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It's plain to see that not too many of us have all the money we need. We all face constraints when it comes to funding our passion, recording.

How do all of you deal with this? Where do you cut corners with your investment in audio? By now, I am pretty sure you all know my preferences but I am really interested in learning what yours are. ? I hope this topic can shed some light on the advantages and pitfalls of equipment purchasing for everyone ... Please discuss ...

Comments

Midlandmorgan Mon, 08/02/2004 - 15:12

Superb topic!

One thing right out of the chute: buy used from reputable dealers...the same ones that offer demo time, service, etc...

Another tip is to find multiple applications for purchases - example: don't buy just a vocal mic...buy a mic that works equally well on vocals, kick drums, guitar amps, whatever...

One thing I learned the hard way: don't buy the initial offering of a product...let other people buy full retail price and make their judgements, then you kinda have a baseline from which to work.

Last but certainly NOT least: don't feel the need to 'keep up with the Joneses.' A quick survey shows 96K still hasn't become the established rate in most shops...and 192K is really practically beyond the reach or need of 99.5% of us in the trenches...So what if you don't have a Liquid yet...stay out of debt by using what you have well, instead of trying to buy your way out of the audio doldrums.

My opinion only...

anonymous Tue, 08/03/2004 - 05:01

If you wait for a product to be discontinued or superseded it's a sure fire way to save big $. The thing is it still works and should do the job you want it to do, it don't stop working because it's been superseded. Good example is the Digidesign Digi001, it has been discontinued and replaced by the 002 and 002R and PT LE 6.4 is the last software update that supports this hardware, BUT it still works and if you find one you'll get it for a song.

I think we're extremely lucky at the moment to have so many manufacturers making similar products or similar use devices at least. The more competition there is out there the lower the prices go as the makers compete with each other. This was not the case even only 3-4 years ago. :D

Guest Tue, 08/03/2004 - 15:47

It gets a lot easier on the pocketbook when you realize that most of the problems with your recordings usually aren't going to be solved by throwing money at them. Most newbies are told time and time again by advertisements, recording magazines, online web forums, salesmen, manufacturers and each other that all they have to do is spend more money to solve their problems. Eventually, they come to believe it. In actual fact, a little extra time spent on mic placement will make a hell of a lot more difference than spending another couple of grand on new mic pre's. Make a rule for yourself - you can only upgrade once you honestly feel that you've reached the limits of gear you already own. That's an excellent way to save money.

anonymous Wed, 08/04/2004 - 06:36

Good topic,,,

other then being in a position of sales, where by, you approach manufacturers and distributors to get dealer pricing... to ofcourse get the units you like then try to sell.. like I'm in,,

my 1st mic pre would have cost me 3500 US. based on I knew I wanted it,,

but my point here is , I openened myself to looking at NEW makers of gear , ie : Sebatron, I saw the reviews, and decided, if i buy now, and this gear is what it is, i will have bought at an introductory price,,,

and based on fact that pricing has jumped roughly 30% , I'd say I made a good buy,,,

ofcourse this may not be the case with all products out there, but if one reserches enuff, and doesn't " impulse " buy , then you should be happy enuff with the purchase..

hope my 2 cents makes cents lol

Sanity Inn

maintiger Thu, 08/05/2004 - 10:22

Hey, there are some great values out there in mics for not too much money that will stand up to anything. like the sm57 and sm 58. (under $100 new) D122 for kick (under $200) rode nt1 and Sp c1 LDC for vocals (about $200), Rode K2 tube mic (under $600), AKG C414's for anything else (under $800 or so, street price) This is gear that you will use and use forever, regardless of your budget. I would start there.

In preamps and signal processors there are similar items, you just have to find out for yourself. Case in point, the sytek preamp at about $800 for 4 channels will still get used even as you buy more expensive preamps. It just sounds good and clean and it works great in a lotta situations. The RNC can't be beat for just $175 and you will still have it around and use it even when you get those big bucks compressors.

I would stay away from things like behringer mics, art lilttle tube preamps and the like. Those will never pass the test of time. read up about gear in this forum, its a good place to start. most of all, use your ears.

sammyg Sun, 08/08/2004 - 01:25

RIP OFF IDEAS!!

example, i've been wanting to get a 2 x12 guitar enclosure for my project studio for a while and i was gonna go out and buy one.
Lucky i didnt! I recently pulled apart a boogie and marshall cab and saw how damn easy they are to make, actualy they were kinda ordinary ( the boogie was better out of the two). So, i have a mate who is a cabinet maker and has agreed to build the box at a great price, I sourced the speakers i wanted ( celestians for this application) from a mate who works in wholesale.....in music industry of course. All up, its gonna be a cheaper, great quality box.
And in the colour i want!! :D

my point? well we sometimes fail to stop and really think about alternative ways of getting the stuff we want. You'd be suprised if you wrote down names of friends that can help you out in one way or another!

Sammyg

Massive Mastering Sun, 08/08/2004 - 09:52

SammyG has got the idea -

I've always wanted an Argosy desk in my mastering room. However, $1500 is a bit to ask for a desk that's not even the height I would really want.

So, for the last several years, I've been using a standard corner-facing desk that's NOT aimed at the corner. $100 from Office Depot or whatever.

A few weeks ago, I finally grew a pair enough to slice up some gear - I took a 6-space rack, drew some 30/60/90's on it with a grease pencil, and used a buddy's table say to create:

(Dead Link Removed)

Total cost, under $200. The gear is closer than it woud've been with the Argosy unit, and (very important in my case) has NO resonant cavities.

I only WISH I had wood working skills... This was the first time I ever cut anything on a table saw that wasn't a simple straight-cut.[/url]

Ammitsboel Sun, 08/08/2004 - 14:35

Hi John,

That's very impressive!! John Wood Worker!! :lol:

I cut expences on units that need modification.
I do all the electronic and mounting work myself. This also saves me from electronic engineers that has to work several weeks just to get on track with what i want with the units.

Best Regards,

pmolsonmus Thu, 08/19/2004 - 11:29

Have Friends in the business

Work for discounted rates in exchange for studio time from great musicians.
Share equipment, time, talent, expertise, ears.

Work together to make 2 great projects rather than individually to make 2 mediocre ones cheaply.

Be willing to "lower your standards" and do work strictly for $ to help pay for the new stuff.

Phil

anonymous Sat, 08/28/2004 - 20:08

idiophone wrote: I've found that making my own cable saves tons of money - even if I use the good stuff.

Buying prepackaged cables at GC is a big rip. You have to get good at soldering, but that's a great skill to have anyway.

i have to agree, i've been making my own mic cables lately with mogami and neutrik connectors and i'v been saving a lot. i also am starting to build my own snakes and such.

Mumbles Thu, 09/02/2004 - 09:24

Well, for people in my position... that is someone who is new to "profiting" off recording...
DAY JOB.
I drive a bus during the day. I took out a loan and bought a system that will stand the test of time (the analog gear and mics anyway) and pay it off like a car payment along with my PARTNER THAT I CAN TRUST...
believe it or not... we're making a killing. Just bought an old Midas desk (with Sowter xformers) with last months "profits."

DON'T BE ABOVE A DAY JOB IF YOU'RE NEW TO THE GAME!

Guest Sun, 10/03/2004 - 11:20

magomi cable

dancetheirdance wrote: [quote=idiophone]I've found that making my own cable saves tons of money - even if I use the good stuff.

Buying prepackaged cables at GC is a big rip. You have to get good at soldering, but that's a great skill to have anyway.

i have to agree, i've been making my own mic cables lately with mogami and neutrik connectors and i'v been saving a lot. i also am starting to build my own snakes and such.

where can i order the magoni cable from? And of course the neutrik ends also?
I already know how to soder
that would save me a pile of $$$$$!!!!!

lorenzo gerace Thu, 10/07/2004 - 07:24

It's hard to find the right deal on equipment you need to have work done, but recentely I've managed to do it with success, I don't know if this is going to hold up for other people (and you'll understand why) but here I go: the first thing I did was to buy direct from a dealer there in the US (I'm from Italy): I was searching for the best deal on an Eventide Eclipse, and after spreading the word around on this and several other forums I've been approached by an authorized Eventide dealer that claimed he could beat any deal I'd found, ad that was true; after a serie of e-mails and a phone call I've managed to have it packged, insured and sent to me in 3 days, and I saved something like $1000 on the price I would have payed for it here in Italy (on the lower price I've been able to find), custom duties and shipping included. That's been a real eye-opener for me, plus the Euro/Dollar change is really positive now for this type of operations, I've always been afraid of customs, lost shipping and things like that, but a couple of years ago I started purchasing gear from a German dealer that has good prices and that wiped away my fear of purchasing overseas.

Now, for that kind of purchases (it's obvious that's not convenient for every piece of gear, like ordinary mics or cables) I'm definitely shopping in the US (as long as the change stays like this) or in countries the gear I want to buy comes from (e.g. the Focusrite ISA428 is coming from England, great saving on that too, sometimes the more expensive shipping is worth the money saved on the item's price), for the rest I agree with the "buy once be happy from day one" idea, and I try to save by doing myself all of the things I can (wiring cables and patchbays, I did tons when I was an assistant so I'm quite proficient at that, building studio furniture, doing mainteinance...), then it's saving by avoiding superfluous expenses.

Cheers

L.G.

JoeH Sat, 11/13/2004 - 08:25

Waiting patiently for the right price, right situation is probably the best way to go, whenever it's practical, be it gear for remotes, or studio supplies.

I too don't have every piece of gear I'd like from Argosy, etc to round out my space, and I've purchased a few things to do it myself. There are occasionally good pieces of furniture (office stuff, mainly) at places like Staples, office max, etc. that can fit the bill; just a matter of timing. I have an "office" area that's full of Office Max Specials. "Printer-World" (as we call the area with three printers, for CD lables, invoices, letters, etc.) is actually two side by side paper storage cabinets with shelving in the top (3x3 spaces, big enough for 8x11 sheets) and two doors in the front hide the ugly stuff in storage below. They were onsale for $29.99 each. They hide an ugly wall, hold up all three printers, and I can store all the crap inside of 'em.

Same with CDs and other media; I've got CD-sized shelving now with "cubbies" for each clients projects, and they're easily indentifiable as well. Looks nice too; keeps clutter to a minimum.

One other stupid-silly cheap piece of gear I've found at these places is a collapsible roll-cart/basket with a handle that sells for $19.99. These things are usually hidden in the back, near the briefcases, plastic milkcrate substitutes and rubbermaid hampers. They're black, usually displayed all folded up in cardboard, and at first glance look like a large milkcrate on tilt-back wheels. They also have a collapsible handle that can pull out to hip height, making the whole thing easy to tilt back and roll away....like from a van to a gig at a remote.

Granted, they're fairly cheap plastic (we've trashed at least two already), but for $20, you can't beat it for a cool looking, easy to use cable bin or odds'n'ends holder at remotes. (Way-better than stolen milkcrates from 7-11. ;-)

Another silly little item (for remote recordings) is a $20 collapsilbe table they sell at places like Bed Bath & Beyond (at least here in the East Coast). It's made by a company called Versalite, marketed by a company in CA called NorthPole. It's designed for tailgaters, campers, and other outdoor "fun" stuff, but you can't beat having a pair for gear at remote recordings and such. It's dull-grey color, and folds up into a small duffel bag (included) that you can sling over your shoulder when toting gear into a venue. I have several of them, and while I am usually able to get good tables, etc. on most remotes, it's a life-saver when there aren't any. (Beats setting up on chairs or a road case that you might have to open in the middle of a gig.. ;-) They're pretty sturdy too, and two of them side by side will handle a lot of stuff.

For a great deal on mics, I'd suggest trying out the Studio Projects C-4's. For about $300, you get a nice pair of mics that ship with two capsules each: Omni and cardioid, pluse two mic holders in a nice sturdy gig-box. They sound very good (Ok, they're not DMPs or Neumanns), and for the money....sheeesh....how can you lose?

Here's another related question: Where do you buy you recording supplies/media? Do you have a favorite vendor/brand? If so, who is it, and why?

John Stafford Sat, 11/13/2004 - 20:31

If you're European,
BUY FROM GERMANY!!!

Those of us based in Europe have always paid more money for gear than our US friends. However, since the introduction of the euro, and of course the removal of borders and customs between EU member states, it would appear that the sort of competition in what is now one single massive market seems to be driving prices down. As far as I can see, Germany is the place to look for real bargains. Musik-service and Musicians Gear have great prices. Turnkey in the UK are now price-matching equipment from anywhere in the EU, but their inventory isn't particularly impressive.

Hopefully the days of trying to smuggle American or Middle-Eastern purchases through customs are drawing to an end!

John Stafford

PS On a visit to California, I once bought a motherboard for a new PC for half the price I would have paid over here. On opening the box I was a little dismayed to see "Made in Ireland" stamped on it!

JoeH Sun, 11/14/2004 - 08:37

Mic prices (New, that is) seem to be fairly stable and uniform here in the Northeastern part of the US. I tend to find the same $ (within a dollar or two) between the big players (Sam Ash, GC, Musician's Friend, Sweetwater, etc.) Once in a while, B&H might have a better deal, but it's rare. So that brings it down to: customer service, shipping, (or picking it up in person) time waiting for delivery, and tech service should it go bad. (Shipping again, vs. walk-ins)

I've found over the years that a little personal interaction goes a long way in the long run, for purchases of things more involved than a cable or mic stand. For the really important stuff (mic's, processors, speakers, amps, boards, etc.) it's best to have a rep you know and trust, someone you can complain effectively to, and someone who'll keep you informed when there's a deal or new shipment of that goodie you've GOTTA have.

Remember that the better salespeople (vs. the fly-by-night crooks) are there to help you long-term; they want to see you back again and again, so the smart ones wont rip you for a few bucks short-term gain. Do your homework with the going rates for something, and usually your local rep can beat it by a few bucks, or at least do you a good turn on the whole purchase some other way.

I try not to waste my dealer's time until I'm ready to buy, but I DO let him know when I'm just poking around, as well. (Saves hurting his feelings if he doens't close a sale that day...) But the time I'd spend chasing a "deal" around via catalogs, online sales, and ebay are sometimes (and I say SOMETIMES) better spent just having a good working relationship with a sales person in one of the more reputable places. (I frequently use B&H in NYC and Medley Music in Ardmore PA, for example....never EVER been burned by either one...)

anonymous Mon, 11/15/2004 - 15:59

Hello there, I'm new to these boards, and pretty new to the lovely world of audio engineering. Thought I'd post my two cents in here on how I've been saving money in my studio, thought it might help. Lucky for me I was a computer geek before I decided to switch careers :)

Unfortunately a lot of my gear uses wall warts, and as everybody knows these things suck due to the real estate they take up. I searched long and hard for a solution that would allievate this problem for me. I went to a dollar store and bought a few of those ungrounded extension cords and snipped, soldered them back together in the lengths I wanted and look, they work great :)

Other things I plan on doing: Buying broken gear (hopefully I'll come accross a few "not working" 1073s *g*) and just fix them up and put them in a custom rack kit. I have no issues fixing up things that are labeled as "broke" or "not working" on ebay or craigslist. I fixed up my alpha juno 2 that I bought for 75 bucks on ebay and it works beautifully, too bad I'm selling it :( (for a profit mind you).

I also have friends that work at guitar center, they will match any price and then beat it by a good chunk of change if I find a better deal online. Froogle is your friend, if you do the right searches you can find things dirt cheap and then go to a friend that works there and get one hell of a deal!

I also make my own cables. I was that nerd that bought the hot cold soldering iron from think geek and it has yet to let me down. No wires, battery operated and it heats up instantly and cools down instantly. Great if you need to make a quick repair.

I also troll ebay like no tomorrow. I have picked up most of my personal studio there. I got a mpc1k for like 775 bucks, my drum station v2 for 100, my patch bay for a buck (needed a lot of work but it's flawless now!) A digitube mic pre.

The most important thing I can't stress is just research what you want to purchase. If you know you want a mic, and you think you know the make and model, read up on similar ones from other vendors that will do the trick. I'm not saying go out and buy behringer (I do have two of their products that I've rebuilt), but there are some good alternatives out there, such as stenheiser for mics instead of a 57 or 58.

-maz

Jeemy Tue, 11/16/2004 - 05:32

For a beginner / someone just starting out what I would recommend is this. Use time to your advantage.

Get your wish list together, within budget. Check through evilbay for the highest and lowest these things go for (search completed listings).

Then make a pact with yourself and resolve to pay only the lowest price. Watch, wait and use esnipe.com to snipe bids.

Each time you buy a piece of kit, clean it thoroughly, pots, sliders, connections all checked, and sell it in better condition than you bought it for the top level, no matter how long it takes, eventually somebody will be desperate enough and will pay the higher level.

Using this method you can trade up your gear, see a wide variety of gear, and learn the basics of maintenance of each piece.

And I would suggest as many others have here that the ability to solder, mitre, nail together wooden frames and repair amps etc is the most valuable thing that will help you save money.

I am going to turn my control room from a crappy square room with worktops to a glorious state-of-the-art facility that will impress potential clients much more using a tablesaw, some MDF, some enamel paint, some 2x2 and 2x4, a little hardboard, a drum of balanced cable and some rockwool, semirigid fibreglass and coloured fabric.

All coming in way under £300 GBP and the equipment won't change but by god will it look impressive!

Put a value on 48 hours of your time by all means but it illustrates the point - this would have cost me £3-5000 I would guess paying a design firm to build and even a friendly craftsman to create.

anonymous Tue, 11/23/2004 - 06:13

I started recording about 2-3 years ago. first i bought a small used Macie for 450$ (that's cheap in iceland :cry: ), a decent shure mic and a Delta 10/10lt.

i've been looking for good deals constantly since then, and this is the gear i've got today:

Mackie 32*8*2 i got for $1.000 (it costs $6.300 retail.. i bought it from a rapper thad had only been using the first two channels. mint condition.. lucky me)
Two Delta 10/10 rackmountable for $400 each of ebay
one Detla 10/10lt wich i only use now if i run out of channels on the two 10/10. i got this one for $600 like 2-3 years ago in my local instrument store.

And the mics:

2x Shure Beta52. bought one for $350 and got the other one as a payment for recording.
2x Shure SM57 about $100 each. bought one in usa when i was traveling and the other one in iceland.
2x MXL 1006BP those mics rock! got them for 99$ each in usa. sound extremly natural and clear.
3x Shure PG56.. there's just something about these mics that really impresses me. the best sounding tom mics i found for less than $300.. and the best part! they only cost $69 each :D

I'm also using two MLI270i speaker cones for sub bass. works fine :)

this is a song i recorded with this gear last autumn http://rokk.is/mp3/a/afsprengi_satans_weapons_of_mass_deception.mp3 i'll post some new one's soon, and maybe something more easy listening ;)

John Stafford Sat, 11/27/2004 - 23:42

I recently suggested buyers based in the European Union get stuff from Germany. One company I would be wary of is Musician's Gear. They admit on their website that they may put their own serial numbers on the equipment they sell. That would make me more than a little suspicious!

Now I know from the watch industry that this goes on all the time, so authorised dealers who sell below list price through a third party won't be found out by the manufacturer. I'm not suggesting that the equipment from Musicians Gear is second rate, defective returns or stolen, but I think it's important to know about this sort of thing.

John Stafford

richard.conrad Sun, 11/28/2004 - 18:56

Maximizing ROI

Perhaps the most important thing I can think of is this; always try to buy gear that can do more than one job. Don't get stuck buying 2 pieces of mediocre gear, when one good (or great depending on your preferences and budget) piece will do both jobs, twice as good. Yes, it's harder to make larger purchases, but it pays off when both you and the clients are truly happy with the studio experience (both in front of, and behind the glass).

Also, try and find a reputable dealer with a flexible return policy (many are getting big enough to have a Walmart-esque return policy of 14-30 days); but don't ruin a good thing for yourself. Many of these chains have computer systems that track purchases, and it's never good to be the person that everyone knows will be returning their new toy because they don't really know what they want. Do your homework, get second opinions, and make smart purchases. Rent if need be.

It seems like common sense, but I know too many people who could've benefited from everyone's input here at recording.org.

Cheers,

Richard Conrad
NFA Productions
Toronto, Canada

anonymous Fri, 12/17/2004 - 08:43

"Ask for discounts- many times they will give them to ya- if you don't ask you'll never get'em"

I'll echo this. I don't just ask for discounts, however, I suggest a price, every time, and make it clear that if they hit the price, I'm buying right then and there. The price I quote is minimally the lowest price that is WIDELY available online for "A" stock, and usually below that. (Don't bother with oddball low prices, they're almost always gray market, refurbished, or otherwise problematic.) Two things to note: bargaining usually only works with commissioned salespeople (who still have to get permission from management), and you better be ready to buy - don't waste their time. If you spend time bargaining, get a great price, then don't buy, well, you tell me what that makes you ...

It helps a lot to always work with the same salesman. I work almost exclusively through the audio department head at one store, whether the purchase is audio or not. For example, I've bought percussion stuff, guitars, etc. through him as well as audio equipment. I don't buy so much as a pick in that store without going through him and he knows it. I get excellent prices on everything. Most recent - SM57 for $70. (plus there's a rebate available, yielding an end cost of $60)

The relationship is important - not just because the salesman knows you're a commissions when you happen to walk in the door, but because he'll feed you information and deals. For example, I've bought equipment that was special-ordered for another, major customer, who has decided not to keep what he ordered (they accomodate him because of the $$ he spends). I bought my Onyx 1640 for not much more than the normal discounted price for a 1620 when he decided the board was too big, for example. I also get called when new things come in, notified in advance of sales, and get more candid opinions of equipment quality and reliability (rather than the company line). It will also get you marginally better trade-in, but don't expect a whole lot there as used equipment margins are thin as it is.

Know what the salesman's, store's, and manager's hot buttons are. Example, this store is a second-level store in a large chain. Because of that, they don't get a lot of higher-end equipment. This is the manager's first store as a full manager. The audio dept. manager is a working musician with his own studio and does live engineering work as well. Between the two of them, they have a vested interest in getting more interesting equipment in the store. The manager, because the store will only be allocated high-end equipment if he sells it (raising the store's profile and his), the dept. manager because he then has access at employee discounts to stuff he's interested in, and gets to use the demos. My discounts are the happy result of knowing other people's interests and working with them.

Be holistic. There are some things that can't be discounted as much as you'd like for a variety of reasons. If you are getting fantastic prices and service for lots of things, don't get PO'd over paying retail for a few - and BUY THEM THERE anyway. (It is in your own interest to know firmly when the pricing issue is real or BS, however.) This is a relationship issue and the store won't miss the point. Think about it - how much would you invest in a relationship that was entirely one-way?

You have to know what's going on in the industry and with manufacturers of interest where it pertains to you, because opportunities are created when models change, where overstock situations exist, and when competition suddenly drops the popularity of competing equipment. There are stocks of the TC-Electronic M-One for example that can be had CHEAP since the advent of the XL version. The older model is perfectly usable for many purposes. It it fits yours, you've got a deal (I bet you could work it to, oh, $150 with some effort).

In regard to the last paragraph, you get more attention from the store, especially management, when you bring them information they don't have yet. I gave them a heads-up on the (then) upcoming MOTU traveler, for example, and they started discounting the 828 early (after confirming with MOTU, of course). Create value for them and they're more likely to give it back to you.

Shopping is an art!

anonymous Sat, 12/18/2004 - 05:19

1) Don't think that a piece of gear is going to help you make better music/be a better engineer/producer.
It's more important that you know the gear you have and develop your own skills.
(A good engineer can get by. An amateur could make an SSL sound like a Behringer)

2) QUALITY monitoring is a priority (even if it has to be headphones for day 1). If you can't "hear" what's going on - how do you know how well your gear is working!

3) Acoustics. (NOT soundproofing - that's another story entirely)
Your listening environment - from speaker and mix chair postioning, to LEDE room acoustics, to avoiding standing waves and resonant reflections.
You HAVE to give your quality speakers and ears a chance.

4) I've ALWAYS regretted buying the cheaper option. Always! But I never learn :-( I've also found that if you go for something which you can't afford, you somehow manage to buy it. Mainly because you "can't" buy lots of little bits of crap in-between times LOL. It all really adds up!

5) Don't look for discounts. IMHO it's better to build a relationship with ONE company (or 2) and they give you a loyalty discount on EVERTHING and that reeally adds up over time.
Plus the time you save from bargain hunting and ringing round is considerable.
I can waste literally whole "days" searching on ebay for a bargain, which never comes. (But it's kind of a sickness now - Ebay Bidders Annonomous).

6) Make your gear list and stick to it. Don't get distracted with bargains or make dos. Unless you don't care what your studio ends up as.

7) Change your methods. I don't know how you'd deal with this?
A chain is as good as its weakest link, so I see little point having a great mic and a rubbish pre amp (monitoring, etc.). So you buy both.
But then say you have a project that needs X simultaneous channels of mics. Do you;
i) buy some rubbish mics for the other X-1 things
ii) hire some in for the day (it's a paying job anyway)
iii) postpone the job (lose it) until you're ready
or
iv) Change the way you work and record one thing properly WHILST recording "GUIDE" versions of the others, which you then overdub using the quality path.
Not a great example but see what I mean about changing methods?!
I'd include BOUNCING your best effect on a track as a similar method.

8) I hate to say it but computers can save you money.
Get quality mic pres, converters, monitoring
Then your sources (microphones, instruments).
Then get a control surface and use it to control a computer filled with DSP cards (like the UAD-1) , 10K rpm dedicated bus hard drives and the sequencer software of your choice.

I think it's amazing that you can get all that now for the price I used to pay for one SINGLE effects unit (£4K).

But don't cut corners on your computer. Get it set up by a "professional". Fiinding one of those - I have no idea :-(

But don't by a f* Dell or similar PC Mart machine and expect it to be an audio workstation!
I strongly suggest getting an expert to build an OEM for you (from your own parts list i.e. Digidesign approved parts list) as then you can choose the parts you need.

DEDICATE it to music only! No internet or email. No MS Office. "Nothing" but your sequencer!! Buy a second PC for the other office/home/entertainment/kids stuff. That can be a 400 buck Dall ;-)

9) And my most controversal opinion.....
Stuff the hype and snobbery and use your ears.
Personally I'll swap mood and character every time over supposedly pristine audio equipment.
YES good gear does make a difference. No you can't get something out if it isn't there. BUT gear these days isn't crusty binatone stuff any more.
Yes tracks do almost mix themselves if you have a pristine chain. But if you don't, WORK a little harder ;-)
And if you have a pristine chain is that it? Are you a monkey or are you going to WORK and mix it, to get the "mood" and "character" you want?

From the clients perspective, would you use a studio/engineer becuase he owns an Avalon, or because he can get the "sound" that YOU want?!

The rule is there are no rules!
Audio "sound" is also fashion.
Things like Hip Hop has taught us that flakey can be cool. That old 8 bit and retro gear can be the desired result.

Will we never learn ?

anonymous Mon, 12/20/2004 - 23:21

RULE of TIK

If a product can double its value in one month, it goes in my studio!

If owning a FAntom X keyboard allows me to take in 2000.00 plus a profit of 20000.000 in 30 days it was worth my investment. If not I would consider staying with your usual gear. FACT: Normal people listen to mp3s at 56k thru a stereo 1/8 inch adapter feeding a cassette shell in a tape deck with the bass on +5 no highs and crappy mids from hell with blown subs!!! Only Gearwhores lust over what guitar was used with what strings...dont believe me...go up to 10 people at random on the street and say SMPTE...and see how many are aware of it....better yet QUANTIZE-I have had much fun with people trying to tell me what that meant....lol!

~TiK
verdict people like good music, and dont know squat about gear