Whats my next best purchase (Volume 2)

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cincy_kid

cincy_kid

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Hey all,

I posted this last time and asked about upgrading my soundcard or my mixer and I was told I needed to get some monitors as my next purchase, which after some research I saw of course that was a no brainer. So here is my current set-up (somethigns have been changed since the last post)

- new dell computer (p4 3.0 with HT, 1g RAM and a 250Gb Hard Drive)

- I will be using ACID 6.0 Music Studio (until I get Acid 6.0 Pro) and anything I need in SoundForge 8 once its here

- I have crappy (discontinued it seems) soundcard: M-Audio USB Quattro

- An equally crappy cheap mixer: Behringer Eurorack UB802

- Dynamic Shure 57 to mic my Johnson Amp

- Condenser mic Studio Projects B-1

- Alesis SR-16 Drum Machine

- Ordering Studio Monitors in next day or 2 (when I decide between KRK RP6, Wharfdales 8.2a, or other that I haven't considered yet)

(I think thats about it for the main pieces...)

So now that I have monitors covered, I go back to my main question. What's my next best purchase? Upgrade the soundcard? Upgrade the Mixer? I have a budget of about $300-$500 if needed to upgrade both or one or other other.

Please give me your thoughts. The 2 weak links I think are the card and mixer for now, but want to hear other opinions.

Thanks in advance
 
There are lots of things to consider here.

You are doing the right thing in my opinion by building up your system bit by bit. Now you need to start thinking ahead a bit.

I'd start with the sound card. You could just replace it with some kind of USB 2.0 or Firewire device instead.

I personally went down the ADAT lightpipe route which gives me a total of 16 channels of simultaneous recording. I use a RME DIGI9636 which has 2 ADAT I/O channels and a Behringer DDX3216 which matches this (with 2 ADAT I/O channels). I'm not suggesting that you do this... it's just food for thought so to speak...


andy
 
cincy_kid said:
I have crappy (discontinued it seems) soundcard: M-Audio USB Quattro
Is your soundcard giving you trouble? IIABDFI means 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' and M-Audio has made quality products since they were called Midiman a few years ago.

I would say the mixer would be the next place to invest your cash. You could look at one of these or one of these. Either one would be a substantial step up from where you are now.

You may well find that your sound card is only as good as the audio you put into it, and an increase in quality in that part of your signal chain may make replacing your sound card unnecessary --- for now.
 
i'd keep the soundcard just for the hilarious "*Yes. This is it. This is precisely what you ve been looking for. Put it in the cart." write up on that website
i think getting a good pre would help you out, especially on a mic like the 57. i don't know if i'd shoot for getting a new mixer unless you're planning on doubling it for live use.
also, getting your room sounding good should be a priority.
 
You might want to check out the "Alesis 16 Track Firewire Mixers" ...

The work just like regular Mixers But also allow you to record up to 16 Tracks of Audio into your PC at the Same Time so you get an audio Interface and a Mixer all in the Same device and the Mic Pre"s are supposedly pretty good and there drivers are supposedly pretty Stable as of late.....

One of these will run you about $500 to $600 which isn"t that Bad considering you get 16 Tracks of recording on your PC.....

Cheers

http://www.zzounds.com/a--2676837/item--ALEMULTIMIX16FW
 
Ok. One thing I guess I forgot to mention. I will only be recording one track at a time, so no need for multi-tracking. So having 14 or 16 tracks that can be recorded at once is not a real bonus to me. So I dont know if this effects the opinions, but I wanted to point that out.

Synkrotron: yes I have considered a USB 2.0 or Firewire device but wasn't sure what path to go down. I am a noob as you can see and trying to get the things that will help best for my personal situation.

ssscientist: I dont know if its not broke. yes it records, but it gets very hot (to the touch) and I have had some skipping in my last recording (which may have been due to my old computer that I was using before I upgraded. I cant say for sure until I test it out on the new one which should be here Monday.)

treymonfauntre: I had thought about pres before but since the mixer has the invisible built in pres I didnt go that route. Also, for my room, I have done some acoustical treatment which you can see my silly small fun room here - which still has some old gear in it, but you get the idea...

Minion: Same thing as above. I am not opposed to getting a new mixer next, but I want to make it clear that I will only be recording one track at a time (at the most 2 if I ever decide to strum guitar while I sing).

Thanks all to the replies and keep them coming ;)
 
if i was you i would personally look into a nice single channel preamp that has digital outs (like an maudio tampa), get a simple card/interface with spdif and an analog out for your monitors, maybe think about upgrading your condensor sometime soon (personally the b1 just doesn't work out for me on my acoustic guitar, could be a good match for your takamine though), and really you've got yourself a nice setup at that point and you can focus on writing songs and practicing your instrument!
 
treymonfauntre said:
if i was you i would personally look into a nice single channel preamp that has digital outs (like an maudio tampa), get a simple card/interface with spdif and an analog out for your monitors, maybe think about upgrading your condensor sometime soon (personally the b1 just doesn't work out for me on my acoustic guitar, could be a good match for your takamine though), and really you've got yourself a nice setup at that point and you can focus on writing songs and practicing your instrument!

So the preamp is something totally different? I looked it up and it looks like it fits in a rack, which I dont have, but nonetheless, where does it go in the chain? Between the mic and the mixer?

Also, when you say get a simple card/interface, are you talking about the sound card and off the subject of the preamp?

Yea, the condenser is still new "to me", but will upgrade things as I go along...mainly looking for the mixer or soundcard for upgrade, or ideas like yours on a preamp....

Thanks
 
ok, I just saw that its basically like an outbound preamp. This will take the place of my IMP in my behringer mixer (although I think I need to upgrade the mixer here soon).

thinking about getting a firewire card ionstead of my Quattro which is USB..../shrug

sooo many choices and decisions and informations!!! :confused: :confused:
 
treymonfauntre said:
if i was you i would personally look into a nice single channel preamp that has digital outs (like an maudio tampa), get a simple card/interface with spdif and an analog out for your monitors, maybe think about upgrading your condensor sometime soon (personally the b1 just doesn't work out for me on my acoustic guitar, could be a good match for your takamine though), and really you've got yourself a nice setup at that point and you can focus on writing songs and practicing your instrument!

After re-reading this, do you mean have the preamp, card/interface (with analog out for my monitors), and then dont even get a mixer? Since I am only recording 1 or 2 tracks at a time, I guess this makes most sense? Or does the mixer still provide extra control over the tracks?

Also, after some more research I think I will want a firewire card/interface next (if that makes a difference)
 
I really can't say enough good things about the new EMU cards. I have an 1820M (make sure you look at the M series as they have superior convertors and clokcs in them) and it is really great. The pres in it are surprisingly good for pres built into a card. You might be able to kill two birds with one stone with that sort of purchase and the 1820M has tons of expansion as it will take an ADAT in.
 
PCI you say eh? :)

Well they are known to be faster but sometimes a pain with setup and drivers, plus I have to open the machine and find a good slot, hoping its not be shared by video or somethign crazy :rolleyes: which is why I was leaning towards the firewire interface.

have any sound samples to post bubba? I would like to hear the PREs, and let me know what mic you use (use a SP b1 if u have one since thats the condenser I am using)...

Thanks again!
 
If it were me, which it ain't, and you truely only need one or two tracks at a time. I would get the M-Audio 2496 PCI card, and the M-Audio Tampa or DMP3. Your set up would then be source--->mic---> in on tampa's then out the digital out, or DMP3's analog outs--->2496 ins-->recording software-->2496 outs--->your new monitors.

Keep your little mixer around for headphone amping, and extra pre-amps. If you got the DMP3 over the tampa you would have two channels of pres that will kick the snot out of your UB802. But then if you got the tampa you would have a single channel preamp that would doubely kick the snot out of the UB802. Also with the Tampa and using its digital out, the analog ins on the 2496 would still be availible so you could record three tracks at a time using the UB802 to fill in for 2nd and 3rd track duties. I don't think upgrading your mixer is gonna give you much, where getting a kick butt pre like the tampa will for sure increase your recording chain quality.
 
cool! Thank you very much for that and explaining the chain...

So the only benefit of the DMP3 over the tampa is 2 pres instead of 1? If thats the case I think the tampa would be best, am I right?
 
Hrm, after looking at the 2496 PCI card, am I confused or does it have RCA connections? It doesnt have 1/4" connections or mic connections? Wouldn't the Delta 1010 be a better choice for a card? Just throwing some things out there :)

Also, if I get the Tampa or DMP3 and keep my Quattro card until I save up for the 1010 or whichever card I go with, I can still use the above chain you mentioned and get a much better sound than using the Behringer IMPs I am guessing?
 
Two words for ya: adaptor cables. Really if something has just a 1/4" out, and you need to go into a RCA, there are cables prewired for ya, or just plain adaptors. Once you pick your exact route one of us can link you to the exact cable/s you will need.

Yes the Tampa is considered a notch up from the DMP3 for quaility and has a digital out, DMP3's advantage is 2 channels, and its much cheaper.

Getting a 1010 or 1010lt only adds more channels then the 2496. Well the 1010 should be better quality as the converters are in the rack mount break out box. And the only card out of the three, the 1010lt has two XLR ins that can be used as mic pre-amps or line ins. The card doesn't supply phantom power to these two XLR ins, so dynamic mics need only to apply, and the quality of the pres are closer to what your behringer might...heck your behringer is most likely much better. But yes you could use them for mic ins in a pinch. I have the 1010lt and have never been forced to use them as pres, I did have my wife plug in a dynamic mic once and she talked a little, but all I could tell from the short experiment was that yes they do indeed work. Now with the 1010lt, MF and zzounds are giving away free mics which might make it your worth while to atleast check that out. Other wise get your prices checked at fullcompass.

And yes I think you can add the tampa your Quattro, but I would have to look up the feature set to tell you for sure one way or the other. But if it has a line in or a RCA digital in yes you will be able to use it.
 
SRR said:
Two words for ya: adaptor cables. Really if something has just a 1/4" out, and you need to go into a RCA, there are cables prewired for ya, or just plain adaptors. Once you pick your exact route one of us can link you to the exact cable/s you will need.

Yes the Tampa is considered a notch up from the DMP3 for quaility and has a digital out, DMP3's advantage is 2 channels, and its much cheaper.

Getting a 1010 or 1010lt only adds more channels then the 2496. Well the 1010 should be better quality as the converters are in the rack mount break out box. And the only card out of the three, the 1010lt has two XLR ins that can be used as mic pre-amps or line ins. The card doesn't supply phantom power to these two XLR ins, so dynamic mics need only to apply, and the quality of the pres are closer to what your behringer might...heck your behringer is most likely much better. But yes you could use them for mic ins in a pinch. I have the 1010lt and have never been forced to use them as pres, I did have my wife plug in a dynamic mic once and she talked a little, but all I could tell from the short experiment was that yes they do indeed work. Now with the 1010lt, MF and zzounds are giving away free mics which might make it your worth while to atleast check that out. Other wise get your prices checked at fullcompass.

And yes I think you can add the tampa your Quattro, but I would have to look up the feature set to tell you for sure one way or the other. But if it has a line in or a RCA digital in yes you will be able to use it.

Yea I have all of those adapter cables already ;) I just meant isnt an rca connection worse than a 1/4" ? I mean similar to an 1/8" is poorer quality than a 1/4".

Just like a cable modem is better than DSL, isnt the thicker pipe the better solution? I dont know, just seems that way to me...
 
The surface contact area of a 1/4" is not much more then an RCA, but both are more then enough for our needs. One can argue about it not being balanced but the 10-15-30 foot runs from preamp to sound card (in your case 5 feet???) even unbalanced is just fine.
 
you will be very happy the day you no longer have to use that mixer.
 
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