Steenamaroo
...
Good luck, Jimmy. 
How can I get 3 separate live headphone mixes??
- Thread starter elenore19
- Start date
BroKen_H
Re-member
Let's just say, the best equipment will not make you a good mix tech. It will not make you a great engineer. It is certainly not going to get you any experience producing.
If you get good room treatment, some mikes, an interface, decent cans and monitors, and a DAW, you can learn to be a great tech/engineer/producer on a $1000-1500 budget.
Use free plugs. Make do with 57s an a couple of SDC/LDCs.
But learning how to play the piano doesn't require a Kawai. Learning to play the drums doesn't require Pearl. It's nice to have a nice Pearl set It's nice to have a nice Kawai 
But I didn't get them because I wanted to learn. I got them because after I learned and was proficient, I found ways to afford them.
Chase the dream! But don't make it a nightmare.
If you get good room treatment, some mikes, an interface, decent cans and monitors, and a DAW, you can learn to be a great tech/engineer/producer on a $1000-1500 budget.
Use free plugs. Make do with 57s an a couple of SDC/LDCs.
But learning how to play the piano doesn't require a Kawai. Learning to play the drums doesn't require Pearl. It's nice to have a nice Pearl set
It's nice to have a nice Kawai But I didn't get them because I wanted to learn. I got them because after I learned and was proficient, I found ways to afford them.Chase the dream! But don't make it a nightmare.
JimmyS1969
MOODerator
Well all the info is here...
I apologize Elliot. I was only trying to get every bit of info to you in one single thread.
Seems what I did put it out of order. Ugh..
I apologize Elliot. I was only trying to get every bit of info to you in one single thread.
Seems what I did put it out of order. Ugh..
delirium trigge
New member
I don't know about your interface, but I have a focus rite Saffire Pro 40, which comes with free software, which is a digital mixer. It is NOT the same as the mixer in the DAW. It is before the audio hits the DAW, and it will play the DAW out of it. So, it allows for zero latency monitoring.
But the main thing is, it allows for something like, 30 different mixes. Either live, or routing each DAW instrument through different tracks of the digital mixer. Then, you tell it which headphone to send the mix to.
I have a prosiness headphone amp that has 4 headphone ports, a monitor mute, and also a monitor volume control. The saffire pro 40 has two headphone ports. That's 6.
With Focusrite, there is no need for analog mixers. It's virtually the same thing, only digital. I'm pretty sure your model allows use of this software, if it doesn't, there is probably some free digital mixer software out there.
rob aylestone
Moderator
As your focusrite has loads of outputs, the only thing you are missing are headphones amps and some cables - the Behringer ones are quite neat - a rack mount multiple unit, and some nifty belt pack size ones - and not too expensive - then it's just a case of setting the routing up in your software and away you go. Have I missed something important? I only just noticed the post saying the mods were sorting this one out - it's so confusing having two separate conversations in one topic.
To make it worse - here's a reply for the other one! Now I'm old, I've been in business properly - as in my main income for over ten years and the one thing I have learned is that not owing money is soon good. I buy stock with the income from selling the last lot, I buy expensive equipment ONLY when the funds are available, because every time I make a major investment, the lifespan is unpredictable and resale value for electronics is now measured in weeks, not years. Anything I buy must make money immediately. When I was young an had credit available, I'd use it, pay it off and eventually own something. Very often, I'd already sold what I bought because something better came along, and before long I owed lots of money for things I didn't even have. I also learned that the best of friends tail off as soon as money is involved. If you have 6 months out, then your friends can either stop playing, or they'll take other gigs. There is NO guarantee that you will be able to play together again. Looking back at my band involvement over 30 years, every break, broke the band. Had some great bands too, but mentionable events like wives, work, illness, apathy come to mind as reasons perfectly good bands with real friends fall apart. I was planning a new band, with gigs arranged and pretty good ones too. All came together when the singer finished a cruise contract and wanted to work ashore. However, half way through rehearsals, with website set up, songs learned, she got a call from the old agent with a great cruise job, and she could form her own band. None of us could dedicate 6 months of our lives to going away - so the new band broke before the first gig. We're all friends still, but life goes on. Buying equipment for one project with the hope of dropping back into the old way might come off fine, but it's more likely to go wrong. Having equipment you still owe for, that you don't use or need is a bad move - especially as many bits of popular kit get updated twice a year it seems - wiping the price out.You see this stuff on ebay all the time with no bids. The seller NEEDS 400 to clear the debt, but it's worth 150 to a buyer because it's old (as in a year!)
To make it worse - here's a reply for the other one! Now I'm old, I've been in business properly - as in my main income for over ten years and the one thing I have learned is that not owing money is soon good. I buy stock with the income from selling the last lot, I buy expensive equipment ONLY when the funds are available, because every time I make a major investment, the lifespan is unpredictable and resale value for electronics is now measured in weeks, not years. Anything I buy must make money immediately. When I was young an had credit available, I'd use it, pay it off and eventually own something. Very often, I'd already sold what I bought because something better came along, and before long I owed lots of money for things I didn't even have. I also learned that the best of friends tail off as soon as money is involved. If you have 6 months out, then your friends can either stop playing, or they'll take other gigs. There is NO guarantee that you will be able to play together again. Looking back at my band involvement over 30 years, every break, broke the band. Had some great bands too, but mentionable events like wives, work, illness, apathy come to mind as reasons perfectly good bands with real friends fall apart. I was planning a new band, with gigs arranged and pretty good ones too. All came together when the singer finished a cruise contract and wanted to work ashore. However, half way through rehearsals, with website set up, songs learned, she got a call from the old agent with a great cruise job, and she could form her own band. None of us could dedicate 6 months of our lives to going away - so the new band broke before the first gig. We're all friends still, but life goes on. Buying equipment for one project with the hope of dropping back into the old way might come off fine, but it's more likely to go wrong. Having equipment you still owe for, that you don't use or need is a bad move - especially as many bits of popular kit get updated twice a year it seems - wiping the price out.You see this stuff on ebay all the time with no bids. The seller NEEDS 400 to clear the debt, but it's worth 150 to a buyer because it's old (as in a year!)
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miroslav
Cosmic Cowboy
That would make for a great sig line!!!
It's like the joke about two guys in the psych ward.
One says to the other, "I just got a new sweater from home".
The other one asks, "What color is it"?
"Do you know the color of grass? Well it's just like that only red." he replies.
elenore19
Slowing becoming un-noob.
Alright thanks to everyone for the replies!
The 3 mix monitoring is already sorted out. I'll just have one mix and headphone amp for live monitor while tracking. Thanks for the input on that.
Next question:
I'm curious if it's worth the upgrade to use preamps with drum overheads. I've never worked with outboard preamps so I don't know just how much of a difference they make, with anything really. I assume they're great for vocals, but for drums? Any input there would be great. Real Question: I could get one preamp for vocals and guitar or I could spend the money and get two so I could also use them on drums.. Worth it?
As for the overall dilemma of the financial situation, I think I'm going to spring for it.. I appreciate the advice of taking a breather and coming back to the band fresh and what not. But what it comes down to is we're not Writing an album. Just recording. We have the track list already done for the album, so if we come up with fresh ideas they won't be included on the album. So if I do this now, we have a week to record (as opposed to 3 days, 6months from now), we are all practiced and rehearsed to damn near perfection, (where we won't be in 6 months). Also we have access to a drum set right now, and in 6 months that's up in the air. The timing is just so much better right now.
I went to school for recording, been homerecording for 10 years now. My current setup is an alesis firewire mixer into cubase. I've got plenty of mics. 57's, audix i5's and d6 for drums, a shitty Large Diaphragm Condenser (I plan on upgrading later for when I lay vocal tracks), etc etc. I'm not a professional AT ALL...but I do know what I'm doing with mic placement, room treatment, and working my gear. So I'm not looking for advice there (even if it might be necessary )
This new setup replaces the firewire mixer with the Focusrite 18i20 and adds a nice preamp (possibly 2 so I can use on overheads??) for vocals and later recorded guitar tracks, along with new stands, cables, compressor, a pair of c1000's for drum overheads (yeah, not the best, but better than the shit I've used for the last 8 years!) And that's pretty much it.. It's a basic upgrade, but will infinitely improve my current setup seeing my current setup really just doesn't work.
Thanks again for all the help. My plan right now is to stay on top of ebay and make this endeavor as cheap as possible with getting the quality I'm looking for. Thanks for all the help and thanks to the mods for attempting to help, I was pretty confused by all of it, but it's your site and I seemed to abuse the whole post in separate sections thing. My bad.
The 3 mix monitoring is already sorted out. I'll just have one mix and headphone amp for live monitor while tracking. Thanks for the input on that.
Next question:
I'm curious if it's worth the upgrade to use preamps with drum overheads. I've never worked with outboard preamps so I don't know just how much of a difference they make, with anything really. I assume they're great for vocals, but for drums? Any input there would be great. Real Question: I could get one preamp for vocals and guitar or I could spend the money and get two so I could also use them on drums.. Worth it?
As for the overall dilemma of the financial situation, I think I'm going to spring for it.. I appreciate the advice of taking a breather and coming back to the band fresh and what not. But what it comes down to is we're not Writing an album. Just recording. We have the track list already done for the album, so if we come up with fresh ideas they won't be included on the album. So if I do this now, we have a week to record (as opposed to 3 days, 6months from now), we are all practiced and rehearsed to damn near perfection, (where we won't be in 6 months). Also we have access to a drum set right now, and in 6 months that's up in the air. The timing is just so much better right now.
I went to school for recording, been homerecording for 10 years now. My current setup is an alesis firewire mixer into cubase. I've got plenty of mics. 57's, audix i5's and d6 for drums, a shitty Large Diaphragm Condenser (I plan on upgrading later for when I lay vocal tracks), etc etc. I'm not a professional AT ALL...but I do know what I'm doing with mic placement, room treatment, and working my gear. So I'm not looking for advice there (even if it might be necessary
)This new setup replaces the firewire mixer with the Focusrite 18i20 and adds a nice preamp (possibly 2 so I can use on overheads??) for vocals and later recorded guitar tracks, along with new stands, cables, compressor, a pair of c1000's for drum overheads (yeah, not the best, but better than the shit I've used for the last 8 years!) And that's pretty much it.. It's a basic upgrade, but will infinitely improve my current setup seeing my current setup really just doesn't work.
Thanks again for all the help. My plan right now is to stay on top of ebay and make this endeavor as cheap as possible with getting the quality I'm looking for. Thanks for all the help and thanks to the mods for attempting to help, I was pretty confused by all of it, but it's your site and I seemed to abuse the whole post in separate sections thing. My bad.
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Steenamaroo
...
Without preamps you won't have an audible recording of your drums overheads.
There are cheap shit preamps and good preamps.
Are you assuming that because a preamp is separate from your interface, it's somehow better? Don't.
Pure opinion here but if I did want a particularly nice preamp for something, drum overheads wouldn't be it.
Vocals sure...kick or snare, maybe?
Keep it simple and get a decent interface with enough on board preamps for everything. That's my opinion.
The big money is better spent on mics and monitoring.
Thought you might.
elenore19
Slowing becoming un-noob.
I mean, I'll have the interface pres at the very least. But I was talking upgraded preamps..
No...the outboard preamps would be quality, there are lots of horseshit outboard preamps out there, yes. That's why it's such a hard dillemma. Going to get the True Systems P Solo...or if I sprung for double, get the True Systems P2 (which I could get for $790 shipped, which seems pretty solid deal to me) But Good to know.. It'll save me 790 bucks up front if I just wait to add the preamp later for layering guitars and vocals.
I appreciate your input on this.. But I guess I haven't explained clearly enough about this band.. I've written all the songs. I taught the bassist how to play, and the drummer hasn't played in any bands without me for years. Also him and the bassist are dating.. We've lived together for 2 years, we're best friends, and have started getting a pretty decent following for our music. We haven't gotten paid gigs, so it's not like they're just going to bail to make money playing music...what most likely will happen is that they will not play music nearly as much for the next 6 months and when I get back we'll get back in the swing of things in no time.
And lets say they did bail hard, or we have a huge falling out for some reason...Then I still have gear to record my own music. I've been told my whole life to pursue music, and now I'm actually going for that, so at the very least I'll be making solo recordings with way more inputs than I actually need
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bouldersoundguy
Well-known member
It may be very low latency, but if it's digital it's not zero latency. Sometimes that difference matters and sometimes it doesn't.
Armistice
Son of Yoda
That's a pretty exact number. What happens if it costs $2251? Are you stuffed? Because it won't cost $2250, most likely...
miroslav
Cosmic Cowboy
Not sure if you picked a solution for your 3 seperate headphone mixes....but I just ran across this Furman headphone mixing station with 3 remotes....it might be worth it to you.
Furman HDS 6 HR 6 Headphone System Bundle | eBay
Furman HDS 6 HR 6 Headphone System Bundle | eBay