We’ve done a couple down and dirty home recording gear posts, so thought it was time to make a list for those who might want to get some actual work from their home studio set up with some nicer gear. Think of this on what to focus on, the little things that can give your recording and mixing a bit “more”
Good Studio Monitors: Good monitors make a big difference in your tracking and mixing quality. Some people still mock me for this, but I’ve carried an old set of NS-10’s, and Tannoy System 800’s with me for a home space for years. (Now, though, you’re looking more at the Ellispe series. What I like is the dual concentric driver.) I am an avid fan of both for their intended purpose. NS-10s for the challenge. If you “do” audio, you’ve no doubt hear people say, “if you can get a mix to sound good on NS-10’s then it will sound good anywhere.”, which is in large part true. I like the System 800’s for their really tight low-end coupled with an amazingly focussed sweet spot due to the dual-concentri design (suspending the tweeter inside the center of woofer driver). They’re also still pretty small, so work well for small studio spaces where you’re restricted on where to place them. I honestly don’t have an opinion about this “super tweeter” stuff Tannoy has added to their design since these, so can’t comment either way. The overall point is: spend some money here 1000-1500 instead of 400-500. A better quality set of monitors will help you hear what’s actually happening in your home recording studio mixes.
Good Pre for Recording Vocals: I fell for the Manley Vox Box about 15 years ago and am still quite a fan. It’s simple settings, but like all Manley gear, it just sounds so darn nice. (You can use it for other acoustic applications as well, of course) This one will cost you about the price of a Yugo, though. Other options, all of which will make a large difference in the QUALITY of sound you’re recording: Avalon M5, Summit MPC-100A, Universal Audio 710 (or maybe that SOLO box they make, too). Dual channel the Manley Dual Mono is pretty sweet (and simple), or Avalon 2022… then again, pretty much most Universal Audio stuff as well.
One Really Sweet 2 CHNL EQ: MMMMMMM goood. I tell you. Sell that Honda and get a Massive Passive. Anyway, shop around for one. It can become one of the most valuable pieces in your recording studio set up that you can use for tracking and mixing, even to give a little extra something to your overall mix instead of using boring and sterile digital EQ plugins (I don’t care how good digital EQ’s math is, they’re just not the same as the real thing).
A lot of Starbucks gift cards to bribe an experienced audio engineer: This is for tracking and microphone placement to start off with. You can buy audio books (books about audio, that is), but it’s just not the same as seeing a microphone placement, listening to it, and then seeing what adjustments they make to make it sound better. You can get away with just “decent” microphones if you have a good pre, good processing, and good placement techniques. They can show you the little things that can make a huge difference, what to listen for and what to avoid – all those things only gained through experience, not just through buying cool gear.
Published: by | Updated: 07-05-2012 12:40:42
