"Professional" Noob looking for immediate help? (Mics, Headphones, Pre-amps)

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iStuntHard

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"Professional" Noob looking for immediate help? (Mics, Headphones, Pre-amps)

Title might be a little misleading, Lol. I'm not a professional in anything. I am just very fond of recording vocals and using software to mix them down. Got a couple songs done, made a couple beats, etc.

Background story/Long story short: I'm a rapper (Which these post are common (sadly) from random rappers looking for help as I have searched through the forums) who has been using a USB microphone on Adobe Audition CS 5.5 trying to upgrade my shitty home studio. SideNote: I'm not your average .. gangsta .. drug dealing .. stereotypical "rapper" that usual hip hop artist get perceived as. I actually "spit" some common sense into my verses and rhymes.

ASIDE FROM THAT, after searching through the forums, I've decided that I'm trying to upgrade my home studio in every way possible.

My Budget is probably around $250 .. more or less.
I'm getting rid of my USB Mic, due to the research I've done on them on this website.

I'm looking for a:
A good (decent or better), CHEAP, Large Diaphragm Condenser, XLR Mic
A good, CHEAP, USB Pre-amp (Mix > XLR Cord > Pre-amp > Laptop [correct?])
(Pretty sure y'all all knew that :facepalm: )
A good set of CHEAP Over-The-Ear Headphones
A GREAT QUALITY set of CHEAP Computer speakers so I can "Moniter" music better outloud

(Notice the CHEAP Trend? :cool: )

All in all, sorry if I was typing too much, or if this was too much to read. I've searched the forums and couldn't really find any answers I was looking for, though I did gain alot of new information on equiptment.

I would really appreciate help, and/or feedback.

Thanks in advanced.


P.S. Do acoustic panels really make a difference to recording vocals?
Also, If I stay with my USB, which isn't very likely, or not intended, would a pre-amp be necessary in general?

Thanks again.
 
For a start, you're not going to get much for a total of $250 unless you get lucky on some used gear. $150 for an audio interface (it has mic preamps in it) and $100 for a real basic mic - now you're broke and have no money for headphones and don't even bother with computer speakers for monitoring/mixing. For half-decent monitors, you've got to push your budget up by 2-3X.
 
Not kidding. Minimum quality speakers will run $150 each (say Rokit 5s or M-Audio BX5s), but you'd be better with 8's (more money), which is already over budget. You say you want to upgrade in all ways possible, so I will answer your P.S.
I would say, start with the room and keep the gear you have. Invest some time and cash into building a nice set of bass traps for your corners and make the room acoustically mo' betta with a few tiles across from your windows. You'll get better sound from your existing gear if you can hear clear!

Which speakers do you have now?

Which USB mic do you have?
No, you don't need a preamp with a USB mic. I'm not even sure if anyone makes one.

Happy recording! :D
 
For a good cheap condenser, look at the MXL V67G. Less than $100.
 
Thanks for the replies, Keep em coming!

&& yes, @mjbphotos my budget is very tight right now but will be increasing over time due to my new second job! But my question for you is what is the difference between an audio interface and pre-amp? I thought a pre-amp was the only thing I needed.



@broken_H I never knew speakers were going to be so expensive. O_O But for my equipment set up?
I have a AT2020 USB with the blue light, headphone jack (Lowkey, really cheap but works well.)
A foam filter (the one that goes on top of the mic) [Getting a pop filter ASAP]
&& Sadly enough, I don't have any speakers .. just the speakers on my laptop.
I also use earbuds to record, mix, and monitor. [Which, after reading these forums, I learned are EXTREMELY frowned upon]

I'm working on getting acoustic foams also.
 
Good closed back headphones might be a quick start, say AT M30x or Sennheiser 205 HD's? These are usually about $70.
An interface runs AD and DA (into the computer via a preamp and back out to the speakers)
A preamp runs AD only (just the mic into the computer).
BUT, if you keep the AT 2020 (which is not a terrible mic, but you'll probably outgrow quickly once you start getting everything where you can hear well) you don't need either and for the temp you can spend your money (and save up) for acoustic treatment and some nice monitors. Yes they are an :eek: but man you'll know the difference when you hear it!
 
Yeah, that's not a big budget at all to get the things you're wanting. But ... it is what it is, so this is what I'd recommend for you:

MXL 990 LDC mic - $30 used: These can be found for about $30 (including shipping) used on ebay. As they are, they're a little sibilant, but they're actually decent mics. However, there are a few simple, super cheap (and free) modifications you can do to make them better and turn them into a perfectly decent mic. There are tons of websites about this, but here's a good (totally free) start:

https://homerecording.com/bbs/speci...ebrew/mxl-990-mod-comparison-shootout-341930/

Plus, eventually you can turn them into a stellar mic (IMO, though some will disagree) for about $220 by replacing the capsule and guts. At this point, you're basically only using the mic's body and building a new mic inside, but if you're handy with a soldering iron at all (and I'd recommend you learn if you're wanting to get the most bang for your buck on the cheap), it's really easy to do, and the results are phenomenal. Check this link out for more information:

MXL 990 Mods | Microphone Parts

At any rate, that's down the line a bit if you're able to come up with some more money and you want to turn the mic into a real contender. The thing is, once you get above about the $500 mark or so, mics don't really get "better" or "worse" sounding. They just tend to start sounding a little different from each other. The people that spend $3K on Neumann mics don't want to admit this, but the evidence is there. Taylor Swift recorded her vocals on the Speak Now album with an Avantone CV-12 mic, which is $500 new. I'm not saying that I like her music or anything, but my point is that they had an unlimited budget. They could have used a different vintage Neumann for each song if they wanted. But they used a $500 mic to record vocals for an album that topped both the Country and the Pop charts. Would it have sold even more if they'd used a Neumann? :) Chad Kroeger of Nickelback recorded his vocals on The Long Road with a Rode NTK, which is, again, around $500 new. Now, I really don't care much for Nickelback, but, the album hit #6, so ... apparently the $500 mic wasn't holding them back. My point is that once you get out of the realm of total junk, the gear becomes less and less of a factor. What's more important is skill: in musical performance, writing, arranging, and engineering.

Anyway ... long rant there. Where was I?

Tascam US-122 interface - $35 used: I really hate USB, but you specified it, and you're dealing with a laptop, so you probably don't have a PCI option, so this is what I'd recommend. You shouldn't have to pay more than $35 total on ebay if you just look around a bit. There are MK II and (I think) MK III versions of this too. I was just talking about the original (blue and gray) one.

Behringer HPS3000 headphones - $20 new: From Musician's Friend, Sweetwater, etc. These seem well built, and they're perfectly decent-sounding.

M-Audio Studiophile AV40 monitors - $100 used: There are other monitor sets in the $100 range that would work as well, but these tend to get really good reviews. (They're $150 new.)

That puts you at about $185. You asked about whether acoustic panels for vocals make a difference. The answer is yes, for sure. A vocal that's recorded in a booth or a DIY "portable" booth with sound much more intimate and present than one that's just out in the open of a bedroom or living room, etc. However, as I am a DIY guy, I'd never pay $110 for something like this:

Auralex MudGuard Microphone Isolator | Musician's Friend

When I could make the same thing in a few hours for about $40 with some mineral wool, burlap, wooden frames, and a few hinges. That's just me. Other people will say, "but my time is worth more than that." That may be true, but are you making money when you're sitting around watching football (I mean ... not counting stocks or whatever :) )? Anyway, the short answer is yes, a vocal booth will make a big difference, but my recommendation would be to do a search on DIY booths and save a bunch of money. If nothing else, recording your vocals in a closet with a bunch of clothes in there would certainly be better than nothing.

That brings me to my last point: treating your room. You didn't mention this, but it's a biggie. This will help you when you're mixing down so that your mixes, which sound great on your system, will still end up sounding good on other people's systems too. You can blow a ton of money on this stuff if you just buy at that Auralex stuff. But you can get awesome results if you're will to DIY again. I'd do a search on line about DIY acoustic treatment or panels, and you'll find all kinds of stuff.

The very basic is that you want to set up so that you're facing the middle of a short wall (assuming your room is rectangular) and try to bring your speakers away from the wall a bit (this also helps with getting behind to plug/unplug stuff, etc.). Then you want to treat (with acoustic panels similar to the ones used for the vocal booth) key reflective points where the sound would bounce off a wall and come back to you. This would be on each side wall, the ceiling above you, the wall in front of you (behind the speakers) and the wall behind you. And then there's the corners. That's where you want to put "bass traps."

Unfortunately, to do this stuff really well (bedrooms just weren't designed for recording music), you'd easily eat up your whole $250 even with making everything yourself. But every little bit helps. I think I spent about $200 initially to build panels and some traps out of Owen's Corning 703 rigid fiberglass or mineral wool (which is a better deal), some wooden frames, and some burlap to cover them. That was using 2" thick panels as bass traps, which isn't really adequate, but it certainly made a big difference over nothing.

Anyway, you can do a search and read all about that stuff. This has already gone on way longer than I'd intended. I hope it helps a bit. Good luck!
 
I'll second the suggestion on the MXL 990. You can find them pretty cheap on eBay -- maybe $50 or so. Note, however, that you still need a mike stand and a shock mount. You can buy bottom basement, generic, but it's still going to add to the cost. For an interface, see if you can find a used mAudio FastTrack Ultra -- it's four inputs with phantom power and does a really good job. I have two of these, plus a FastTrack Ultra 8r, which is a rack-mount 8-input interface.

As for headphones, well . . . I don't know what to tell you. As you'll see here on HR, the received wisdom is that mixing should be done on near-field monitors. I agree wholeheartedly -- I have Rokit 8's and the difference between mixing with them and even really good studio phones is like night and day. However, if you're just doing this fun, a pair of headphones is better than mixing on lousy computer speakers -- you can always upgrade to near-fields later.

Incidentally, I don't usually give advice to rappers (I'm not a fan of the genre), but unlike many who come here, your post was well-written, grammatically-correct and in English that I could understand. :) Good luck, and welcome to HR!
 
Major update. My information on microphones && headphones, and audio interface increased over the time of these replies and the music store I went too. My budget increased as well, also. && I figoured out what equiptment I'm gonna get.

I'm aiming to get the AT2050 for $250
Some audio interface for 150 (It was a in a blue/white, forgot the name, wish I could remember)
A good set of headphones for about 50 (same audio store)
And a good set of speakers for 100.

I'm going to continue to use my setup until I save enough money to buy everything I want. As of right now, the AT 2050 seems like the mic I'm looking for .. Any reviews on it?
 
It's been said in a lot of different ways here, but I'm gonna say it...stop choosing yer bait and throw something in the water.
In other words, once you've made your mind up about how you want to begin, you should begin. :D
Getting started and getting some time practicing, and plying is the very best thing you can do! I'd recommend that you start with something simple that you've wrote or cover someone else's song to get a start on tracking and mixing. Then send a copy to the MP3 clinic and see how it flies. Don't expect to be "Pro Quality" on your first attempt, and make sure if you submit it, that it's something you've copyrighted or can stand to lose (like someone else's song)

So, Happy Recording :D
 
iStuntHard said:
Major update. My information on microphones && headphones, and audio interface increased over the time of these replies and the music store I went too. My budget increased as well, also. && I figoured out what equiptment I'm gonna get.

I'm aiming to get the AT2050 for $250
Some audio interface for 150 (It was a in a blue/white, forgot the name, wish I could remember)
A good set of headphones for about 50 (same audio store)
And a good set of speakers for 100.

I'm going to continue to use my setup until I save enough money to buy everything I want. As of right now, the AT 2050 seems like the mic I'm looking for .. Any reviews on it?
Click to expand...

Please don't pay $250 for the AT 2050. You can get one used (but it excellent condition) on eBay for $140 or $150!
 
famous beagle said:
Please don't pay $250 for the AT 2050. You can get one used (but it excellent condition) on eBay for $140 or $150!
Click to expand...

Right! See we get shafted. $250 is just £146.80 here and I would gladly pay that for the 2050 even tho' I don't need one!

But yes, get a'doing!

Dave.
 
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