Focusrite Trakmaster vs KorgTP2 & mic ?

[panop2001]

So I have an mbox and looking to pick up a mic pre and and cheaper condenser mic. I've read some things here on the Rode NT1A and a little about the C1. Iwas looking at the focusrite trakmaster which will cost me around $550 with sound card, where the Korg TP2 is about $300. I am recording in my apartment with no vocal booth. I sing very soft and breathy. I have to crank the input on the mbox to get level. I'm currently using a SM57. I hear computer noise and other noises when I solo the track. This is with a dynamic. Am I just asking for trouble with a condenser. My friends are telling me how much better my vocals would sound with either of these mics and a pre amp. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

 

[tc4b]

If you get noise now, with a condenser it will be much worse. Buy a focusrite after your room is better. Nail blankets to the walls or something, and put your cpu in the closet. Then buy a cheaper pre (or just try the ones in the mbox first, is this the new or old mbox? the old one had focusrite pre's anyway...) and a condenser. Your recordings will sound much better with a quiet, treated room and a $100 pre (presonus bluetube is pretty clean gain) than a noisy, live room and a $500 pre. Especially since you are looking at low-end mics. In fact, if it were me, I'd get a better mic and live with the mbox pre's and treat my room for now, it'll be several steps up from what you've got now, and you can blow money on a better pre later.

 

[panop2001]

That is very good advice thanks. Here's the thing. I need to get more level to disc. Because I sing pretty quietly, it's a problem. The pre amp was suppose to be a solution to that. Is there no way to get more level without increasing alot of noise?

 

[homestudioguy]

That is very good advice thanks. Here's the thing. I need to get more level to disc. Because I sing pretty quietly, it's a problem. The pre amp was suppose to be a solution to that. Is there no way to get more level without increasing alot of noise?

Remember that whatever the mic "hears" is what will be included in your signal and if you boost your signal you generaly boost everything included in the signal, computer noise, phones ringing, air conditioning, kids yelling, etc.
When I run one of my LDC's through my TrakMaster Pro, with enough gain, I can easily hear my kids on the second floor from my basement studio.
A Large Diaphragm Dynamic (Heil PR30?) might be an option as well as reducing the extraneous noises in your room.

 

[panop2001]

Thanks for letting me know about the Heil PR30. I hadn't heard anything about them. There isn't alot of info on them out there, but what exists is very good. Definitely worth checking out. Thanks again.

 

[homestudioguy]

Thanks for letting me know about the Heil PR30. I hadn't heard anything about them. There isn't alot of info on them out there, but what exists is very good. Definitely worth checking out. Thanks again.

http://www.heilsound.com/

 

[tone_aot]

put your cpu in the closet.

I've thought of doing this but would it overheat? I've recorded vocals in the closet but now i think i'd get a better sound by treating the room and putting the comp(where all the noise is coming from) in the closet.