HELP Noob needs good patch cords + preamp + interface!

Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2008 7:48 pm

I'm trying to make my home recordings sound better and need some advice, I do mostly electronic music.

Cords:
I'm totally overwhelmed on the amount of cords out there on ebay and can't figure out what is quality and will give me a great sound at a not too insane of price. I try doing google searches and can't find anything really.

I use a 808 drum machine with a lot of outputs and I was thinking maybe some sort of snake cord thing with a lot of high quality 1/4 cables all tied together?

If anyone can send me links or suggestions that would be awesome.

Interface:
I've been recording things right into my m-audio firewire 410 for ages and want to step it up... yeah I wasn't even using a tube pre or anything and all the recordings just sound flat. I need more inputs big time and am thinking of just getting the maudio 1814 but my real question is... will all my recording suck on these lower end interfaces? Should I get some more expensive unit? Suggestions? I'm using a macbook.

Preamp: I need a good tube pre and someone mention the brick by groove tubes. I just want all my synths and drum machines to sound better. Is that a good choice?

I really appreciate the help and any suggestions, thank you!

Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2008 8:31 pm

Here is an approach I use for, most anything really. Heck, I may have gotten my second wifes interest from doing this. Then again, who knows really... anyway do you have any music/audio/video stores local to you? I ask you if they are local to you because I really have no idea where you are on this planet. Unless of course you have a satellite connection and then I suppose you could be beyond our planet. But if not, yea, get out of the house, go to some stores and talk to people.

Ask about cords and connections...Leave your money at home!!! You are on a fishing expedition not a purchasing outing. You want information not more friends.

Do you have friends? I don't either. I ran mine off years ago with drugs and booze. Oh, come to think of it, I just remembered where my second wife came from. Wonder where she is now a days? But, really, this is not a question to wake these elite gentle persons up for. Maybe CM or the Green one can help. I don't think they have friends either...but they don't do drugs or drink. Well, who knows really?

Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2008 9:30 pm

"will all my recording suck on these lower end interfaces?"

most any interface on the market will be able to get you a non-sucky recording. It may not be the best, but if you use it right you should be able to do a decent recording. A this point you should be looking more at #channels and features you may need, rather than sound quality.

I would hold off on the brick until you know you really need it (unless you just won the lottery or something, in which case I would recommend pro-tools HD with an ICON board Wink

)

Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2008 9:48 pm

Ongray onyay oathbay ountcays, Acepay.

n/k

Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 8:00 am

OK, I drink. Occasionally and for "social purposes".
Sorta right about the friends though.

"I just want all my synths and drum machines to sound better"
2 things spring to mind.

1) Improve the synth? Not the synth itself, use it better. Tweak the parameters and get a tone you like more.
2) What the hell are you using a preamp for a synth for? Synths and drum machines should in all theory have line outs which **do not require a preamp**, you only need a line level input.

If you still need to improve it, try EQ and stuff. Add a few dB somewhere. If it doesn't work, remove it.

Knobs are there to be touched.
(No, that is not what she said)

Now, the interface. I use computer audio and while I don't love the results, it's usable. Anything is a step up from that so anything with sufficient inputs and outputs etc. should be more than "just usable".

Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 5:26 pm

Greener wrote:

Ongray onyay oathbay ountcays, Acepay.

Did I say who knows really? I thought I said that? Is this on...test.test!!!

ackyay ountskay (accounts)

Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 11:02 am

Palla-gay-talla-gay-tollo-go
Palla-gar-talla-gar-tollo-go

Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 4:02 pm

Thanks for the help!

I actually didn't know you don't need a preamp for line outs.... lol!

I actually have some really nice synths (ms-20, andromeda) I just thought somehow you needed tube preamps to make everything sound good.

I guess I can just upgrade the soundcard to the maudio 1814 and not worry about getting a preamp unless I want to do vocals?

Thanks again, I don't speak piglatin by the way.

Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 5:51 pm

radnar wrote:

Thanks for the help!

I actually didn't know you don't need a preamp for line outs.... lol!

There is a difference between need[/i] and NEED!

The Big Boys probably would use a preamp before hitting the interface. In some cases it may sound better or be helpful in maintaining proper gain structure (just trying to score some points with Bent there).

For someone fairly new to recording, just trying to get a basic setup going, it's overkill.

Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 9:43 pm

OK, Mark, you get three points.

(What game are we playing?)

Oh, the one where we tell people gain structure matters?

Alright, yes, a preamp would be beneficial. In a perfect world a line out would always hit unity at your (insert gear name here)'s input. Is it a perfect world?

Nope.

(I get 5 points for posting that, regardless how vague it might be)

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