What's a nice, inexpensive recording setup?

[Dan Desy]

Hey guys, right now I'm using Guitar Port and Cakewalk Guitar Tracks pro to record. Does the job.

What's a good setup, a step up from what I have? I want it to be cheap, but I want to be able to use mics as well as direct GP type stuff.
I'm thinking something like the M-Audio MobilePre. Is that any good?

Thanks!

[MickYoumans]

Dan, since you already have a Cakewalk product, you can upgrade your software to Sonar fairly cheap if you want to go to a 'pro' level software. Guitar tracks does a good job if you don't need to do any MIDI stuff, but I don't know if it will interface with most of the DAW controllers out there. I don't know how inexpensive you were trying to go with the interface but I used an Event EZBus on 'Guitaria' that cost around $500 that has 2 mic inputs with phantom power and a lot of 1/4" inputs. The EZBus is a combination Mixer/Sound Card/DAW controller that works well with Sonar. Tascam also makes one in the $500 range that does about the same thing. I also used a Tascam 1884 to record the drums on 'Guitaria' since it can send 8 inputs at once to your computer through firewire. It's around $1300. The EZBus and the cheaper Tascam only transmit 2 channels at a time IN to the computer over USB. I haven't seen or heard one yet, but I know Beringer has come out with a USB Audio/MIDI interface for $220 (BCA2000) that has 2 mic inputs with phantom power. Like I said I haven't heard one yet, but that is an awesome price for someone trying to get into the recording game on a budget. I don't know if this is much help, but it's my 2 cents. Good luck with whatever you go with.:)

[Jo]

A few months ago I was looking into all of this too. Dan did you also check out the Tascam US-122. This one looked a bit better than the M-Audio.

Does the Tascam or the M-Audio actually replace the need for a soundcard? Or do you still need a soundcard?

In the end, I went and bought a Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS which came with the front panel connections, which includes L&R RCA inputs, 1/4" input, midi in and out, plus most importantly the SPDIF in and out which works superbly with the digital out on the GT-6 (or the Yamaha AG Stomp). Plus it's also got a firewire input. Of course, this setup doesn't work if you're using it on a laptop.

[Dan Desy]

A few months ago I was looking into all of this too. Dan did you also check out the Tascam US-122. This one looked a bit better than the M-Audio.

Does the Tascam or the M-Audio actually replace the need for a soundcard? Or do you still need a soundcard?

In the end, I went and bought a Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS which came with the front panel connections, which includes L&R RCA inputs, 1/4" input, midi in and out, plus most importantly the SPDIF in and out which works superbly with the digital out on the GT-6 (or the Yamaha AG Stomp). Plus it's also got a firewire input. Of course, this setup doesn't work if you're using it on a laptop.
The Tascam is another one that looks cool. At this point, I'm thinking that or the M-Audio. There's also a Lexicon one whoich is pretty cheap, but the reviews weren't that great.

A USB connection is essential because I want to use it on my home PC as well as a laptop. Does your Soundblaster have XLR connections as well?

[Jo]

A USB connection is essential because I want to use it on my home PC as well as a laptop. Does your Soundblaster have XLR connections as well?No, the SB doesn't have XLR connections, but the ART Tube MP mic pre-amp does so I use that to go out to the soundcard.

The SPDIF/digital in is such a nice feature, if only the the Tascam or M-Audio had that.

Do you know if the Tascam or M-Audio replaces the need for a soundcard (like the Guitar Port does).

[Dan Desy]

No, the SB doesn't have XLR connections, but the ART Tube MP mic pre-amp does so I use that to go out to the soundcard.

The SPDIF/digital in is such a nice feature, if only the the Tascam or M-Audio had that.

Do you know if the Tascam or M-Audio replaces the need for a soundcard (like the Guitar Port does).
I'm not sure about that... But I have an audio card, so who cares? ;)

Being a USB device, I would assume you don't need an audio card, at least for recording (capturing) audio. I'm not sure about playing back.

[Jo]

If you don't have a soundcard, I guess you'd do the playback from the RCA outputs on the unit you're using to powered monitors or some such thing.

The reason why I wondered was because if you have a crappy sound card (and face it some laptops do have lousy ones) you're recording quality will be crappy too. But with a decent 24bit soundcard you'll get good results.


Edit: I think the M-AUdio only has one 1/8" output while the Tascam has RCA outputs which I think was one of my reasons for preferring it over the MAudio?

[johnreardon]

Couple of people recommended the MBox, when I was asking about recording stuff.

Certainly looks quite good http://digidesign.com/

From their site

Mbox is a 2-channel USB audio peripheral specifically engineered to offer you precision sound in a very small, very portable package. Powered by Pro Tools LE software, Mbox integrates audio and MIDI recording, editing, real-time mixing and Internet collaboration with acclaimed Digidesign and Focusrite performance. Now you can experience the power of Pro Tools for under $500 USD.

[Jo]

That was the first one I looked into, but after reading reviews I think people have had problems running the Mbox with a PC, however, there were no problems with a mac.

Dunno how true it was but it put me off a bit !:confused:

[johnreardon]

That was the first one I looked into, but after reading reviews I think people have had problems running the Mbox with a PC, however, there were no problems with a mac.

Dunno how true it was but it put me off a bit !:confused:
Jo, I think the earlier ones were mainly for Mac and didn't work with XP, although latest does. I'm not sure what those who recommended it to me use, probably Mac

[Dan Desy]

MBox look good, but it's just beyond what I termed as "cheap" recording solution.

[Weldaar]

I don't know that much about recording, but I use Cakewalk Pro and Sound Forge 6 through my mixer. I record through a POD or with a mic. The mic recordings do sound better though if you can stand the volume.

I have a question. How do you post sound clips here? I use songramp. Where do I paste the link?

[Bill Niersbach]

I have been doing the same as Jo for years now. I got a top of the line soundblaster and do the SPDIF thing out of the GT 6 or my genesis 3. Although now I am looking for a mixer instead and will just go into the RCA jacks that are also on the front panel as this will allow me to mic that awsome amp that I got off of a guy here on BAM!! ;). I could do it without a mixer if I wanted to plug the mic I have into a 1/4 inch jack that is also on the front panel of my soundcard, which I have done, its jsut I have a crappy level control that way is all. Dan, the kicker is that you want it to work with a laptop also, and there just is no "cheap" solution for that. BE careful with the USB models, as they are very touchy to say the least. You would be better served to skip the laptop part until a better solution comes along (ie a cheaper solution) Actually after thinking about it...if the mixer has a 1/4 inch output jack, you can get a 1/4 to 1/8 converter and go to the line in on your laptop too...granted it wont be the be all end all of recording setups, but it would work and it would be clean.

The best cheap way by far is a 100 dollar mixer and a decent soundcard that has rca inputs, so for less than 250 bucks you can have basically all the inputs you want. (If you can find a mixer with digital out that is even better!!) All the usb and firewire boxes, you end up paying hundreds for literally 2 inputs. An dyou also have this little flimsy box on your desktop that you have allthese cables running to, it just becomes a pain in the butt.

[Jo]

Bill you only got an 1/8" input on your Audigy? I got a 1/4" input on mine with it's own extra mic/line gain setting. (also it came with converters from 1/8" to 1/4" connectors.

Here's a pic of the front panel I got.
http://images.soundblaster.com/products/gallery/new/a2zs_06big.jpg


The cool thing with this is that you have double all the inputs, not only do you have the mic/line etc inputs on the back of the sound card, you have these which are separate inputs, marked mic2 , line2 or aux2 etc. (not that I've ever had to use them all ;) ) ... I think I paid about $100 for my soundcard

[Bill Niersbach]

Yeah Jo, I have the same exact one as you. I was talking about Dan's soundcard...since it sounds like he just has a normal run of the mill card, it will only have a 1/8th line in jack. The really nice thing about ours is that all the connections are in the front, so no more digging under the desk with a flashlight tring to find the right input!! LOL Everything is right there in front, to include the midi jacks to hook up to the GT 6 and run the software, the spdif ports, and a line in and a mic jack with level adjustments. It just makes it all a whole lot simpler. The only thing missing is xlr's, and I would like the slide controls of a mixer more. Plus at smoe point I want to run some monitors instead of my pc speakers. I play online a lot, so I want to be able to mute the guys I am jamming with online but still hear myself playing, so I want to be able to seperate the pc sounds from my own.

[Jo]

Well, my US-122 arrived today, so I'll see how it compares to using the SB Audigy.

[Bill Niersbach]

So what are your initial thoughts Jo?? When I tried one I didnt see any use for it beyond what I was already doing...same with my guitar port. Both ended up on ebay in short order... :-D