ever look into just buying a g4 or g5, and a digi 002 or something... and some good mics.

don't buy things that won't have effect! buy less but with great quality!

what recordings are you trying to do?
how many tracks... genre...???
tell us more so we can help you better

I'm about to pull the trigger on a PC based system from http://www.musicalcomputers.com

I'm going to go with the Aardvark Q10 cause I need a minimum of 8 xlr inputs.

Here's the specs:

Intel Pentium 4 CPU, 3.2Ghz, on ASUS P4C800DEL motherboard
1GB PC3200 DDR Memory by Corsair
2x 120GB Seagate 7200RPM SATA drive
Lite-On 8x DVD-RW drive
ATI Radeon 9200 dual-head video card
Black aluminum rackmount case w/400 watt power supply keyboard, mouse, and floppy drive
Windows XP Home installed
3 year parts, 1 year labor warranty on PC system components
Aardvark q10 PCI interface

I already have Sonar, and this guy will install and tweek the system out for me. $2188.00 delivered.

I don't know how committed to a MAC system, but it's worth a look.

Peace.

Chad

you need a minimum 8 xlr so why the advark? it only has those inputs!
why don't you try for example the motu 896? it has 18 inputs and it's firewire which means you can take it everywhere like for recording gigs or at other house

Q10 and ADK

I only know the Aardvark so I am not a pro, but you may want to take a look at it. It also gives you room to grow by adding additional cards. I currently run 2 card for a total of 16 ins.

I would also suggest you talk to the guys at ADK http://www.advanceddesignky.com. They really did me right with my set up.

Jim

I want to be able to record my drumset, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, and do various stuff with my midi keyboard. All types of music, whatever we can come up with. I want to have a place to come jam and lay down crazy stuff and see what we come up with. I don't have any equipment at all, not even the computer I want to use. I'm a competent musician who knows very little about recording/producing, and I want to spend my money effectively. So... what can you guys suggest?

with that money you either get cheap stuff or buy little but don't get near that!
if you need a computer it's almost the 2 gees

I don't know... if you don't have a computer 3k barely gets you in the door. I'm a mac DP guy so this recommendation is based on my experience:

A dual 867 mac G4 used- (about $700 if you can find them and you are lucky- don't get below that model or you won't have enough power!) make sure it has sytem X

An new or used motu 828 mkii interface- new $750 - used (if you can find them!) about $500- buy it new, though, as Motu won't service them if you are not the original owner- I know from experience! - that will take care of $1500-

Digital Performer- $500 new- the best value IMHO in DAWS!

For pres I recommend in your budget you buy an used mackie 12 ch vlz mixer- (about $200 used) you can use individual outs into the 828- that will give you 10 tracks. Also The 828 has 2 built in pres and the quality is pretty good. (about like a mackie)

If you nees more tracks this ADA 8000 behringer pre amp
has adat out and the quality is ok for the price
($229)- see below- that will bring you up to 18 inputs

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=home/search/detail/base_pid/182483/

Your budget now is almost gone but will still need mics- the cheapest I can suggest for drums are the audix fusion sets- 4 pieces for $199 or 6 pieces for $299

For vocals I recommend a Studio Projects C1 for $199 or a Rode NT1 for the same price.

For guitar cabs get a shure sm57 for 80 bucs- it will double up as a vocal mic if you run out of money for the C1 or Nt1

This set up will get you up and running plus you can expand as you learn. If you already have a mixer with individual outs you can skip the mackie- If you already have some mics, use them. If you can make do with 10 analog tracks don't buy the behringer- you will end up selling it anyway as you learn and your needs for better pres grow. The good news is that they still go for close to $200 used so you can always sell and move up and not be out too much moola.

Good luck and let us know what you decide to go with! That's how I would go and this set up will work pretty good- its proven- but there are countless other options out there :D

hey xavier i know here a guy who's selling his akg d112 to be (probably...) and he too has a rode n1 for sell! do you think is a good buy? i'm leaning towards buying a c3 or the tube mic from sp's or the rode nt2000
do you think giving 100 euros for it is a good buy or should i save the money?

inLoco wrote: hey xavier i know here a guy who's selling his akg d112 to be (probably...) and he too has a rode n1 for sell! do you think is a good buy? i'm leaning towards buying a c3 or the tube mic from sp's or the rode nt2000
do you think giving 100 euros for it is a good buy or should i save the money?

100 euros is under a 100 us, right? If so is a good deal, they go for $200 us new. Buy it, is a great kick mic. I have one and they also work good for bass cabs.

the nt1 is a good mic but I would not pay more than 100 bucs for an used one. Its a little bright but you get an useable sound for vocals, especially with a good pre and AD. When I use my nt1 with a grace and a rosetta I get a good fat sound. With cheap pres (like an art tube mp) the sound is too thin an borderline- I use mine sparingly now, though in the past it saw a lotta action. One thing interesting about the nt1 is that the ones that were made around 1998 or so sound real good. then they changed the capsule and they are not so good- ( I know, I have a 1998 one and its great- then I got one in 2000 and sold it) the new ones, the nt1a, are good again- so watch out for that.

the rode 2000 is supposed to be the non tube version of the K2. I haven't heard it but I own the K2 and I love it. It goes from a mellow sound in omni to a in-your-face sound in cardioid- 8)

bottom line, a hundred bucs for a d112 is great, go fer it! a hundred bucs for an nt1 is great if it is the real old one or the nt1a- if its the one in between I wouldn't get it. Ask the guy to let you try it out and see what you think- buy the d112 - 8)

actually i think is the old one cause he said he as it for around 5 years! but that one i'm not so sure if i'll buy! what can you say more about the k2? i need a vocal mic that works well both for male and female singers! the style is more pop and rock! the female singer has a suberb voice and i know i need to catch all the nuances! i want a good mic! won't buy a pre cause i don't have the money, but after buying the things i'm planning to buy when i have the money i'll check the apogee rosetta 200 and some tube pre like the isa...
do you think the best all around mic for me would be what? the akg 414? which one?
thanks for you time maintiger (and anyone who answers...)

thanks very much for the help everyone. I hesitate to buy a used computer, I'd rather have a virgin machine that I can know hasn't been abused, run down, etc. Ya'll know how computers get. I'd love to get the new imac G5, but i don't know if I could install a soundcard into it, sure doen'st look like it. The powermac g5 is way too expensive.

I'm starting to think that maybe I"ll just ditch the whole mac idea and go PC. Who knows.. ? :roll:

inLoco wrote: actually i think is the old one cause he said he as it for around 5 years! but that one i'm not so sure if i'll buy! what can you say more about the k2? i need a vocal mic that works well both for male and female singers! the style is more pop and rock! the female singer has a suberb voice and i know i need to catch all the nuances! i want a good mic! won't buy a pre cause i don't have the money, but after buying the things i'm planning to buy when i have the money i'll check the apogee rosetta 200 and some tube pre like the isa...
do you think the best all around mic for me would be what? the akg 414? which one?
thanks for you time maintiger (and anyone who answers...)

if the nt1 is 5 years old and is cheap enough then is a good buy, that's the good one!- the 414 is good and it will sound good with just about everybody- with some people it won't sound great, though, just good.

the K2 is the tube version of the nt2000. So far the K2 hasn't let me down - it has sounded good with everyone, male and female, acoustic guitar and guitar cabs. one of the reasons is that it has variable patterns from omni to cardioid to fifgure 8 and you can tweak the sound to accomodate just about anyone and everything.
The sound is airy in omni, then it begins to get prescence as you get to cardioid, more in your face. In between cardioid and figure 8 it has a lotta attitude- then it does the figure 8 thing, which is real good for back up singers, one of each side of the mic..
I understand the nt2000 has the same variable patterns plus it also has a pad that goes from 0db to -10 db, totally variable in between, which is real cool. it also has a totally variable hi pass filter which also is way cool as it gives you further options to shape the sound. _ I don't know, the K2 I love but the nt2000 might be a better option if you have multiple singers - more choices to taylor the sound. 8)

percussion_is_free wrote: thanks very much for the help everyone. I hesitate to buy a used computer, I'd rather have a virgin machine that I can know hasn't been abused, run down, etc. Ya'll know how computers get. I'd love to get the new imac G5, but i don't know if I could install a soundcard into it, sure doen'st look like it. The powermac g5 is way too expensive.

I'm starting to think that maybe I"ll just ditch the whole mac idea and go PC. Who knows.. ? :roll:

you can use the 828mkii with the imac as it is firewire- I stand by everything else I posted as a viable proven option but am sure there are pc solutions out there that would work for you. Rephrase and post your question in the DAW and computing forum or the Digital Audio forum and I'm sure our resident geniouses, will provide you with a viable option. :D By the way, happy 21st birthday! 8-)

thanks maintiger!
i'm really seeing all the options!
my first buys will be the akg d112, some sm 57, sps c4, one akg 451, motu 828 mkII and the adat pre i have to see but i'm leaning on your advice! the ada8000! later i'm thinking of the vocal mic and a good pre! then a good converter for overdubs...

i was just seeing the fabulous life of donald trump on vh1... damn it... which i had just 1/1000 of his money... :-)

the ada 8000 is really god for the money- but you buy it planning to replace it later on when you can... use it for drums or scratch vocals, scratch guitars, etc.- fo rthe more critical tracks like lead vocals, lead instruments etc use the pres in the 828 or some other better pres you may have- also for kick & snare use them if you must (ada8000 pres) unless you have better ones. Like I said, I heard the ada 8000 and it was surprinsingly clean for little $$$

yup... with time i hope to get some cool pres... but because i want to make money recording gigs i need simple stuff! the material i'll had later will come with the money i expect to get!
also i'm seeing if i should buy the sps pre! it's cheap and i wouldn't admire it would do an ok job! maybe better than the pres from the motu and the behringers

Nobody has reviewed the sp pres here- I think no one is bought it or we would have heard about it- the buzz here before when Studio projects had a forum was the the pres were going to be comparable to sytek but 8 ch instead of four and for $600 - I don't know if this is true or not but if that's the case it would be a good thing.

I have a sytek 4ch pre and its very clean and pro sounding IMO. I know that this has been a bone of contention in this forum - some of the mods knocking the syteks as not pro or not much better than mackie- but I still stick to my sytek pres- IMHO - and if the SP ones are comparable, that would be real cool- but like I said, I don't really know as I haven't heard the SP.