what monitors/microphones should i buy

[HabitualG]

help me!

i have a room. a nice room. i have a laptop. a nice laptop. i have guitars and basses and amps. also nice. i have a zoom mrs-1044 with usb card to hook up to my laptop. also nice. i have great headphones. very nice.

i have no clue what microphones and monitors to buy. i have about 500 saved to buy these things and get my studio going, but right now im mixing through headphones (which i know is not good) and using sam ash mics (2, actually- my drums sound like ass through 2 sam ash mics). i need advice on what moniotrs and mics and preamps i need to get this studio rolling, anything you can offer would be great.

thank you.

 

[Gunther]

Lots of people say good things about the M-Audio SP-5B monitors, which can be had for 200 bucks I think.

That leaves you 300 for mics. I only record vocals with a mic, and I like my Rode NT1000 (300$)... F**king awesome mic IMO.

Other people will be able to give better advice on drum mics, but the Sure SM57's are good mics and fit easily into your budget (75 bucks each.)

 

[Dan DA]

Check out the Studio Projects B1 also, about $80. You'll need phantom power for it, though.

 

[microchip]

The Event 20/20 monitors are awesome. Mine are powered, but I think you can pick up a passive pair at about $180 or so. (Although I may be wrong).

Micro

 

[knightfly]

Another good mic for kick drum and bass, does NOT require phantom power - the Audio Technica ATM-25 - do NOT get the Pro-25, they are totally different. The ATM-25 is about $139 at GC or AMS. Cheaper and better than the "standard" kick drum mic, the AKG 112 ($200+)

Shure 57's are everywhere, great for micing guitars, toms, snares, some vocals, I've got half a dozen and everybody should have at least two...

For drum overheads, room mics, and acoustic guitars, a pair of wide-range small diaphragm condensers - again, AT makes a nice one (AT-3031) for about $169 (each), or you could get the Rode matched pair of NT-5's for $299 - both of these WILL require phantom power, you'd need either a small mixer with phantom power, or a preamp.

If you have phantom power available, either from a preamp or a mixer, the AT 3035 ($199) is a quality mic with a very neutral sound, will work on almost anything you throw at it including vocals. I did an A/B/C test on it, against a Shure KSM32 and a Rode NT-1 - the AT-3035 kicked both their asses, and the Shure was quite a bit more expensive.

HTH... Steve

 

[Gunther]

knightfly, your not an Audio Technica fan by any chance, are you?