Buying some recording gear..

D

D-Sect

Veteran XX
Please check this out and see what you think..

AI = PreSonus FireStudio Project

Buy PreSonus FireStudio Project Recording Interface | Audio Interfaces & Convertors | Audio Interfaces | Musician's Friend

Vocal Mic = CAD GXL3000 Pro Studio Microphone

Buy CAD GXL3000 Pro Studio Microphone | Condenser Microphones | Musician's Friend

Overheads (cymbals) = CAD CM217 Condenser Mic - Buy One, Get One Free

Buy CAD CM217 Condenser Mic - Buy One, Get One Free | Condenser Microphones | Musician's Friend

Anyone have any of these? Add a pop filter and a couple of things and this is $600 after coupon..
 
I have a Firestudio 26x26, the big brother to the Project. I also have a Presonus Digimax FS, the 8-channel expansion to it.

I have had to send the Firestudio back twice due to defects. This latest one has worked great - I've recorded a lot of music on it, and it's lasted the longest of all the units. I guess I just lucked out on a couple of early (crappy) units.

CAD mics are generally sucky, but they've gotten better.

For overheads I use a pair of R0DE NT5s:

Buy Rode Microphones Matched Pair of NT5 Microphones | Recording Microphone Packages | Musician's Friend

They're $429, but you can get 'em cheaper used or on Ebay.

For a vocal mic I use a bunch of different things depending on the singer. But you can't go wrong with for a demo with a R0DE NT-1A. They're about $200.

Don't skimp on mics, or cables. Shitty mics and cables just wind up in the trash. I wouldn't buy Monster or Mogami cables for a demo studio, but get some decent brand name cables (Hosa, Planet Waves etc.).
 
I came in here to say you should pick up a RODE NT-1A, but I see old_skul has covered that :) Very versatile mic, and great quality for the price. No studio should be without one. I even use it on guitar cabs.
 
I did get the Firestudio and the GXL 3000, plus another SM57.

I'm going to get a bunch of budget mics for the rest of them - like under $400 for my total outlay. This will be my starter set.

I figure that even the best cheap stuff nowadays is better than the older technology that used to produce great recordings. Look @ the technology Ben Hogan and Arnold Palmer used in golf to still be relevant today.

I have to think that equip quality is a smaller percentage of the good sound equation and tracking / engineering talent and creativity is where it matters - only then will high-end equip produce high-end results.

I could be wrong, but I'm going this route, for now - it's a starting point.

Thanks!
 
I strongly suggest Karma mics. Im not sure of any retailer who carries them but I was blown away by the K-58. They make some matched small diaphragm condensers that are really inexpensive (170 I think for the pair).

Truthfully mics are important but they come second to a good source sound. If you have good musicians with good gear, and you willing to spend the time testing to get a good sound, you can get a great recording with low end mics.
 
I got the stuff in and was messing with it. I have about 5 more mics to get, then I'll be good.

I wound up using SONAR as my DAW software, because I know a few people that use it.

I'm def looking forward to posting sound clips and getting feedback. I am very inexperienced in engineering and I have a lot to learn and any advice is going to be so very helpful.

This GXL 3000 was my first good condenser mic and I was floored when I plugged it in. The Presonus has top-notch pre amps (from what I'd read) and when I turned the mic up I was disappoint, son, and heard noise.

LOL.. My dammn PC fan was making the noise. It was picking me up just rubbing my fingers together.

Exciting times ahead. You guys know how it was when you got your first recording goodies..

Hopefully this quest for learning and experience will yield some good results. Either waty it will still be fun. Come a long way since Tascam 4-tracks and editing using Perfect Sound on the Amiga..
 
Yeah, it's a "condenser" mic for a reason. In my tracking room, I have my interface and screen and mouse and keyboard, but they are all on extended cables that go through the wall to where the PC lives. PCs make too much noise to be in the recording area.

I have preamps with enough gain to pick up cars going by outside, from within my soundproofed studio.
 
I won't have iso from live drums where I'm recording, but I can use a basement bathroom for an iso booth for everything else.

Thanks again!

Gonna start a new thread on home recording for beginners and I'm going to move my questions there.
 
My friend has the same unit and he came over and bought some mics and my drummer laid 2 rough drum tracks for 3 of our songs.

We only needed 8 tracks for drums.

I will try to post some raw stuff of the drums, but I don't have monitors and I bet it sounds awful, but my friend showed me a SHIT TON of shit in sonar. This is going to be so fun. 6 hours went by like nothing.
 
 
I need to get back into home recording, been on the road so long I have forgotten most f what I learned. :(
 
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