My Current setup:
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One Mackie Onyx 1640 Mixer W/ Firewire Card Option. (16x4 w/ firewire audio interface).
I have had no problems with this unit. It is a solid and complete mixer for my needs. I like the fact that the digital outs are pre everything. It's the perfect solution
for live recording. It's a fine mixer for any midsized venue. It's all I need for performing the small band demo production service that I provide.
One Tascam US-122 USB Audio Interface (secondary two track unit, for smaller projects)
Alot of people say they are having problems with this unit (US-122). At first I had problems getting to understand the monitoring configuration, but once I got a handle on
it, I was cool with it. It's a fine little two track live preamp interface. I just can't use an amp sim for overdubs, but no big deal, it's mostly here for stereo
tracking of live rooms with smaller ensembles anyway.
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Softwares: Mackie Tracktion 1, Cubase LE (included w/ tascam unit), Wavelab 4.01(OEM w/ my laptop).
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PC platform: One Sager np5670 laptop computer,(P4, 1 gig ram, 800fsb, all major audio/video ports).
Maxtor PCMCIA cardbus Firewire Card, for use with the Mackie Onyx Mixer and/or My 120g 1394/USB HDD. I rotate ext hdd to FW when using the USB interface and back to USB
when using the FW interface, so as not to cause any unusual bottle necks on either.
No control surface yet... ...sigh...I mix inside the software for now. Not to say I don't want a controller. Can't afford one at the moment. I would need at least 16
channels of control at a time, with banking for more channels to be happy. Will probably purchase as funds become available.
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Mediocre mic collection:
-Drum mics (PEAVEY PVM DMS drum mic kit). I get very good results with this mic kit.
-Instrument mics (AKG D770 x3).
-Vocal mics (AKG D880M x2).
-Small diaphragm condensers (AKG C430 2x).
-Large diaphragm condensers (MXL 990 x2) (haven't found a good use for these yet).
-Various other lesser quality vocal mics for backup in a pinch. (x6).
-Mic stands (6x tall and 1x short, with case).
-Cables (32x XLR, 5-7x 1/4")...(various other cables).
-16ch mic splitter box (whirldwind, transformer isolated).
-16ch snake (whirlwind 16x4).
-Utility cases for cables and snake/splitter box and Alesis Monitors. (SKB 2x).
-Monitors for playback (Alesis M1A-MkII, powered).
-Power cord 100ft. (1x).
-Sony MDR 7506 Professional Studio Headphones for tracking in loud environments. (great option).
-Fostex T20 and T20RP STudio Headphones, for more of an open back type sound.
-Would like to acquire a nice pair of AKG-K271 and Sennheiser HD-280 pro.
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Comments:
Except for the MXL mics, this setup is a great live recording setup for small bands, orchestral events
and acoustic shows...or just about any small event or happening in a small to mid sized venue or room.
This system will provide the ability to record, edit and render a clean, clear professionally produced "live demo" CD for a small to mid sized performing act of any kind in
a live venue or other room.
This system should be able to allow for reasonably intricate edits on each track of the recording, to provide for a polished and professional result.
This setup is not intrusive, in any way, with the FOH mix.
In fact, the recording of the program material should be made simpler by the firewire option inside the mixer, as opposed to using a more intricate AD/DA setup. WHich is
what i'm trying to avoid. I like the simplicity of this setup. I like the software.
My only wants for this system are: More professional software, more and better mics, more and better stands, and a more properly treated space for mixdown (via Auralex
type products)...
Would you use this system and be able to produce good quality demos? What would you change? What do you like about this setup? If you could change anything, how would
you change it, and what route would you take to get the change underway? I'm not against selling gear to get things I need, "in the now."
I like the setup so far. I just don't get much socialization with other engineers, and I'm interested in your feedback and suggestions. I promise not to take offense if
you find any piece of my setup to be crap. I'll take your suggestions and research them and go from there.
Throw me some feedback fellas.
suggestions for my rig.
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- KVRAF
- 6740 posts since 25 Mar, 2002 from sheffield, england
Your price? Whatever the market will bear! 
My formula is: price of local competition minus however much I want the work..
You can never have too many mics though.. look for some second-hand SM58's to bulk out your mic box a bit, and consider one or two good condensers: I got myself an SE Electronics Z5600A multi-pattern valve mic a while ago for a fairly reasonable price.. it sounds great!
If you can afford one (or are lucky enough to find one second-hand like me
) I would recommend getting a Beyer M88 dynamic mic too.. they're amazingly versatile things with enough bottom end to make great kick drum / floor tom / bass amp mics, while also sounding warm and 'expensive' on anything from vocals to brass instruments.. they have a nice tight hyper-cardioid pick-up pattern which makes them a good choice in live situations.
My formula is: price of local competition minus however much I want the work..You can never have too many mics though.. look for some second-hand SM58's to bulk out your mic box a bit, and consider one or two good condensers: I got myself an SE Electronics Z5600A multi-pattern valve mic a while ago for a fairly reasonable price.. it sounds great!
If you can afford one (or are lucky enough to find one second-hand like me
) I would recommend getting a Beyer M88 dynamic mic too.. they're amazingly versatile things with enough bottom end to make great kick drum / floor tom / bass amp mics, while also sounding warm and 'expensive' on anything from vocals to brass instruments.. they have a nice tight hyper-cardioid pick-up pattern which makes them a good choice in live situations.-
- KVRAF
- 12977 posts since 29 Sep, 2003 from Ottawa, Canada
You lost me at "My current setup".
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- KVRAF
- 12977 posts since 29 Sep, 2003 from Ottawa, Canada
Trust me, I've wasted my time on worse things. If I had back all the time in my life that's been an utter waste, I'd have... well, almost an entire other lifetime.
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- KVRAF
- 12977 posts since 29 Sep, 2003 from Ottawa, Canada
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- KVRAF
- 5851 posts since 9 Jul, 2002 from Helsinki
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- KVRAF
- 2009 posts since 9 Apr, 2003 from Cornwall, UK
T2 upgrade. how about the waves plugins for sound manipulation? A dwarf to carry it all for you.
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 1820 posts since 28 Mar, 2005
i dont touch my audio with any nasties before it gets to disk. i want only raw signal for maximum flexibility at mixdown.
only the french use compression before disk. and you see what that can cause...
...but seriously, i only use outboard compression for FOH/MON. my advice is to experiment with raw signal compared to compressed signal sometime. you'll get better mixes. it's just smarter not to add anything before disk.
if you have the raw tracks, its like being able to tell the band to play the song over and over again, the same way, so you can get everything dialed in. rather than having to dial it in in advance and having to commit to that possibly bad setting.
don't commit to anything before mixdown. it's just way to french. haha! jk about the french thing. ...or am i?
only the french use compression before disk. and you see what that can cause...
...but seriously, i only use outboard compression for FOH/MON. my advice is to experiment with raw signal compared to compressed signal sometime. you'll get better mixes. it's just smarter not to add anything before disk.
if you have the raw tracks, its like being able to tell the band to play the song over and over again, the same way, so you can get everything dialed in. rather than having to dial it in in advance and having to commit to that possibly bad setting.
don't commit to anything before mixdown. it's just way to french. haha! jk about the french thing. ...or am i?
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 1820 posts since 28 Mar, 2005
oooooo! now you've gone and said it!Tingle wrote:A dwarf to carry it all for you.
the last time i let a dwarf around my rig, i spent the next month trying to get his whole family out of the house, and some chick they had hanging around with them... nasty really.
they sang ok, but they were lousy help. mostly they just hung around the house, sleeping, being grouchy and dopey for four weeks. and the chick thought she was some kind of princess. imagine! ...and the mess!
i'd rather a hobbit take my gear through the dark depths of mordor, or to have it all spend a week in helms deep than have a dwarf working for me again! that's for sure!
and i think i heard a bit of a french accent in one of them.
