charic

[quote name='Beedster' post='923706' date='Aug 13 2010, 12:19 PM']I love this thread [/quote] Ditto. Speccing studios is great fun. You should see some of my old room designs! Theyre triangular with slanted roofs to reduce resonant frequencies with a seperate amp room!

I always use the car test to test for mix, harshness and sibilance rather than compression.

Two sets of monitors is pretty much the usual anyway tbh I was just thinking of your budget. If you already have some flattering speakers Id suggest getting something a bit more "revealing" for engineering. Other industry standard is a quick mixdown then go for a drive in a (usually old) car while listening to the mix!!

[quote name='Beedster' post='923551' date='Aug 13 2010, 09:59 AM']Damn, I've just logged on to DV247 and seen these monitors at a stupid price: [url="http://www.dv247.com/studio-equipment/m-audio-cx8-studiophile-active-studio-monitor--63497"]http://www.dv247.com/studio-equipment/m-au...-monitor--63497[/url] Mmmmmm......[/quote] The look good, but the truth is in the listening. Also it depends what you like. Some engineers prefer using a speaker which flatters the music and some prefer (like me) a speaker which shows up every wart and wrinkle. I love my monitors Yamaha HS50m's which do exactly the latter. They also do a HS80m which got great reviews too. Best way to choose monitors is select 2 or 3 sets of speakers that your interested in. Take in 2 songs which you know inside out (I chose back in black and some dream theater) and abc them. Make sure the styles vary enough. Digital Village usually have a room setup for doing exactly this

I'm jealous

The beta's are actual a entirely different microphone as stupid as it sounds. I think they may even by hypercardoid rather than cardoid

Surely it would be a shuker!! Although you see the VMJ mentioned a lot, I see shukers a lot too. I could play what you mentioned but I wouldnt want too..

For me Black or White Dingwall SuperJ at the moment with Maple board and black blocks..

Im sure there was a difference when I looked at the freq response charts for each... Cant remember though!

Protools has a relatively shallow learning curve. I like logic too but it has a rather steep curve. I dont like cubase

[quote name='cheddatom' post='922404' date='Aug 12 2010, 10:11 AM']Just a little question- What's the point in using the PC like a tape machine (IE routing the mix back to individual channels on the desk) if you have a controller for your DAW? We used to do this at uni using hard disk recorders, but with Pro Tools we always used the controller - it just seems simpler and means your desk can be half the width.[/quote] Or you could just do the mixdown in the computer without sending it back to the desk at all. Something like these will allow you to control faders without any affect on the sound [url="http://www.dv247.com/computer-hardware/behringer-bcf2000-total-recall-usb-midi-controller-desk--21929"]Behringer Desk Controller[/url] [url="http://www.dv247.com/computer-hardware/korg-nanokontrol-black--60073"]Korg Desk[/url] The actual midi control functionality is relatively cheap. You can get keyboards with it built in too!

[quote name='ShergoldSnickers' post='922296' date='Aug 12 2010, 08:27 AM']I can't fault anything Charic has said. Really great advice that appears to come from direct experience, an awful lot of thinking or both.[/quote] Just experience with mackie (analogue) / soundcraft (analogue) and digital yamaha mixers really but I expect they wouldnt vary THAT much. I also use a Korg D888 myself although these days it tends to be just 1 or 2 channels. I refuse to get rid as a JUST IN CASE. Only have one mic these days too as they werent getting any use. All based on experience really, Ive worked on around 20 different studio setups so I know what I like. Though most were during my time at uni doing audio music tech. Music tech is still a passion of mine but with learning stupid amounts of programming languages I dont really have time lately. Maybe oneday I'll work with a big microphone or music tech manufacturing company which would be a dream come true

The Mackies are definately not old technology! These are part of their flagship line. Remember without automation means less to go wrong aswell Please, please, please dont buy blind. Always sit down with both (even unplugged) and just play with the controls. Which one puts a smile on your face, feels like quality and makes you want to work. Three very important things. If you dont enjoy using your desk then you aren't going to want to record. For me the mackies have that quality feel, the heavy controls feel rugged and makes me feel like im working with pro kit. Light sliders to me feel cheap and really make me dislike using desks. Think of a mixing desk as an instrument instead of a tool, try before you buy and follow your gut. Another important note is depreciation. Im fairly sure that mackies will hold their value well. Im unsure about Maudio, maybe someone else will know.

Thanks for the replies guys

[quote name='Gust0o' post='922212' date='Aug 12 2010, 12:36 AM']I've got an interview tomorrow, which I doubt will be half as exciting - nor remotely as much fun! Knock 'em dead [/quote] Good luck!

For an acoustic I tend to go with 2 condenser mics like neumanns. However on a budget I would go Rode NT1A's or the like. SM57 or SM58 wouldn't usually make the short list tbh. Electric I'd go SM57 6 inches from the cone in the centre for a crisp sound or at the edge of the cone for a slightly warmer one. Bass, something along the lines of a AKG D112 6 inches from cone at centre or edge as before, with possibly a sm57 for the higher freqs Snare drum SM57 at the edge, vertical unless you want a lot of stick noise. 58's are designed for vocal use, the only time I would consider is for a particularly warm tone. All IME ofcourse

Wish me luck, I really want this space although because of the holiday Ive only had about 2 days practice on these songs. I can play them fine but still rely on the tab a bit. Aynsley Lister - Soundman Gin Blossoms - Follow you down Then were just going to jam. Should be a laugh. Just fingers crossed I get it, been asked to audition for about 10 bands since joining joinmyband.com but these guys are my top pick at the moment!

My pick would be the mackie for definate. Id suggest getting both ionto store. Talking them both through. Feeling for quality etc.

[quote name='Beedster' post='921566' date='Aug 11 2010, 01:20 PM']I phoned them and they don;t keep stock, which is annoying but understandable I guess. There's a few used ones around (and some 'B-stock' at really cheap prices on eBay, for example [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/B-Stock-Mackie-ONYX-1640-Premium-Analog-Mixer-/170524988438?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Mixers&hash=item27b414d416#ht_2055wt_1137"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/B-Stock-Mackie-ONYX-...#ht_2055wt_1137[/url], which has been used at a trade fair and is offered with a one-year warranty), but I think that, along with the computer and software, this is too important a link in the chain to risk buying used (I meant to reply to your post above on this, reliability and warranty are indeed important issues)? C[/quote] Digital Village offer a 4 year guarantee I believe. They will usually get it in for you to try out if you ask them too... Which branch are you contacting out of interest. Duncan at cambridge is brilliant

Theres also a difference in the firewire output the 1640 is 16x16 and the 1620 is 16x2. Not quite sure of the relevance mind. I know these feel like real quality btw, find a digivillage near you and have a fiddle to make sure mind

Biggest difference that I know of is the 16 xlr inputs as opposed to 8 xlr inputs and then some stereo inputs. 16 identical channels is ideal imho I really struggle with the 8 that I have on my korg d888 when I want to record in a band situation.

Which ones are you considering mate? Mackie stuff is an industry standard and I have nothing but praise for them in general because most importantly I have never had anything go wrong on me (Ever!) from them. The 1640 would be my ideal purely because of the 16 xlr inputs through a firewire is great. However I dont think theyre automated sliders. Not entirely sure though. Ive never found a HUGE advantage in automated sliders anyway if Im honest. But they may just be because of my mixing style. Not really done sound engineering for quite a while now tbh.

Deathray... Definately a Deathray

[quote name='cheddatom' post='919503' date='Aug 9 2010, 12:32 PM']You can add 8 more with ADAT[/quote] Its more hassle though (and money). Personally I would have a 16 channel mixer, without automation. I love the look of the mackie onyx series but im unsure of the budget. This [url="http://www.dv247.com/studio-equipment/mackie-1604-vlz3-series-compact-mixer--38504"]Mackie 1604[/url] or [url="http://www.dv247.com/mixers/mackie-onyx-1640i--67613"]Mackie 1640 onyx[/url] would be my choice without further research.

[quote name='Beedster' post='919279' date='Aug 9 2010, 08:54 AM']Mmmmm, this is tempting at the price also? [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170521672160&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_500wt_1154"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...T#ht_500wt_1154[/url] Used gear strikes me as very risky though?[/quote] I have the HS50m speakers myself. Well worth a look on a budget. But Digital Village are very good with customer service and Warrantys tend to last a long time (my last piece of kit has 4 years warranty) which is worth a lot of money to a studio situation. Also the sale in general there looks a little messy I would atleast tidy up for a picture.