Cranesong Spider. Excellent Mixer, excellent mic pres, excellent converters.

CRANESONG Spider $15,000.00

The cranesong looks outstanding...and I thought 8 tracks can be had for $7,500.00. The only problem is that it costs much more than my Korg. Any suggestions more proportionate to my existing gear?

Budget mixers don't tend to have great sounding pres. If it is a one-off try renting something like an API lunchbox loaded with 4 pres. If you are looking to buy, why not go with something like a Sytek 4 pre rack unit for $700-800? They are not top of the line, but they will be an improvement. Sorry, there are no shortcuts. David

Some times I am so dense! "Renting" didn't enter my mind. Its "the" solution for the night. At this point, I've bought all the "great value for the buck" gear. I get pretty decent recordings. Now, I'm trying very hard to save up for upper end gear. You know, the stuff that you pay the bucks for, but you really hear the difference. I'll rent and keep saving for the Cranesong! Thanks

I have been reading nice things about Soundcrafts M-serie, the preamps have the same design as their pro Ghost serie.

I continue to be impressed with my Midas (was a 240, but that was too small, so now it's a 320). Lemmie tell you my latest story...

I bought a 240 this summer, and was blown away by how much better it sounded in my setup than the 1604 VLZ it replaced. Mind you, I didn't A/B these things (too many wires to place/replace to test fairly), but I was fairly sure that it was like the difference between foggy and clear glass, audio-wise.

When I found a buyer for my 240, I ordered a 320. I sent the 240 to the buyer, whose cellphone service was promptly cut off--talk about stressful! I put the order for the 320 on hold, and though everything ended happily, the transaction was 48 hours longer than I'd expected. So, what the hey, I plugged my 1604 VLZ back into the mix position.

:td:

There. I'd done it. An A/B/A comparison. I couldn't wait for 71 lbs of B to show up on my doorstep.

You can get a 160 (which has 8+4 pres) for under $2500 new, if you know where to shop.

Where does one shop, if one knows where to shop (PM would be fine)? David

The Soundcraft and the Midas both have some great potential. I'm a relative novice to recording (compared to a lot of ya'll) and I'm still building the arsenal of equipment as I build understanding (thanks to a lot of ya'll). That said, the Soundcraft has some advantages that I might not be able to ignore. In this case, price has an inverse effect. I may actually go for a cheaper mixer, just to minimize my risk. Its bad enough that I'm taking the Korg and some other pres out of the house. There has to be a point where you either travel with a body guard, or compromise on less expensive gear! Of course, that takes me back to the beauty of renting! Aaah, the dillema!