Recording Setup at Home - Suggestions

[NOLA Bass]

Hey guys,

I have things like a brand new iMac with garage band, Avalon U5, Shure SM58. So, the main items I'm looking to start with are a good interface (maybe 2 channels in case say a guitar and vocal at the same time), and what mics to go with first.

I'd like to get some stuff I can grow with, so a mic that will translate into future projects (not to mention being able to use stuff when I can renovate my garage into practice room/studio down the line).

The goal is just to record some demo stuff, ideas, etc. in my little music room.

[Hellbastard]

Budget?

[NOLA Bass]

Well, I'm fairly open. I just got $750 in selling off some unused gear, so it would be nice to keep any charges off the old Visa card.

[bassgod0dmw]

The Apogee Duet is a great interface for a Mac.

[NOLA Bass]

Originally Posted by bassgod0dmw

The Apogee Duet is a great interface for a Mac.

I'm glad you mentioned that. I was curious in comparing this with something like the Presonus Firestudio Mobile:

PreSonus FireStudio Mobile | Sweetwater.com

It seems like the Presonus has more features, but does one have better sound quality, etc.?

[Hellbastard]

Presonus makes great products for low prices, I had a Firestudio Project and I loved it.
The Apogee is more portable and if I'm not mistaken it has a better A/D converter with a bit more of dynamic range.

Working with your Budget I build the following list:
1 Presonus fiestudio Mobile $250
1 Shure Sm 57 $ 99 (Does it all, with fairly decent results and it's cheap)
1 AKG C1000 $199 (The SM57 of the small diaphragm condensers)
1 Rode NT1a $229 (Really nice Large diaphragm Condenser, great for recording vocals, but also works as single drum overhean and for acoustics instruments as well)

It gives you a total of 777 dollars. Now if you don't have monitors, drop the sm57 and the rode and get a pair of small nearfileds like the KRK RP5.

[Baron Von Vik]

I'm using the Alesis Multimix 4, a USB plug and play 3 channel mixer. Simple and "tackhammer" easy to use, no bells and whistles. $79, it works as advertised.

[NOLA Bass]

Originally Posted by Hellbastard

Presonus makes great products for low prices, I had a Firestudio Project and I loved it.
The Apogee is more portable and if I'm not mistaken it has a better A/D converter with a bit more of dynamic range.

Working with your Budget I build the following list:
1 Presonus fiestudio Mobile $250
1 Shure Sm 57 $ 99 (Does it all, with fairly decent results and it's cheap)
1 AKG C1000 $199 (The SM57 of the small diaphragm condensers)
1 Rode NT1a $229 (Really nice Large diaphragm Condenser, great for recording vocals, but also works as single drum overhean and for acoustics instruments as well)

It gives you a total of 777 dollars. Now if you don't have monitors, drop the sm57 and the rode and get a pair of small nearfileds like the KRK RP5.

You are right on. I just got off the phone with a bandmember who has a great home studio, and we decided two of my first purchases would be the Presonus Audiobox 44VSL and Rode NT1-A. I'll be picking up an SM57 as well. I'll check out that AKG!

[bassgod0dmw]

Originally Posted by NOLA Bass

It seems like the Presonus has more features, but does one have better sound quality, etc.?

People rant and rave about the Apogee stuff. I don't have any first hand experience with it, but I know trusting people who have used them and said they were great.

I had the older version of that Presonus a while back and I wasn't too happy with it. One of my drummers has one of their 8 input units and loves it. We recorded our demo on it and it sounded great.

I just picked up a Focusrite Pro24 DSP and I'm very impressed with it. I chose it over the Presonus stuff. It's firewire though, and I don't remember if Macs have FW or not. I think they make a similar model that's USB. Focusrite gets pretty excellent reviews and is well known in the recording would. Right before I bought it, I asked the salesman if I should be looking at anything else and he went straight for the Apogee...but I don't use a Mac.

[Rodger Bryan]

Every Apogee converter/preamp I've tried, I have liked. I use the Apogee Jam for recording single bass tracks into Garage Band. The Duet would be great if you were not going to do live multi-track recordings right away, but you could mix down to two channels with great results.

If you wanted to save up for a real balls-out expandable & portable system also designed to work with Macs, check out Metric Halo's offerings.

[ZebZeppelin]

I have a simple setup; a Zoom H4 to macbook (usb) and logic daw... EXTREMELY portable and there is no complaints about sound quality.

[saxnbass]

Apogee Duet 2 is an awesome 2 channel interface. It's pricey, but I don't think you'll find a better 2 channel interface without going preamps and converters separately and spending probably three times the cash. This is just my opinion, of course. There is also the RME BabyFace, but I'd personally go with the Duet 2 over the BabyFace.

This is assuming you already have mics and monitors.

[NOLA Bass]

I ended up getting the Presonus Audiobox 1818VSL. I figured that it made sense to spend a little extra now and have a unit capable of recording a drum kit or full band down the line even if it starts in my little music room. I also ordered a Rode NT1a and SM57 to go with my SM58, so slowly but surely making a little progress.

[Hellbastard]

Originally Posted by NOLA Bass

I ended up getting the Presonus Audiobox 1818VSL. I figured that it made sense to spend a little extra now and have a unit capable of recording a drum kit or full band down the line even if it starts in my little music room. I also ordered a Rode NT1a and SM57 to go with my SM58, so slowly but surely making a little progress.

Great, plus you have the option to add 8 more channels via adat.

[bassgod0dmw]

Nice!

[roadkill2309]

I'm also on the lookout for a new interface. Looking forward to a review of the one whut got bought.