my setup so far...

[YOUNG K9]

Mic- Studio Projects C3

Pre-Amp- Presonus TubePre

Soundcard- M-Audio Revolution 7.1



now I plan on sticking with the Studio Projects mic and also the pre-amp...and I'm going to purchase a RNC (Real Nice Compressor) in a few days...but my question is, should I upgrade my soundcard to a Delta 44 or keep the 100 dollar Rev 7.1 that I already have...

2nd Question- If i do upgrade my soundcard, what would u suggest in the 200 dollar range..I have my eye set out on the Delta 44 but I don't really know much about soundcards...If anyone has an knowledge in this area what would be a decent card better than the 44 in this price range?


Thanks.

 

[HERESY]

Yoou might be better off with one of those EMU soundcards (1820 or 1212) or saving up for a delta 1010 or mbox 2. The presonus line of soundcards might fit your budget also, but what are your NEEDS?

 

[50cal]

I would really step back a minute and think before you buy anything...Why are you stuck on keeping anything you have? dont get me wrong its alright but,I would be open to ideas of gettin rid of all that,get a little money back, save a little and get somethin decent..If you are on a budget check that m-box2 the thing is you might be wasting your money like why get a good pre-amp if you have a shitty soundcard etc etc,more money is wasted on buying something cause you are anxious you will do better to ask around look on the net go to http://www.harmony-central.com/ get involved in the forum,there are knowledgeble people on this site but go to recording sites to chop it up with the gurus

 

[mouthpiece]

I would really step back a minute and think before you buy anything...Why are you stuck on keeping anything you have? dont get me wrong its alright but,I would be open to ideas of gettin rid of all that,get a little money back, save a little and get somethin decent..If you are on a budget check that m-box2 the thing is you might be wasting your money like why get a good pre-amp if you have a shitty soundcard etc etc,more money is wasted on buying something cause you are anxious you will do better to ask around look on the net go to http://www.harmony-central.com/ get involved in the forum,there are knowledgeble people on this site but go to recording sites to chop it up with the gurus

I agree

 

[YOUNG K9]

@ Heresy- my needs are to record rap music at the best possible level with the equiptment im working with (or going to be working with). I don't need professional studio sounding material but I would like the best I can get out of recording here at home. and i will check out those cards.

@50CAL- u may be right homie, i may be rushing things and maybe i do need to save up. I mean I am about 75% happy with the sound im getting right now but I'm striving for better.


right now, my complaints are......when i play the music in the car about 75% loud i hear this almost electronic sounding ring to my vocals which is kinda unpleasant to the ears...im not sure what it is but it may be the microphone, pre-amp and/or soundcard. so im looking to replace hopefully the right thing..I mean I know the C3 is a good mic and i'm about 75%happy with the way my voice sounds on it (even though i havent heard it on anything else other than the sm58 and the C1) but imma see how it sounds through the RNC and a new soundcard. If that doesn't solve the problem i'm going to save up for a new mic and maybe pre-amp. So far now i think my best bet is to go ahead and get that soundcard (most likely the Delta 44, but imma do some more research) becuase i think for the sound i want to achieve i think that soundcard will be suitable for the future. So i'll be set on that and i'll most likely save up for a new mic and pre-amp if thats needed. Imma see how the sound goes after i get the soundcard and the RNC.

 

[HERESY]

K9 how good are you at recording? Before you spend ANY money on new gear you need to ask yourself that question and answer it truthfully. If you don't know how to properly record new gear is useless. If you know the gear you have inside and out maybe you should dump a piece or two. Where is your MUSIC coming from VST's or hardware? If I were you I would concentrate on getting a really good soundcard.

 

[MOESES SOULRIGHT THE 2nd]

stay away from the E-Mu in my opinion for recording..i have it right now, and it's great for sampling, some cool effects come with it

i think i would go towards M-Audio
but you have a pretty nice set up right now

remember, the begining of the chain and the end of the chain, are what's most important

it starts with a good mic, then needs a good preamp(you never NEED eq and compression, but it can also be that extra magic the recording needed) and third and equally most important piece of the chain IMO is the A/D that's analog to digital conversion

the emu says it sports the same chip as the Digidesign 192 but the chip isn't the only element in the sound(or lack there of actually) of the AD, and while the 192 isn't that great the E-Mu is worse

 

[MOESES SOULRIGHT THE 2nd]

also what figure do you have the microphone in omni, cardioid or figure eight
just because in some positions the microphone can be getting a lot of sound from other things in the room, i'd keep it in cardioid

but damn i just looked up your soundcard, and it's all unbalanced, that hum is from not having everything grounded

heresy can explain that one further for you

 

[YOUNG K9]

@ Heresy as far as recording goes i think im doing ok with it...i may not not all the tricks of the trade but i know the basics...and Im using Sonar for my recording app. and i know the basics of that aswell...but your right, if u do know your equiptment inside and out u can make the best use out of it. Little by little im learning somethin new everyday, so i'm slowly gettin there.

@YOUNGMOE good lookin out...i don't know what unbalanced means imma do some research on it but if thats the problem i cant wait to get a new soundcard...and about having the microphone on diff switches..i was also wondering about that too...i don't know what each setting does but imma do some research on that too.

 

[sgfromkc]

M-Audio makes the best stuff for the Money....

 

[YOUNG K9]

i got a question...do professional studio's use compressors (hardware) as part of their recording or do they do the compressing via software? just debating weather or not i should get this RNC...ive heard nothin but good things about it.

 

[50cal]

i got a question...do professional studio's use compressors (hardware) as part of their recording or do they do the compressing via software? just debating weather or not i should get this RNC...ive heard nothin but good things about it.

Although there is no right or wrong answer it has been my experience that they use hardware,the rnc Ive heard is good,but if you are trying to obtain better sound your money could be used on a better frontend to your daw and for now use software compressors wich might be good.