Recording vocals/acoustic-electric guitars

[Hobbit6]

Hello. I'm trying to record vocals and acoustic guitar on my PC but what I'm getting right now sort of lacks dimension and sounds kinda muddy, nothing like you would hear in the studio. I realize that I won't get that studio sound from this gear, but I'd like at least something decent.

Basically, my recording chain looks like this: OMNI Studio < Presonus TubePre < AT3035.

Which part of the chain should I improve? New mic? Preamp? If I get a $300 preamp, would that drastically improve quality? or a $500 mic?

Also, do USB connected audio interfaces such as Firepod have recording quality advantages over PCI sound card driven devices such as OMNI studio (w/ Delta 66)? Would a Firepod get me real good sound on mic as well DI electric guitar and bass? I'm also trying to record guitar thru OMNI<Whirlwind Imp DI<Boss GT6, but the recorded sound is a far cry from playing GT6 in earphones...

Please help me, I'm basically comitted to spending some money on this (around $500, maybe more) but I don't know what an all-around solution would be...thx!

 

[CoolCat]

the sound

I'm no pro...but i've put in a lot of uneducated hours that may benefit you.
(my education started here, many years to the latter)

I went thru many, many microphone try outs and never saw any difference.
And that really confused me as i was on the same goal you mention...getting that "sound".

everything sounded like a SM57 in my setup...something was missing.

somehow stumbled here,
i'd never knew what a pre-amp was and the minute i bought the DMP3...
i could begin to tell a difference in mics i tried out.
then the RNC was like ok, this is the real sht. I can hear the improvement.


so getting that "sound". get the damn best pre-amp/channel strip and mic you can.
open your ears to the gang here.

and you'll save fhkng many wasted hours
returning sht at GC and getting strange looks by the salesman half your age asking "you didn't like the SM81?? Its an industry standard??? it sounds like
a SM57??? huh??? hey dude we can't keep taking back sht every week,
we have to sell it as open box then....i need to get a manager over here..".

i'm already gearlusting a Toft ATC-2...based soley on the improvements
the DMP3 and RNC did, if you get what i'm sayin'.

the right tools make your job easier they say, hell they make all the difference
from ASS to Beauty.... listen to a Beatles Anthology crap-song and then the Finished Studio version....the only difference is the Equipment!

 

[noisedude]

Yeah I think I'd look at a preamp first. FMR RNP and JoeMeek threeQ would be high on my list, M-Audio Tampa shortly after ... and Focusrite is just bringing out a new Trakmaster II so that might be worth checking out.