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Shadowdog
New member
I'm looking on ebay at Parametric EQs, suggestion on brands, digital or analog other features to consider for recording? I want to spend like $100-200 on this.
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Shadowdog
New member
if i paln on going with the Presonus Fire pod, how amny channels should the EQ have?
Freudian Slip
New member
I only have time for one last quick post.
I think you need to outline what your wanting to record before you get too carried away. Are you going to mic up a drum set? not likely if you have just one mic. Do you want to do guitar and vocals? Might need 2 different mics for that.
If you list what you want to achive you can get much better advise here.
Re: parametric EQ's. For recording tracks I can get away with out them except on drums (kick & Snare) other than that I can do minor eq'ing in the software.
Your main drive is to have what your recording (the sound source) sound good, Have a microphone that captures it good, have good preamps that reproduce it well and have an interface that gets it into your computer.
In short a good guitar sound and a good signal chain (mic, preamp, interface) plus your hard drive and you have a good recorded track. Any minor tweeking could be done with software eq's.
If you have a vocal mic that fits the voice well you can record without any EQ. This is the goal.
You don't want to compensate for a shitty mic with an eq.
If I were you I would list everything you have, computer, compressors, mixing board, Microphones, etc. and then list what all you want to be able to record and how many tracks you want to be able to record at a time etc.
Do this and people will be able to help you better
For now I would sit on my money until you do some reading and come up with what your goals are.
PS the motu is a nice unit, same money, I would go with it. I have seen some motu software bundles that are mac only though.
Good luck
F.S.
I think you need to outline what your wanting to record before you get too carried away. Are you going to mic up a drum set? not likely if you have just one mic. Do you want to do guitar and vocals? Might need 2 different mics for that.
If you list what you want to achive you can get much better advise here.
Re: parametric EQ's. For recording tracks I can get away with out them except on drums (kick & Snare) other than that I can do minor eq'ing in the software.
Your main drive is to have what your recording (the sound source) sound good, Have a microphone that captures it good, have good preamps that reproduce it well and have an interface that gets it into your computer.
In short a good guitar sound and a good signal chain (mic, preamp, interface) plus your hard drive and you have a good recorded track. Any minor tweeking could be done with software eq's.
If you have a vocal mic that fits the voice well you can record without any EQ. This is the goal.
You don't want to compensate for a shitty mic with an eq.
If I were you I would list everything you have, computer, compressors, mixing board, Microphones, etc. and then list what all you want to be able to record and how many tracks you want to be able to record at a time etc.
Do this and people will be able to help you better
For now I would sit on my money until you do some reading and come up with what your goals are.PS the motu is a nice unit, same money, I would go with it. I have seen some motu software bundles that are mac only though.
Good luck
F.S.
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Shadowdog
New member
yeah actually I was planning of micing drums. That is why I was looking at interfaces with the multiple preamps.
I do not have a computer fro recording yet. I was gonna wait until I have decided whcih interface and software I want to use and then build teh computer around that. I will mostly be recording my metal band first. But hope to get into this enough to record all kinds of music.
My problem is I am so darn eager to get recording, I don't want to rush into buying am interface until I know it is the one I want to build my computer around, but I am impatient (I buy cars after only driving them around the block
So I am actually taking my time on this, its been a week and I haven't bought naything yet except my computer monitors. Brands of firewire interfaces I have been looking at and seeing mentioned the most are are Presonus (Firepod), M-Audio, and MOTU. But then I see MOTU seems to have support problems and Service pack 2 is not working with it (oh yeah I plan on using Windows XP too.)
I do not have a computer fro recording yet. I was gonna wait until I have decided whcih interface and software I want to use and then build teh computer around that. I will mostly be recording my metal band first. But hope to get into this enough to record all kinds of music.
My problem is I am so darn eager to get recording, I don't want to rush into buying am interface until I know it is the one I want to build my computer around, but I am impatient (I buy cars after only driving them around the block
So I am actually taking my time on this, its been a week and I haven't bought naything yet except my computer monitors. Brands of firewire interfaces I have been looking at and seeing mentioned the most are are Presonus (Firepod), M-Audio, and MOTU. But then I see MOTU seems to have support problems and Service pack 2 is not working with it (oh yeah I plan on using Windows XP too.)
Sweetnighter
New member
ez_willis said:
I'm recording using Cubase, so hard drive.
ez_willis
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Sweetnighter said:
Experiment with the software effects before spending a bunch of cash on a rack.
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Shadowdog
New member
Are you using the Cubase LE that came with the Firepod?? Just wondering if you get less effects than with the SX version?
Freudian Slip
New member
Do you have a mixing board? if so what?
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Shadowdog
New member
me? No. Is that nessecary for getting good recordings if you are using a multi-in unit like the Firepod. If so, I guess I have my Tascam 424, would that work?
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Shadowdog
New member
or do you need like a PA mixer?
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Ptownkid
New member
Mixer isn't a necessity
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Shadowdog
New member
he was just referring to possibly using the mic preamps on them if you have them instead of spending the money on one.
Sweetnighter
New member
The Recording Software I got is the software that comes with the E-mu 0404 card, which is Cubasis VST 4.0. Given that, I don't have much in the way of software. Plus, I want a system that isn't entirely dependent on computers. I'm more of a hands-on knob guy as well... computers tend to frustrate me when it comes to doing more than laying out and doing some basic editing to the tracks. My PC isn't really that top-notch either. Here's a post I made on another board:
"I'm something of a novice home recordist, and I have some questions. For starters, this is what I have right now:
HP w/ 256MB memory 633mHz Intel Pentium III processor
E-mu 0404 Soundcard
UB1202 Behringer Eurorack Mixer
Behringer Truth B2030A monitors
Korg MS2000B Analog Modeling Synthesizer/Vocoder
MXL V57M Large Condenser Microphone
Behringer Direct Dox
Aria SB-40 Fretless Bass
Cry Baby Wah Wah Pedal
+ a box of miscellaneous 1/4", RCA, and XLR cables and adapters
As a birthday present I got $250 in giftcards for Sam Ash (since thats the only thing i asked for ) but I'm not really sure where to go from here. I know I need to get the Shure SM57/58 mics, but I plan on getting those used off of eBay since they are so durable and its not worth $200 to get them new from Sam Ash. Although my I don't know anything about it, I would like to start getting some rack equipment, a la compressor, limiter, multieffects processor, amplifier, etc. If you were in my situation, what would you do?
My other question relates to the physical arrangement of my recording area. Right now, with the E-mu card in the back of my computer, and my desk up against the wall of my room, its very very very inconvenient to get to the ins and outs of the soundcard. I'm also stuck in the corner of my room, and I'm running out of space. My monitors are just sitting on top of my desk, both of them to the right of where I sit in front of my keyboard (how dumb). Basically, with everything jammed in the corner of my room, its hard to plug things in anywhere in any way. What should I do? Ideally I'd like to convert our guest room into a little recording area, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to. Any suggestions there?"
So that basically sums up my entire situation in that respect.
"I'm something of a novice home recordist, and I have some questions. For starters, this is what I have right now:
HP w/ 256MB memory 633mHz Intel Pentium III processor
E-mu 0404 Soundcard
UB1202 Behringer Eurorack Mixer
Behringer Truth B2030A monitors
Korg MS2000B Analog Modeling Synthesizer/Vocoder
MXL V57M Large Condenser Microphone
Behringer Direct Dox
Aria SB-40 Fretless Bass
Cry Baby Wah Wah Pedal
+ a box of miscellaneous 1/4", RCA, and XLR cables and adapters
As a birthday present I got $250 in giftcards for Sam Ash (since thats the only thing i asked for ) but I'm not really sure where to go from here. I know I need to get the Shure SM57/58 mics, but I plan on getting those used off of eBay since they are so durable and its not worth $200 to get them new from Sam Ash. Although my I don't know anything about it, I would like to start getting some rack equipment, a la compressor, limiter, multieffects processor, amplifier, etc. If you were in my situation, what would you do?
My other question relates to the physical arrangement of my recording area. Right now, with the E-mu card in the back of my computer, and my desk up against the wall of my room, its very very very inconvenient to get to the ins and outs of the soundcard. I'm also stuck in the corner of my room, and I'm running out of space. My monitors are just sitting on top of my desk, both of them to the right of where I sit in front of my keyboard (how dumb). Basically, with everything jammed in the corner of my room, its hard to plug things in anywhere in any way. What should I do? Ideally I'd like to convert our guest room into a little recording area, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to. Any suggestions there?"
So that basically sums up my entire situation in that respect.
Freudian Slip
New member
Shadowdog said:
I was thinking more of if it had a decent eq.
It sounds to me like you need to spend most of your money on microphones.
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Sporkmyband
New member
Motu 896hd
Hey Shadowdog,
I just wanted to let you know that I too use XP and I have Service Pack 2 on my computer that I built with an AMD Sempron 3100+ and a gig of DDR. The Motu 896HD was up and running in like 10 minutes no joke. I have had ZERO troubles with it. It is absolutely excellent in everyway. I recommend it over the Presonus, because the Meters are GREAT! because with the presonus it might not be that easy to set levels. In addition, the routing with the Motu is NUTS. I got mine so that I can use it live as a mixer for the onstage stuff. I play to a click track with a lot of sequenced stuff going on. With the Motu, I can send the click to the drummer, make random audio loops play out of the Motu into different amps. It is just wonderful. It is the best piece of gear that I own.
Here's what is in my rack as of now:
I have a 3 space SKB rack and a 6 space SKB under it
Rack 1:
Furman Power supply with lamps
2 JoeMeek VC6qcs British Channels
Behringer 4700(i think) Headphone mixer
TC Electronics M300 delay/reverb/multieffects unit
Wireless Audio Technica unit (not much help in the studio)
Vintech X73i (I make sweet love to this baby, and record a few tracks through it)
Hey Shadowdog,
I just wanted to let you know that I too use XP and I have Service Pack 2 on my computer that I built with an AMD Sempron 3100+ and a gig of DDR. The Motu 896HD was up and running in like 10 minutes no joke. I have had ZERO troubles with it. It is absolutely excellent in everyway. I recommend it over the Presonus, because the Meters are GREAT! because with the presonus it might not be that easy to set levels. In addition, the routing with the Motu is NUTS. I got mine so that I can use it live as a mixer for the onstage stuff. I play to a click track with a lot of sequenced stuff going on. With the Motu, I can send the click to the drummer, make random audio loops play out of the Motu into different amps. It is just wonderful. It is the best piece of gear that I own.
Here's what is in my rack as of now:
I have a 3 space SKB rack and a 6 space SKB under it
Rack 1:
Furman Power supply with lamps
2 JoeMeek VC6qcs British Channels
Behringer 4700(i think) Headphone mixer
TC Electronics M300 delay/reverb/multieffects unit
Wireless Audio Technica unit (not much help in the studio)
Vintech X73i (I make sweet love to this baby, and record a few tracks through it)
JazzMang
He's Junktastic!
I own a firepod and they are sweet.
The pre's are of very decent quality and will not let you down.
here are 2 reviews of the firepod. They like what they see, as do I.
HyperActiveMusic Review
ProAudioReview
Its a nice, sturdy unit with good sound and low latency (I can run 4.5 ms confortably with all 8 tracks streaming and another 8 playing with effects too.)
get the firepod (and a good computer - I use an Athlon64 that is fast as balls), and you're off to a good start.
JazzMang Out.
The pre's are of very decent quality and will not let you down.
here are 2 reviews of the firepod. They like what they see, as do I.
HyperActiveMusic Review
ProAudioReview
Its a nice, sturdy unit with good sound and low latency (I can run 4.5 ms confortably with all 8 tracks streaming and another 8 playing with effects too.)
get the firepod (and a good computer - I use an Athlon64 that is fast as balls), and you're off to a good start.
JazzMang Out.
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Shadowdog
New member
hehehe, ahhh man, this is the hardest thing I have ever tried to decide. I got people pulling me both ways and reviews are about equal. I think I just need to buy one of them and live with the decision. Part of me wants to buy the MOTU Unit and buy the full Cubase, the other part of me says just buy the Firepod and learn waht you are doing first, then decide if spending more money is nessecary. I need to decide soon since we are building a house and if i wait, my preamp and software could end up being hardwood flooring if my wife gets to the money before me
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Shadowdog
New member
M-Audio was one of my other brand choices. yeah/nah
JazzMang
He's Junktastic!
Go firepod!
Its really simple and sounds great.
No better way to learn than from something simple to other, more complex things.
Its really simple and sounds great.
No better way to learn than from something simple to other, more complex things.
Freudian Slip
New member
JazzMang said:
I tend to agree. With no board to work with the firepod looks like a good work around. The MOTU would be better down the road but, it's more money right? and if your only going to record maybe drums & guitar & bass at the same time it should work great.
F.S.