Simple & Affordable Setup Searching

Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2008 8:09 pm

I would like to get back into home recording and need a simple yet effective setup on a a small budget. I will be recording from home, mostly acoustic stuff, however I would like to be able to record drums if needed. So, I would prefer to be able to record 8 tracks at most.

As of right now, I'm personally thinking I should get a Mac G4, Digi 001r, and something along the lines of an Octopre LE / DigiMAX FS or similar pre amp.

What do you guys think of that? Would it work for what I intend on doing? Am I going to need something else to make these things work together (cards, etc?)? Any input or suggestions are appreciated, just keep in mind im trying to stay around the $1k mark on these pieces (used).

Thanks
BJ

Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 7:39 pm

50 views and no input?!

Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 8:00 pm

well... bare bones.... i'd say to get a $700 interface... usually what you will find 8 XLR inputs on... check out the m-audio 2626... i've researched that and im getting it... it seems to be solid and good preamps.

next get the Shure Drum mic package which is $400.... that includes the beta 52a... a solid kick mic... and 3 SM57's... which you can use on EVERYTHING!... its a great investment.... because oyu can use it on drums.... for vocals... acoustic guitars... pretty much anything.

you'd be lacking over heads on drums... but that puts you at 1.1k

software would be up to you .... i'll show you the set up im working on... and maybe that can help you...

Studio Set Up

Interface: M-Audio 2626 ($700)

Vocal Mic: Shure SM7b ($350)

Drum Mics: Shure Drum Mic Package ($400) *Shure Beta 52A and 3 SM57's*

Instrument Mics: Shure SM94 ($360) *Also used as OverHeads*

DI Box: Behringer ULTRA-DI DI100 Direct Box (2) ($80)

Software: CakeWalk SONAR 7 Producer Edition ($500)

Monitors: Mackie MR5 (2) ($360)

HeadPhones: Behringer MicroAmp HA400 Ultra-Compact 4-Channel Stereo Headphone Amplifier and
4 Direct Sound HP-25 Extreme Isolation Headphones ($140)

Headphone Extensions: Live Wire HPE325 (3) ($33)

Cables: Whirlwind MC20 ten pack ($70)

Stands: On-Stage Stands Tripod Stand with boom (1) ($20)

FireWire: Firewire card ($80)

Estimated Total: $3,093

you can get some good/cheap software for around 100 bucks... it would work for your budget....

so 1.2k looks ok for you.... and a pair of headphones... (see how stuff just pops up???)

i'd say 1.3k you could get a decent set up for your use. of course it wont be pro quality... but it'd be pretty good.

Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 8:10 pm

Well, I've previously had a home setup, so mics, monitors, and those kind of things are being left out of my $1k budget. Im talking pro tools interface, 8ch preamp (and card?) along with a compatible Mac. Seeing as how the 001 comes with PT and is readily available used for around $150, it seems the perfect way to PT.

I appreciate your input though, hopefully some others will chime in as well! Ive read alot of good reviews on the Octopre and Digimax FS, however I'm unsure of what I will need to make it work....the card, or what? If so, thats $800 right there (new)...$600 for the unit and $200 for the card....

Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 8:14 pm

i like PC better... mostly because i know everything about them... inside and outside.... so if there is ever a problem i can fix it.. and i know what will make performance better and stuff....

BUT.. its a personal choice...

also not a fan of protools...

GL tho

Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 8:30 pm

"along with a compatible Mac."
The mac alone will munch your budget of $1k.
8 channels of preamp + interface should be easy for $1k. Hell, I'd get a Delta1010LT and that's 2 pres + 6 line inputs already for $300.

Bisson you'll see a massive improvement spending an extra $50 on DI boxes. Behringer gear isn't known for reliability. The HP amp is fine though, I've heard they do a not so bad job with those, and only musicians will be using it, right? Right?

Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 8:34 pm

yea i've actually been looking closer into DI's... any recommendations?

also... you heard any ups or downs about my monitors?

i've heard some pretty good things... and i want to stay around that price area.

Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 8:35 pm

Bisson - Im choosing to go with PT because I know how to use it and like it. Im choosing a Mac because I have heard of alot of problems with PT on PC.

Code - I dont see why I cant use an older G4 to get me by for the time being? I see those go for $300-$400 on ebay. I would however like to know the minimum specs I will need to run the 001. Do you have any insight on the 8ch Pre Amp situation I asked about, as far as a card and whatnot?

Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 8:45 pm

I know nothing of PT+Macs, sorry. I figured knowing nothing about macs except how best to set them on fire would do for me.

DIs...JBL and Radial come to mind from my history of trolling the forums. However, the best I have is a Samson active stereo DI which cost me £40. I like it, and it seems more rugged than it's Behringer equivalent. However you will probably notice a large difference spending $60 or more per DI.

Mackie MR5s in another thread. Amazing what the search function returns (when it works).

Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 8:46 pm

I've been using a Pro-Co DB1 DI and have been happy with it, and its fairly priced.

Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 8:47 pm

those are MR8's man

Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 8:59 pm

There's MR5's mentioned.
In the long paragraph, about halfway down it:

"The pair that I liked the best ... that day were the Mackie MR5's. When I A/B'd them against the Yamaha HS50M's ... I thought the MR5's sounded a little smoother."

Unless Firefox has flipped the 5 and 8 within the font the board uses?

Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 9:11 pm

stealthy wrote:

50 views and no input?!

No input was perhaps a result of you forgetting all the other stuff you need, either mentioning that you have it, or forgetting that you need to buy it.

The reasons that I viewed and left without commenting are as follows;

I'm unfamiliar with pro tools and it's hardware.
Looking up used prices is a pain and the ass, at best.
I don't know where you are in the world, so availability is an unknown factor, and "1k" means nothing to me. One thousand what?
1 thousand US dollars seemed very unreasonable to achieve what you stated you wanted to achieve with the available information.
I figured somebody else would ask for more information, and I had better things to do.
I could not add anything constructive to the thread, except for maybe a snotty post.

That being said, here is what I would have suggested the first time around;

Save up some more money and buy some decent new entry level gear. I don't recommend investing in yesterdays technology. Especially the day before yesterdays technology. I would not recommend buying used gear, as you never know what you will get (at this price point). You will not have any sort of warranty, and may just be throwing your money away. Time is money. You could end up trouble shooting hours of your life away, only to find that you bought something broken.

It is not that difficult to double your budget and get something that will work well into the future.

Are you attached to Pro Tools? If so, why? If you are not, your options are many, and perhaps more affordable than you think.

A refurbished iMac $1000 http://store.apple.com/us/product/FB323LL/A
Presonus FP10 $400 http://www.zzounds.com/item--PRSFP10
Any Recording software other than Protools... $0 to $600.

Recording software comes free with the mac and the FP10.

EDIT: Some new posts came to be while I was typing, and looking for cookies. So, forgive what would seem like I did not read them before posting.

Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 9:20 pm

VonRocK wrote:

stealthy wrote:

50 views and no input?!

No input was perhaps a result of you forgetting all the other stuff you need, either mentioning that you have it, or forgetting that you need to buy it.

The reasons that I viewed and left without commenting are as follows;

I'm unfamiliar with pro tools and it's hardware.
Looking up used prices is a pain and the ass, at best.
I don't know where you are in the world, so availability is an unknown factor, and "1k" means nothing to me. One thousand what?
1 thousand US dollars seemed very unreasonable to achieve what you stated you wanted to achieve with the available information.
I figured somebody else would ask for more information, and I had better things to do.
I could not add anything constructive to the thread, except for maybe a snotty post.

That being said, here is what I would have suggested the first time around;

Save up some more money and buy some decent new entry level gear. I don't recommend investing in yesterdays technology. Especially the day before yesterdays technology. I would not recommend buying used gear, as you never know what you will get (at this price point). You will not have any sort of warranty, and may just be throwing your money away. Time is money. You could end up trouble shooting hours of your life away, only to find that you bought something broken.

It is not that difficult to double your budget and get something that will work well into the future.

Are you attached to Pro Tools? If so, why? If you are not, your options are many, and perhaps more affordable than you think.

A refurbished iMac $1000 http://store.apple.com/us/product/FB323LL/A
Presonus FP10 $400 http://www.zzounds.com/item--PRSFP10
Any Recording software other than Protools... $0 to $600.

Recording software comes free with the mac and the FP10.

- I said that the budget was for these 3 pieces mentioned. Nothing else.
- I never asked for prices.
- My location is listed under my user name. Ohio.
- $1k means dollars. I'm fresh out of euros.

I'm not quite sure how you can say its not hard to double my budget. I will however tell you, yes, it is. Ive had a setup before, got it all new, had to sell for financial reasons and lost alot of money. At this point, I want to save money by getting used gear that works good for what I need it for and worry about the future in the future. I love Pro Tools, so yes, I am attatched. Thanks for the suggestions.

Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 9:52 pm

stealthy wrote:

Im choosing a Mac because I have heard of alot of problems with PT on PC.
Code - I dont see why I cant use an older G4 to get me by for the time being?

yes the G4 is fine for a simple 001 PT system
add the cheapest adat unit to get the extra analog inputs

I would still advise you to get a modern intel or amd PC
XP with SP2
add PT 6.4 which is the latest for the 001
a good robust work horse

best bang for buck

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