Where to go next...

[Garak]

I've been messing around with recording for the past 4 years and I've got alittle bit of gear put together including the following:
M-Audio Delta 1010LT
TC Electronics M-One
Yorkville YSM-1i Studio Monitors
ART SLA1 Power amp(for montiors above)
Behringer Multicom Pro(mainly for live sound)
5 Shure SM-57
2 Shure Beta-57A
Shure Beta52
Studio Projects C1
POS Behinger MX2004A(worst mixer ever )
Some berhinger DI's and lots of cables.

The band that I work for most of the time(mostly live work but they want me to do their next CD) owns the following:
Roland VS-1880
Roland power monitors
AKG C3000
AKG D112
A-T 4031(I think, small condensor)
A mess of crappy apex mics(who ever told them to buy these should keep their mouth shut, they suck, various small and large condensors, kick mic and tom mics)
Small 6 mic input Mackie console
Korg Trition Studio keyboard(full size beast!)
JCM-80, Custom gutiars, Roland V-Gutiar system, pearl drums, etc...

So looking at what we have, I can see a few things missing...
- A good set of drum overheads
- Some good preamps
- Maybe a better mic for micing the gutiar amp
- some better compressors(the lead singer is extreamly dynamic)
- A new console (mainly for live use, maybe for preamps)

Our goal is to produce a very high quaity demo that we can take on the road with us either next year or the year after. We are currently stuck in a rual area with no commerical studios, and most of us are still in collage(I'm studying electronics engeering as my backup plan if things don't work out). As for style of music think The Tragicly Hip, Pearl Jam or maybe even pinkfloyd, as these bands are their major infulences and bands they often cover.

The lead singer/gutiarest has been thinking about getting a pair of AKG 414's(for overheads) and buying an Allen&Heath mixwizard 16:2(we currently rent one for gigs). I've been shopping around for compressors and a good EQ for live.

I kind of think the money spent on the 414's would be better spent else where right now. Another 4031 would give us an ok set of overheads.

So what do you guys suggest we invest in?

 

[toby.I.]

414s are great for overheads, i don't think i've used anything i'd use in preference.

 

[Michael Jones]

...Our goal is to produce a very high quaity demo that we can take on the road with us...
So what do you guys suggest we invest in?

Acoustic treatments for the room you're recording in.

 

[Garak]

Acoustic treatments for the room you're recording in.

Thats all ready in the works, renovations to the rehesaral space should be underway now, I've been outa town for the past few weeks, so I'm not sure...

Also we may be tracking the drum tracks live, to get the energy of their live show. One of the small pubs the guys play in ever other weekend has great accustics. It has a great atmostphere for a live recording. Actually its it has to be the best sounding room I've ever been in, very few flat surfaces, lots of thick padded chairs and benchs to absorb sound. The only bad things about the pub is that the sight lines are poor and the stage is too small.

What I'm really looking for is some suggestions on preamps and compressors. I'm thinking about getting a pair of RNC's for the compressors but I'm not sure about the preamps.

 

[chessrock]

RNC's are great. If you don't mind buying used: Some old DBX 160X's might be nice for drums/snare. Older Symetrix 501's and Ashley's are nice. If you can score some Valley People stuff, those are pretty bitchin, too.

Aphex makes some nice ones; Expressor is cool, and the Dominator is one of the better peak limiters out there at any price, and a very well-kept secret.

As for mic pres, it depends on what you're willing to spend and how many channels you need. The Allen & Heath board might not be a bad option. Soundcraft makes packs some really decent mic pres and EQ in to their boards for the money.

If you're looking for a lot of good channels, I'd have to say the Sytek MPX-4A is one of the best deals out there.

Your mics really aren't too bad. For overheads, why not just pick up another Audio Technica to match whatever it is you have now? Not that the AKGs are a bad idea or anything. They're fine, and they'd be quite versatile and serve you well, I'm sure.