Top End Studio For Hip-Hop Vocals

[Protocall]

Hey guys,

I currently have a studio setup which involves me running PT DAW, with Mbox mini as my interface, Presonus Eureka as my channel strip, and have AT4047's vintage condenser mic

Some time next year I am looking to upgrade my studio slowly step by step, but I am currently deciding on equipment. I don't have any current major complaints about my current setup, in fact it is working great for me for the time being that is why I am going to continue for a while using it, I am very pleased you can see my vocals in my tag and let me know what you think

I just want to go from a mid end studio, to a high end, in terms of gear, so this is what I am thinking to upgrade:

- Just want to make clear I want to keep PT Daw

- I am looking at Appollo's Universal Audio Apollo Duo UAD 18 X 24 Firewire Audio Interface W/DSP - Long & McQuade Musical Instruments for interface upgrade, but its a bit over kill on number of channels, I am trying to find something else of same quality soundcard and performance, but maybe less channels,

- For microphone upgrade, I have had good results with AT4047, so I am thinking of staying in the AT family, as it suits my voice, and go with Audio-Technica Large Diaphragm Cardioid Condenser Microphone - Long & McQuade Musical Instruments , my only concern is AT4047 is a vintage sounding microphone, I am not sure if that will be a major roll with the AT5040 and how my voice sounds

- I am thinking of using this Avalon VT-747SP - 2U Tube Stereo Opto-Comp/6-Band EQ - Long & McQuade Musical Instruments for Compressor + EQ, I am have no experience with this

If I can get any input on the above I would greatly appreciate it, thanks for listening

 

[Seafroggys]

I have no advice to give you, I just had to lol at the vintage AT4047 comment you made. I have an AT4047. Kickass mic, but vintage it is definitely not. It is a very modern mic. Some people have said it vaguely follows a U47 FET in philosophy, but does not sound the same at all. Its a warm condenser for sure, but I'd get rid of the vintage label now.

I guess if I had advice to give you, if you're happy with your sound, don't worry about upgrading. You seem to be pretty keen on labels. "Vintage", "mid-level studio" "high-end studio." Don't worry about it. If it sounds good, it sounds good. Now if you do notice a deficiency in your recordings and you know exactly what it is, then upgrade that first. I know for me right now its my monitoring system. For you it may be different. But if you don't even know if anything is wrong, and just want to upgrade so you can have a "high-end studio," don't even bother.

 

[Protocall]

I have no advice to give you, I just had to lol at the vintage AT4047 comment you made. I have an AT4047. Kickass mic, but vintage it is definitely not. It is a very modern mic. Some people have said it vaguely follows a U47 FET in philosophy, but does not sound the same at all. Its a warm condenser for sure, but I'd get rid of the vintage label now.

I guess if I had advice to give you, if you're happy with your sound, don't worry about upgrading. You seem to be pretty keen on labels. "Vintage", "mid-level studio" "high-end studio." Don't worry about it. If it sounds good, it sounds good. Now if you do notice a deficiency in your recordings and you know exactly what it is, then upgrade that first. I know for me right now its my monitoring system. For you it may be different. But if you don't even know if anything is wrong, and just want to upgrade so you can have a "high-end studio," don't even bother.

Audio-Technica - Microphones, headphones, wireless microphone systems, noise-cancelling headphones & more : AT4047/SV Cardioid Condenser Microphone , I just want to clarify I got the Vintage label from AT website and also it says it on my box from which the mic came in.

Its kind of hard to explain. Yes I am having good results, but I want to be having GREAT results. The whole plan is definitely to start with what gear needs replacement first, so for example I want to upgrade from my Mbox Mini first and fore most, and eventually build up the gear to have a vocal studio sound like any high quality studio you would go down to pay money big bux for.

You cannot deny better gear gives you better quality, at the end of the day, I LOVE my recordings, and I can see compared to other equipment that mine is deficient. I am about always doing everything as professional as possible, and I put many hours in the lab I create about a song a week for the last couple months. So this equipment is greatly used, its not a waste by any means.

 

[Seafroggys]

Yeah, maybe the Mbox Mini could use an upgrade, but if you're not getting GREAT results from a 4047, its not the mic. Believe me on that.

You could try an SM7b, I debated on getting one of those instead of the 4047. Its a low-output dynamic mic, but more pro records have been made with it than perhaps any other mic outside of Neumann. And its even cheaper than the 4047.

And for the record, the Audio-Technica website doesn't really refer to it as a vintage mic. It talks about trying to harken back to the old FET sound, and called that vintage. Which it is. At best you could stretch it and say it may be "vintage-sounding" (which I disagree with) but the website nor any material I've read about the mic (and I read a shitton before dumping the money on it to buy one) doesn't call it vintage in any fashion. Because "vintage" implies its a classic piece of gear used in ages long past. The 4047 is at best a 15 year old mic, and probably newer than that and still in production.

Sorry, I just hate the word vintage, its thrown around so often as if its supposed to mean something. I have people constantly tell me that my recordings sound like they came from the 70's yet my gear is just modern prosumer stuff. Its all labels in the end.

 

[Protocall]

Yeah, maybe the Mbox Mini could use an upgrade, but if you're not getting GREAT results from a 4047, its not the mic. Believe me on that.

You could try an SM7b, I debated on getting one of those instead of the 4047. Its a low-output dynamic mic, but more pro records have been made with it than perhaps any other mic outside of Neumann. And its even cheaper than the 4047.

And for the record, the Audio-Technica website doesn't really refer to it as a vintage mic. It talks about trying to harken back to the old FET sound, and called that vintage. Which it is. At best you could stretch it and say it may be "vintage-sounding" (which I disagree with) but the website nor any material I've read about the mic (and I read a shitton before dumping the money on it to buy one) doesn't call it vintage in any fashion. Because "vintage" implies its a classic piece of gear used in ages long past. The 4047 is at best a 15 year old mic, and probably newer than that and still in production.

Sorry, I just hate the word vintage, its thrown around so often as if its supposed to mean something. I have people constantly tell me that my recordings sound like they came from the 70's yet my gear is just modern prosumer stuff. Its all labels in the end.

Well you can check my tag and tell me what you think about my music, but I believe I am getting good results. I first went to buy the AT4047, and the sales rep at the store I went to convinced me the sm7b was a better mic and great for hip-hop vocals and half the price of the 4047. Honestly for studios dynamic mics for vocals are inferior compared to dynamic, I did not know that at the time, I returned it and ending up purchasing my AT4047 which I have now. I never said I dont have great results, but I am comparing quality between AT4047 and AT5040 Audio-Technica Large Diaphragm Cardioid Condenser Microphone - Long & McQuade Musical Instruments , there is an obvious different just like an equipment you buy.

You can get great results still with decent equipment, but you are limited to how amazing you really can sound compared to the higher end equipment you can purchase. Of course not always more money is worth more quality, but generally as the price increases the quality also does