Audio gear

rockthesmurf · 03-13-2007, 11:55 AM

Hello,

I feel it's been a while since I last handed over my hard earned cash to buy some audio equipment so want to buy something to improve my current setup. However, I'm not entirely sure what I want/need to get. At the moment I'm going towards getting a new sound card, but also like looking at preamps (and for that matter a new microphone to make use of the nice preamp!).

With the following setup:

Microphones:
Samson c01 : http://www.copystars.com/samson_c01_...37604_prd1.htm
Shure SM58 - http://www.shure.com/ProAudio/Produc...M58-CN_content

Mixer/preamp:
Behringer UB802 : http://www.behringer.com/UB802/index.cfm?lang=ENG

Sound card:
sblive! value

What would you recommend upgrading next? I'm tempted by the m-audio delta 66 sound card as I've been having a few problems with my sound card which is very old now and feel it's probably the weaking link in my system currently. After that I'd be tempted by a nicer preamp and consensor microphones.

Any suggestions would be appreciated,

Steve

Fool · 03-13-2007, 08:26 PM

Not sure what you use your setup for, but I use an old Philips soundcard, basically the equivalent of the SB live, maybe even older. What's made a massive difference for me was a condensor mic, even just a cheap shure one.

Somewhere on the net, you can get an AKG C1000s for just under £100, and every review I've seen of that mic is excellent.

But as I say, it depends largely on what you're trying to achieve.

Calum · 03-13-2007, 08:40 PM

I have a Samson C0-1 also, and i think it's fantastic value.

Anyway, i'm not really sure... i just use a line 6 toneport ux2, which is ok for my needs i suppose.

robmcgrail · 03-14-2007, 11:13 AM

i use a edirol FA-66 soundcard. it has 2 pre amps built in. connects via firewire (if you dont have one there only about £13 to buy a firwire port) the FA-66 was about £190. But definatly increased my sound quality and has some nice little features on it, like limiting and phantom power for condenser mics.

The mixer i use is a behringer 1202FX which does the job. Has 4 pre amps and more than enough ouputs and what not.

Im looking at buying a few mics to.

I found 2 pencil mics fotr £45 that look poretty nice.

a good sound card is important as i understand, you can have all the best preamps and mics in the world, but if your soundcard isnt good enough to uphold the quality then its all a waste.

Edit: ui also found the AKG 200 for £85 and it has a fequency responce of 20Hz - 20kHz, compared to the 1000s which is 50Hz - 20kHz. but other than that i dont know which one is overall better.

rockthesmurf · 03-14-2007, 11:43 AM

Thank you for the response so far; my current setup is a big improvement from my previous setup (two sing star microphones plugged in to my PC

) but it still isn't overly great.

The main thing I record is acoustic guitar and a bit of singing and I don't find I get a sound which resembles that brightness of the original, plus a fair bit of hiss/noise seems to appear. Quite a few reviews of preamps (especially tube ones) talk about how they have the ability to make a sound a lot warmer but my hesitation is that it seems a little silly buying a 100-200 quid preamp for a £40 condensor microphone! The AKG's are definately a bit tempting...

Steve

Timeé · 03-14-2007, 12:11 PM

okay. i highhhly suggest an AKG C1000S for you. look it up. you could get one for around £60/70 and they are used by the best of musicians (mostly for backing vocals and instrument recording).

FOOL knows what im talking about!!! (just seen his post)

and i am not just talking about reviews; i have this mic and I use it along with my large condenser AKG.

PenguinBoy · 03-14-2007, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calum

I have a Samson C0-1 also, and i think it's fantastic value.

Anyway, i'm not really sure... i just use a line 6 toneport ux2, which is ok for my needs i suppose.

Have you SEEEEn the new toneport with a keyboard on it?

http://line6.com/toneport/kb37.html

OOOH LORD.

rockthesmurf · 03-15-2007, 11:37 AM

Hmm, the AKG C1000S doesn't seem too bad value for money, seems to go for about £95 in the UK and does get some pretty positive reviews. I tried to order a delta 66 sound card as I figured I need to upgrade my sound card if I'm going to get anything nicer than my current setup, although two places I've ordered from so far have both phoned to say they are actually out of stock now, and there are big delays because the EU has put some ghey directives forward that affects their line of cards which is holding up shipments for a while. I'm sure I can find it somewhere if I really want; I was just checking all the cheaper places first

.

Steve

robmcgrail · 03-15-2007, 12:34 PM

has eveyone just ignored my reply about the AKG 200? To me it seems like it might be a better mic.

I remember it · 03-15-2007, 06:07 PM

I have a Samsung C0-1 and I have to be honest I don't like it. I got it mainly for vocal work and I suppose for a budget microphone its not really bad I just wouldnt reccomend it for anything more than home use.

Theres a good mic that I would recommend its a Studio project B1. You might pick one up for about 150euro. Looks like and (nearly) sounds like a neumann u-87.

For a budget sound card i'd go for a E-MU™ 0404 Digital Audio System (maybe about 150euro too)

& for a desk id go for a second hand Soundcraft spirit folio from ebay or try big bear music or sound solutions.

rockthesmurf · 03-16-2007, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by I remember it

I have a Samsung C0-1 and I have to be honest I don't like it. I got it mainly for vocal work and I suppose for a budget microphone its not really bad I just wouldnt reccomend it for anything more than home use.

Theres a good mic that I would recommend its a Studio project B1. You might pick one up for about 150euro. Looks like and (nearly) sounds like a neumann u-87.

For a budget sound card i'd go for a E-MU™ 0404 Digital Audio System (maybe about 150euro too)

& for a desk id go for a second hand Soundcraft spirit folio from ebay or try big bear music or sound solutions.

I feel at the moment all my equpiment is roughly around the same pegging; I got the C0-1 microphone on recommendation of something along the lines of "You'll want a large diargram condensor microphone, and as the rest of your kit is going to cost relatively little a good choice would be the C0-1 as it's cheap and gives you the option of recording with a condensor" but I do feel like it isn't really doing the best job of picking up the sounds I'm creating so I feel you may well be right!

The prices I have found for the things you recommend is as follows:

£75.00 - Studio Projects B1
£58.99 - EMU 0404 Audio Interface
£200.00 - Mixer Spirt Folio Sx Soundcraft (second hand)

One thing I've preferred the idea of (up till now) is having a sound card with multiple inputs thus being able to record everything to a seperate track then doing the mixing afterwards (rather than having to do everything realtime) as it seems like this should give more flexibility. With this in mind I do wonder if I'd be better off getting a sound card like the delta 66 (6 inputs, 6 outputs) and forgetting about the mixer. Although doing this will mean I'd probably have to get a microphone preamp at some stage, because using the ones in my cheapish behringer mini mixer may well not do justice the Studio Projects B1 or sound card. At college when I did a year of Music Technology they mentioned the Studio Projects B1 then as being quite a nice microphone, so I'm definately tempted by it!

Steve
xo

rockthesmurf · 03-16-2007, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robmcgrail

has eveyone just ignored my reply about the AKG 200? To me it seems like it might be a better mic.

I certainly haven't ignored it, I'm interested in seeing what others have to say on the subject! It's always a hard thing as there are so many different setups to choose from, and what sounds the 'best' is just an opinion on a person to person basis. Although having said that, with my budget there should be some clear options available that provide good value for money and will allow me to make good recordings of my style (acoustic guitar and vocals mainly).

Thanks for bringing this microphone to light,

Steve
xo

Calum · 03-17-2007, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PenguinBoy

Have you SEEEEn the new toneport with a keyboard on it?

http://line6.com/toneport/kb37.html

OOOH LORD.

Yeah, that kinda annoyed me that i'd not bought that! Ah well, win some lose some. =P

03-13-2007, 11:55 AM	#1
rockthesmurf Friend Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Manchester Posts: 71	Audio gear Hello, I feel it's been a while since I last handed over my hard earned cash to buy some audio equipment so want to buy something to improve my current setup. However, I'm not entirely sure what I want/need to get. At the moment I'm going towards getting a new sound card, but also like looking at preamps (and for that matter a new microphone to make use of the nice preamp!). With the following setup: Microphones: Samson c01 : http://www.copystars.com/samson_c01_...37604_prd1.htm Shure SM58 - http://www.shure.com/ProAudio/Produc...M58-CN_content Mixer/preamp: Behringer UB802 : http://www.behringer.com/UB802/index.cfm?lang=ENG Sound card: sblive! value What would you recommend upgrading next? I'm tempted by the m-audio delta 66 sound card as I've been having a few problems with my sound card which is very old now and feel it's probably the weaking link in my system currently. After that I'd be tempted by a nicer preamp and consensor microphones. Any suggestions would be appreciated, Steve __________________ If I was to die today, I would die happy because I was loved

03-13-2007, 08:40 PM	#3
Calum Eskimo Regular Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: West Sussex, England Posts: 442	I have a Samson C0-1 also, and i think it's fantastic value. Anyway, i'm not really sure... i just use a line 6 toneport ux2, which is ok for my needs i suppose. __________________ http://calumpratt.bandcamp.com

03-14-2007, 11:13 AM	#4
robmcgrail Lord of Lovely Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 198	i use a edirol FA-66 soundcard. it has 2 pre amps built in. connects via firewire (if you dont have one there only about £13 to buy a firwire port) the FA-66 was about £190. But definatly increased my sound quality and has some nice little features on it, like limiting and phantom power for condenser mics. The mixer i use is a behringer 1202FX which does the job. Has 4 pre amps and more than enough ouputs and what not. Im looking at buying a few mics to. I found 2 pencil mics fotr £45 that look poretty nice. a good sound card is important as i understand, you can have all the best preamps and mics in the world, but if your soundcard isnt good enough to uphold the quality then its all a waste. Edit: ui also found the AKG 200 for £85 and it has a fequency responce of 20Hz - 20kHz, compared to the 1000s which is 50Hz - 20kHz. but other than that i dont know which one is overall better. Last edited by robmcgrail; 03-14-2007 at 11:19 AM.

03-14-2007, 11:43 AM	#5
rockthesmurf Friend Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Manchester Posts: 71	Thank you for the response so far; my current setup is a big improvement from my previous setup (two sing star microphones plugged in to my PC ) but it still isn't overly great. The main thing I record is acoustic guitar and a bit of singing and I don't find I get a sound which resembles that brightness of the original, plus a fair bit of hiss/noise seems to appear. Quite a few reviews of preamps (especially tube ones) talk about how they have the ability to make a sound a lot warmer but my hesitation is that it seems a little silly buying a 100-200 quid preamp for a £40 condensor microphone! The AKG's are definately a bit tempting... Steve __________________ If I was to die today, I would die happy because I was loved

03-14-2007, 12:11 PM	#6
Timeé Intello Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Co. Donegal, Ireland. Posts: 2,435	okay. i highhhly suggest an AKG C1000S for you. look it up. you could get one for around £60/70 and they are used by the best of musicians (mostly for backing vocals and instrument recording). FOOL knows what im talking about!!! (just seen his post) and i am not just talking about reviews; i have this mic and I use it along with my large condenser AKG. __________________ Wasted and wounded, it ain't what the moon did Got what I paid for now See ya tomorrow, hey Frank can I borrow A couple of bucks from you?

03-13-2007, 08:26 PM	#2
Fool Eskimo Fool Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Exeter, Devon, UK. Posts: 175	Not sure what you use your setup for, but I use an old Philips soundcard, basically the equivalent of the SB live, maybe even older. What's made a massive difference for me was a condensor mic, even just a cheap shure one. Somewhere on the net, you can get an AKG C1000s for just under £100, and every review I've seen of that mic is excellent. But as I say, it depends largely on what you're trying to achieve.

03-15-2007, 11:37 AM	#8
rockthesmurf Friend Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Manchester Posts: 71	Hmm, the AKG C1000S doesn't seem too bad value for money, seems to go for about £95 in the UK and does get some pretty positive reviews. I tried to order a delta 66 sound card as I figured I need to upgrade my sound card if I'm going to get anything nicer than my current setup, although two places I've ordered from so far have both phoned to say they are actually out of stock now, and there are big delays because the EU has put some ghey directives forward that affects their line of cards which is holding up shipments for a while. I'm sure I can find it somewhere if I really want; I was just checking all the cheaper places first . Steve __________________ If I was to die today, I would die happy because I was loved

03-15-2007, 12:34 PM	#9
robmcgrail Lord of Lovely Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 198	has eveyone just ignored my reply about the AKG 200? To me it seems like it might be a better mic.

03-15-2007, 06:07 PM	#10
I remember it Eskimo Baby Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 4	I have a Samsung C0-1 and I have to be honest I don't like it. I got it mainly for vocal work and I suppose for a budget microphone its not really bad I just wouldnt reccomend it for anything more than home use. Theres a good mic that I would recommend its a Studio project B1. You might pick one up for about 150euro. Looks like and (nearly) sounds like a neumann u-87. For a budget sound card i'd go for a E-MU™ 0404 Digital Audio System (maybe about 150euro too) & for a desk id go for a second hand Soundcraft spirit folio from ebay or try big bear music or sound solutions.