Home recording Set up

[Dashingmajor]

I use a laptop for my home recording. It's a Lenovo Z61m running XP pro, with a dual core T7200(2GHz), and 2GB RAM, and a 120GB HD.
15.4" screen with max resolution of 1680x1050, so I can see all my plugins.
I have a Steinberg MI4 interface.
My DAW is Ableton Live 5.2.2, and I use Cool Edit Pro for mastering and editing sounds.
I have a M-Audio Oxygen 8 controller keyboard, and use various instruments too.
Yamaha Apx500
Roland Groovebox Mc303
Sequential Circuits Six Trac synth.

I've just ordered a new microphone too, which is a Rode NTA1.

[humndislocation]

I have the most ghetto set-up ever, because I only just got interested in recording music, and I'm too skint to upgrade at the moment

I've got a shitty gaming headset microphone recording my shitty practice amp, going into the audio input box thing that came with my soundblaster audigy 2. For MIDI stuff, I've got a Yamaha PSR-400 keyboard that my uncle kindly donated to me.

I'm using the shitty version of Cubase that came with my soundcard. It won't even let me load VST plug-ins other than the ones that came with it.

As you can imagine, it sounds like utter shit, but I'm surprised it doesn't sound a lot more shit than it is.

[ArchFlameTera]

i have a big fuck all, bar sound forge, beatcraft and acid.

can someone reccomend a decent sound card and interface? not looking to spend too much though!

[Dashingmajor]

Originally Posted by ArchFlameTera

i have a big fuck all, bar sound forge, beatcraft and acid.

can someone reccomend a decent sound card and interface? not looking to spend too much though!

I'm looking for a new interface as well, since the pre-amps on the MI4 are extremely noisy for the balanced inputs, and I can't figure out how to stop it.
I've looked at the Edirol UA-25, which seems to have a good bit going for it, especially the balnaced outs. But I'd prefer xlr inputs, but TRS i suppose is just as good, and means the inputs can be used for standard jacks too.
I've also seen someone using it in a live setting, and it sounded pretty decent.
M-Audio ones look good too M-Audio Mobile Pre USB | Dolphin Music
but this one is limited to 16 bit recording.

Dolphin Music
and
Untitled Document

are good sites to look at a lot of stuff, but i'm sure you'd be able to find most stuff cheaper elsewhere.

[ArchFlameTera]

cheers ill go have a look!

[scottyboy]

i think the m-audio interface/soundcard and pre-amps etc are meant to be pretty good for the price. and shure sm57 for a versatile mic.

i want to get into home recording at some point (i.e when i have some cash), just for the fun of it really. ages ago i got some freebie sequencer with plugins so i tried experimenting a bit but getting a decent sound out of a behringer mic straight into the integrated sound card proved pretty much impossible

[ubermensch]

Originally Posted by Dashingmajor

M-Audio ones look good too M-Audio Mobile Pre USB | Dolphin Music
but this one is limited to 16 bit recording.

I have the m-audio mobilepre - it's pants and distorts at pretty low levels. Although, for the price I paid for it (£50) you could do worse - I've had some small joy with recording low quality demos with it.

[Rosco the Bosco]

PC Stuff: Pentium 4 3.4ghz, 1Gb RAM, 2 x 19" TFT monitors, NVIDIA Geforce FX 5700LE, Windows XP, Nuendo, Ableton, Reason, Vegas and Soundforge. loads and loads of plug ins

Soundcard: M-Audio Delta 24/96 (pretty shit, but does the job)

Mixer: Peavey PV6 (worst mixer in the world, but its all i could afford at the time)

Speakers: Roland DM-20 (not the best, but ok for the price)

Keyboards: Roland A-33 76key Midi controller, Microkorg

Other stuff: Line 6 Pod (my amp is way too big to use in my tiny flat), Beyerdynamic DT 100's.

Mics: 1x Audio Technica AT3035 (meh, okish) 2x Behringer B1's (crud) 1x SM58 (borrowed from robin )


I only really use it for messing around with so it does me fine. I cant really justify spending a lot of money on upgrading it. I'd just use robin for anything that was important.

[daniel_goldbloom]

After years of using an old Boss BR-8 & Korg Electribe sampler rhythm thingy,
i've just switched over to Ableton 6. It's really easy to get into and it's tremendous fun, it seems like i'll be able to do things a hundred times quicker from now on.
I have the same model macbook as Alex I think, and I also have an Access Virus TI synth, which I haven't really made the most out of yet.

[Rosco the Bosco]

Originally Posted by Thee Alex

I forgot to mention that I have an M-Audio Oxygen 8v2 midi keyboard.

The MacBook is fantastic for recording on and Live is one of the greatest things ever.

I got a G5 mac for free from work, but its still in its box in the cupboard. Its just the actual box, no OS etc... I cant afford to buy all the software etc to get it up and running, especially when i have a PC that does the job fine at the mo.

[mrlizard]

My home recording setup consists of:

20 channel Amek Bc3 (neve designed pre's and eq) plus bantam patchbays
16 channel in-line allen & heath gs3 (for sale if anyone wants it)
Motu 24 i/o
Motu 2408 mk3
x2 m-audio delta 1010 (also for sale)
M-audio 1010ai adat interface (for sale)
Presonus Central station
FMR audio RNP
FMR audio RNC
FRM audio RNLA
DBX 166
behringer headphone amp
Oram octasonic, 8 channel mic pre
Universal audio LA-610 valve mic pre and compressor
Hafler P3000 200 watt amp
Line 6 pod pro
Rack mounted PC core2 duo 2.66, 2 gig ram, silent coolers, RAID 10 array 760gb drive space, 5 hard drives
universal audio UAD1 - studio pak

mics, headphones:

Royer r121
neumann Tlm 103
x2 sennheiser 421
x2 Beyer m260 dual ribbon
x3 shure beta 98
x1 shure beta 52
x1 shure sm7
x1 reslo ribbon
x3 AKG C451 (2 broken)
x1 shure beta 57
x2 audio technica 4033
x1 sennheiser e609
x1 langevin cr2001
x6 sm57
x4 sm58
x1 akg d112
x2 beyer DT100
x1 beyer DT150

x1 stageline 30 meter multicore
x1 van damme 32 channel stagebox on edac
x40 meters sommer multicore on edac plus xlr tails

backline:

Mapex saturn pro drumkit, fusion sizes
Marshall 2x12
Hiwatt 4x12
Sovtek Mig 60
Marshall JCM 800, 50 watt
Ampeg SVT, skunkworks 85 of 500 made (mine until nico pays for it)
tambourines and a shakey eggs.
crappy yamaha keyboard from the early 90's
various whistles, acoustic guitars, mandolins and strange bowed instruments.

Lots of big flightcases that make good coffee tables.

[mrlizard]

Originally Posted by Rosco the Bosco

PC Stuff: 1x SM58 (borrowed from robin ).

Is that where it went!!! you've still got it!

[mrlizard]

Originally Posted by scottyboy

i think the m-audio interface/soundcard and pre-amps etc are meant to be pretty good for the price. and shure sm57 for a versatile mic.

the m-audio pre's are gash for anything serious, for demo's, field recording or stuff thats deliberately meant to sound a bit pish they'd be ok. The sm57 is only a versatile mic through the right pre i find. Although if it were a choice between a cheapo condensor with a crazy harsh hyped top end, shitty off-axis response and behringer written on it, i'd take the 57 any day.