Get a preamp or a mic?

[abbazabba]

Here's what I have:

2 SM57s
2 Marshall 603s
Marshall MXP 2001
Sennheiser MD421
AKG D112
AKG D1000e
Soundcraft M8 mixer
Digi 001
(plus a number of old weird mics...have no idea what most of them are, but they're fun to use just for color)

I will be recording a standard rock band setup - guitar, bass, drums, 2 vocalists. I feel like I can definitely make do with what I have and creatively make it work, but I want to invest in something else that will improve my recordings in general.

My budget is ideally around $500 but I'd be willing to take it up to $800 for the right thing. I had been pretty sure that what I needed to round off my collection was a high quality vocal/all-purpose mic and have been eyeing some of the Rodes.

I'm not 100% newbie but I don't have any experience with preamps. Lately I've read enough about them and see the importance people put in them, so I've started wondering if that's what I should be looking at instead of a mic.

What would the smartest thing to purchase? A mic, a nice 1 channel pre, or one of the 8 channel preamps? Would the preamps on my Soundcraft and Digi be sufficient or could a preamp within my budget enhance the quality of my recording significantly more with just the set of mics that I have?
Thanks for your advice.

 

[scrubs]

What monitors are you using and is your room acoustically treated? Those would be the first things that will make nice improvements in your recording and mixing endeavors.

 

[NYMorningstar]

It would be easier to bob for apples than to come up with the right answer to this question.

 

[bigwillz24]

What scrubs said. You could buy a neve pre and a u87 and they both are gonna sound crappy in a shitty sounding room.

 

[antispatula]

If you're recording in an ugly sounding room, it helps to mic everything really really close in my expirience. Then again, I record in a 20ft tall, slanted ceilings, spacious living room

 

[danico4not]

Well the Rode's are nice. Like the NT1a.I've got two and they are great. The NT1000 is super clean and pick up a pin drop. But If you're that concerned with your sound pick up a nice mic like a Neumann. A pre would be good if you had a garbage board-but you've got a Soundcraft so you're in the matrix. I'd say just pick up a nice mic and maybe some software plugins..

 

[wheelema]

Personally I would pop for a Shure SM7B ($320) and a M-Audio DMP-3 ($160). This would give you a gold (albeit budget) vocal channel.

 

[daav]

Personally I would pop for a Shure SM7B ($320) and a M-Audio DMP-3 ($160). This would give you a gold (albeit budget) vocal channel.

i like this suggestion as well, but unless you are short on pres, i doubt if the DPM3 is going to be significantly better in the pre department than the M8s pres. I don;t have any really experience with any non budget pres, but i have both the DMP3 and a soundcraft M4 and there is not htat significant a diffence in my experience. Whether a mid range pre like the brick or RNP would show a signicant improvement either, i can't tell you, but personally you have a pretty good general use mic cab and decent mic pres in the M8, i would make the next investment all in a much-better-than-budget mic or pre.

Look at all the suggestions about treatment and monitoring if you haven't already as well.

if you don't need to treat your space, a nice vocal mic might be a good option, AT 4050, SM7 (cheaper), SP T3 all things i would consider if i had $400-500 to spend, for $700 a 414 might be an option.

daav

 

[abbazabba]

i like this suggestion as well, but unless you are short on pres, i doubt if the DPM3 is going to be significantly better in the pre department than the M8s pres. I don;t have any really experience with any non budget pres, but i have both the DMP3 and a soundcraft M4 and there is not htat significant a diffence in my experience. Whether a mid range pre like the brick or RNP would show a signicant improvement either, i can't tell you, but personally you have a pretty good general use mic cab and decent mic pres in the M8, i would make the next investment all in a much-better-than-budget mic or pre.

Look at all the suggestions about treatment and monitoring if you haven't already as well.

if you don't need to treat your space, a nice vocal mic might be a good option, AT 4050, SM7 (cheaper), SP T3 all things i would consider if i had $400-500 to spend, for $700 a 414 might be an option.

I had given up on this thread after the "bobbing for apples" comment and only just now checked it. Thanks to everyone who responded constructively.

Perhaps I should have been more specific or something. Yours and danico4not's replies was what I was looking for. I understand the importance of a good room and good micing and performance and all that. I'd heard the M8 pres were quality, but as I said, I have no experience with anything else.
I think I'll go with the buying a solid vocal mic. I'll check out all your recommendations.