New guy in search for some simple recording gear

  • Thread starter Thread starter Zotamedu
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Zotamedu

New member
Hi.

After spending a couple of months trying to record stuff with my Creative Soundblaster Live External, aka piece of shit USB soundcard, I've had enough and need something better.
I want something with MIDI and that I can connect with my surround system since I use the same computer for films and recording as well as listening to music and playing games. I am currently using a cheap dynamic mic that might get replaced with a proper condenser some time in the future.
I have been looking at the M-Audio Audiophile 2496. It has MIDI and DTS/AC3 via SPDIF so so far so good. The plan is to buy a simple mixerm like the Bheringer 502 or maybe the 802 but I don't think I need more than one channel anyway.
The other option is to get some USB card but I've been unable to find something that fits me needs.

I'll mainly record vocal and guitars, both electric and acoustic and some bass. Since my keyboard is rather crap I want to use MIDI for that purpose.

Oh, by the way. I am a student so I don't have much money to spend.
 
Kimosabi said:
What kind of computer are you running as a DAW? Desktop? Laptop?
Firewire port?

Judging from your look at the Audiophile 2496, im assuming you have a desktop, so I'd recommend the EMU-1212M. Everything you need, and the sound quality is vastly superior to what your using now. Very good AD/DA converters, and has midi capabilities.

http://www.amazon.com/1212M-PCIe-Digital-Audio-System/dp/B002VDMUQ6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1291186590&sr=8-1
Click to expand...

I have a desktop with a Intel Core 2 Quad Q9450 and 8 GB of RAM and I also use a separate HDD for OS and program so that hardware should be more than enough. I have both USB and Firewire 400.

I've heard bad things about E-MU. Something about the processor only being able to handle one sample rate or something. It did look rather interesting with the possibility to ad an external dock with mic preamp. Sadly it seems like it's impossible to find here in Sweden. Can't find a place near here that sells them.

I've been looking at the M-Audio Fast Track Pro. It seems rather neat and not that expensive. It would eliminate the need for a mixer for me since it has two line in for mics. It also has MIDI. The thing is I would like to avoid using the internal sound card which is now used to run my speakers through SPDIF. I should be able to just hook them up to the Fast Track Pro and it should give me full 5.1 surround since it supports DTS/AC3 right? I can't find anything about it including an decoder so does that mean that I would be unable to use it for my headphones when watching films? I'm also hunting for new headphones (recommendations are appreciated) of the slightly better kind and I might end up making my own amplifier for them so I wonder how that could be included in all this mess of cables. I use my computer for everything and I would prefer it if I didn't have to switch between different output sources in Windows and just leave it once and for all. Preferably with just one soundcard.

I also got an offer on a FocusRite Saffire Firewire (not the LE version) but I can't find much information about it. Seems like FocusRite has stopped making them for some reason. It also seems to fit pretty well with what I want to do and it's only about $30 more than the Fast Track Pro.

Edit:
Or do I just realize that I'm not that likely to ever get me a proper condenser mike and that a Asus Xonar D2 would probably be good enough for my needs. MIDI, line in for mic, an built in amp for headphones that's supposed to be rather good.
 
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I ended upp getting the M-Audio Fast Track Pro. Turned out it was pretty much the only thing I could easily get that filled my specifications and budget. The next thing that was slightly better was twice the price so that really wasn't an option. So far I'm happy with it and to my untrained ears, the recordings sound great. But then I am comparing it to a cheap SoundBlaster piece of crap.

I also picked up a pair of Sennheiser HD-380. Christmas came early this year :D
 
Zotamedu said:
I have been looking at the M-Audio Audiophile 2496. It has MIDI and DTS/AC3 via SPDIF so so far so good.
Click to expand...

This is the sound card I have. I like it, although it only has two analog input channels.
 
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