Recording Package

[brandondrury]

Hi there!

I wonder if I could get some advice from you regarding a package a customer representative put together for me just now?

I am completely a beginner with recording. I have been recording for a few years, but only using the sound card on my PC so the recoridng sound really bad. I want to start recording some quality vocal tracks and is now shopping around for equipment.

What I have is my bedroom which doesn't have any acoustic treatment or any sort of sound absorbing material installed. I just called up a music equipment website ("sweetwater" to be exact) and asked some shipping question.The customer rep then offered to give suggestions and help picking a set of equipment for my recording needs. I told him I was thinking about getting RME HDSP 9632, together with a P-Solo, and a condenser microphone which is around $300. I told him I only need 2 channels for preamp as I am only recording vocal, and I would like to use Pro Tools.

He then put together the following package for me:
- Aphex 207 Digital
- M-Audio Audiophile 2496
- Pro Tools M-Powered (Software)
- Groove Tubes GT 57
- Music Accessories MA-SS-B (Pop Filter)
- Pro Co XLR20 (Cables)
- A mic stand with telescping boom.

I hope to get some advice from you as you are not only a music professional, but sound very friendly and willing to help =) I have some concern about Audiophile as they don't seem to be as high quality as Delta 1010/Delta 1010 LT but with my very limited audio engineering knowledge, I can't really tell and I think it's better for me to get some advice =) I also wonder if I need a GT57 or if some less expensive mic such as Shure SM7b is good enough. The customer rep I talked to said GT57 is probably the least expensive mic that can bring out the good quality of the Aphex preamp. I understand his point but would like to get a second opinion.

If I could get some advice from you regarding how you find this package for my need (recording vocal only, would like my voice to sound nice and professional, recording environment is only a bedroom without acoustic treatment), I would be very grateful. Thanks a bunch for your time! I am sorry my message is getting so long..!

Thanks again and hope you have a good evening!

Hello,

You are smart to ask for help before jumping into a sizable investment. This is certainly one way to go and may be a very good way to go. However, I have my opinions and I'm not shy about using them.

#1 If ANY degree of fidelity is hoped to be achieved, you can't do it blindfolded and you DEFINITELY can't do it deaf. So, by far, the most important piece of gear when "sound quality" is required is your studio monitors. It's RIDICULOUS to think about $500 microphones and preamp upgrades if you have no way to hear what the source, mic placement, and preamp selection, and the source.

Read this:The Confidence of Accurate Studio Monitoring: Mackie HR 824s | Home Recording Blog

So you need to make a decision. Are you want to really make the best possible recordings, it starts with the studio monitors. Trust me. I've had a Vintech 1272, Trident S20, Soundelux U99, Royer R121, etc for years. None of this gear did me any good until I got my studio monitoring in order. I wish you had to be liscensed for studio monitoring before you were allowed to buy high end recording gear. It would have saved me thousands!

Anyone who asks you to dump $1000 into a mic and preamp with absolutely no consideration for your studio monitoring system is being deceptive. Frankly, if Sweetwater made no attempt to push accurate studio monitoring first, I will not ever recommend them to anyone ever again. (I use Musiciansfriend anyway).

#2) After you've made the decision as what kind of quality you want, we can address the gear issue more aggressively. If you want the best quality possible, there is no option but to really get your studio monitoring right and this includes acoustic treatment of some kind.

If you want to ease into this recording thing that's fine too. However, a $500 preamp with terrible monitoring is ridiculous. A person would probably be better off just using the built in preamps in a rig something like Buy M-Audio Pro Tools M-powered 7/FireWire 1814 Computer Recording Production Package. There are quite a few other packages here.

#3) I never recommend Pro Tools to anyone unless they have a need to interface often with other Pro Tool studios. Pro Tools uses their dominance in the high end market to overcharge the home recording market. I'm a Cubase user and do not see myself switching in the forseeable future. By going with Cubase LE (bundled with many audio interfaces) a person can save a ton and upgrade for 50% to the bigger Cubase versions.

#4) It doesn't make sense to me to purchase a $100 audio interface with a $250 Pro Tools LE when there audio interfaces that include Pro Tools LE for under $350. Keep that in mind when considering the intellect of the human being you are dealing with.

#5)

The customer rep I talked to said GT57 is probably the least expensive mic that can bring out the good quality of the Aphex preamp.

Hmmm. "Bring out quality" makes it sound like there is some burried treasure within the pres that only certain mics can bring out. That's hog wash. It's IMPOSSIBLE to know what mic is a good match for a given vocal. I've heard $6,000 mics that have sounded TERRIBLE on certain sources. Read this:Microphones Don't Make THAT Much Difference

I recommend a person easing into the mic/preamp world. Start out small and work your way up over time. Something like an AT2020 maybe perfect for you. Maybe a SM7 is. Maybe it isn't. How should I know? I haven't heard your voice through one yet. Once you gain some experience you can find a mic that is right for you. Maybe the GT57 is AWESOME on your voice. Maybe it's wretched!

Brandon

[spongeecake]

Thanks a lot for your advice! For moniters, I actually didn't bring it up about needing one during my conversation with the rep. I recently purchased an Event Studio Precision 8. I picked it myself based on some reviews I read on the website I purchased from. I hope I didn't make a wrong pick.

#4) It doesn't make sense to me to purchase a $100 audio interface with a $250 Pro Tools LE when there audio interfaces that include Pro Tools LE for under $350. Keep that in mind when considering the intellect of the human being you are dealing with.

It's my bad. I should have mentioned to you that I indeed asked for the preamp to be seperated from the interface. I always have the impression that a lot of the built-in premap that comes with the recording interface are not very good (unless you go up to $1500 and more) and I know the importance of preamp in recording. I therefore would like my preamp to be a separate unit. Please correct my thinking if it is indeed a wrong impression.

#5) Hmmm. "Bring out quality" makes it sound like there is some burried treasure within the pres that only certain mics can bring out. That's hog wash. It's IMPOSSIBLE to know what mic is a good match for a given vocal. I've heard $6,000 mics that have sounded TERRIBLE on certain sources. Read this:Microphones Don't Make THAT Much Difference

I recommend a person easing into the mic/preamp world. Start out small and work your way up over time. Something like an AT2020 maybe perfect for you. Maybe a SM7 is. Maybe it isn't. How should I know? I haven't heard your voice through one yet. Once you gain some experience you can find a mic that is right for you. Maybe the GT57 is AWESOME on your voice. Maybe it's wretched!

I understand the customer rep's point that if I use a very nice preamp but a low quality mic, then I won't be getting something nice. But my doubt is if I need to go up to the $500 price range to match up with the Aphex preamp..


Brandon, thanks much again! I really appreciate your time and advice!

[spongeecake]

I just finished my purchase and I am happy and satisfied. I mentioned the website earlier and I will feel bad if I don't say it here that the customer rep I talked to is actually very helpful. He also got me a good deal. I finally made my purchase of a m-box, a preamp and a condenser microphone over the phone with the same customer rep an hour ago.

Brandon, thanks for your help again, and thanks for putting up such a forum where people can get help and valuable advice!

[brandondrury]

What preamp did you get? What are you going to do about studio monitoring?

Brandon