Home Recording

markwho

I have the following setup at home,
Sound treated room, Pro tools LE with some decent plugins, M-Audio Ultra 8R with none of the reported faults with some of the preamps, an spl goldmike 9844 preamp, a tl audio ebony a3 preamp, shure 57beta x 3, shure 52a x 3, rode nt2-a x 2, shure 58beta, rode nt5(matched pair), A mackie desk with the XDR Pre-Amps, and a fairly specced out pc, and some really nice krk monitors I have a top-notch backline. Dont need to go into that

But my question is - is this enough to get a radio quality song out there?
Please dont give me any answers such as the only thing you need is years of grinding etc. i know this.
Technically speaking, is that all i need, if not, what else would i need? I have other things like headphone preamps, cables, etc. so no need to list stuff like that.

madtheory

A top class vocal mic is missing from that list I think. Here are some suggestions: AT4033, AT4040, AKG C-414, Neumann U87, EV RE-20, Shure SM-7.

Is it the big KRKs or the little ones?

What's your go to reverb? What's your go to compressor? I'm focussing on the vocal...

Do you have/ need a live room for drums or ensembles?

PaulBrewer

markwho wrote: »

I have the following setup at home,
Sound treated room, Pro tools LE with some decent plugins, M-Audio Ultra 8R with none of the reported faults with some of the preamps, an spl goldmike 9844 preamp, a tl audio ebony a3 preamp, shure 57beta x 3, shure 52a x 3, rode nt2-a x 2, shure 58beta, rode nt5(matched pair), A mackie desk with the XDR Pre-Amps, and a fairly specced out pc, and some really nice krk monitors I have a top-notch backline. Dont need to go into that

But my question is - is this enough to get a radio quality song out there?
Please dont give me any answers such as the only thing you need is years of grinding etc. i know this.
Technically speaking, is that all i need, if not, what else would i need? I have other things like headphone preamps, cables, etc. so no need to list stuff like that.

Yes

markwho

madtheory wrote: »

A top class vocal mic is missing from that list I think. Here are some suggestions: AT4033, AT4040, AKG C-414, Neumann U87, EV RE-20, Shure SM-7.

Is it the big KRKs or the little ones?

What's your go to reverb? What's your go to compressor? I'm focussing on the vocal...

Do you have/ need a live room for drums or ensembles?

They are the big ones i think. RP6's. Neumann u87, man i wish i could get one of those. SM-7 seems like the most affordable option, or would i be better off getting one of the audio technica mics?
And for compression, i was going the smack! plugin for protools. Saw it at a friends house and it worked very well from what i saw. I have a behringer quadgate lying around too, i must saw it makes a very nice cup stand.
And as for reverb i'm slightly at a loss as to what to do, spend around three, four hundred euro on a really good digital reverb plugin. Not sure which, maybe one of the universal audio ones. Or should i spend the same money on a low-medium grade outboard reverb. Cos i dont want to go out and spend the money and regret going the other way.
What do ya think?
And as for live room, i have a room, its about 350 sq ft. with a three metre high roof, and some bass traps around the drumkit. Acoustics arent really my forté though. But i am reading up on it at the moment though.

markwho

PaulBrewer wrote: »

Yes

Sorry if i came across as rude by the way. i have been at this for a good while, well two or three years isnt considered much compared to most around here, still not some ejeet who has more money then sense. and im upgrading alot of my gear, mainly preamps and mics, just wanted to know do i have the right stuff and is there anything else left to get. And on websites like gearslutz etc. every second person is always saying with years of practice you can radio quality on behringer mics and mic input into a pc, why you wasting your money, or you can only get decent quality by spending €30,000. It does get a bit tedious at times.

PaulBrewer

markwho wrote: »

Sorry if i came across as rude by the way. i have been at this for a good while, well two or three years isnt considered much compared to most around here, still not some ejeet who has more money then sense. and im upgrading alot of my gear, mainly preamps and mics, just wanted to know do i have the right stuff and is there anything else left to get. And on websites like gearslutz etc. every second person is always saying with years of practice you can radio quality on behringer mics and mic input into a pc, why you wasting your money, or you can only get decent quality by spending €30,000. It does get a bit tedious at times.

The sky is the limit Mark . If you're thinking of running anything commercial what you have isn't anything more than functional.

But there are lots of tracks done either entirely or in part on a system like yours.

There is always better - in fact I'd suggest that the pres you have probably don't sound any better in a finished track than the 002 ones, but are perfectly funtional.

I'm a great advocate of buying stuff once - i.e save up for the industry standard tools as you shop , you then use them for your entire career. Things like U87s or 1176 compressors are good examples and why one doesn't see too many secondhand. Lads buy them and keep them.

To go back to you original question -

"is this enough to get a radio quality song out there?"

Yes remains the answer.

To add another - could everything be better and contribute to a better result ?

Yes, again.

'2 or 3 years' is still very much in the 'Beginners' section in my book by the way

markwho

Yeah i still consider myself a beginner. Mainly just spent the last first two years reading books nonstop and messing around with cubase. Could only actually afford to buy a protools in the last year. Loving protools at the moment. Still getting the hang of it though.
But yeah the main thing that seems to be biggest killer costwise is Vocals. Tis causing me alot of trouble. And i'm all for buying stuff once, but i couldnt see myself being able to afford something like a u87 for a long time.
So i'd just be looking for something in between. Most of the stuff i buy is used, and the best thing about musical equipment is it doesnt depreciate especially if its in good condition.
Can even get some ridiculous deals, once got a pearl studio kit with paiste5 cymbals and dw4002 for €400. Some guys son moved to australia and decided to stay so his dad decided to move his drumkit, didnt have a clue. Was in the buy and sell for Drumkit with tom toms and pedal. Best deal ever.
So i dont mind buying a mid-range vocal mic and then selling it on to fund a higher level vocal microphone. If i was to buy a top of the range i probably would buy brand new. Cos as you said when you get to the top theres no need to upgrade.

PaulBrewer

markwho wrote: »

But yeah the main thing that seems to be biggest killer costwise is Vocals.

Remember the Vocal sound is a combination of all the components in that chain - mic, cable, pre ,compressor, eq , analogue to digital converter , plugins, digital summing, digital to analogue conversion, analogue summing ..... (not to mention the obvious singer/room)

That's a whole heap of variables, right there.

I remember in the first studio I worked in we bought a C451 and a C414 and I thought they were going to make a HUGE difference ...not so when connected to a poxy Allen and Heath Syncon B recorded on to a ballixed Ampex 16 track machine and then a Revox B77 !

markwho

Yeah, i see your point. Is it possible to get a good quality vocal chain for under a €1,000?
I suppose there really are so many variables though, that it can be difficult.
I spose i just go down the route of sticking with instrumental bands. It'll make my life far easier anyway :P

PMI

markwho wrote: »

Yeah, i see your point. Is it possible to get a good quality vocal chain for under a €1,000?
I suppose there really are so many variables though, that it can be difficult.
I spose i just go down the route of sticking with instrumental bands. It'll make my life far easier anyway :P

Prob domestic quality?!?

Mic Pre's really make a difference and you shouldnt skimp to much there and then the mic, so I would estimate a pretty good setup would cost ya 2.5k just on them, and they look pretty boring not to many lights to show off with etc..

i57dwun4yb1pt8

a DAV bg1 preamp
and either an shure sm7
or an oktava 319 from mike joly ( oktavamod .com )

is a pretty good setup for approx 800 - 900 euro

for vocals ( and guitars )

for the home chap