Help Please!

[ThaArtist]

Hey everyone. So I've been researching my setup for the past year just about and I'm still slightly confused on some things and I'm trying to find the best option... I know I might be asking a lot but Any information is GREATLY appreciated... I can't afford to make anymore mistakes! Heres a image of what I am doing...

Budget of about $200-$500 per piece of equiptment (depending... would like to get best quality for cheapest price possible...)... anyone got any suggestions PLEASE!

I've been looking at M-Audio and Presonus mostly... Never even heard of E-MU really until recently.... Not sure though... So Yeah, I'm slightly confused...

If I get a presonus firepod (needs seperate box to hook up more then 1 head phones) then will I still need a soundcard for the setup I have planned? I was also looking at the M-Audio FireWire 410 (has two headphone hooks up right on the box) or something along that line... But if I get the M-Audio 410 will that also hook up my speaker monitors or what? Whats the best way to do this?

So pretty much I need to hook up:

2 Headphones
2 Speaker Monitors [M-Audio BX8's] (Sould like Balanced XLR)
1 Mic (Balanced XLR)
1 Guitar (Balanced 1/4 to XLR)
1 MIDI Controller (just has MIDI out most likely)
Compressor with 2 line I/O's (for mic and guitar)

What do ya think? Anyone got some suggestions... I know I'm asking a lot... but... I apprecaite any responses please!

Oh And I am building my computer so I'll have firewire, 2gb Ram & prolly 1.7ghz Athlon...

PLEASE HELP!

Thanks so much everyone...

Joseph

 

[dgatwood]

If I get a presonus firepod (needs seperate box to hook up more then 1 head phones) then will I still need a soundcard for the setup I have planned?

Lucky you. There's a deal going right now. If you buy the Firepod at $599.99 or higher this month (careful about those $599.97 stores), you can send in to Presonus for a free 4 channel headphone amp.

You shouldn't need another sound card for anything if you have a FirePod.

I was also looking at the M-Audio FireWire 410 (has two headphone hooks up right on the box) or something along that line... But if I get the M-Audio 410 will that also hook up my speaker monitors or what? Whats the best way to do this?

Are those powered monitors? If not, you'll need an amplifier (regardless of which interface you get).

So pretty much I need to hook up:

2 Headphones
2 Speaker Monitors (Sould like Balanced XLR)
1 Mic (Balanced XLR)
1 Guitar (Balanced 1/4 to XLR)
1 MIDI Controller (just has MIDI out most likely)
Compressor with 2 line I/O's (for mic and guitar)

Do you need to hook up four inputs simultaneously? Because the FW410 only has two analog input channels.

 

[warble]

Firepod is nice, I still have one and have used it. If you need more headphone monitoring, I'm pretty sure most online retailers are offering the Presonus special - buy a Firepod get a free HP4 which is their headphone amp and a really nice, clean, noiseless box. The firepod will require a Firewire connection, and I recommend using card with a Texas Instruments chipset (most compatible with audio Firewire).

While I like the Firepod, the main interface I'm using in an Echo Layla 3G - great sounding interface. Doesn't have 8 pre's, but it has two pre's and 6 balanced line inputs. I'm actually using the Firepod as a mic pre and running it into the Layla. This interface in PCI based, so you won't get the Firewire portability.

The new E-MU stuff gets mixed reviews around here. The models with the "M" in the name have really nice converters, BUT, my feeling is that these great converters are thrown on a card that may not be built well around them. Seems that more people have trouble getting these running solid (based a lot of driver issues) compared to other interfaces out there that are much better in a lot of ways. Just search for opinions, you'll find plenty.

 

[ThaArtist]

Are those powered monitors? If not, you'll need an amplifier (regardless of which interface you get).

They are the M-Audio BX 8's

Looks like they're discontinued too... only see the BXa's now... heres a link anyway... http://www.studica.com/products/product_detail.cfm?productid=9510

Do you need to hook up four inputs simultaneously? Because the FW410 only has two analog input channels.

I'm not sure what that means... What does that mean?

Just by looking at what the words mean, um yeah, I'm gonna need to use 2 headphones, and 2 mic pres at the same time... Is that what you meant?

 

[dgatwood]

Just by looking at what the words mean, um yeah, I'm gonna need to use 2 headphones, and 2 mic pres at the same time... Is that what you meant?

Okay, just two inputs, two outputs (headphones). No problem, then.