jiggypotamus
New member
I hope this is the correct place for this thread, and if not, I apologize. My budget is between $1000 and $1100. I have been researching as best I could, and I am still left with a lot of doubt on which route to take. I will mainly be recording no more than two tracks simultaneously, but I wanted to keep my options open just in case I decide to undertake a larger project in the near future. Like most people, I would like to get the best sound quality possible, without concerning myself with ease of use, etc...The routes I have mainly been considering I will discuss further below in more detail, but they consist of either...A: Using a computer with a firewire interface, OR B: purchasing a multi-track recorder. I will also need at least a decent condenser mic, and a pair of monitors. I could very well be mistaken, but I think that should be about all. I have cables and whatnot.
Please advise me on some of my selections below, and I would really appreciate it if someone would tell me if I am going about this incorrectly. The most important thing to mention however is this: My current computer is a Pentium 4 with 1Gb of ram, and NO firewire ports. So I have also considered upgrading my computer, or purchasing a new one, which would eat into my budget rapidly. I did find some good options on tiger direct for under $300, and you don't have to include your computer opinions if you don't want to. Specifications on speed etc... should be enough for me to go on. I will also most likely be using Ubuntu, unless I do get a new computer that comes with windows, which all of the ones I looked at do. Either way is fine for me.
I have no clue about the sound quality of different firewire interfaces, and whether or not I will need to get an external preamp, which is the main reason I was leaning towards a multi-track unit. So basically I am looking for the best sound quality for the money. Here are some of the things I have been researching.
My first consideration Tascam NEO consists of a package including a Tascam 2488 NEO, a pair of PM0.4 monitors, and an Audio Technica AT2020 condenser mic.
From what I have read, I thought this may be the best deal for my needs...But again, I am not quite certain to be honest.
The other main option I was considering--spending around $300 to get my computer workable, or to get a new one, which will leave me between $700 and $800 to play with for an interface of some kind. I really liked this one...
Tascam FW-1082
which probably shows my inexperience and the appeal of flashy things. This is why I am asking experienced individuals. But of course you may have noticed that this would probably put me over my budget, considering this particular unit is $600. I know I could not piece together monitors and a condenser mic for under $200. I also know that the software would change dramatically from os to os, so that just adds more confusion for me.
I am really stuck on this one, and this is quite a lot of money for me, so I would like to get it right the first time, instead of noobing it up and ending up with crappy sounding recordings because my equipment wasn't correct. Any suggestions? I have decided to make my purchase tomorrow, so I will keep you guys updated on how it worked out for me if you are interested.
To sum it all up, I need opinions on whether a multi-track or computer interface would offer the best quality in my price range of $1000 - $1100, keeping in mind that I would have to upgrade at least my mobo to include firewire, most likely my ram, and my pentium 4 also. I would greatly appreciate ANY advice you could offer on this subject, and again I apologize if I have posted this incorrectly.
Please advise me on some of my selections below, and I would really appreciate it if someone would tell me if I am going about this incorrectly. The most important thing to mention however is this: My current computer is a Pentium 4 with 1Gb of ram, and NO firewire ports. So I have also considered upgrading my computer, or purchasing a new one, which would eat into my budget rapidly. I did find some good options on tiger direct for under $300, and you don't have to include your computer opinions if you don't want to. Specifications on speed etc... should be enough for me to go on. I will also most likely be using Ubuntu, unless I do get a new computer that comes with windows, which all of the ones I looked at do. Either way is fine for me.
I have no clue about the sound quality of different firewire interfaces, and whether or not I will need to get an external preamp, which is the main reason I was leaning towards a multi-track unit. So basically I am looking for the best sound quality for the money. Here are some of the things I have been researching.
My first consideration Tascam NEO consists of a package including a Tascam 2488 NEO, a pair of PM0.4 monitors, and an Audio Technica AT2020 condenser mic.
From what I have read, I thought this may be the best deal for my needs...But again, I am not quite certain to be honest.
The other main option I was considering--spending around $300 to get my computer workable, or to get a new one, which will leave me between $700 and $800 to play with for an interface of some kind. I really liked this one...
Tascam FW-1082
which probably shows my inexperience and the appeal of flashy things. This is why I am asking experienced individuals. But of course you may have noticed that this would probably put me over my budget, considering this particular unit is $600. I know I could not piece together monitors and a condenser mic for under $200. I also know that the software would change dramatically from os to os, so that just adds more confusion for me.
I am really stuck on this one, and this is quite a lot of money for me, so I would like to get it right the first time, instead of noobing it up and ending up with crappy sounding recordings because my equipment wasn't correct. Any suggestions? I have decided to make my purchase tomorrow, so I will keep you guys updated on how it worked out for me if you are interested.
To sum it all up, I need opinions on whether a multi-track or computer interface would offer the best quality in my price range of $1000 - $1100, keeping in mind that I would have to upgrade at least my mobo to include firewire, most likely my ram, and my pentium 4 also. I would greatly appreciate ANY advice you could offer on this subject, and again I apologize if I have posted this incorrectly.