Hi. I'd like to ask you all about the following possible setup considering the fact that I want to record an album by Micing my vox ac30 (and, after that, my voice) to the computer, followed by drum composing, mixing, etc.
I've taken into consideration the following gear: Sennheiser HD650 for headphones-monitors, Focusrite Saffire 2i2 for the audio interface and something like CAD Trion 7000 or Sterling ST55. Can anyone with experience with this gear tell me their opinions on the topic?
Though minimal in setup, it is not intended for raw rock music, it is oriented towards a more progrock sound (i've got tons of pedals). Would the Focusrite do for something like capturing a more complex guitar that has deep reverb or delay? Also, I use Evidence Audio cables for guitar->pedals->amp... should I buy EAs for mic->interface as well?
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If you put it in a very pragmatic context, of course hunger is a
If you put it in a very pragmatic context, of course hunger is a part of my beingness in the world. But I don't care about any aspect related to live music because nobody would organize a progrock concert here. I only asked for studio purposes only. I am glad there are some good reviews for the saffire, i think i m gonna buy it soon.
Also, as the sm57 is really at-hand, i think i will probably have one at some point. For vocals, or more precisely - for my voice - , the sennheiser e836 i currently posess is much more suitable than the sm58.
Oh I and I forgot, I have only USB, not Firewire...
Nothing wrong with USB if you're not dealing with nasty latency.
Nothing wrong with USB if you're not dealing with nasty latency. Many of the better USB interfaces feature pass-through monitoring of the input without any latency. And latency compensation is built into a lot of quality software to compensate for any timing delays. But not all possess that.
Well for your vocal, maybe that Sennheiser is for you but I've also used those and I find that the 58 is much more universally accepted from a sound standpoint than that. And I'm talking for recording purposes. I wasn't talking about any kind of live concerts unless you happen to utilize some of this gear for live applications. A client of mine loved my assortment of fine quality ribbon microphones. They purchased the same ribbon microphone you indicated. It sounds fabulous! It can be a special treat on female vocalists. It's very smooth and almost a little dark on male vocalists. So it gives you that beautiful RCA 44 BX like sound of old-fashioned World War II era radio in America. And with a hard plastic sound of digital, ribbon microphones have had an explosive resurgence. So you're obviously one of the smart ones and are ahead of the pack. So, you are asking questions and giving me the answers. So what precisely are you asking about? Are you asking about engineering or what to buy? Are we supposed to know what your guitar sounds like? Well, it doesn't matter what it sounds like it only matters how you record it.
I'm confused
Mx. Remy Ann David
My main concerns actually, now that we have narrowed it down, ar
My main concerns actually, now that we have narrowed it down, are:
- can the saffire supply enough phone amplification for the sennheiser hd650?
- do I need more than 2-3 microphones (even for applications like double micing the same speaker on the guitar amp for recording something more spacey)?
- is recording on a pc that bad compared to a mac (given the fact that i choose this particular set of gear)?
- also, another curiosity... should I look at a Blue Bluebird for vocals?
- is the AVID mbox mini better than the focusrite saffire 2i2? (if you have had some experience with the thing - the AVID would be my second choice by the preliminary looks of it)
Thanks!
Re: the Sapphire and whether it can power the Sennheiser HD 650
Re: the Sapphire and whether it can power the Sennheiser HD 650 headphones. If the question is will you be able to hear anything, the answer is yes. The question on how loud it will go cannot be definitively answered. How loud do you need it? Is it going to blow your head off? Probably not.
Do you need more than 2-3 microphones well, we all have more than 2-3 microphones. You can record plenty of things with 2-3 microphones. Can you record an entire band at once? Not really, not effectively, not professionally but sure. Microphones transfer sound to be recorded so any microphone can record sound.
Recording on PCs is just fine. Recording on Apples is just fine. You use whatever computer you are comfortable using. You use whatever is on sale. You use the operating system you are most familiar with.
Should you look at a Blue Bluebird for vocals? If you want but I recommend the SM58. A 58 with an additional foam pop filter can compare favorably in sound to a Neumann U 87 but a Bluebird Doesn't.
Know the Avid is a piece of crap. So no, the avid is a piece of crap. Just know it's no. Go for the Sapphire. Or any other way they want to spell it.
You're welcome
Mx. Remy Ann David
The most important microphone that you did not mention is gettin
The most important microphone that you did not mention is getting yourself a SHURE SM57/58. That's a microphone nobody can live without. It's inhuman not to have one and I'm serious. Although I do believe you have made an excellent choice on that ribbon microphone. The condenser microphone is also a very reasonable selection for its price class. And I'm quite the Sennheiser open-air headphones lover, excellent choice. You still need some speakers. You have to have some speakers. Inexpensive powered monitors such as KRK I find related well to my Sennheiser headphones. But it's much more difficult if not impossible at times to obtain a proper mix strictly relying upon headphones. And run-of-the-mill computer speakers don't cut the mustard. Sure they can sound perfectly fine but they're not a good reference. They're just a secondary reference.
All the crap about cables is mostly crap. As long as they are not damaged, have good connectors at both ends, real braided shield, that's all you need. The rest is marketing blah blah. Sure, some are built more robustly than others but it's still wire. So purchase the cheap cables and a pair of speakers and don't forget that 57/58. I recommend those as an either or since they are identical. One is better suited for vocals while the other one is better suited for guitar amplifiers. The vocal one (58) should also be utilized with an additional foam pop filter. It's one of the best vocal recording microphones ever made. The 57 would need additional foam pop filtering (to be used for vocals) and is easier to negotiate around the drum kit such as snare drum. Otherwise, they are identical capsules.
The digital audio interface you have selected is perfectly wonderful. Purchasing something else for more complex guitar sounds is a phallus, see. You might want to consider something like a specialized guitar interface such as a Line or Pod something or other thingy. Those certainly have some real time advantages over software. They can be used quite nicely live or for recording. Software is not as effective for live performance since I already see too many guys with laptops on stage screwing around too long between songs with them. I mean you do want to make some money don't you after all, you are Hungry in Bucharest aren't you? Or is that you are in Bucharest and Hungry. Hell, I'm Hungry in Northern Virginia USA since it's lunchtime.
Thankfully the weather is nice here today so I don't have to put my goulash's on.
Mx. Remy Ann David