Hi, I am new to setting up a home system based around a pc for personal use :
Keys : EMU Sampler rack with controller & Synth keybd
Elec bass, Drum machine, Acoustic & Elec guitars.
I rarely will use a mic and when only 1 or 2 for acoustic guitar or the odd vocal.
Right now I have a Yamaha mg16fx mixer for a quick + dirty set up.

Okay, so I've got this great 4000 dollar V-Drums set, but I can rarely use it because its on the second floor, and the noise from the drums is amp'd down to the floor below. I've been trying to figure out a way to reduce it, and I've gotten it a little better by putting a couple rugs down under it, but its still not to where I need it.

I'm in the Western New York are, and Toronto is about three hours from my house give/take depending on traffic. I was wondering if any one had some experience with what is going on in Toronto, my friend is a very good jazz pianist, and may be going up for a few months. I was wondering if the recording scene was doing as poorly as most of the areas in the region.

Thanks

A newbie question here - I currently have a MOTU 1224 for AI w/ Mackie 1642 analog mixer - used for headphone / control room monitoring and mic preamps. My pc is old (doesn't have PCIe slots, so can't do a new UAD-2 card) and the 1224 is old, has limited connectivity and doesn't support 96khz - so am looking to do a few upgrades.

ive been recording for years now, and just recently started recording on a seperate laptop, for on the go kind of recording. I have a Sony Vaio VGN-NR485E, which has a built in Realtek High Definition Audio Sound Card in. I record with Adobe Audition 3.0 which needs an ASIO sound card to record, since the Realtek card does not offer this, I downloaded ASIO4ALL and have been using it.

I am on an incredibly tight budget. Basically, I have no money. What is the one thing that is the most important to creating a good sound? I can get software for free from a few people that I know, but should i get a nice mic or a nice interface?

I am look for a great sounding reverb and delay. I am using Mac (pro tools). Someone told me about Lexicon PCM 96 has an incredible sound, better than any software plug-INS or any other hard ware for the same price. If not, which plugins or hard ware has BETTER sound for the equivalent price.

I have a reasonable understanding of all functions of a compressor, except release times. I would be very grateful for some insight into what kinds of settings one would use and why.

Hello!
I'm not sure if this is the right forum for this post, but I just wanted to tell everybody a big THANK YOU for all the help and information I've got on this forum.
Some of you may remember that I had written and recorded the music to an album for a greek rock band. Finally they got signed by Universal Music Greece and the album has been released in october.

For some years I have been using a Roland VS 2480 . All of the digital pieces in my control room are synced by a Lucid clock; all audio equipment in the studio is on Equitech balanced power. I'd like to think that I've given the Roland converters the best opportunity to do their job. I don't have any complaints.