What do I get next?

  • Thread starter Thread starter David Katauskas
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David Katauskas

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I have a FEW extra bucks and am wondering what the next upgrade in my recording chain should be...?

Currently:
- Laptop with nTrack
- Behringer UB802 mixer
- e609, MXL990, MXL991
- Drums (DFH2)
- whole lotta guitars and bass
- PSA-1
- Crate combo

Thoughts on next purchase:
- Mackie mixer
- MD421 (mic guitar cab)
- USB soundcard
- Tracking/Mixing classes
- ?

Where is the next logical upgrade in my chain?
Thanks in advance!
 
a usb soundcard...you'll instantly get better sounding recordings...

I used to have a laptop and used the onboard soundcard, then I upgraded to a m-audio mobilepre, and it made a big difference, both in input and output.
 
Thanks for the info...

Nick The Man : The Tampa is a little more than I want to spend right now...can this be comparable to "Nady TMP-2 Rackmount Stereo Tube Mic Preamp". It's about 1/3 the price.

Mo-Kay : Do all USB soundcards have a pre-amp? If not, then I guess I'd like to keep them seperate for flexibility. One of the reasons I want to consider an external sound card is because when my PSA-1 is DI thru mixer > soundcard, there is a hum. I'm sure it has something to do with the laptop soundcard, because this hum doesn't exist on my other computer sound cards. But when I'm not going DI, there is no hum and all is quiet...?

If I do get a nice pre-amp, will running that thru my Behringer mixer diminish any gains from a good pre-amp?

I know...lots of questions. I just want to start spending my money more wisely...especially after the wife is tightening the fiscal leash (and rightfully so). :(

Thanks again in advance!
 
Most USB and FireWire sound cards have built-in pre amps.

I suggest looking at 'cards' from TASCAM or M-Audio, and compare the features and price.
 
Whenever I think about upgrading or looking for new equipment I look at my signal chain and ask, "Do I have a good mic plugged into a good preamp routed to my computer through good AD converters." I also look at the other side of the coin: "Do I have good DA converters routing my sound into good monitors properly located in a good room." I'm getting old and feeble so this helps me organize and prioritize decisions! If I applied those questions to your list, new monitors jump out as a possibility.
 
I dunno as this has been discussed to death but it amazes me that every one to this point has suggested equipment.

If there are any worth while classes available to you...invest in them.

Knowledge trumps the "new pre-amp" everytime.

JH
 
Yea ya know on second thought knowledge and talent aren't that important... I suspected the music industry was hurting for talented new engineers but in reality what we really need is a new set of monitors. Jeez...

If you spend enough money on new equipment you're bound to be a better engineer and your mixes will undoubtedly sound better.

Come on...nothing ever made Alan Parson sound better than.....Alan Parson.

Once again...invest in your abilities cause if you have enough ability someone else is gonna pay for those new monitors and your house payment as well.
 
Joseph Hanna said:
Yea ya know on second thought knowledge and talent aren't that important... I suspected the music industry was hurting for talented new engineers but in reality what we really need is a new set of monitors. Jeez...

If you spend enough money on new equipment you're bound to be a better engineer and your mixes will undoubtedly sound better.

Come on...nothing ever made Alan Parson sound better than.....Alan Parson.

Once again...invest in your abilities cause if you have enough ability someone else is gonna pay for those new monitors and your house payment as well.
Click to expand...

You are undoubtedly correct. But most of the equipment questions on this BBS come with the "all-other-things-being-equal" assumption. I think we assume that he's also working on his engineering skills and his "chops." (I hate that word almost as much as I hate the term "gigs.") I also hope he changes his strings regularly and records/mixes in a properly treated room.
 
If you can't hear the difference between a 50 dollar Rolls preamp and a 1000 Avalon because you monitors and room acoustics suck, what's the point of upgrading? Training's a close second, but again, picasso couldn't paint a horse's ass if someone blindfolded him, same thing with crappy monitoring.
 
Thanks for the input folks...it give me a lot to consider. Only wish I had an extra $250,000 laying around...then I could pay someone to set me up. :D
 
David Katauskas said:
Thanks for the input folks...it give me a lot to consider. Only wish I had an extra $250,000 laying around...then I could pay someone to set me up. :D
Click to expand...

Actually, paying someone to do this for you would deprive you of the learning experience that goes with the procvess of putting this together.

Don't let yourself get too stressed, go with it and ultimately, have a great time doing it!

That said, I agree with reshp1 - it really helps to have a decent monitoring chain in place as a start.
 
If it's just for recording, I'd skip the behringer mixer, and just go directly into the preamp of the "card"...

simplest, and better quality
 
I guess most of you have missed my point...or perhaps I didn't make it very well in the first place.

The original post , distilled, asked the question "should I spend my money on equipment (insert various products) or training?"

In my position I see anywhere from 4 to 12 interns a year coming thru ultimately with the hopes of securing a full time engineering position. The work here is tough and seeming endless. Time and time and time again I see hot shot fresh out of some type of audio program (accredited or not) come strolling in here talking about the latest McDsp EQ or they prefer TL Space over Altiverb or they think Mackie mixers suck or anyone using Rode mics instead of Neumann mics is crazy or they done there own tests and they hear a noticeable difference recording at 192K.

Where in and of itself I'm glad they've gained the "product knowledge" they need to survive in such a competitive business it is indeed a small but useful part of a successful engineers career.

I'm am however continually stunned at the total inability of these guys (and gals) to explain the fundamentals. They talk about they're new Oxford EQ but don't have a CLUE as how to use it. Reverb parameters and what it might mean in a specific situation??...NOT A CLUE. Where things sonically fit, how things sonically fit...NOT A CLUE. They just bought a new compressor plug from Guitar Center but they don't like it so there thinking about a distressor cause they heard those were the rat's tail but sit em down and have them explain compressor parameters or why it's reacts the way it does in a given situation...NOT A CLUE.

It's a given in any recording situation that room acoustics' and equipment is an important component. However I would submit that that more often than not things aren't perfect. There are times where I do an entire mix on the auratones...cause that's the most practical way to handle a particular situation. They don't particularly sound good.

The word "training" perhaps is somewhat inaccurate. Get the "knowledge" you need to make any audio situation sound good.

Sorry but skill and knowledge is NOT secondary to equipment
 
Joseph Hanna said:
Sorry but skill and knowledge is NOT secondary to equipment
Click to expand...

No one said or implied it was. Your point is made by others on a fairly regular basis, and is considered a truism here. However, the poster asked about upgrading his signal chain, which is a seperate deal altogether.
 
Sorry but....

The original post:

Thoughts on next purchase:
- Mackie mixer
- MD421 (mic guitar cab)
- USB soundcard
- Tracking/Mixing classes

Response to me by reshp1:

Training's a close second, but again, picasso couldn't paint a horse's ass if someone blindfolded him, same thing with crappy monitoring.
 
Joseph Hanna said:
Sorry but....

The original post:
Click to expand...

Actually, I was responding to your first post in full, which started with the phrase:
I dunno as this has been discussed to death but it amazes me that every one to this point has suggested equipment.

If there are any worth while classes available to you...invest in them.
Click to expand...

That is what I wasreferring to as being nesides the point of the original poster's question. Whether the gear is more important than the experience/skill is not what the poster's asking about.
 
I gotta chime in here. Knowledge is THE most important part of any signal chain. You didn't know what a signal chain was until someone explained it to you. Then you didn't know if your gear was -10 or +4 or what the difference was. Lack of knowledge has cost me thousands of dollars in equipment I have little use for now. Equipment upgrading should only occur when you understand WHY you need it. For $300, you can buy a lot of really nice books on the subject, and it will save you thousands of dollars.
Somebody said "monitors and room treatment". Well of course. Pre-amp, sure! But which one...and WHY that choice? You gotta know why before you spend your hard earn dollars friends.
 
The original post asked if gear or classes would be the better investment. The response at least to the point of my post was overwhelmingly gear. In fact 100%

The obvious assumption here (or perhaps not) is that the "worthwhile classes" I suggested would lead to more skill and or knowledge. I made that connective leap and if it clouded my intent and confused the issues...sorry. Arguing that the original post asked about classes and not skill or knowledge is pointless semantics.

A discussion of weather or not classes leads to knowledge (while perhaps valid) is "obviously" not the point I was attempting to make.

I stand firmly behind my conclusion that a great majority of young engineers erroneously think that "new monitors" will improve their mixes.

Equipment does make a difference. I see high end studios (what's left of them) struggling to improve their rooms by small margins. After all it's that last 3% that really makes a difference. A nearly perfect room with a pro that been mixing in it day in and day out for years will absolutely benefit from improved pre's, comp's mic's or what have you. However the average project studio engineer that's struggling with his mixes can not find the fix in a purchase.
 
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