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Author:
Date:
Subject:
thelyricalmind@gmail.com
2008-05-09 13:50:46
Good audio interface for vocals - Digi 002 / Motu MK3 / Emu 1616
Hey, I got a $1,500 price range. So far I've been using a Rode K2 or
Blue Baby Bottle going into a Presonus Eureka going into an M-Audio
Audiophile PCI soundcard. The results have been decent. However, I
want to upgrade the weakest link in my chain... the sound card.
Since the Digi 003 released, the price for the Digi 002 has gone down,
which makes it one of my leading choices because of its solid
reputation and of course, Protools (I've been using Adobe Audition
since it was Cool Edit Pro). The Motu MK3's onboard reverb really
catches my attention also as adding reverb on the computer really
takes up a lot of time and cpu power. The Emu 1616 's price and
reviews make it a huge bang for the buck.
I only record hip hop and r&b. I love my Rode K2 and don't think it
gets much better until you start going into the $3,000 range. I've
thought about upgrading the Eureka to an Avalon 737SP or M5 but not
sure... too many good pres in that price range.
I need only 1 channel for recording vocals. Any suggestions on how to
spend $1,500 for better quality?
You can hear my music at:
www.myspace.com/HassanAnsari
All of the tracks use the setup that I mentioned except "Do You Love
Me Back", which is running through an ADK mic and Mackie 1202VLZ
preamp.
Author:
Date:
Subject:
Arny Krueger
2008-05-11 10:43:13
Re: Good audio interface for vocals - Digi 002 / Motu MK3 / Emu 1616
<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]
Hey, I got a $1,500 price range. So far I've been using a
> Rode K2 or Blue Baby Bottle going into a Presonus Eureka
> going into an M-Audio Audiophile PCI soundcard. The
> results have been decent. However, I want to upgrade the
> weakest link in my chain... the sound card.
Who told you that the sound card was the weakest link?
Author:
Date:
Subject:
thelyricalmind@gmail.com
2008-05-11 13:42:52
Re: Good audio interface for vocals - Digi 002 / Motu MK3 / Emu 1616
On May 11, 9:43 am, "Arny Krueger" <[email protected]> wrote:
> <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> news:[email protected]
>
> Hey, I got a $1,500 price range. So far I've been using a
>
> > Rode K2 or Blue Baby Bottle going into a Presonus Eureka
> > going into an M-AudioAudiophile PCI soundcard. The
> > results have been decent. However, I want to upgrade the
> > weakest link in my chain... the sound card.
>
> Who told you that the sound card was the weakest link?
Are you suggesting something else in my chain is "weaker" than the
$100 soundcard?
Author:
Date:
Subject:
Laurence Payne
2008-05-11 22:56:19
Re: Good audio interface for vocals - Digi 002 / Motu MK3 / Emu 1616
On Sun, 11 May 2008 13:42:52 -0700 (PDT), [email protected]
wrote:
>Are you suggesting something else in my chain is "weaker" than the
>$100 soundcard?
Are you worried that it didn't cost enough? :-)
Seriously, what don't you like about the sound you're recording? You
can certainly change it by choosing a different microphone and by
treating the room you record in. To a lesser extent with a different
preamp. Not at all with boutique "interconnects" :-) Once you're
above the onboard sound or SoundBlaster level there's remarkably
little value added by spending heavily on a soundcard. And your
Audiophile card is very competent.
Author:
Date:
Subject:
Don Pearce
2008-05-11 20:58:18
Re: Good audio interface for vocals - Digi 002 / Motu MK3 / Emu 1616
On Sun, 11 May 2008 13:42:52 -0700 (PDT), [email protected]
wrote:
>On May 11, 9:43 am, "Arny Krueger" <[email protected]> wrote:
>> <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>
>> news:[email protected]
>>
>> Hey, I got a $1,500 price range. So far I've been using a
>>
>> > Rode K2 or Blue Baby Bottle going into a Presonus Eureka
>> > going into an M-AudioAudiophile PCI soundcard. The
>> > results have been decent. However, I want to upgrade the
>> > weakest link in my chain... the sound card.
>>
>> Who told you that the sound card was the weakest link?
>
>Are you suggesting something else in my chain is "weaker" than the
>$100 soundcard?
Any mic you care to buy, by a long, long way is a weaker link than the
sound card.
d
--
Pearce Consulting
http://www.pearce.uk.com
Author:
Date:
Subject:
Mike Rivers
2008-05-12 03:46:31
Re: Good audio interface for vocals - Digi 002 / Motu MK3 / Emu 1616
[email protected] wrote:
> Are you suggesting something else in my chain is "weaker" than the
> $100 soundcard?
I'm beginning to think that your weakest link is you. You haven't yet
told us your problem other than that you "want" to upgrade what appears
to be your weak link because it didn't cost very much. The reason why a
$100 sound card is actually pretty good is because it's a mass market
product and it takes advantage of a lot of engineering that has gone
into making something pretty good at low cost.
If you're really happy with what you're doing but you just want to make
a tiny improvement that you know is possible, then OK, get a better A/D
converter, and a better D/A converter so you can hear what you're doing.
Oh, and you might have to upgrade your monitors and your monitoring
environment as well. But if you're not making pretty good recordings
with what you have now, maybe it's your technique or your acoustic space
that just isn't suitable.
I wouldn't bother with a new sound card, unless your upgrade path is for
more inputs and outputs rather than higher quality A/D and D/A
conversion. if you're not prepared to spend at least $2,000, leave it
alone. What you have just ain't so bad.
--
If you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring and reach
me here:
double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo -- I'm really Mike Rivers
([email protected])
Author:
Date:
Subject:
thelyricalmind@gmail.com
2008-05-13 22:27:34
Re: Good audio interface for vocals - Digi 002 / Motu MK3 / Emu 1616
On May 11, 10:46 pm, Mike Rivers <[email protected]> wrote:
> [email protected] wrote:
> > Are you suggesting something else in my chain is "weaker" than the
> > $100 soundcard?
>
> I'm beginning to think that your weakest link is you. You haven't yet
> told us your problem other than that you "want" to upgrade what appears
> to be your weak link because it didn't cost very much. The reason why a
> $100 sound card is actually pretty good is because it's a mass market
> product and it takes advantage of a lot of engineering that has gone
> into making something pretty good at low cost.
>
> If you're really happy with what you're doing but you just want to make
> a tiny improvement that you know is possible, then OK, get a better A/D
> converter, and a better D/A converter so you can hear what you're doing.
> Oh, and you might have to upgrade your monitors and your monitoring
> environment as well. But if you're not making pretty good recordings
> with what you have now, maybe it's your technique or your acoustic space
> that just isn't suitable.
>
> I wouldn't bother with a new sound card, unless your upgrade path is for
> more inputs and outputs rather than higher quality A/D and D/A
> conversion. if you're not prepared to spend at least $2,000, leave it
> alone. What you have just ain't so bad.
>
> --
> If you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring and reach
> me here:
> double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo -- I'm really Mike Rivers
> ([email protected])
Sound quality is fine but can be better in terms of clarity. I'm
upgrading because I'm going from a desktop to a laptop environment and
because my sound card doesn't offer monitoring capabilities and
because my desktop that has the sound card installed is in another
state and it's a big hassle just to get it here... plus I have some
extra money lying around and haven't bought any toys in a while....
oh, and I haven't recorded any new tracks since last year and want to
make a little come back EP and want a little better sound on it than
my previous stuff. I guess you can say I'm just looking to spend money
to better my home studio in some way.
Author:
Date:
Subject:
Paul Stamler
2008-05-14 06:02:46
Re: Good audio interface for vocals - Digi 002 / Motu MK3 / Emu 1616
<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:eeabb767-5b61-4f0a-94f8-ec812d107a08@j22g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
> >
> > I wouldn't bother with a new sound card, unless your upgrade path is for
> > more inputs and outputs rather than higher quality A/D and D/A
> > conversion. if you're not prepared to spend at least $2,000, leave it
> > alone. What you have just ain't so bad.
>
> Sound quality is fine but can be better in terms of clarity. I'm
> upgrading because I'm going from a desktop to a laptop environment and
> because my sound card doesn't offer monitoring capabilities and
> because my desktop that has the sound card installed is in another
> state and it's a big hassle just to get it here... plus I have some
> extra money lying around and haven't bought any toys in a while....
> oh, and I haven't recorded any new tracks since last year and want to
> make a little come back EP and want a little better sound on it than
> my previous stuff. I guess you can say I'm just looking to spend money
> to better my home studio in some way.
If that's what you're after, may I very seriously suggest that the place to
spend money is on acoustic treatment? Like Mike said, your sound card just
ain't so bad, while practically *everybody* could stand to work on their
recording environment. Yes, even if you just do close-up vocals. You'd be
astonished how much better they sound in a room which supports the sound
instead of screwing it up.
Really. Go get one of F. Alton Everest's books on small-studio acoustics
from the library (inter-library loan if needed), read it, and spend the
money on fixing the room. Make your treatments portable (hanging from wall
hooks?) so you can take them along when you move, or put them in the closet
when you're not recording.
Peace,
Paul
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