Is this setup good enough?

S

Salt-Slasher

New member
I have Windows 7 64bit based computer with usb 3&2, Firewire 1394 6 and 4 pin, esata and S/PDIF coaxial and optical.

I have my own office/chill room, which I have a guitar w/mini amp and 4 pedals, MPK25, and I own Ableton and Cubase!

I want to make this room a jam room/home studio, I want to be able to experiment and learn how to record and play.

I have around 400-450 to get new equipment, so I have came to the conclusion to get an interface and speakers!

Interface:
Line 6 UX2 or FireWire Solo-I like the UX2 but the Solo just seems more well rounded! But I want it to work with Win7 64 and Ableton/cubase.

Speakers:
Kustom powered monitors-Either stage/pa cabinet for around 100$ each, MF doesn't have the ones in stock, so just whatever is in, when i buy.


I was going to get studio monitors, but I need the power of the pa, for guitar, bass and mic, so that I can play over Drums!

I don't know if interfaces can handle passive speakers, but I didn't want to get a mixer interface cause I heard its better to get a real interface, and I rather just get powered speakers so I don't have to worry about some powered mixer.!
 
I would sell the MPK 25 for a premium, then buy a 49key basic controller. 2 octaves is not enough and it will work against you. Plus you dont need pads. there is no difference between hitting a pad or a key. none. its not even that much funner like it might seem...

I would get KRK 6 monitors and a Fasttrack Pro with that money. You need monitors more than you need a high end interface. (because you cant tell the difference between a line 6 or a FTP after everything is mixed and mastered, but you cant mix without true translation.) Then after you get more money sell your fasttrack and upgrade to something fancy in the interface dept.

You have to realize everything happens in the computer so you are thinking too "Hardware." All the music happens in the computer. Focus as much on the software you get. A DAW is just a tool shed. Focus on the tools you need to but to keep in your shed. Not so much what material the shed is made out of which makes little difference in the scheme of things.

Even a mediocre recording can easily sound phenomenal with a few clicks of a button and in 30 seconds its EQd and filtered and compressed and thats what makes it sound good.

I was confused by when you said i need the power of a pa to play over drums?

Recordings should happen one layer at a time so they can be cleanly mixed and compressed...

Any amplification happens in the software side.
 
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Well my friend has drums, and I wanted to be able to play guitar so that you could here the guitar over the drums.

I got the MPK25 for a good deal, but your right the 25 keys suck, and I can't even practice real piano. But everything else it does is very nice, so I decided to just wait until I get a workstation/arranger.

The fast track pro is more money than the UX2? The rockits are what I would get if I bought studio monitors.

But I looked into maudio interfaces, and everyone I read about had problems with WIn7 64 bit drivers, and that every update it starts over?

The UX2 is 160$, and i can't find any reason to believe it won't work?

---------- Post added at 07:43 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:10 PM ----------

I went to guitar center, and the best pa speaker setup is that stupid harbinger package, which is lame. Plus the sound on pa wasn't what I expected.

I did listen to the different studio monitors, they have a switchboard setup so that you can listen to every one hooked up. The studio monitors had power enough for me, but smooth. The pa was loud and obnoxious.

The RP5's didn't sound that much different than the Fostex PM0.4n's?

I didn't max them out, but the Fostex's are probably what I am going to get because of price/performance

The workers were all about logic and mac, so obviously they told me to not waste my time with Pro Tools.
 
It looks like an alright start! I mean you wont get anything great out of it but if it does the job it is good enough for now. Studios tend to build up over time rather than being put together all at once
 
allsoppy5 said:
It looks like an alright start! I mean you wont get anything great out of it but if it does the job it is good enough for now. Studios tend to build up over time rather than being put together all at once
Click to expand...

That is what will happen, but for now I want to get started.

I have researched, and I found the CTK-7000 and 6000. They are both workstation keyboards and I would be able to record the piano, a microphone and any instrument via the 1/4 inputs.
Since I don't have 1,000 for a real workstation this is going to be what I get, especially since I want to learn more piano.

Right now I am looking at Studio Monitors(fostex), UX2 interface, Rogue Bass, and the CTK-6000. I am also still debating on getting powered PA cabinets for jamming, if I get enough cash I will get both studio monitors and cabinets.

I am hoping to get more money to afford some more equipment, I have put the midi controller up for sale, if not I can trade in at GC.
 
save your cash and save your hearing. tell the drummer to play less loud or get some gobos. also sometimes people put the guitar amp up on a chair aimed at the guitarist's head. i'm not kidding. it sounds silly but it can work. no use making each other deaf just cause one person wants to rock da house down. lol
 
I am actually not planning on playing with real drums for awhile, or at least until my friends get there jam room done.

I just want to be able to record guitar, and start me a little record room.

The UX2 seemed like the perfect little interface not only cause every other one out there seems to have major problems with Win7 64, but cause its price and the POD effect pedals, amps and other stuff that I will get.

I can get the Studio Monitors plugged into it, and can just use the monitors for bass, guitar and mic playback.

Then I think every recording room should have a workstation, especially since I want to do stuff like Aphex Twin, and then like SKinny Puppy.

I have enough for these:
UX2
Fostex Pm0.4n
CTK-6000
Rogue Bass

I could get the WK-6500 and not get the bass, that way I could record microphone. But I would really like to get my midi sold, so that I can get the CTK-7000, which I can record instruments and microphone.

---------- Post added 02-21-2011 at 01:25 AM ---------- Previous post was 02-20-2011 at 10:03 PM ----------

I wanted to ask a question about keyboarding.

Obviously I made a dumb mistake by getting the 25key midi controller, even though its nice, 49 keys should be the minimum, 2 octaves can be accomplished on my typing keyboard.

If I sold my midi controller for 100-200$(I have it on KSL 4 199$, but might trade in @ GC), and used it to buy another keyboard, would it be more smart to get a MPK49 or Axiom49, instead of buying a workstation keyboard like the CTK-6000/7000???

I understand the difference between the two, I have 2 programs that I have enjoyed using my midi and have done wonders. But would the CTK6000/7000 be a better buy? Other than its portability and on board sound the only thing I like is that it can record keys, instrument & mic, plus it has 61keys.

Axiom49-MPK49 vs CTK-6000/CTK7000

2nd question, if you wanted to play guitar through your computer so that you could use something like Amplitude, what would you buy so that you could record your guitar and mic on your computer? This is hypothetical and assume you have win 7 64bit, and that you don't have an amp or effects, so you will be playing through your computer and amplitude for now on.

My best answers are, a Controller would give me access to my programs data bank, while the CTK would be like the controller but with all the sounds from the programs stuck in. So for home use/studio, the controller would be more useful, but the ctk was built to record.

Answering my 2nd question, the best I have come up with is buying either the UX2 or Alesis multimix 8 FX regular, and plugging either fostex PM0.4 or Kustom PA cabinets into it.

So I have the right idea, I just need to figure it out the last of it. thanks for any feedback.

---------- Post added at 02:06 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:25 AM ----------

I was just researching, but the CTK-6000 can be used as a midi controller?

If this is true, then I would not bother buying a midi controller, since the workstation can do it instead, so cancel my first question because I don't see why I wouldn't get the CTK6000 or 7000!
 
KRK Rokit 6's for the monitors. (About $600-$700)

Buy those, EXCELLENT buy... I have them and love them!...
Any old Firewire interface will do...

I have a cheepo Behringer FCA202

Done just the trick for me, although it has no volume control, but I use an analog desk so I don't need one...

Happy shopping!
 
I use to really want the KRK Rockits, I always thought I would get them, but if I want them I might have to save some more money.

I have been researching on different ways and parts to record guitar/bass, microphone and keys. The CTK-7000 from what I have read, can be used as a mixer, a computer interface, and anything a regular interface could do.

I am just making sure this is true, cause if it is, instead of buying the CTK6000, I would get the 7000 and not get an interface.
 
Keyboards have horrible user interfaces... You need a computer setup... Pro-Tools Mbox perhaps? Pro-Tools is the daddy for recording audio.
Pod Line 6 are supposed to be great for guitars too. Don't bother with Microphones unless you have a great 'treated/dead' room. You'll never get a good sound unless you are in a studio environment...
 
I looked into each of the m-audio's and I wouldn't buy them.

I have a friend that said if I get my guitar hooked up to my computer, he would let me borrow his amplitube 3 for awhile on account he is hooked on his Logic and GB.

So the UX2 was my primary cause of the Guitar program, but it is the only device that wasn't going to be a nightmare to use. Then the only other is the Alesis MultiMix 8 FX, which doesn't need drivers and is class comliant, meaning it would be like plugging in my MPK25 or printer, it just instantly loads up what it is and no sweat!

I like both of them, but the Alesis is cheaper and has two functions, which are awesome. Since I can borrow a copy of Amplitube, the UX2 isn't as cool.
I think i am going to get the alesis multimix 8 fx, because it is the full package, and saves me money by not having to get a UX2 and a mixer.

From what I have read I can get just as good as record on the alesis as I can on the UX2 or any maudio interface.
 
I agree with the robots here about the KRK 6's. They're decent.
 
davesanridge said:
I agree with the robots here about the KRK 6's. They're decent.
Click to expand...

I actually bought the Behringer TRUTH B1030A's, which are awesome, espeically since I only paid $198 a pair, with my UX2 that was $119!!!

I also returned my MPK25 and bought the CTK-6000, which is $200 anywhere but I only paid $100, and got free cables to hook up the monitors to the ux2.

So I think I got like 125 or 130 for the trade in on the MPK25!
 
get decent monitors.

apart from that, everything you will ever need to make amazing tunes is ableton, mpk and some good ideas.
 
Daw

If you are writing Dance music, Ableton is the best. I started with Pro-Tools, which is the best for studio situations - where you are recording REAL (Acoustic) instruments. The editing of Audio is the best of any DAW. Logic was the second DAW I used, and I loved it, but it lacked in the audio editing department. I also found that my Mac couldn't run HALF as many plug-ins in Pro-Tools as it could in Logic! Then, just recently, I've started learning Ableton Live 8. I'm by no means an expert - yet - but the way you write tunes is perfect for dance music. The fact that you can manipulate and chop up audio so easily is amazing, the groove tool is sooo useful and basically, i'm just annoyed I didn't switch over sooner!

Get Ableton!:monkey:
 
Well I returned the B1030a's and spent a couple of hours at GC for a couple of days. I talked around, and I ended up choosing the Maudio Bx5a's on account I couldn't afford the HS80's.

I could of got the Bx8a's for $50 more, but they were too bass heavy.

However I did get the bx5a in a package that included audio technica headphones, MXL 990 and 991, 2x microphone stand with boom, 2x mic cables and 2x instrument cable, all for $300!

I am actually looking to get the Alesis Dm6 4 piece electronic drumset for $240. I am able to make beats with in ableton pretty easy, but its a lot of rearranging and piecing together, which is not the same as playing out a few measures, or being able to play a whole chorus.

Anyways, my studio is going nicely, I just need to get the drums and I will have every instrument I need for a band, cause my CTK6000 can do just about every instrument on the planet, I just hate playing drums with my fingers or mouse!
 
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