Studio upgrade??? what do you think

fataltone

Holy Lamb Media & Ent.
what I plan to do with the equipment

next spring/early summer I'm going to start promoting
mixing/production services

and

hopefully get a lot churches/youth groups
to attain my services to run christian praise parties

first I just want to start off more as the DJ of the parties

then
venture into doing
the whole praise party planning from

food/drink/venue/lights/fog stuff/to hosting video game tournament play at the party(I would provide the 10 hdtvs and 5 xbox or ps3)
I will for sure have 5 Wii game systems for sure and 5 more game systems
Pawn shop all the way on the game system/tvs but this later down the line

I haven't decided which system I want to go with besides the Wii
xbox or ps3(variety right)

anyway to the actual equipment​

this coming feb. I will have $5,500 to $6,000 to spend on equipment upgrades

1.custom Computer desktop for studio w/2 used 24" hdtvs,not computer monitors) $1,500

2.Komplete 8 $500.00

3.JBL monitors $1,500

4.acoustic treatment $800

5.Furman M-8Lx $100

6.Chauvet 4BAR lighting system $400.00

7.Peavey Audio Performer Pack Portable PA System w/ Mixer, Speakers, Mics, Stands 100watt for $400.00 on MusicianFriend
do you think 100watt is good enough for a party for 50-100 kids in a small dining/dance/wedding hall/parking lot????

I was thinking about buying

8.Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol S(for sure on DJ'in)
and
9.Maschine Mikro
together for DJ'in purposes
which is $650 togehter

what do you guys think?????


thanks for any opinions/comments


I will be writing this stuff off of my 2014 taxes
I think it's 75% of total cost and up to $250,000 by what I read
but tax laws change every year

example below lol
You buy a copy machine for $1,600 at the end of March. Assuming the machine has a salvage value of $400, you can depreciate $1,200 of the cost over the life of the copier. A copy machine is considered 5-year property for tax purposes. Under the normal rules, using the straight-line method, you can take the following deductions in the first three years:

Period

Calculation

Deduction

First year

$1,200 / 5 x 75%*

$180

Second year

$1,200 / 5

$240

Third year

$1,200 / 5

$240

The 75% calculation represents the "half-year convention" for assets not in service the entire year.
For new assets put into use after September 8, 2010, and before January 1, 2012, , however, Congress increased the special 50% bonus depreciation to 100% in the 2010 Tax Relief Act; 50% bonus depreciation is available for qualified property placed in service in 2012. So for five-year property, you can depreciate the full amount in the first year.



-Coach Antonio
"Let Me Handle your next Praise Party"

Make Money from Your Music New Money Marketing Forum*
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The Walking On Water Media/Ent. Business Coach Antonio​
 
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That's a lot of stuff Tone. Sounds like you have the studio and party options covered. The only thing I would suggest is having a CPA looking over your financial plan because if you can't write this stuff off you'll be in a serious hole.
 
That's a lot of stuff Tone. Sounds like you have the studio and party options covered. The only thing I would suggest is having a CPA looking over your financial plan because if you can't write this stuff off you'll be in a serious hole.

well I'll be using my tax refund so to me it's a leg up in this situation
and if the Praise Party venture jumps off I'll be in good shape to make double my money back.




-Coach Antonio
"Let Me Handle your next Praise Party"

Make Money from Your Music New Money Marketing Forum*
*Music Business Professionals Read Their Tips
Elite Services for those Who Want to Attain their Goals
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I don't think you have your priorities straight.

Here is some great advice.

1) Don't buy JBL LSR4328's. I have them. I got mine for $500 as a promotion when I worked for Guitar Center. They are not worth the $1,200. I would much rather have two sets of decent monitors for comparison.

2) Don't buy Komplete 8. I also find it very over-priced. I hate Kontakt and the other stuff is easy to replace.

3) Don't use 24" HD tv's as monitors. They suck. Computer monitors are much higher resolution. You need a 1080p HD tv to equal a computer screen.

4) Don't spend $1,500 on a PC. If you are going to spend more than $1,000 get a iMac. Stable, great quality screen and parts, and plenty of power.

5)

I'd get:
iMac $1,200 (Amazing quality screen, processing power, and stability all for cheaper than your PC)
Dynaudio BM5a monitors $1,000 (very clean and open sounding)
Alesis M1 Active mkII $300 (great reference speakers, similar to NS-10m's)
ReFX - Nexus 2 $300
IK Sampletank - $200
FabFilter Creative Bundle - $200 (includes distortion plugin, delay plugin, filter plugin, and Twin2 synth)

So far $3,200 and killer set-up. Also look at audio interface upgrades. Duet is amazing quality for the money but only for Mac.
 
I don't think you have your priorities straight.

Here is some great advice.

1) Don't buy JBL LSR4328's. I have them. I got mine for $500 as a promotion when I worked for Guitar Center. They are not worth the $1,200. I would much rather have two sets of decent monitors for comparison.

2) Don't buy Komplete 8. I also find it very over-priced. I hate Kontakt and the other stuff is easy to replace.

3) Don't use 24" HD tv's as monitors. They suck. Computer monitors are much higher resolution. You need a 1080p HD tv to equal a computer screen.

4) Don't spend $1,500 on a PC. If you are going to spend more than $1,000 get a iMac. Stable, great quality screen and parts, and plenty of power.

5)

I'd get:
iMac $1,200 (Amazing quality screen, processing power, and stability all for cheaper than your PC)
Dynaudio BM5a monitors $1,000 (very clean and open sounding)
Alesis M1 Active mkII $300 (great reference speakers, similar to NS-10m's)
ReFX - Nexus 2 $300
IK Sampletank - $200
FabFilter Creative Bundle - $200 (includes distortion plugin, delay plugin, filter plugin, and Twin2 synth)

So far $3,200 and killer set-up. Also look at audio interface upgrades. Duet is amazing quality for the money but only for Mac.

Acid Pro 6 and FL Studio are my main DAWs for production(I really don't want a iMac I find Macs over-priced)

Cubase is my main tracking/mxing DAW I know is for both Mac and PC

the Custom PC I'm getting build is going to be a little beast somewhat
12gigs of RAM
i7
Western Digital VelociRaptor WD2500HHTZ 250GB 10000 RPM SATA 6.0(C. Drvie)
Western Digital VelociRaptor WD1000DHTZ 1TB 10000 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb(D. Drive)
super quiet fan can remember off the top of my head but it's written down
power supply can't remember off the top of my head but it's written down

I'll do some more research on the computer monitor thing they are cheaper in comparison to HDTVs(thanks for the heads up)

I like Kontakt and Massive( feel confident in my purchase of Komplete 8)

I have SampleTank free version plus I brought some of the Retanks packs

I have Sonicsynth as well when IK had a sell

as far as a audio interface
I'll be getting a Tascam DM-4800 Feb.2014 with the 32in/32out firewire card(very,very,very..very) firm on this purchase
messed around with it at a associate's house just recently after lusting after it for years now over on the Tascam Boards/forums.

as far as the the Dynaduio this are what you're talking about right
Dynaudio BM5A MKII | Sweetwater.com

what about the Dynaudio BM 6A MKII price drop now @$1,500 for a pair
Dynaudio BM 6A MKII | Sweetwater.com

I'm going to go to Guitar Center and listen to some more monitors here before purchase taking your recommendations serious on the monitors

I have the URS Everything EQ and Compressor Bundle
and
my father in law brought me
the T-Racks Deluxe Bundle just recently
and
the Cyrsonic Everything Bundle 10 when it was on sale for I think $89
and I have some of
Bootsy's plugs

so I don't think I need any more signal processing plug-ins


reading your sig
Macbook Pro i7, Digi 002R, JBL LSR4328, CL7602 mic pre, SM7b, GT66, ProTools 10, Reason 5.
I know you listed some other monitors you have what are your go to monitors at the moment??
what exactly don't you like about JBL LSR4328P Pak???
the bottom end,the midrange????

thanks MorningStar




-Coach Antonio
"Let Me Handle your next Praise Party"

Make Money from Your Music New Money Marketing Forum*
*Music Business Professionals Read Their Tips
Elite Services for those Who Want to Attain their Goals
Research and Information Gathering Expert
Building Relationships to Build Success
Get the Information and Direction You Deserve
The Walking On Water Media/Ent. Business Coach Antonio​
 
don't get a mac... If you use the PC for music purposes only then stability won't be an issue... save some cash go PC

I would honestly get a Virus TI snow module (for the daw integration)

and maybe some good tube preamps.

the room treatment is always a good option.
 
don't get a mac... If you use the PC for music purposes only then stability won't be an issue... save some cash go PC

I would honestly get a Virus TI snow module (for the daw integration)

and maybe some good tube preamps.

the room treatment is always a good option.

room treatment already done..I'm just going to be replacing some bass traps and mixing cloud in Feb.2013
these are true life purchases

I'm not saving up to buy a PC

I'm budgeted for real
at $1,000 to $1,500 for a custom build PC

only preamps I'll need will be for color way later down the line(I'll use plug-ins to spice up what I track in)
I'm more of ITB audio engineer

Feb.2014
I'll be purchasing two modified mics in
from here
OktavaMod / Michael Joly Engineering - Boutique Microphones

The Tascam DM-4800 super clean pristine preamps and plenty of them
it's a great mixing board with digital patchbay,and everything you need for your outboard needs

execept for having
a real fasto compressor like KuSh Audio UBK Fatso

and have a real distreessor like the
EMPIRICAL LABS DISTRESSOR EL8X


see 2013
is all about building my production/song development,mixing service,and Praise Party divisions of my company

and
2014
is back to tracking live instruments and tracking artists and developing my own artists
I have tracked over 1000 ppl which is not a ton but was great bootcamp for me throughout the years


my main goal in
2013
is
to have my room treatment replace with better taming material
to have a Custom PC that will kick butt and won't get choked up when dealing with large mixing sessions
to have nice production bundle
to have some amazing acurate studio monitors(this my main concern as there are so many choices I guess I'll have to use the recommendations of others and use my ear
the only problem about using my ears is Guitar Center in my city has a very small limit on the monitors that you can listen to first hand
I think I'll talk to my sweetwater sales engineer
and see if I don't like what I purchased can I do trade in for something more suitable
because reading some of the review
some say the JBL monitors I posted kick the butt out of the exact Dynaudio Monitors that Morning Star recommended
and he believes the JBL monitors aren't worth the money
but he hasn't got back to me yet to what exactly he doesn't like about the JBL
I'm sure he will as he comes on the board later in the night
when I'm in the bed at 5:20a.m. comes fast lol....



-Coach Antonio
"Let Me Handle your next Praise Party"

Make Money from Your Music New Money Marketing Forum*
*Music Business Professionals Read Their Tips
Elite Services for those Who Want to Attain their Goals
Research and Information Gathering Expert
Building Relationships to Build Success
Get the Information and Direction You Deserve
The Walking On Water Media/Ent. Business Coach Antonio​
to have some equipment to will allow me to go from just a music playing DJ to a performing DJ
 
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sweetwater is the place to go! Its a Mecca for music! They will lead you in the right direction for sure :victory:! I personally make the pilgrimage twice a year to see whats new at old sweetwater!
 
Hey man, where are you going to buy Komplete 8 for 500 dollars? Here in Belgium it costs like 800 euros LOL.
 
Look, I have used the JBL's for years. They are great sounding. Amazingly balanced and very smooth highs, defined mids, and tight lows. But they incorporate a lot of electronics that are sales gimmicks that bring up the cost but do little to nothing for the experience. The remote is the only feature I love.

What I'm saying is that if I had to buy monitors based on value and professional sound it would be dynaudio BM5a mkII or Adam A7's. PERIOD!!! They are great and cheap as far as pro monitors go. The Dynaudio are very open and natural sounding and the Adam A7 have a very accurate image.

And again. Don't build a custom PC. Get an iMac. $1,200 and you can install Windows on it so you have both. Now that Apple has bootcamp and it's very stable I see no need to buy power house pc machines. My Macbook pro handles everything very smooth in the windows and osx partitions.

Mac's are not over-priced. I've looked up mac computers based on the hardware cost and if you built one they would easily cost more than Apple charges. The Mac Pro would cost over $6,000 if you built it piece by piece.
 
And again. Don't build a custom PC. Get an iMac. $1,200 and you can install Windows on it so you have both. Now that Apple has bootcamp and it's very stable I see no need to buy power house pc machines. My Macbook pro handles everything very smooth in the windows and osx partitions.

Mac's are not over-priced. I've looked up mac computers based on the hardware cost and if you built one they would easily cost more than Apple charges. The Mac Pro would cost over $6,000 if you built it piece by piece.

PC can run Mac OX as well, given you have proper brands in your PC.

That is still a bad value, For around 6-7 grand you could buy a Tesla system... (A GPU super computer) but im not going to discuss IT on here XD
 
I have a final fine tuned upgrade list


Monitors two set one for mainly production(JBL) the Yamahas(to check mixes)

1. JBL SRL pak w/6" driver $1,000.00

and

2. Yamaha HS50s w/HS10W sub $800
Shopping Cart | Sweetwater.com


Upgrade Computer system
custom PC $800
24" HDMI Computer Monitor x(2) $200

Acoustic treatment
2 of these Primacoustic Stratus Broadband Ceiling Cloud | GuitarCenter
GIK Acoustics




-Coach Antonio
"Let Me Handle your next Praise Party"

Make Money from Your Music New Money Marketing Forum*
*Music Business Professionals Read Their Tips
Elite Services for those Who Want to Attain their Goals
Research and Information Gathering Expert
Building Relationships to Build Success
Get the Information and Direction You Deserve
The Walking On Water Media/Ent. Business Coach Antonio​
 
PC can run Mac OX as well, given you have proper brands in your PC.

That is still a bad value, For around 6-7 grand you could buy a Tesla system... (A GPU super computer) but im not going to discuss IT on here XD

Just so you know I've built Hackintosh machines for over 5 years. I know all about them. They do not run smooth and you constantly have to worry about updates. They have gotten better but a Mac runs Windows a hundred times better than a PC runs OSX. Period. No debate.

And you just proved my point. To build a mac pro would cost over $6k, but a Mac Pro only costs about $2,500. So Macs are a great deal. And I don't know why you would consider spending $6k on any machine at the rate that computer hardware gets outdated.
 
Telsla technology won't be outdated as fast... (it is a Processor with thousands of cores). I don't think anything can really push it to its maximum output...


But to digress, I have no ambition on running mac, this gentleman who started this post doesn't either.


Also, You can build a sytem off the mac pro specs for WAY cheaper... You could even buy a Jupiter 6 or Virus Ti if you are running off a 6k budgt to build that system (with the same benchmarks, not the same exact parts)
 
Question abou those JBL's since you have them MorningStar.....

They have a room correction solution built-in with a mic.. etc. Do you find that this is actually useful?
 
Question abou those JBL's since you have them MorningStar.....

They have a room correction solution built-in with a mic.. etc. Do you find that this is actually useful?

I think he said he doesn't use the RMC technology
I won't be using it either
putting my efforts in
acoustic treatment
if you're handy you can make your own on the cheap..
I'm not handy at all I can barely hang a picture frame so I'm buying my acoustic treatment



-Coach Antonio
"Let Me Handle your next Praise Party"

Make Money from Your Music New Money Marketing Forum*
*Music Business Professionals Read Their Tips
Elite Services for those Who Want to Attain their Goals
Research and Information Gathering Expert
Building Relationships to Build Success
Get the Information and Direction You Deserve
The Walking On Water Media/Ent. Business Coach Antonio​
 
I just want to say it's great your doing something for the youth. It's even greater it to get them and keep them in church. Another thing Let me borrow a dollar lol. That's big list.
 
I think he said he doesn't use the RMC technology
I won't be using it either
putting my efforts in
acoustic treatment
if you're handy you can make your own on the cheap..
I'm not handy at all I can barely hang a picture frame so I'm buying my acoustic treatment

See now I would likely be actually using it.

Granted I will be in a treated area by the time I get these next year... but, i doubt i'll have the capacity to make it an awesome acoustic environment.

I dunno.. I thought I had the monitor choice nailed this time but this thread is throwing a curveball lol.
 
See now I would likely be actually using it.

Granted I will be in a treated area by the time I get these next year... but, i doubt i'll have the capacity to make it an awesome acoustic environment.

I dunno.. I thought I had the monitor choice nailed this time but this thread is throwing a curveball lol.

Morning Star doesn't believe paying $1,500 for the JBL is worth it

I'm going smart and getting the 6" driver version which is only $1,000 and grabbing the Yamaha HS50 and the Yamaha HW10 Sub
which is $800
so for $,1800
I'm getting a great pair of monitors for productio the JBLs
and getting a great monitor/sub system for getting accurate mixes

with the acoustic treatment I'll be putting up I should have a decent room



-Coach Antonio
"Let Me Handle your next Praise Party"

Make Money from Your Music New Money Marketing Forum*
*Music Business Professionals Read Their Tips
Elite Services for those Who Want to Attain their Goals
Research and Information Gathering Expert
Building Relationships to Build Success
Get the Information and Direction You Deserve
The Walking On Water Media/Ent. Business Coach Antonio​


---------- Post added at 03:28 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:24 PM ----------

I just want to say it's great your doing something for the youth. It's even greater it to get them and keep them in church. Another thing Let me borrow a dollar lol. That's big list.

well I always get a pretty decent tax return
and I'll be writing off the equipment to get a some of my money back on my 2014 taxes
using the tax laws to my advantage as any true company does

look into it as least get a home office up RyanHall
 
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