pipin wrote: I would like to know what you guys would suggest to use for a great, clean sounding pre-amps and compressors for this setup. I need to stay in the mid price range, and need multiple channels per unit.

get the right stuff regardless of price
don't waist time on mid priced ... what ever that is ??

start with mic-pres
API
Neve
for the older NAME stuff
JLM
Buzz
for the newer

then get a compressor or two
1176
LA2
for the older NAME stuff
?
lots in the newer stuff
EL (distressor) Crane, Pendulum,

perhaps an ISA430 producer channel

Yes, I agree.
But I don't have $6,000 to spend on a single channel pre or compressor.
I would consider mid- range to be under $2,000 per unit.

Im fairly interested in the Neves. what are the advantages of them?

I don't mean to sound negative here, but you are going about all this totally the wrong way.
You have little to no engineering experience, however you have bought (or are buying) a ProTools HD system and want to spend thousands on outboard gear you nothing about.
Dude, there is no magic button. Top gear does NOT make a great record..... the engineer does. Go buy some freelance time in a pro studio, record your band and learn the craft, learn the gear and what it does.
You'll probably have a better recording and still have money in your pocket.
If you don't play guitar, or even if you're a hack...... doe's buying a Les Paul Gold Top make you a pro? .... No it doesn't. Engineering is the same. It's a skill that must be learned and developed.

Also where are you going to put this gear? In your bedroom?
Acoustically treating a room can cost you almost as much as the recording gear. And it you don't do any treatment, you may as well go buy a VS880 and some Behringer.

I've completely given up on advising people to save up and learn something before investing. Its like farting in a thunderstorm...

SO....@2k perunit, heres a good starter kit for 16 channels of real good noise making stuff...

BTW ..Kev said it right.

* 8 channel JLM w/optional limiters.

* API 3124 thats 4 more...

*Neve Portico and get the brother compressor unit......

* One Groove Tubes ViPre...and the Glory Comp with it...this is an everytime out GO-TO vocal chain.

* and finally pick from this list.... True P2 Analog, PreSonus ADL600, ADK MP2 w/optional set of transformers, John Hardy M1 X 2, or even a Grace 2 channel.

Get one GREAT compressor ..Hardware style and then buy the UAD package with the ProTools....

Buy 4 distinct vocal mics. Brauner Phantom C, Soundelux fet7, Neumann U87, Rode K2 or ADK TT...

Buy one set of matched small diaphram condensers....despite what you might hear, Neumann K184's sound really good for most things.

Two ribbon mics....AEA and a Royer...

Buy quality dynamics...Senheiser MD421/441, Audix, Electrovoice, Beyer.

Dont overlook the room. All this stuff woulkd sound great in some places but mostly fairly average in a crappy room.

Well theres a big budget starter kit. Should be able to get clarity, huge drums, precise warm guitars and in-yer-face bass outta that stuff.....at least I know I can.

Davedog wrote: I've completely given up on advising people to save up and learn something before investing. Its like farting in a thunderstorm...

I'm right there with you DD, but I just hate to see people potentially throwing money down the toilet.

Pipin, if you really want to invest $60k + in a skill you may or may not have.... and deffinately won't for at least 5 years, then go ahead....

....but please, attend to room acoustics first, or you really will be doing your dough.

Thank you for all of your input.
I am a little inexperienced, yes. But I do feel I have some skill in this area, I just haven't experienced many different kinds of equipment yet.

No, playing the gold top will not make me an expert, but I have learned well on what i have.
I am currently doing an internship with a very talented producer, but I thought asking questions here would help me get a jump on learning with him.

Again I appriciate your advice and criticizms.

pipin wrote: I am currently doing an internship with a very talented producer....

I'm glad to read that. Just be aware though that you still have a long road ahead of you.
Start small and build up.
I would hold off and see what Digidesign will bring out next in their LE line.
Strong rumors are that it will fill in the gap between LE and HD.
That with a quad processor PC will start beating HD for processing power.

>>I am currently doing an internship with a very talented producer<<

As what, engineer?

Producing and engineering seem to have morphed into one job in a lot of cases.

Yes, I am egineering.

And thank you, the information on the LE to HD systems is good to know.
That will be a great new development if they do that.

I am studying both engineering and production aspects of audio, so I can be most effective. I am a musician myself.

Davedog wrote: I've completely given up on advising people to save up and learn something before investing. Its like farting in a thunderstorm...

I agree. I've resorted to...

1. telling the person that their question can't be answer based on the lack of information they've provided
2. explaining that every person has different tastes/needs
3. explaining how my recommendations are based solely on what I need and would most likely not apply to them, and
4. then and only then do I give out a recommendation

Perhaps we could put together a global document that handles parts 1, 2 and 3 as they would fit in just about every post of this nature. We could simply copy and paste that into our posts and follow that up with our recommendations.

In their defense, it tough to know what to get when the GC sales rep say this and the SA rep says that. Many people have no idea what they need or why they need it. They hear that they need a pre-amp or compressor and instead of asking why, they ask which one. I try to help, but it's so much easier when you're helping someone who is willing to help themselves.

I don't know too many people... if any... that would jump into a $10k PTHD rig without knowing anything about preamps/compressors/mics/anything ever...

How about this... $2000 will actually buy you some very nice channels. I have a favorite - 2 channel Great River pres... I own one and it's by far a favorite. But honestly man... you'll get much more out of a rig if you buy a G5, a 002 and spend the other $6k on a decent rack of pres and dynamics. Then we'll start on mics.

Do plenty of homework... you'll make better recordings with better mics and pres into an "okay" DAW than a couple "midrange" pres into a PTHD rig.