Time for a loan (doh!)

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ChristopherDawn

ChristopherDawn

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(I posted this at the recpit in Harvey's forum, too, but I'm looking for more opinions so I'm posting it here)

So in the near future I'm going to get a loan for $5-10k to buy some studio equipment. It's what I spend all of my money on anyway, so I might as well just pay it off over the years and own it now then buying it one at a time. Right?

Don't dispute with my flawed logic.



Anyway. I'm looking to pick up two 'higher quality' preamps. Now I know the Great River me2-nv is the golden channels I want, but since I don't have much I'm thinking of more utility than straight up buying two channels.

I'm thinking of getting two pres around $1000 apiece, and two channels. I'm thinking a tube and a solid state, just so I have a little diversity.

My first choice is an A Designs MP-2 for the tube pre. I've heard great things about it, and I believe they're going for about $1200 for the two channel version.

Now for the second pre I'm kinda guessing. I really want a Great River, but I'm going to allow myself $2000 (maybe a little over) total for these pres so I have extra money for the other shit that I need.

I'm thinking either a two channel Sebatron, or maybe (just thought of it) a four channel Sytek with the Burr Brown channels. That would give me two more 'flavors' to work with instead of just one.

Opinions?


Also, just for the record of what else I'm getting, I'm probably going to get a LynxTwo A ($899) for 'higher end' ADA, a few mics including a Senn441, SM7, Senn421s, then an expensive ($500-$1000) LDC (Probably a Soundelux 195 [suggestions?]).

I already have a Soundcraft M12, a Delta 1010, Sonar 3.0, Waves Native Power Pack, mics: d112, sm57s, v67m, mxl603s, 2 RNCs and I'm in the process of getting some Yorkville YSM1Ps.
 
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What about a Universal Audio 2-610 dual-channel pre??
 
First, of course you should be in hock for gear. It's the American way. Second, beats me. The stated budget is OK, but you need more pre-amp allocation. If the Great River will give you the sound you want, just buy it. With $5-10 grand you can have a nice Pro Tools or whatever setup, a respectable mic cabinet, and the pre you really want. Congratulations. Some people have airplanes, or boats, or that summer home, you have mics.
You've paid (and will pay) enough sweat equity to own a recording studio, and there is almost nothing that is more fun. Enjoy. I suggest Avalon AD2022, and the Great River. Pay for really good channels, it's the heart of your sound.-Richie
 
Simman said:
What about a Universal Audio 2-610 dual-channel pre??
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Why would you suggest that? Just curious. For $300 more I could get the Great River dual channel.



And damn you Richard. I owe $10k on my car. Haha. Stop telling me that.

I'm striving (yeah right!) to keep the loan at $5k. If I need more I can go for more, but if I can I'd like to start out with some 'lower budget high end pres' like the A Designs (heard great things about it) and the Sytek or something. Haha.

A Great River will be mine, but if I have the choice of having two great channels now, or six reall good channels now for the next few years?
 
ChristopherDawn said:
Why would you suggest that? Just curious. For $300 more I could get the Great River dual channel.
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Why? No one particular reason. Just trying to be a little different, that’s all. No doubt the Great River is a nice pre but, so is the 610.

Now If in the market for some really great pres take a look at these http://www.marquetteaudiolabs.com/neve.html
 
I might have said it a thousand times, but let's make it 1001.

The most fundamental pieces of "gear" in any recording studio are the electrical/air interfaces - i.e. microphones/live room and monitors/control room. If you have great sounding mics in a great sounding room, and you're making good sonic decisions with great monitors in a great control room, then you are 90% there with respect to your gear. As you move along the chain away from the electrical/air interface the quality of the components become less critical. For example the sound of the mic is far more important than the sound of the AD converter.

Invest in a solid foundation first. Build a live room and control room with good acoustics. Record and monitor with good mics and speakers. Add the frills as you can afford them.

Thomas

http://barefootsound.com
 
As easy as it is to say, it's a lot harder to get land, build a place, then pay for that place than it is to pay off $5000 and work with what you have.

Alas, America. I wish everything was free.
 
I don't know where you're at with things, or what you plan on doing with all of your upgrades, etc.

. . . But if you plan on tracking bands and musicians and what not, I would make sure you have all of your bases covered in terms of routing, flexibility, and convenience.

One of those: "If I had to do it over again" epiphones from someone who's been doing this for a short while, now. Most of the musicians who track with you don't give a rat's ass what name is on your mic pres or your board. But they care A LOT if your system crashes and they have to stand around while you recover files. And it tests their patience if they have to wait more than 5 minutes while you back up their files, save things, edit things, etc. And you'll see attitudes if their headphones aren't comfortable . . . if your chords short out or crackle, (which they ALWAYS do), or if it takes you a while to set something up.

Having things on-demand convenient, fast, flexible . . . that's what they like. And that's far more important, in my opinion, than any mic pres. Paint brush my ass. :D To me, mic pres are more like the brand of paper you use on your canvass. Sure, don't use crappy paper, but make sure you've got your brushes in order, all of the colors at your disposal and a comfortable and convenient place to paint.

I'll give you another analogy: The mic pre is like the brand of shortening or cooking oil a restaurant uses. The restauranteur might rest easy knowing he spent all of his money on fancy, high-quality cooking oil . . . but the customer just wants fast, friendly, convenient service. Go ahead and try to tell the guy who had to wait an hour for his salad that it was all worth it because you used "the really good vinegar" in his salad dressing. :D
 
barefoot said:
Why do you need to buy land? You have a space to record in, right? Even if you're renting, there are many ways to improve your acoustics without tearing down walls. :) The Recording Studio Design Forum

Thomas

http://barefootsound.com
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Well as of now I live in one room of a four bedroom bottom floor of a three story house. I'm going to treat my room, and I'm already in the process of working on that with Mr. Sayers in his forum.

As for the recording part, the only solution I have right now is to record wherever the band has to record at (wherever they practice, probably). To try to work with that I plan on buying Ethan Winer's minitraps to use in my mixing area (my room) and to bring with me to the tracking sessions and set up since they seem portable.

Just to put it in perspective, they is a hobby as of now and I'm not even planning on charging anybody for anything for my first year or so until I think my recordings are worth something. So all of this will be coming out of my pocket and not being repayed.

Now I know most people will say "Work with what you have now to get better, gear's not going to help." But I know it does. We tracked during my schooling at a local studio and everything just went together. I know this is a lot of the room, but the pres and mics helped not having everything in the mix sound like mush.

So I'm going to get some better equipment, work on recording bands, and then later down the road maybe get an actual tracking room and control room.

Boy won't that be sweet.

Thanks for the replies.
 
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