is on the motherboard you will probably get better sound with a quality stereo card. And nothing wrong with 4 channels in either. Especially if it's not much more money.

And if you like an SM58 buy an SM58. They're not high new and they hold their value great.

I think you'd have to be a good purchaser to make $200 but $300 should be doable.

Thanks,

Hairy Larry

 

[wargasms]

Hi,

I have two DMP2 preamps. They are similar to the DMP3, just an earlier line and LED meters. I use them all the time on everything. My mics sound noticeably better through them. It is especially apparent on sources like acoustic guitar where they just sound a lot better in the upper octaves.

DMP3s are new for about $150 but they hold their value well and used still go over $100. But this is for two channels which means you can record stereo.

You can build a cable and take the output from the preamp into your existing line in on your soundcard. If your sound is on the motherboard you will probably get better sound with a quality stereo card. And nothing wrong with 4 channels in either. Especially if it's not much more money.

And if you like an SM58 buy an SM58. They're not high new and they hold their value great.

I think you'd have to be a good purchaser to make $200 but $300 should be doable.

Thanks,

Hairy Larry

^ exactly why i reccommend the omnistudio usb for 100 bucks on ebay.

its the DMP2 preamps combined with the Delta 66 soundcard in a single interface.

 

[guap_man]

Ok well i tried to get an onmistudio on ebay today but i lost to a bidder...so i looked around at other options and i came across this, a Yamaha GO46 Firewire interface. I got it for $199
Considering that usb is slower than firewire and the specs looking better than most things in that price range, i bought it. idk theres not many reviews on it tho the ones there is seem good....i haven't hear alot about it on here, is there a reason for that

 

[Fab4ever]

As Wargasms said, the Omni Studio combines DMP-2 pres with a Delta 66 interface and a mixer of sorts with two headphone outs. I have the old PCI version, and it's served me faithfully for the past five years or so.

Those who say M-Audio doesn't make quality stuff are wrong. FOR THE MONEY, M-Audio is hard to beat, I've found. If you have five or six bills for an interface, yes there are better options. But if you can score an Omni Studio under 200, I think you've got a good deal. As I said, I have the PCI version and can't speak for the usb, but at the moment I"m on the road using a Line 6 USB interface (the UX-2) and it works pretty well for one or two tracks at a time. USB's limitations, AFAIK, involve a narrower capacity which limits the number of inputs recorded simultaneously. But the quality of the sound isn't inherently better or worse than PCI or Firewire.

 

[guap_man]

finnished

well this is my setup now

Yamaha go46 firewire interface $199
mxl v77 $104
acid pro 6.0
pop filter
mic boom stand
an i have these earphones that came with my sony ericsson 810i extenter cable

i think this should hold me off.....thanks for the help

altho its true you learn the most with the search button

 

[Randy Yell]

Sounds like you've made some good choices. Good luck!

 

[wargasms]

i think you will be very pleased with your setup guap man and it should serve you well.

 

[dgatwood]

Those who say M-Audio doesn't make quality stuff are wrong. FOR THE MONEY, M-Audio is hard to beat, I've found.

That's because nobody else cuts that many corners, and thus nobody can compete with them on price at all. You should hear the M-Audio rants I've heard. Compared with other folks I know, my opinion of M-Audio sounds downright tempered.

All I can say is that the difference between M-Audio and even Presonus is huge. The latter just sounds significantly better. And I'm not exactly a fan of Presonus gear, in case you didn't notice....

But the quality of the sound [of USB devices] isn't inherently better or worse than PCI or Firewire.

Inherently, no. Of course, most USB device vendors are trying to compete on price, and the result is that they tend to cut more corners on the analog section. FireWire devices are expected to cost more, so their manufacturers can afford to cut fewer corners. PCI devices are basically whatever the manufacturer has left over (since nobody is designing new parallel PCI devices these days), so they're all over the map.