Setting up a home recording studio

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Setting up a home recording studio

Post by Emir »

Hello

I am at that stage now where I want to set up a makeshift home recording studio using my laptop to put together some demos etc.

I am not too familiar with all the equipment you need and how it all works. I have had a look at USB mics, but I think I would preferably like to get a microphone to use through a mixer.

Does anyone have any suggestions on a microphone and mixer I could look at around a budget of $500?

Advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks :)

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Re: Setting up a home recording studio

Post by Edwards »

Good quality sound card that doesn't have latency.
Edit: sorry, Im guessing you already have that
Last edited by Edwards on Thu Jan 17, 2013 7:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Setting up a home recording studio

Post by aliasceiza »

You want a usb mic preamp, not necessarily a whole mixer, presonus audiobox, is in your price range, although I didn't like it much, lots of others do though,there is also the art project mix usb preamps, they work alright, and one or two M-audio products too, although I'm not that familiar with their stuff, and an audio tecnica at2020 will record most sources just fine, but you'll need phantom power in the preamp to run the mic, so check that out before buying...and most preamps come with at least a basic form of recording software, and good instructions on how to get it working!

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Re: Setting up a home recording studio

Post by alanp »

How good are mixers with USB out compared to usb mic preamps?
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Re: Setting up a home recording studio

Post by bender »

I'd aim for a USB audio interface/mic preamp. A 2-channel one will give you reasonable flexibility. I don't particularly like them but the AT2020 mics from Jansen are good value for money. Otherwise it's hard to go past a Shure SM57 or Audix i5 as a first mic. You could also do a lot worse than a 12-guage mics Red12 or Green12- they're dirt cheap at $35US and really decent sounding for recording acoustic guitar in particular. Slash-Ed might be bringing some in.

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Re: Setting up a home recording studio

Post by dayl »

Welcome to the world of home PC recording. Prepare to be confused and frustrated haha.

As Ben has pointed out, yup go with the audio interface with mic pres and a line in. You don't need a mixer as there with usually be bundled software to take it's place.

Mic wise.... yeah.. keep it tried,true and simple and snag yourself an SM57

You can start off with that and one of these (this is just for example) just to get you started and see if it's for you.
http://www.trademe.co.nz/music-instrume ... 892852.htm

From there , you can always upgrade later. $500 will get you recording easily. If you want new, you may be able to snag a nice lil Focusrite Scarlett2i2 and an SM57 for around the $500 mark, check out the Scarlett Studio pack from focusrite too... may be in the ball part and you'll be away.

Good Luck

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Re: Setting up a home recording studio

Post by NZRS-Dave »

alanp wrote:How good are mixers with USB out compared to usb mic preamps?
Kinda depends on what you want to do. At the price range the OP is talking about, I'd suggest that there isn't much between a mixer preamp and an audio interface preamp. What you would want to watch for is what quality it records in. Some of the cheap mixers are 16bit 44khz only ... which is okay ... but some of the audio interfaces will be 24bit 96khz.

USB outs on mixers are generally just to record a the MAIN OUTs of the mixer.
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Re: Setting up a home recording studio

Post by NZRS-Dave »

OP - I think an Audix i5 and a Focusrite 8i6 would be a good place to start.

http://www.rockshop.co.nz/shop/recordin ... eamps.html
http://www.rockshop.co.nz/shop/livesoun ... n-usa.html

I could make that really close to $500 for you.

There is a Focusrite Saffire 6 at $279 that would slide nicely under the budget ... but for the extra that takes you up to the Scarlett range which is red, and therefore better - but you also get more ins and outs which can be helpful down the track.

If you wanted to go for the wonderful world of Line6 and their modelling software ... you could look at the Pod Studio UX1 ($199), or the UX2 ($349).

http://www.rockshop.co.nz/shop/catalogs ... +studio+ux
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Re: Setting up a home recording studio

Post by nzsimon1 »

The little Allen & Heath zed mixers have USB in and out really good preamps and build quality
Nutted pots individual cct boards and an internal power supply

They also have two of their inputs configurable to plug a guitar directly in and come with some software in the package

Would the forum be interested in a deal on a mixer and an AT2020 for home recording seeing as this comes up a lot
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Setting up a home recording studio

Post by Eruera »

+1 on the A&H Zed

They're only 48khz (well my z22 is anyway) but that's plenty good for starting out and those preamps are killer for the $$$

aliasceiza

Re: Setting up a home recording studio

Post by aliasceiza »

It's also unlikely that a beginner set-up is going to be able to run anything more than 16 bit 44.1khz, or that a beginner home recording person will hear/appreciate the difference, so nothing wrong there!

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Re: Setting up a home recording studio

Post by Danger Mouse »

aliasceiza wrote:It's also unlikely that a beginner set-up is going to be able to run anything more than 16 bit 44.1khz, or that a beginner home recording person will hear/appreciate the difference, so nothing wrong there!
When I got my stuff I read a few positive and negative reviews about the interface I ended up with, but with the level and quality of the home recording I do, all that really mattered was that it worked.
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Re: Setting up a home recording studio

Post by dayl »

Haha, nothing wrong with 16/44.1 at all :D

For a majority of people starting out it's going to sound better than they will.

aliasceiza

Re: Setting up a home recording studio

Post by aliasceiza »

That's what i said!

Those little A and H mixers are good, and only going to 48khz doesn't matter.

Likewise with the art project mix dual preamps, heard one for the first time a couple of weeks ago, and there's nothing wrong with them at all!

aliasceiza

Re: Setting up a home recording studio

Post by aliasceiza »

Actually, the art project mix preamp also has a lot of routing options, like direct monitoring etc, so also a bonus, but the hands on coolness of a little mixer like the Z would probably be a good way to start!

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