Focusrite and Mic Question

[Minn]

I'm new to the forum (in terms of posting) but I do read/search existing topics.

I'm about to pull the trigger on a purchase (maybe within a few hours) and I'm wondering whether anyone has some thoughts about this combo for mainly voice-over and occasional acoustic guitar (an overall workhorse). We are looking at 85% voice-over/vocals, 15% acoustic guitar (fooling/for fun).

(Feel free to recommend anything other than Focusrite for the interface, I'm only starting with these options because I've heard good things about the pre-amp.)

Either a..
Focusrite Saffire Pro 24 Firewire Audio Interface,
Focusrite Saffire Pro 14 Firewire Audio Interface or
Focusrite Scarlett 8i6 USB Audio Interface 8in 6out

Paired with a..
Rode NT2-A (ldc),
Shure SM7B (dynamic),
Blue bluebird (ldc) or
anything else?

EDIT - Bought Focusrite Scarlett 8i6 USB Audio Interface 8in 6out and Rode NT2-A

 

[RandomHero]

Yes yes yes focusrite makes amazing products. but you should probably invest in an interface that isnt usb (focusrite pro14/24)

if you need a:
Condenser, i recommend the akg 220

Dynamic: sm58 (audix also makes some great dynamic mics)

Ribbon: (save up 170 for a cascade fat head) <- this will sound the warmest of all the mics without EQ'ing

 

[MG Eddie]

AKG makes fantastic condenser mic's at a reasonable price. Would you want a mic to record the voice and the acoustic guitar together or separately? I bought a pair of pencil mic's that I use for exactly that. I point one mic at the guitar and the other at the singer.

 

[Minn]

Cool, I'll check out the pencil mics, the SM58 and the fathead ribbon.

I've already bought the Scarlett and Rode NT2-A. First impressions, the latency isn't too bad (tested it on a laptop with power saving CPU scaling) will try on my desktop later on. The NT2-A has a proximity effect thats not too overwhelming. The sound is crisp but I would imagine a small diaphragm condenser may complement the acoustic guitar far more than the LDC.

I probably would record together, setting the NT2-A to cartioid and the acoustic (probably get a pencil mic OR swap for NT2A and use a ribbon for vocal) slightly off-axis.

Thanks for the replies.

 

[Martallika666]

I would have said go with the Pro 24 DSP, I have been researching for the past two weeks and it seems amazing. There is a video on YouTube of some studio engineers recording The Traveling Band with it and the VRM feature is a big plus for me as my studio space atm is limited so i will be mixing through a pair of Sennheiser HD595's. Also, it has two headphone out's so if I am recording someone else we can both have a set of cans (I have a pair of Direct Sound EX-29's for tracking, awesome cans!)

As for mics, I used to have an AKG 200, sold it on when times got hard, recently ordered an AKG 220 (newer version of the 200), it never came so after much complaining they refunded me and I bought an SE2200a from DV. It is awesome and well worth the extra few £££'s from the 220!!