Right equipment to buy?

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JBP

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**sorry about double post, didn't realize i should post here**
What's up everybody, since december of 2010 i've had the audio technica 2020 usb mic, a nady pop filter, an mpf-6 mic stand, and some $70 sony headphones for recording music using reaper.I've also had the ability to use a family members studio once in a while to learn about equipment and see the difference between cheap and expensive equipment.

Because I want to work at my own pace and not have to count on visiting the studio once a month, i need some new equipment to do so. I've done plenty of research so please don't just tell me to do so. Just want to see what you guys think before i buy em, and i have my top choice as (1) and so on.

Mic:
1. Audio Technica AT4040
2. Shure SM7B (little extra cash than i'm really wanting to spend)
3. Other suggestion? (please keep less than 300)

Audio Interface:
1. Mbox 3 Mini (possibly with protools, still deciding DAW)
2. Other suggestions (reasonable)

Speakers:
1. Audiophile AV40
2. Others?

Keyboard/controller:
1. Oxygen 25
2. Akai MPK mini
3. Others?

Room treatment:
1. Voxguard (cause its only like 100 bucks)
2. GIK panels (heard they're good but pretty spendy, suggestions?)
3. Other suggestions?

thanks in advance for your feedback, really appreciate it!
 
Well what do you plan on recording? Do you plan on recording drums at all?
 
No I only plan on recording vocals for hip hop production, and making beats in reason with the controll/keyboard
 
Mic:
Take a look at the SE electronics SE2200. A little bit cheaper and you can get some great results.

Interface:
Take a look at the Tascam US range. The US 200 is the equivalent to the Mbox 3 mini but more powerful and the Pre's are better than the focusrite one's in the Mbox.

Speakers:
Take a look at the KRK RP range. They would be ideal for that kind of music and they are pretty inexpensive for the quality you get. RP6s are great.

Room:
A voxguard wouldn't help. but for the rest of the room, I'd get something up and running to mix with first then see if you have any problem areas and then address those one by one specifically. This will be cheaper and more effective.

Keys:
If you're not going to be doing a lot of two handed playing and stuff, have a look at the Korg Microkey. I use it live and for bits of programming. Really cool and cheap.

Take a look at this for a bit more into choosing a studio set up MixTips: Building a Home Studio On a Budget
 
PS the Korg Micro range also do a fader pack and a trigger pad thing which are both also really cool and cheap. Good for composing on.
 
Thanks! I'll definitely look into those options. The Tascam US 200 seems like a pretty good choice the only concern i have is that i will need to purchase a DAW of some kind and the mbox 3 mini comes with a slightly modified version of protools. I assumed that this would be beneficial because i could learn the industry standard and still produce a nice sound with the mbox. I think you're right about waiting on the voxguard it isn't really going to seem very effective at first, i need to hear what everything sounds like then treat my room. But thanks for your feedback
 
The Tascam includes the DAW - Cubase LE. If this is your first foray into the world of Audio engineering then start off with a free one (also reaper) then when you're up to speed look at getting pro tools. The MBoxes are expensive for what you get and you don't end up saving much on Pro Tools. Honestly, read this... MixTips: Building a Home Studio On a Budget
 
Is the Tascam a usb interface, because i'm trying to lean towards somewhat low-cost and easy. I have a lot of experience with reaper i've been using it for about 8 months, and i have some knowledge of record. I've read the article a few times and it does give some good advice, thanks
 
Also I'm running on an I5 processor macbook pro i don't know if this creates any sort of issue or opens other issues because through the research i've done it seems most people are using it with windows 7
 
Yeah all the Tascam units are USB and you won't have any problems with it working on a mac. I use a US1800 with Pro Tools and Ableton Live on a i7 MacBook Pro and it works fine and hasn't fallen over yet.

That's cool if you know reaper already. I'd say the next step when you're ready to take it is Pro Tools. You've already got the grounding from something like Reaper so you should find the transition pretty easy.
 
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