Two Channel Recording Advice

[JackDern]

I have a Rode K2, A Rode NTK, and a Roland CD2. I write songs and eventually record them. I sing the song and accompany myself with an acoustic guitar. I am not satisfied with the sound of the recording. My chief complaint is that it is very easy to over-drive the CD2's built in mic pre amps. Intimacy is obtained only at low vocal levels. I understand that there may be some technique issues in both the recording and performance, but I would generally like a cleaner sound. For now I would like to retain the Rode mics (although the quality of the mics is debated). I do not want to record to my Imac. I am satisfied with two tracks. I have a $2000 budget. I had considered the Sound Devices 702. Though I do not record in the field, they hold their value, and the pre amps are supposedly good. I thought later if I wanted, I could get two channel reverb and a mixer could be added. I have also considered a Marantz PMD 560, two Grace M101 pre amps, and a Lexicon MX400 for a little reverb. I could purchase all of these for under $2000.

Please provide any advice.

 

[mjbphotos]

You need to turn down the gain/input level, if its possible with that recorder.
Although you say you don't want to record more than 2 channels at a time, if you don't want to use your computer for recording, how about a Boss BR1600CD?

 

[Richard Monroe]

OK, you're a tough one, because the trend in most modern recording equipment is to be all-inclusive, as in the standalone multitrack digital recorder, or to interact with a computer. Even the Marantz flash card recorder you reference above has to have its files dumped into a computer if you want them to end up as a CD. Also, the trend has been toward multiple channels, which tends to water down preamp quality, rather than toward 2 really good channels. Marantz isn't a bad concept from your point of view. I'd consider this:

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/CDR420/

It deals the computer right out of the equation
First, I'd try the onboard preamps. If I wasn't happy with them, I'd add:

http://www.8thstreet.com/product.asp?ProductCode=30385&Category=Audio_Processors

That allows you to go into the Marantz by S/PDIF, completely bypassing the Marantz's preamps. OK, I ran a little over budget, if you add an FX box (which can be used with the inserts on the twinQ), but I gave you a good optical compressor, pretty good EQ, and upped your basic sound quality a good bit, without involving the computer at all., which is tough. For just 2 tracks, it'll produce the best computerless 2 tracks I can think of anywhere near your budget. And for the record, the twinQ works *very well* with my NTK, which I believe is a perfectly good mic. Good luck.- Richie