Need suggestions for starting my home studio.

D

DerekC

New member
Hi I am currently researching products to start a home studio. I have lots of questions and hoping to find answers on here.

Audio interfaces:
Apogee symphony I/O MK
Apollo 16x
RME
Any other recommendations? Pros/Cons of any of these?

I would like 16 channels bare minimum as I plan on doing a lot of live cuts.

Mac VS PC
I've used both and both seem about the same honestly. They both have ups and downs.

Software.
Apple Logic Pro X
Pro Tools 9 or 10
Sonar
Any other suggestions pros cons to these?
Thank you for any help much appreciated!
 
You do know that two to three grand for an interface is a little 'niche' for a home studio. Are you planning to spend money on other equipment with the same ratio, because if so, it's difficult to imagine it as a home studio.

Why are these 3 interfaces on your shopping list? I have a Midas M32 I could use, but very rarely is it used for recording. Again - the computer question is an odd one for somebody spending this kind of money - what do you think you need? I can't comment on the DAW because I've been a Cubase user since it was black and white on an Atari, and I have no intention of swapping now. What software are you competent on and comfy?

You seem to have unlimited budget, so you can build a studio at this level easily - your mic collection to match the interfaces will be a beauty to behold. I never worry advising on a two hundred and fifty quid interface - I'm less happy spending two and a half grand of a strangers money?
 
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The interfaces you mentioned don't have 16 mic inputs. You'll need mic preamps if you're going to do live tracking.

You need to hear what you are recording. What are you using for monitoring?

You'll need mics, stands, cables. Are you looking at higher end mics. You can easily spend $1000-$3000 on a single mic, especially if you want Neumann stuff.

Do you have a proper room already available, or will you be modifying an existing space.

By the time you get through fleshing out the whole system, you could easily be pushing 10-20 grand or more. Maybe you should frame your question within some type of budgetary restraints.
 
It sounds more the beginning build list for a studio located in a home.

There's not a ton of difference between PC and Mac, you'll find solid software and solutions for either. If you plan on doing computing or possibly gaming on the computer, then that's something to consider [factoring what other non music software will be used impacts whether a Mac or PC is the better fit]. The Mac is inevitably going to cost you more money, they just do (hardware and software). If you plan on collaborating at all over the internet, you may want to match what the collaborators are using else introduce the risk of having incompatibilities or hoops to jump through to get files swapped easily between. I don't know what the demographics are for PC or Mac users in the music production space, I know there's a lot more Mac users than the standard 14.5% total personal computing market share Apple represents. Apple is well represented in music and video production circles.
 
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Whenever I see this sort of "I want to build a recording studio" post there is an inevitable concentration on 'electronics'. My opinion is that the first thing you need is good monitoring, including some room treatment and that is where the bulk of the budget should go initially.

Any computer made in the last 5 or so years will run a modern interface and the latter can be quite a modest unit to kick off with and will run the speakers. That interface could be a basic Focusrite/NI/MOTU or perhaps an RME with ADAT expansion to 20 or so tracks.

Once OP can HEAR what he needs to properly the rest of the system can be planned out.

Just my 2 penn'oth!

Dave.
 
As Dave says above. If you havent your studio room/rooms sorted out yet, you are way ahead of yourself and wasting time and energy on the wrong thoughts.

You cant fit out the home with furniture before you have built the house.
 
For the software, is there a reason you list ProTools 9, or 10?
I haven't checked the specifics but these are both very old versions - Maybe 10 or more years old.
Chances are choosing one of these would tie you to an older operating system and certainly there wouldn't be any further updates or support.

I am a ProTools user myself, mostly because that's where I started and I got some great longer term deals, but the pricing model right now...
I doubt I'll be a ProTools user for much longer.

If you go Mac Logic is hard to beat - Whether you go Mac or PC, Reaper is even harder to beat!
 
rob aylestone said:
I just cannot imagine needing to spend two and a half grand on an interface that needs even more money for real inputs. what's the point?
Click to expand...
Indeed, whereas that sort of money is entry level, a very GOOD entry level to a pair of monitors. I myself have designs on a pair of PMC Result 6s (assuming, car, house, and utility bills don't bend flexible friend out of shape next year!)

It is of course possible to spend two or three times that for what are still 'small room' nearfield monitors but that is my budget limit and I am sure they will be more than good enough for these aged ears.

Dave.
 
Something cascadable like the Presonus quantam which has 8 mic pres, you'd have to get two. Whew that's a lot of money for 16 channels.
I bought a used Behringer XR18 for $350!! 16 mic pres, streams through USB2 all day long without a hitch. It's designed for FOH, but it works just as well as a studio interface. Forget the notion that Behringer builds garbage. This thing is durable, clean and quiet.

As others have mentioned, your monitors and your room are the most important part of your recording chain.

You mentioned the Apollo. With the Apollo, you are buying into the UAD ecosystem. It's not just an interface, plugs as well.

I think the additional cost for an iphone over an android phone is worth it, I do not think the same for Mac vs PC. If you like to spend money, get the Mac. If you want to best bang for your buck, get the PC. And for additional savings, look at refurbished units. Newegg is a good resource. All my PC and laptops (mine, wife, kids, dog) are refurbs. Great value.

Home studio. Unless you really want to spend a lot of money on it, don't even think about sound isolation. To do that in your house would require almost rebuilding it.
 
DerekC says he is 'RESEARCHING' products to start a home studio.
He doesn't say he is building a studio.
Anyone looking at upmarket pro items, ought to know where they're going.
 
Slouching Raymond said:
DerekC says he is 'RESEARCHING' products to start a home studio.
He doesn't say he is building a studio.
Anyone looking at upmarket pro items, ought to know where they're going.
Click to expand...
Yes, got that. So he should be looking at monitors and room treatment first IMHO.

Dave.
 
Man with a few grand to burn then, who asks total strangers a question he doesn’t return for, quickly. So it was either a whim, or a school assignment, so he got the info from elsewhere?
 
But the info is still valid for others who are asking the same questions and find this thread in a google search.
 
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