A
amace
New member
you should take a look at "Komplete Audio 6". Price should be about 200 Bucks. Im working with the AT2020 and the forerunner model, sounds great.
krushing
Active member
Do you already have an interface? The suggestion above ain't bad at all if you don't.
D
Deleted member 436566
Guest
Im in a similar boat, any suggestions people?
B
BlastOff
New member
Forgot to mention, I'm using a m-audio mobile pre interface. So i'm just looking for a good preamp
J
jazjetson
New member
at 200$ just use the pre in your m-audio till you can save a little more.
B
BlastOff
New member
that ish is a no go,, had enough of this mic as it is, got to upgrade someway within budget.
J
jazjetson
New member
i been there before just my 2cents b
krushing
Active member
For that kind of money, you're better off just buying a different sounding mic. Pretty much no preamp in that price range is going to make much of a difference.
B
BlastOff
New member
Guess ill have to dip into my tax money afterall,, whats a good preamp for it then 500$ budget.
krushing
Active member
BLA Auteur, GAP Pre73, Focusrite ISA One, Warm WA-12...and lots of 500 series modules floating around the $500 mark (although usually a bit over this).
T
twoheadedsnake
New member
i picked up an ART tubepac preamp/compressor for like 90 bucks. pretty decent, you're able to bypass the compressor and use it just as a preamp. nice gain on it, designed primarily as a vocal preamp.
ICEN
Punchline God
I just got my audio interface from amazon today I got the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2. I can't give you a real answer sense I didn't get to fully test it but I did do a quick test. I plug everything in, I opened up FL Studio plugged my MXL 4000 into the audio interface put some cheap ass headphones on and listened to myself through the mic. Maybe its my mic or the focusrite or both but to me it sounds pretty damn good for a $120 interface.
Now I say I couldn't test it for a couple reasons, #1 I do not have my pop filter yet or my mic stand so I had to hold my condenser mic in my hand lol I wanted to test it out that bad I just held it in my hand so It was shaking. #2 the headphones I have are old shitty ones so my condenser mic was picking up all the sounds from my headphones because the headphones are so garbage the sound was leaking out.
Once I pick up my new headphones, pop filter, mic stand I can bet that my vocals will sound very good based on what I herd doing a crappy ass half ass test. I'm by no means a expert or telling you to get it but I'd advise looking into it to see if its better or worst than the other interfaces in your price range. TO ME even with the shitty test holding the mic in my hand the vocals came out or at least sounded nice.
I'll probably post up a video/sample what this little $120 interface with my MXL 4000 sounds like AFTER I get my new headphones, pop filter and mic stand so I can record properly. Oh by the way I only tested it out really fast for like 5 mintues, I did no mixing equing, ect so it would sound even better. I had to delete everything on my labtop because it got a virus so I don't have time to mess around right now I have to get all my downloads back. Here are pictures I took of the interface. Oh and heres my mic MXL 4000.
Its a nice little interface has lights that show you if your clipping your vocals which is cool, feels like hard metal seems build good.
Now I say I couldn't test it for a couple reasons, #1 I do not have my pop filter yet or my mic stand so I had to hold my condenser mic in my hand lol I wanted to test it out that bad I just held it in my hand so It was shaking. #2 the headphones I have are old shitty ones so my condenser mic was picking up all the sounds from my headphones because the headphones are so garbage the sound was leaking out.
Once I pick up my new headphones, pop filter, mic stand I can bet that my vocals will sound very good based on what I herd doing a crappy ass half ass test. I'm by no means a expert or telling you to get it but I'd advise looking into it to see if its better or worst than the other interfaces in your price range. TO ME even with the shitty test holding the mic in my hand the vocals came out or at least sounded nice.
I'll probably post up a video/sample what this little $120 interface with my MXL 4000 sounds like AFTER I get my new headphones, pop filter and mic stand so I can record properly. Oh by the way I only tested it out really fast for like 5 mintues, I did no mixing equing, ect so it would sound even better. I had to delete everything on my labtop because it got a virus so I don't have time to mess around right now I have to get all my downloads back. Here are pictures I took of the interface. Oh and heres my mic MXL 4000.
Its a nice little interface has lights that show you if your clipping your vocals which is cool, feels like hard metal seems build good.
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deRaNged 4 Phuk'dup
New member
Roland UA55
I think that's the model?
Edit, just googled, it's a little more than $200, may be able to find one used or on sale. Has alot of functionality for a budget pre/interface.
---------- Post added at 08:15 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:12 PM ----------
I always found Art Pres amazing for the price. Not the best in the world, but for the price, very impressive. Not sure about how long they last, but something's gotta be wrong or those are the best value Pres on the market.
I think that's the model?
Edit, just googled, it's a little more than $200, may be able to find one used or on sale. Has alot of functionality for a budget pre/interface.
---------- Post added at 08:15 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:12 PM ----------
I always found Art Pres amazing for the price. Not the best in the world, but for the price, very impressive. Not sure about how long they last, but something's gotta be wrong or those are the best value Pres on the market.
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B
BlastOff
New member
I was actually looking into getting one of these, but then I thought would I be able to tell any difference? Whats your vocal equipment consist of other then the tubepac?
---------- Post added at 09:40 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:27 AM ----------
Yeah,, not really looking into another interface, as its just a way of getting my signal to the computer. But for one your mic is a little better then mines, which is why your vocals are going to sound nice anyway. I'm not saying I'm not getting good recordings with my AT2020, cause I've made some pretty decent songs after alot of plugins and etc tho. I still know my signal chain should be better. I have to turn my gain up to pic up my voice, the higher the gain, the more it brings out the shittyness of the mic, you understand? This mic tends to have a sort of thin brittle output, and i think a good preamp will thicken it.
---------- Post added at 09:43 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:40 AM ----------
One good question for you experts though, Is it really worth spending 500$ for a preamp for this mic, I mean really is it going to make it sound better so noticeably?
ICEN
Punchline God
I asked the same question about a week ago, I wanted to know if there is even a point of buying a high priced preamp the only answer I keep getting is basically, it will bring out the best of your mic, I get what your saying though because I wondered the same thing, like if you have a lower quality mic I wanted to know if buying a $1000 pre amp would pretty much be a waste since I figured certain mics on the low end don't even have the quality to even get full use out of a high priced pre amp.
People just tell me, oh it will bring out the best of your mic or might as well get it so you have it in the future for when you upgrade to a better mic. Only reason I bought a $120 interface is because people told me theres really no point of upgrading until you get around $500.
Basically what those answers tell me is that people are not sure if the more expensive interface will help a lower priced mic so they just tell you to get it anyways lol so you have it later incase you get a mic that can get the full benifits out of it. If I had $500 laying around I'd probably get a nice preamp but I don't. People have always told me that the mic was more important than the interface then the interface/preamp is second in importance but others disagree.
People just tell me, oh it will bring out the best of your mic or might as well get it so you have it in the future for when you upgrade to a better mic. Only reason I bought a $120 interface is because people told me theres really no point of upgrading until you get around $500.
Basically what those answers tell me is that people are not sure if the more expensive interface will help a lower priced mic so they just tell you to get it anyways lol so you have it later incase you get a mic that can get the full benifits out of it. If I had $500 laying around I'd probably get a nice preamp but I don't. People have always told me that the mic was more important than the interface then the interface/preamp is second in importance but others disagree.
fataltone
Holy Lamb Media & Ent.
yes it will improve your sound quality
but if you really want to improve your sound quality when recording
what do you do you ask??????????
treat your room's acoustics
you can DIY this here a simple way to do this
or go simple with something like this
you can also DIY this too
I'm building one like in the third video this fall
but mines will be 7ft. tall and about 3 feet wider
-Coach Antonio
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deRaNged 4 Phuk'dup
New member
@IceN and anyone else concerned, alot of the "quality that comes with mid range products vs. low end products can be emulated thru stock plugs.
I'm not speaking on higher end gear, but just from my experience.....
Plug ins like a Noise Cancellor, HP Filter, Amp/Leveler, Dyn Comp(not even heavy, just subtle), Reverb(extremely subtle to give ambiance)and EQ can take an AT2020 vocal or instrument recording and make it sound like it was ran thru mid range gear. Alot of people use channel strip emulations for success in this area, I can't knock them I just personally think mixing and matching the best tools you feel for the job give you a better sound than an all in 1 channel strip.
Most of these effects can just be applied to all your vocals at once if you use Aux sends for all your vocals.
I'm not gonna tell you it will sound like a million dollar recording, but it will sound better than an AT2020 running to a $100 interface is presumed to sound by far. I have a few low to mid price mics and making one sound like another is gonna be easy with most of the tools I just mentioned(Reverb aside, that's more to emulate environment than input chain).
I say this because I doubt it will make as much of a difference in most of you guys cases to replace a $100 interface with a $200-500 one before gettig the right room/space for great acoustics while recording. Other outboard gear that can help shape your input(EQs, Comps, ect.)can be found in stock plugs in your DAW, so no reason to recommend them either in that pricerange.
I hate even making posts like these because they always get disagreements, but just my input.
I'm not speaking on higher end gear, but just from my experience.....
Plug ins like a Noise Cancellor, HP Filter, Amp/Leveler, Dyn Comp(not even heavy, just subtle), Reverb(extremely subtle to give ambiance)and EQ can take an AT2020 vocal or instrument recording and make it sound like it was ran thru mid range gear. Alot of people use channel strip emulations for success in this area, I can't knock them I just personally think mixing and matching the best tools you feel for the job give you a better sound than an all in 1 channel strip.
Most of these effects can just be applied to all your vocals at once if you use Aux sends for all your vocals.
I'm not gonna tell you it will sound like a million dollar recording, but it will sound better than an AT2020 running to a $100 interface is presumed to sound by far. I have a few low to mid price mics and making one sound like another is gonna be easy with most of the tools I just mentioned(Reverb aside, that's more to emulate environment than input chain).
I say this because I doubt it will make as much of a difference in most of you guys cases to replace a $100 interface with a $200-500 one before gettig the right room/space for great acoustics while recording. Other outboard gear that can help shape your input(EQs, Comps, ect.)can be found in stock plugs in your DAW, so no reason to recommend them either in that pricerange.
I hate even making posts like these because they always get disagreements, but just my input.
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B
BlastOff
New member
Control room treated acoustically, booth is half way sound dead... wanted to leave a little life in my vocals
---------- Post added at 10:12 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:06 PM ----------
Yeah I was thinking that, might as well gone get a bad ass preamp.... I hear more often that preamps more important than the mic, in most cases. But yeah, might as well gone get a bad ass preamp so when I upgrade to the neumann or akg this summer... I'll already be set, It took me baby steps to get to where I am now, I have my booth all padded up, control room treated, krks on isolation pads, krk 6400 headphones, but now i feel like its time to get a nice preamp, then a better mic. I been using this equip for a while, time to upgrade the preamp and mic and stop playing games.
---------- Post added at 10:19 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:12 PM ----------
I may have came off kinda noobish (which I am) lol! but I am pretty good with pro tools,, I know how to make my vocals sound great, I just know they could be better raw recordings, if you understand me?