HELP-a now decision on speakers.

P

PRiZ-one

New member
HELP-decision on speakers.

Aight, what I do.

I need to get off headphones, I have no speakers at all.

I want to up my setup now.

What do I get, some decent 100$ computer speakers for now, unitl I can afford some NICE monitors like the Mackies hr824 prob, or the Event 20/20bas second as my two choices right now. And atleast have something better than headphones to kill the time til I can get better, and I'll prob use the computer speaks to back and forth between monitors as another reference anyway after I got whatever else.

or is their any other home shelf stereo I should get to work with now cheap? instead of computer speaks, mayby no idea? suggestions...???

Or do I get some cheapo monitors till I can get better.

Also I want to finally get a pro soundcarrd, delta 44 to be exact.
heard this wont even be noticed unless I have better monitors. How do I step up my game ya'll???

Should I just get a better sound card now and some normal speakers, and mayby have enuff left over to get a record setup started soon. I want to get some home recordings started soon too.

I'm really not sure what to do, I'm nearing 2000 can. not much, actually about teh orice I could prob get the mackies for. but I'll always get more money, not second chances to get the right equipment the first time,a and I have extreme paitience.

My last concern is, I'm making hiphop for info to all who might help. I've heard a mastering house is only 100$ per album. mayby I should just forget the Mackies and get the mastering house to do it all. I was even thinking I would get them to do it after I mixed myself with the mackies, or after I mastered myself anyway to get that lil extra quality.

After all I'll most likely only be doing my own and mayby a few side projects with others. I've been racking my brain for months over these questions, but lack the knowledge to know what to do.

thanks for any replies. peace, respect.

I'd really like to get to that next level soon.
 
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come on ya'll!

I wanted to make a purchase tommorrow...

I know I wrote alot...

It took me years to save this much, I want to put it to best use.

P.S. I'm not complaining, I'm just whining.
 
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Hey Priz,

There's a lot to think about there...... But I'll give you my perspective on a few points you mentioned.

I'm had a fairly nice equiped project studio but had to put everything into storage because I needed the space for my company (expanding office space). A little more then a year ago I came across virtual studio software (Orion) and since then I've gone completely digital. Because og that I'm currently building a new, very powerfull computer to build my new studio around. I want to get the best stuff that my budget can buy (I can go places, but there IS a limit). I'm also very, very patient. Rather wait to get a better quality then to buy something now that I might regret later on.

So tis is the way I go about it: The computer that I build has integrated (basic) audio on the motherboard. I like it fine, because I'm going to hook up some good quality PC speakers with a sub-wooofer for the time being. After that I'm going to shop around for a good multi-in/out audio solution to be able to mike a drumkit for example. After that I'm going to look around for some decent nearfields, I already took a peek to Tanoy Reveals, but as I'm patient I might wait until I can afford Genelecs.

So it might take another year before I get to purchase the monitors, till then I'll use the PC speakers. After I get the monitors I will use the PC speaker system for reference.

I hope this gives you some direction.

Peter.
 
I don't know much about the soundcard, so I can't help there, but you do need to get off the headphones. Although the Alesis Monitor One MKII set won't win any awards, it'll get you started, and I saw them at zzounds.com for only $249 a pair US. I wouldn't go any lower than this.

If you found a mastering house that will master your whole album for $100, there are three things that you must do:

1. Turn around.

2. Run away.

3. Make sure they can't find you.


There's nothing that anybody charging that amount can do that you can't, except be objective, but at that amount I wouldn't even try.

I'm unsure as to whether you're clear on what mastering is. Mastering is the final step - the manipulation of your stereo mix. It's up to you to get a great sounding album, and it's up to the mastering engineer to use his experience and equipment to make it sound closer to a "real" release.

Ken Rutkowski
Outer Limit Recording Studio
 
PRiZ-one said:
Aight, what I do.

I need to get off headphones, I have no speakers at all.

I want to up my setup now.

...etc, etc... snipped....
Click to expand...
You're going to mix on headphones and let a mastering house try and make it sound good..........!!!! WTF????????? :eek:

Priz........ do you even read what people post to your questions??? We've been through this ALL before with you... you were told all about monitors, soundcards, amps, recorders.... all in GREAT detail... then you thank us... and come back a month later and ask it ALL OVER AGAIN.....

And now once more with the fuckin' monitor question...................

Ya know what......... go to Future Shop and buy the cheapest pair of goddamn computer speakers you can buy..... you know why??? Because it really won't matter what anyone says right now.... in a month you'll be back asking the same question all over again.......... :rolleyes:

I think you answer is to go thru all your old posts and re-fuckin'-read them!

Crimony! :eek:

Bruce


PS ...and the only "mastering house" that charges $100 for "mastering" a CD is the pimply-faced 14-year-old in his basement with $20 Wal-mart speakers attached to his computer.......

Big yikes................. :rolleyes:
 
HAHA, Bruce, you are a harsh, but funny guy.

Priz: get a cheap soundcard with 2 inputs, so you can record turntables/samples from a boombox if you need to. Use whatever speakers you can find. Do this, plug your mic into your VCR, connect it with your TV. There you have a pair of speakers for $5(cable/adaptor) I am not trying to insult anyone here, but, you do what you have to do in order to take the first step, right? Start recording, and post some mp3s, then people here can tell you what's wrong, and what to "buy" to help it if needed.

AL
 
lol...

I do look for answers in more places than the all knowing home rec. Most peoples on the street tip don't have the knowledge of this site or those alike, and many are strong in their beleifs and preach their ways. So I leave here thinkin I got it down, I run into a few people ask them for advise/oppinions, people that have studios and doing what I do alot longer, they're saying monitors don't matter! :O or Event 20/20bas are better than mackies hr284, I do hear these things. It seems everyone that's not at this site has more or less the same bizarre answers. Plus these are peeps who do hiphop as well, so I start assuming that everyone here is on some greater musical task and I'm playing myself, and should just be doing what those around me are on too, it's obviously cheaper...

now that that's cleared... are they're any particular brand of computer speaks to look for, the best value etc. That will last and work as a second reference for while after I do get my monitors.

I was looking at the "creative" brand yesterday for 100$ CAN. a set of two speaks and a sub, good deal? is this all that's needed for good sounding compter speaks etc?

Answer above first, bonus question below :)

Lastly is it worth getting a better sound card before I get my monitors or will it make no difference, long and mcquade (local music store) said without monitors a delta 44 wouldn't even be worth getting for you wouldn't hear it's benefits. So I was gonna wait to get the card when i get the monitors. reason I ask is if it makes no diff, I can hold my money longer incase a new better option comes along, not kill the horse for a makeshift couch.

thanks, once again. peez!
 
Hey Bruce,

First of all I can handle the up-front atitude, kinda like it if someone's direct (it means they are "honest"... well most of them).

I got the little hint ;) (although not completely sure what you meant by it).

For the sake of the question I didn't put into my post that I have some nice (albeit very old) nearfields so I can wait another year before buying orther ones. Besides that, just the other week I listend to a mix that I did (just for fun) on my current computer with a pair of PC-speakers (with subwoofer). Listened to it on Reveals and it hit me how balanced the mix actualy came out. It shows that if you know the response of whatever system you mix on (I listen to a lot of music on those PC-speakers) you can go a long way.

Currently building the new computer takes most of my budget. It's a dual Athlon MP2000+, 1,5 Gig memory, three harddisks 80 Gig each, one of them for OS and applications, sample sets and stuff, the other two in raid-0 for recording space.

As for money, I know what those Genelecs cost. The point is that I've spend over USD 30.000 over the last twenty years (all earned with my own hands) on gear and now that I'm completely going digital, the price for my new rig is in no proportion, even when I get Genelec monitors.

So Bruce, did I miss anything or what :D

Peter.
 
five stars ya'll!

anyway, I've decided I'm going to get some good bookshelf speakers to use as my computer speakers too, since i don't have any bookshelf or stereo system as it is.

I'm looking for cheap and really good value, but still good and good in a 200$ 100$ range. Something I can crank loud enuff to satisfy, not house shaking necessarily, but to convert my computer into a bookshelf stereo system type set and a good as expected for monitoring.

I've been reading alot of hype for the "Altek Lansing ATP3" a three peice system for aorun 129$ any of ya'll used this?

Actually I just changed my mind I'm going to get Monsoon's "mm-1000" tehy are prob close to 200 with tax, but seem excellent and good enuff to keep me satisfied Till I can afford my monitors, than they'll take my second reference. I'm having a hard time locating them to buy though, future shop only has the mm-700 and 702 models.

Anyone have anything to recommned or any insight on multimedia speakers. there's really not to many consumer reviews on these types of speakers.
 
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Ever hear the saying "only rich people can afford to buy cheap stuff"? I would just get the monitors you really want and then later when you can afford it get the card you really want. Getting "place holder" monitors will end up just being a waste of money because if you are serious about what you are doing, you will get real monitors eventually anyway.
 
well...

The thing is, these will also work as speakers that arn't monitors for 2nd reference when I get better. I wont get better for a very long time, possibly a year. the better ones are 11 times the price of the speakers I'm getting now, big difference! I don't even have enuff for them now, yey alona fter I get a souncard, which these speakers I'm getting now will be able to utilize somewhat. and I migth get amy recroding setup first also before I go for the monitors, it could be while.

I need to get a pair of speakers regardless, so i assume get something that will mos def satisy me and have excellent sound and clearness to work with till than.

Thanks for the help.

oh yeah, I'm deffinitely not going to get the mackies for 2200$ and use a standard soundcard. that's bizzarre!!!
 
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