my mini studio

[luminosityband]

i am excited about my new "studio", so I am sharing what I just bought with you here.

3 NEC Flat Panel Monitors ($1000)
PC - 2.3 GHz Pentium with 2 GB Ram w/firewire card ($1200)
Sonar 4 Producer Edition (upgrade) ($250)
Sound Forge 8 w/CD Architect 5.2 ($250)

MXL 990 condenser mic ($50)
MXL 991 condenser mic ($50)
2 DBX 160A ($800)
1 DBX 266XL ($100)

PreSonus Firepod ($600)

2 Mackie HR824s ($1250)
Beyerdynamic DT770 ($200)
Presonus HP4 ($80)

All kinds of cables and accessories ($500)

Choke :: about $6500 !!
hey you live once - I am loving it so far

I am getting really nice recordings with this setup - nicer than I used to be able to get anyhow. I have much to learn of course, but I feel like I have taken a good step (a good step towards going completely broke!)

Next thing is to buy a really nice plugin package, I hear Waves is the stuff to get. Any feedback about this?

Also I have some old stuff in my "studio"
Mackie 1402VLZ (i am sure ill find some new use for it, mixing drums maybe?)
Alesis 3630
Alesis Midiverb 4
QSC RMX 2450 Poweramp
2 Echo Darla 24/96 Cards

Thanks for bothering to read this and sharing with me in my excitement.

-Alex

 

[scottboyher]

There is no way you will be able to record with that equipment... Where are the Avalons?

LOL just joking..

Looks like an excellent setup! That is about the money I "INVESTED" in my studio.

I justified spending the money like I would a student loan... Always learning.

Now if I could just keep the equipment monkey off my back for awhile.

 

[luminosityband]

ive never had a chance to use an avalon - but i have seen them in the music store. they must be amazing for what they cost!

anyhow, i have a lot of growing to do into the DBX 160A's before I will be thinking about $2000 compressors.

i hear you on the "equipment monkeys" - i have lately felt like a junkie with a jones for pro audio gear.

 

[zimmo]

There's some very nice equipment here. I think you should get a couple of mics and room treatment next. Those mxl's don't stack up well, with the rest. You need to spend a few hundred there, not just one. Suggestion...an Audio Technica AT4033 at $400, and am AT4047 at $550. Both are WELL WORTH IT. These could make THE difference between "ok" and "great" home recordings for you. Just my nickels worth.
~Z

 

[frederic]

Actually, the MXL's aren't anywhere near as bad as I thought they would be, when I purchased them. I wouldn't use them with vocals, however they are warm enough and clear enough for micing guitar amps, drums, bass, and they are especially good for voice overs.

For $50 I was impressed.

 

[Raver]

Excellent Bro And congratulations

On your studio.

If you want some Softsyth Plugins I suggest getting some Native instruments ones.

Absynth 3 For all those Atmospheric sounds.
B4 For The hammond b3 sounds ( It rocks )
Electric Piano For all your classic Rhodes and Clav sounds
Pro 53 For the classic Prophet 5 synthy sounds
Vokator For your Robotic Vocals and cool vocoder effects
Guitar Rig For all your guitar Effects and Simulators.
Fm7 For all your classic Dx7 and fmm synthisis sounds

Also a great free download drum machine is Hammerhead as it is a great little tool to create loops and so on for tracks.
Just look in your search engine and you should find a download page for it.

These native instrument plugins are the most realistic software synths I have ever come across.
The guitar rig has delays, Distortions I mean everything you need.
So theres my 2 cent's worth and download the demo versions and give them a try.

I love them and bought every plugin they have and have not regretted it for a change.

Regards Raver

 

[luminosityband]

I think you should get a couple of mics and room treatment next.

I agree with you about the mics. I wanted to spend more on some good mics but I had to skimp because everything else cost so much. i will check out the AT4033 and 4047 you mentioned.

As for room treatment, this too is very much on my mind. I was thinking of finding a design for some sound dampening panels and going to home depot to get materials to build them. Does anyone know of a good design I can use for portable panels to surround a microphone and performer with?

I will spend some time searching this forum for the answer to this question today, but if any of you have a good link, please share.

I will be tracking mostly acoustic guitar, acoustic/upright bass, banjo, mandolin, violin, percussion, and vocals. (drums too - although that seems to me right now a daunting task, an art all its own)

Actually, the MXL's aren't anywhere near as bad as I thought they would be .... For $50 I was impressed.

I have noticed my taylor 714 ce sounds pretty damn good through the 990 on the body and the 991 on the 12th fret - even with flat EQ, but vocals arent jumping out at me. this might be because of my feeble EQ skills, but I think a good MIC (and better treated room) would make the EQ job on the vocals less work. I guess that formentioned avalon and some tube mic pres could help too. maybe my voice just does compare to the "voice" of the Taylor instrument. Maybe when I get a real singer in here, it will jump out.

but like you said, the MXLs are incredible for $50 a piece.

On your studio.

If you want some Softsyth Plugins I suggest getting some Native instruments ones.

Absynth 3 For all those Atmospheric sounds.
B4 For The hammond b3 sounds ( It rocks )
Electric Piano For all your classic Rhodes and Clav sounds
Pro 53 For the classic Prophet 5 synthy sounds
Vokator For your Robotic Vocals and cool vocoder effects
Guitar Rig For all your guitar Effects and Simulators.
Fm7 For all your classic Dx7 and fmm synthisis sounds

awesome - i will download the trials today and thanks for the tip!
thank you all for the responses, i really do appreciate them.

-alex

 

[Milkman]

As for room treatment, this too is very much on my mind. I was thinking of finding a design for some sound dampening panels and going to home depot to get materials to build them. Does anyone know of a good design I can use for portable panels to surround a microphone and performer with?

Hey luminosityband,

While I don't know if this would be considered a good design, it works well for me:

http://will.wackyville.tv/acousticpanels/acoustic.html

For surrounding a vocalist, the same kind of design applies but you would probably want 6' or more in height. If you do a search in the Studio Building and Design section, c7sus has some nice looking gobos that are tall enough to create a modular type of vocal booth.

Milkman

 

[moinho]

On your studio.

If you want some Softsyth Plugins I suggest getting some Native instruments ones.

Absynth 3 For all those Atmospheric sounds.
B4 For The hammond b3 sounds ( It rocks )

And the Leslie of the B4 rocks major league (and eats computer power major league).

Another soft synth I like (and which works well with the eighties revival is the PPG Wave (marketed via Steinberg).

For effects: there's a lot of free effects plugins available. Just download everything you can get and then plan some 10-hour days trying them out and filling your results into a table. I recently went through 300-odd plugins looking for useable stuff.

Rainer

 

[luapleba]

As for room treatment, this too is very much on my mind. I was thinking of finding a design for some sound dampening panels and going to home depot to get materials to build them. Does anyone know of a good design I can use for portable panels to surround a microphone and performer with?
-alex

For what it's worth, you might check out how I built hanging walls in my recording space. Becuase they are hanging I was able to built a much heavier duty wall than if it was something I had to move it around. I would be glad to share more details if you are interested.

https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=154762

pja

 

[AllOrNothinEnt]

Do you have a booth?

I purchased one, built ti my needs from WhisperRoom for $8,500, and it's been perfect.