please comment on my recording setup

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Joost Assink

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As some of you may know I have a Rode NT1a and a behringer mic pre.

I want to buy an SDC mic and an interface to my computer, and you guys told me I need a better mic pre

For the Mic
The AKG 451 (alternative Rode NT5)

for the new Mic pre upgrade:
Maudio DMP3

for the interface
Tascam US122
('cause I like the mobile recording option on my laptop. I have a desktop computer with an Maudio DiO 2448 PCI and a very good and quiet laptop)

All this to record my Taylors 814CE and all-koa Taylor JDCM Jumbo
for solo fingerstyle guitar in stereo with the NT1a and the AKG 451

What do you think?
 
There's no reason your set-up won't work. I assume you are going to use plug ins for reverb, eq, etc.

You haven't mentioned tracking software but I know the US-122 comes bundled with some.

When folks speak of recording in stereo they are usually using two identical mics. I don't know what sort of results you'll get by mixing a small condensor (451) and large condensor (NT1), but it could be interesting.

Let us know what sort of micing placement you intend to use, maybe then someone can offer constructive criticism. I guess you could use the 451 as a close mic and use the NT1 to capture some room ambience.
 
Yes I forgot to mention that I use Cool Edit Pro 2, which has some excellent plugins. I only intend to use the Tascam US122 for D/A conversion, since I plan to use the balanced TRS outputs of the DMP3 mic preamp to the TRS line inputs on the Tascam US122 and go straight to hard disk.

The laptop I intend to use is a Dell 3ghz pentium 4, with 256 MB DDR SDRAM and 40GB harddrive and Windows 2000. The laptop is very quiet, almost completely silent! It is a much better setup than my old desktop computer.

I intend to use a 3-1 setup for the mics, with the NT1a pointed at the space between the bridge and the soundhole and the AKG 451 around the 12th fret and find an angle that works (I have read that pointing them both towards the sound hole at an angle of 20 degrees could be very nice)
 
will do!
as soon as I have recorded something, I'll let you know, so you can help me improve my sound!
 
Everyone seems to like the DMP3 preamp. I own the Studio Projects VTB1 -- VERY, VERY quiet, plus offers the option of dialing in a tube circuit, and STILL stays very quiet. I mention this because your Rode has an extremely low self-noise of 5.5db. The VTB1 s/n ratio is -129db.

But the DMP3 is also very quiet, and has two channels, and Burr-Brown chips that a lot of people like.
 
thanks billisa

i cant get a studio projects preamp here, but thanks for the tip
 
btw, the DMP3 has a signal to noise of -117db so that's not too shabby either for me
 
Joost Assink said:
I only intend to use the Tascam US122 for D/A conversion, since I plan to use the balanced TRS outputs of the DMP3 mic preamp to the TRS line inputs on the Tascam US122 and go straight to hard disk.
Click to expand...

You mean A/D conversion ?
 
That Mbox thing has better pres and will be a computer interface for you, I think a version of pro tools come with it for a lower price than the dmp3 and the tascam together.
 
Better in what way, Darrin? Where's the side by side comparison?
 
The focusrite pres built into the Mbox are more musical to my ears and it has an USB output so that is covered to at about the same price as the Tascam piece alone.
 
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