Project studio equipment list - sanity check before purchase

  • Thread starter Thread starter nemo970
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nemo970

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Hello, after getting some questions answered here (thanks!) we are getting close to a final list.

Please check below and let me know if you find anything odd or missing there..
Just to add, we do have a budget set aside for the acoustic treatment.

monitors – Yamaha HS80M
condenser mic – Rode NT1a (matched pair – besides main vocal also for OH)
mic preamp – ART MPA Gold
interface - Echo Audio Audiofire 12
8-ch mic preamp strip – Presonus Digimax D8
drum mics set – Shure DMK57-52 (3x SM57 + 1x Beta 52A)
snare mic – bottom – Audix I5
hi-hat mic – Audix F15
small console for monitors and phones volume – Behringer Xenyx 1002
headphone amp – Behringer HA400
tracking headphones – 3x AKG K55
mix headphones – 1x Beyer DT-880
cables – Sommer Cable

I am not sure whether the Xenyx will not impart the signal from interface output to monitors, as we need the external volume control - AF12 does not have the output volume knob and I dont want to rely to sw for monitors volume control.

Regarding the vocal mic and pre I am pretty set. The other issue is the Presonus Digimax D8 - they just started shipping it, so not much experience there, but I believe the pres quality will be as good as the previous proven 8-ch presonus strips.

Please feel free to comment. Thanks for looking!

The band page for a style reference here
 
I use the following things from your list:
Yamaha HS80M - very satisfied with them.
Echo Audio Audiofire 12 - Extremely satisfied.
Audix I5 - Surprisingly crisp with a good hot signal for a dynamic.

I briefly owned a Xenyx mixer. I had to send it back because FX unit kept making bursts of static. The 1002 doesn't have the FX luckily. I noticed during the short time I had the mixer that it does color the sound a bit. IMO it adds a midrange presence. It's not a bad sound but it may affect your mixes. Watch for that and be prepared to compensate for it if you do notice the same sound.
 
I think you are well advised to have a proper volume control between the audio outs and the monitors ... and probably the Xenyx will cause you no problems.

However, I have been delighted for several years with the little Yamaha MG10/2 mixer I use at home for that purpose, having sold a Behringer UB-series to get it. Cracking little piece of kit, plus it's not a Behringer. :p

I'd probably want KRK Rokits or Event monitors instead of those Yamahas, YMMV. Not sure I'd got for the Rodes either, but again this is based on personal pref/experience.

All in all it looks like you have a tidy setup there and should be on your way to some recording delight. Get a laptop and a little 2u rack case to put the Echo and the Presonus in and you can take your recording studio with you - you literally have no lived until you've recorded an acoustic song out in the countryside. Maybe.
 
Lol, nice note about the countryside recording.. must be great free feeling.

About the Yamaha - we have the MG16/6FX console and use it for routing at rehearsals, but unfortunately this is the FX version that is noisy, even with FX disengaged.

For the monitoring volume control I have found another neat solution - Presonus Monitor Station

That could be possibly the right ticket.
 
Great link, thanks!
We do plan do acoustic treatment and have funds set aside.
Things like side wall wooden frames filled with fiberglass and corner bass traps.
In the rehearsal room we did the exact treatment as described in the link with a good results.
Newertheles, lots of info there, cool..
 
nemo970 said:
Great link, thanks!
We do plan do acoustic treatment and have funds set aside.
Things like side wall wooden frames filled with fiberglass and corner bass traps.
In the rehearsal room we did the exact treatment as described in the link with a good results.
Newertheles, lots of info there, cool..
Click to expand...

Cool. I was stunned by the difference it made in my room.
 
nemo970 said:
Lol, nice note about the countryside recording.. must be great free feeling.

About the Yamaha - we have the MG16/6FX console and use it for routing at rehearsals, but unfortunately this is the FX version that is noisy, even with FX disengaged.

For the monitoring volume control I have found another neat solution - Presonus Monitor Station

That could be possibly the right ticket.
Click to expand...

There's a risk that could be a bit of overkill but if you can use it as your headphone amp and hook up a set of hifi or computer speakers as an extra set for comparison (I have some Dell 2.1 speakers hooked up for checking what my mixes sound like on rubbish speakers) then it looks like a great bit of kit.
 
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