Rack Newbie - How to get started

Sweetnighter

Sweetnighter

New member
The title basically says it all. What do I need to get started up with a basic rack setup? How much is a small rack? Preamp? Compressor/Limiter? Effects? If it matters, I'll be recording bass, synth, vocals, and some horns (trombone, sax) and playing jazz, rock, and anything in between. With all the rack gear out there, I have no idea where to start looking! Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
notbradsohner said:
in order of importance:

mic preamp
compressor
eq (parametric, not graphic)
effects (reverb, etc)
power conditioner
Click to expand...

That's a good list, but since you'll need power management once you get more than two units, I'd push the conditioner up the list a bit.

Also you might need converters, depending on your setup, and a headphone amp, and maybe a power amp if you use passive monitors.

Once you have lots of Us of gear--or even a few, you'll probably want a patchbay.
 
First off you need a rack. Then you can put anything from cheapo $50 Behringer equipment up to super expensive $2500.00 compressors. I would suggest that you do some research on particular pieces of your setup and then make decisions on each unit as you decided what you can afford and what you can live with.

I actualy just built a rack out of 90 degree slotted angle iron and some lumber. It only cost me $35 and can hold all of my equipment including my mixer and BR1180. But I only built it because I had no money for a real rack at the time, yet I have accumulated all sorts of rack equipment.
 
"A basic setup" doesn't mean anything, really. You can buy tons of cheap Behringer rack gear and impress girls with your blinking lights, or a Martech preamp for about $5000 per channel, and the only one who will be impressed are audio engineers (and anyone who listens through good monitors). You have to fit your gear to the budget, but to get anything that's studio worthy in the categories listed above, I think you are looking at $500 to more like $1000 for a decent 2 channel preamp, $400 or so for a compressor (more like a pair of RNC's)
$500 at least for the EQ, $200-$500 for an FX box, $50 for a patch bay, $200 for a power conditioner, $200 or so for a headphone distribution amp, and a shit load of patch cables. There, I just spent $3000 of your money without buying a single piece of top notch gear. If we used really pro level gear, I could easily turn that into $15,000. Or- I could build the whole thing for about $500, and it would really suck. Unfortunately, it's not the rack that matters, but what's in it.- Richie
 
Sweetnighter said:
The title basically says it all. What do I need to get started up with a basic rack setup? How much is a small rack? Preamp? Compressor/Limiter? Effects? If it matters, I'll be recording bass, synth, vocals, and some horns (trombone, sax) and playing jazz, rock, and anything in between. With all the rack gear out there, I have no idea where to start looking! Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...

What will be the recording medium? Hard drive, stand-alone, ADAT....??
 
Ok I was just gonna get a Presonus Firepod and hope to start recording in Cubase, i have some mics etc. But now I see this list, are the other peices required for recording or just for better recordings?
 
Shadowdog said:
Ok I was just gonna get a Presonus Firepod and hope to start recording in Cubase, i have some mics etc. But now I see this list, are the other peices required for recording or just for better recordings?
Click to expand...

If you're just starting out, the software effects in Cubase might be fine for what you're doing, check it out first.
Wait, I just noticed you didn't start this thread, the advice may still apply for Sweetnighter too.
 
OK, but the Compressor and Eq are still suggested? Doesn't software like Cubase include things like these? I have an ART FXR Elite effects unit and DBX Project 1 compressor gate that I use with my guitar rig, are those the kind that would work for something like this or are what you talking about different?
 
Shadowdog said:
Ok I was just gonna get a Presonus Firepod and hope to start recording in Cubase, i have some mics etc. But now I see this list, are the other peices required for recording or just for better recordings?
Click to expand...

the nice thing is the this unit your looking at has loops on channel 1 & 2 so you can actually use some stuff.

Well buy a rack 8 to 12 unit can be had for around $150.00

I would get 1 or 2 parametric Eq's, good rack units are pretty steep. Aleses has one for around $250 or $300. it is a digital unit though.

My next buy would be a compressor the DbX 266 works ok for drums, a little tricky on the bass. Wouldn't even try it on my vocals. I would only go up in quality/price on this one.

Well there's .02 from me. I think you will have a better Idea with time what you want and need. It's hard to say not knowing the type of music you are recording, what you already have EG: mic's , mixer, eq's, monitors?

Personaly if you don't have monitors I would go there berfore I bought any of the above. If you can't hear what your doing you'll get nowhere.

M-audio BX8 Powered monitors 399.00

F.S.
 
I have Alesis Studio One monitors tht have the RA-100 amp, should I get power monitors. I was looking at a Motu 896 Fire interface and it mention hooking up powered monitors to it, and I was wondering if mine would still work??
 
Missed your post Shadowdog.

Your dbx compressor can be used. a compressor is a compressor as far as what it can be used on. The Quality and adjutability will vary wildly though. I would give the DBX a shot. I get away with it on drums. I would not worry about outboard effects units right now. Cubase should have reverb, delay , chorus, etc. Your better off adding those after recording anyway. That way you can always go back to the raw track.

You can compress on the computer to. theres just things I like to compress going in to see how it will react. Drums and bass mainly.



F.S.
 
I'm getting this thread off track a little but curious since i got you talking about studio monitors, i just bought 2 Dell 17" flat panel monitors for the computer I will build. My Alesis monitors screw up a normal screen if too close, will it do the same to LCDs
 
Shadowdog said:
I'm getting this thread off track a little but curious since i got you talking about studio monitors, i just bought 2 Dell 17" flat panel monitors for the computer I will build. My Alesis monitors screw up a normal screen if too close, will it do the same to LCDs
Click to expand...

I would guess yes. Since lcd's also have a degause function I would asume the magnetic field will mess with them too.

This is a total assumtion on my part.

F.S.
 
cool thanks for the links. i just found a "connectivity" diagram for the Firepod that is handy for me, answers a lot of my questions.

http://www.bananas.com/multimedia/6197/Document/firepodsetup1.pdf

This really looks like the unit i may want to get me going. I was also looking at the MOTU 896HD Firewire Interface. Looked like it had more INs and each of the mic preamps had switchable phantom power were teh Presonus was groups of 4, which I don't know why I'm worrying about that since i only have one mic now :) But are you familiar with this unit?
 
As a rule of thumb, all magnets should be away from monitors of any kind...

It's been stated before, but your best bet is to really look around and figure what you think you need. you're the only one who can answer that question. Software based compression, eq, and reverb is fairly usable in most applications.

If you're looking for a place to start, put your money into good preamps, that's the most important thing.

Don't worry, it comes with time. If you run out and buy a bunch of affordable stuff right now, you're gonna end up selling it and buying beter stuff in less than a year trust me...been there.

Best of luck
 
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