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I've got around 3000$ to buy new equipment. I want to buy a preamp and a mic. I record rap vocals and sometimes female's singing.

I have a PC with an M-Audio delta 66 soundcard and a Omni i/o. I record into Sonar.

I was thinking:

pre: Avalon 737sp.
mic: Shure Ksm44, or Something from Blue at around 1000$.

what do you guys think?

Comments

Cucco Fri, 02/10/2006 - 22:55

I'm not a huge fan of the Avalon. It's overpriced and not that good sounding.

I would say for pres:
Summit (any of them)
Langevin
Manley

All of these can sound "Larger than life" and have a real FULL sound...

As for mics -
AT 4060
AT 4050
Soundelux U195
Soundelux iFET 7
Gefell M930

Good luck!! This is the hardest decision for most people!

j (y)

Cucco Sun, 02/12/2006 - 17:54

Re: or...

raggedy wrote: some people like to poop on the Avalon, but if you're doing hip-hop, it is a good choice. It's pretty much the standard for the genre.

Yup. I simply don't understand this...

Is it cuz the faceplate's gold and therefore the color of bling?? The sound is nothing spectacular. Most any pre anywhere near or less than the Avalon will sound better or at least as good.

Sorry - I had to get cheeky...

Reggie Tue, 02/14/2006 - 06:47

didzejzefir wrote: I got the Avalon, but I haven't got a better mic than what I already have. Which one would be best on the Avalon ?

Shure Sm57
AKG 1000S
Rode Nt1

p.s. I will try them all , but I just want an opinion.

WTF? :? No. Baaaad. *rubs nose on Avalon*
Sell the Avalon, get a decent mic and a cheaper decent pre.

anonymous Wed, 02/15/2006 - 19:41

i once had a real good pre, and a not so good mic.

in the end, i got a real good mic, and, a focusrite, twin trak pro , the platinum series, and, things are sounding alot better. i really like the twin trak, its real sweet, and, for 800 approx, it rocks.

i use it, with a Neumann tlm 127, 103, and, i have a akg 414c, and, everything sounds great.

Cucco Wed, 02/15/2006 - 22:21

Reggie wrote: [quote=didzejzefir]I got the Avalon, but I haven't got a better mic than what I already have. Which one would be best on the Avalon ?

Shure Sm57
AKG 1000S
Rode Nt1

p.s. I will try them all , but I just want an opinion.

WTF? :? No. Baaaad. *rubs nose on Avalon*
Sell the Avalon, get a decent mic and a cheaper decent pre.

Amen brother Reggie!! Preach on!! (y)

Dump the Avalon, pick up a Summit 2BA-221 and a Soundelux U195 and a Beyer M130. All of that would cost you about the same as what you paid for the Avalon and you'd have a HELL of a lot better stuff. Great mics, amazing pre, hell, what else could you ask for??

I use this combination (as well as others) and am VERY pleased. The summit is a VERY versatile box and those two mics are about as cool as they get for the sub $2000 price range...

anonymous Sun, 02/19/2006 - 22:48

for less money than the Avalon, you can get a Langevin DVC. that's all that needs to be said about that.

if you feel you need the tube in the chain, the AT 4060. and if you want that Neumann sound you hear so often (especially in hip-hop), the Gefell UMT71s is at least as good as a U87ai in my opinion, has a "real" Neumann pedigree, and is half the price.