Skip to main content

Hi people, how are you? I hope good! If someone is looking for a good interface, a good pair of monitors, a good headphone, a good notebook and good DAWs/mastering software, I think I can help saying my experience with my stuff.

In the past I used Windows with FL Studio, so I did a course about Pro Tools in 2015 and decided to use it (a good choice). Pro Tools has an incredible organization in my opinion, good automation, good visual and depending on the computer it runs like a charm. I also did a beat now and it sounded very, very good, very pleasant in my opinion all using Pro Tools sounds, so I think it's good to produce too. About FL Studio, it's cool, has a lot of improvements, but the way it looks when automating, using plugins etc... I prefer Pro Tools.
After that, I did from 2016 to 2017 a course about mixing and mastering and now I own Mixbus too, it is very good, because you feel like you are mixing using a real console and better than that, it emulates a real analog. sound like real mixers. I compared and the difference in sound was brutal mixing with Mixbus. Another software I own is Logic Pro 9. But why? Producing beats too, I like it sounds, it's very, very soft, consuming a very low quantity of the CPU and it has Pitcher, a good plugin for autotune effect, I like that. Why the 9? X is heavier, I prefer the 9 visual (is my preference) and the price I got it was very good too.

For mastering I have WaveBurner (other reason for have Logic Pro Studio with Logic Pro 9 is that it cames with WaveBurner). A cool software, in my opinion with a good performance, well looking and organized. But the best software I have for mastering is soundBlade, this software is a giant, because it fades are amazing, visual is good and intuitive and it's very organized. Also it's very cheap if you compare with other solution for mastering.

About gear: I already used 2i2 and now use UR22 and it's amazing in my opinion. Phones I used SRH440 and changed for ATH-M30 from Audio-Technica, my opinion? One of the best pair of phones I ever heard. It sounds balanced, but with a little lack in the bass range, but I like it. It's a pair of phones that are pleasant to use and they're cheap. Well, they discontinued and now M30x is the available version to buy, I didn't know about M30x, but M30s are very comfortable and the sound is amazing.
I use a pair fo KRK's Rokit RPG2 8''. This monitors has a good response curve in my opinion. The most frequencies I feel are around 125Hz, but I adapted myself to this and against what some people said, I doesn't think this pair has a exaggerated bass like is said. I like the amount of bass and did some works using them, the results were good. I think another tip I should do it's to buy stands for your monitors.

Well, computer I used a MacBook Pro that were acquired used and I love it, because even it has Core 2 Duo CPU, it runs very well the softwares (sure, depending on the OS X version it's running, the amount of files the computer has...); One strong reason I use Mac is because it supports soundBlade, WaveBurner, Logic Pro and it has tools for mastering for iTunes. Well, also recommend good cables for audio and good cables for power. I had two good cables from AudioQuest running my KRK's and the difference exists, the sound is more controlled, I compared. About audio cables I recommend Mogami's with Neutrik plugs (balanced cables).

I hope this topic helps someone.

One note: All I said was about stuff, not acoustics, electrical part and it's even more important!

Comments

pcrecord Tue, 05/23/2017 - 18:28

Interesting ! It's always nice to read the experiences of others.
I started with M-Audio Delta cards, switched to Focusrite Liquid saffire 56 and now with a RME Fireface 800 which have the best drivers I ever used.
Each of these upgrades did open my mind to what sounds better while my ears got better over the years.
If I had to change interface again, I'd go again with a RME or something of that caliber (Antelope Zen, orion 32 or UA appolo)

I should say that I wouldn't go without my boutique preamps (ISA , LA-610, 4-710)
But all this doesn't mean anything without knowing the needs and level of quality we expect out of our setups !! ;)