Another "recommend me a" thread. Basic home studio stuff

sinbaadi

Please give me the benefit of your experience, your buying mistakes.

It's easy to find an option for a way to record guitar and turn it into a song.  But there are that many interfaces on numerous platforms that it's a bit overwhelming, and I don't want to be a buy-cheap, buy-twice novice.

I have a good PC running windows 7.  I have a decent amp, a decent guitar and a few pedals, plus a keyboard.

I've considered buying a Mac, and would seriously consider that if it's the way to go.  But given that sort of budget, I imagine the options for something to use with my Windows PC are fairly good.  I'd like to be able to record vocals too.

mani

I've have both Edirol Ua25 & Ua25ex, used them for years - superb units for field recording these have a built in analogue compressor, midi i/o, & +48v for mics.

Replaced by the Roland Octa range now.

From my experience the Edirol/Roland drivers on a PC Win XP/7 are very stable.  I use asio4all in Ableton resulting in very low latency: 32 samples 4ms.  As long as your PC has good latency your interface of choice should be fine.  Use a DPC latency checker to test your system.

MR round-up of interfaces

spark240

Hi, I am using a Presonus setup now, but I still have my Roland cakewalk VS-100 interface which  used before ( I just needed more inputs) If its of interest let me know?  

http://www.roland.com/products/v-studio_100/

Easy to use, compact, actually also works as a stereo recorder onto SD card, have read of the link.

ecc83

sinbaadi said:

Please give me the benefit of your experience, your buying mistakes.

It's easy to find an option for a way to record guitar and turn it into a song.  But there are that many interfaces on numerous platforms that it's a bit overwhelming, and I don't want to be a buy-cheap, buy-twice novice.

I have a good PC running windows 7.  I have a decent amp, a decent guitar and a few pedals, plus a keyboard.

I've considered buying a Mac, and would seriously consider that if it's the way to go.  But given that sort of budget, I imagine the options for something to use with my Windows PC are fairly good.  I'd like to be able to record vocals too.

You don't need a mac, even a modest "office" win 7 PC will cope with everything you are likely to do for a long time. "Modest" like this HP i3 I type on is MORE than capable.

Just my take on the situation but a Native Instruments Komplete Audio 6 interface will be as good as anything you will get for around £160 or in fact a lot more.

It has two excellent mic pre amps which double as line inputs and high impedance guitar inputs. Has two more balanced line inputs (4 tracks in total) plus digital in and out and MIDI I/o.  The KA6 comes with a cut down but nonetheless very powerful version of Cubase, no better recording software for MIDI. What is the make and model of the keyboard?

Microphones? I would suggest two (matched pair if you can) Small Diaphragm Capacitors (aka condenser) just about the most versatile mic type there is. Ideal for acoustic guitar.

You WILL need monitors but maybe not just yet. Headphones are fine but try to play stuff through a "hi fi", in the car etc.

You might like to look two other forums. Home Recording and Sound on Sound.

Dave.

sinbaadi

@ecc83 It's a Roland Juno D, I don't really play keyboard though, this was a hand-me-down of sorts but I'm sure I'll use it more with the right stuff to go with it.  This isn't an area that I've given a lot of thought to in the past and I have plenty of reading to do, still.

My main concern is that it's relatively easy to get working, fairly simple, and of course the quality has to be good enough for it to be worth the effort.

The Komplete Audio 6 interface looks good.

@spark240 I can't seem to find anywhere selling that unit, so I have no idea about value.

@mani Thanks, I ran the latency tester and it was fine, but then the odd red spike cropped up?  Presumably this is bad, so I'll have to track down which device might be the cause of that, I suppose.  And thanks for the MR link, but if anything that just proves my point, the variety and range of choices is surprisingly vast.  And every single one seems to have its fair share of bad reviews as far as I can tell.  This is without getting into microphones and software too.  I guess what I want from you fine gents (and ladies he said musing optimistically about the forum) is a bit of a push towards a combination of gear that works for you, and perhaps which you wish you'd bought first time around.

ecc83

Ooo! that looks like a very fit keyboard!http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/mar05/articles/rolandjunod.htm

You will be able to hook it up to the KA6 with DIN leads and have all sorts of fun! The AI comes with Kontakt Player and about 3G of sounds to download. The stereo output of the Juno will conveniently feed the two line inputs 3&4 should you get the KA6. The keys could in effect become an pretty good drum machine and a lot more beside.

The red spike could be a wireless function having a "looky see". Another possibility is Windows sounds, bleeps and bloops and you might have to disable the internal soundcard when you get a proper interface.

Dave.

spark240

sinbaadi said:

@ecc83 It's a Roland Juno D, I don't really play keyboard though, this was a hand-me-down of sorts but I'm sure I'll use it more with the right stuff to go with it.  This isn't an area that I've given a lot of thought to in the past and I have plenty of reading to do, still.

My main concern is that it's relatively easy to get working, fairly simple, and of course the quality has to be good enough for it to be worth the effort.

The Komplete Audio 6 interface looks good.

@spark240 I can't seem to find anywhere selling that unit, so I have no idea about value.

@mani Thanks, I ran the latency tester and it was fine, but then the odd red spike cropped up?  Presumably this is bad, so I'll have to track down which device might be the cause of that, I suppose.  And thanks for the MR link, but if anything that just proves my point, the variety and range of choices is surprisingly vast.  And every single one seems to have its fair share of bad reviews as far as I can tell.  This is without getting into microphones and software too.  I guess what I want from you fine gents (and ladies he said musing optimistically about the forum) is a bit of a push towards a combination of gear that works for you, and perhaps which you wish you'd bought first time around.

Yeah - I think Roland had a flurry of small recorders, its a good unit but I just fancied trying the Presonus - I went way OTT and got a Presonus 16.4.2 but they do some much smaller very versatile interfaces.

Jalapeno

Stick with Win 7. Go for a USB interface (turning off any onboard sound processor) - Focusrite Scarlett is a great range, the little 2i2 is circa £109.

Add a decent mic and/or DI and you're in business

World's your oyster then for recording software.

- Reaper is superb and stupidly cheap (and fully 64bit).
- Tracktion is back, also inexpensive, also superb
- Cakewalk, Sonar, even ProTools all run on PCs
- and for noises/loops Reason & Ableton run on PCs

digitalscream

My band's entire album was recorded on a 2.5GHz Core 2 Duo laptop with 2GB RAM running Windows Vista, which cost me about £100 from eBay and was falling apart. You don't need all the horsepower available these days, unless you're planning to use all manner of plugins and stuff (or you're using Pro Tools, of course...).

For an interface, just get anything by Presonus or Focusrite - they'll see you right for some time to come, and they're well-supported. I'd get one with two mic preamps built in, purely so you can experiment with multi-mic setups on your amp when you start feeling a bit more adventurous.

For software...Reaper. It's about £36, has an insane amount of great functionality in it and is pretty easy to use once you've got it set up (which, I'll admit, can be a little arcane...plenty of help on here, though).

One other thing...make sure you get a good PC monitor, or possibly two. You need to be able to fit as much on the screen as is humanly possible, so pixel count really matters. A minimum is 1080p HD (ie 1920x1080) or 1680x1050 for comfortable usage, in my opinion. I run with three screens side-by-side (main is 1920x1200, sides are 1680x1050).

John_P

I've just ordered the little steinberg ur22 in my latest thomann order,  as soon as I get it connected I'll comment.  Seems to get good reviews and only £92.   I'll be using it for jotting down ideas on a macbook air but I'm sure it would work fine on a pc as well - I'll it that way at some point as well.    

 Most cards come with a version of recording software - in this case it's cubase cut down to a 32 track limit and maybe some other limits but that's fine for the demo's I'll be making - if you need more then I'd second the suggestion for reaper.  I use full cubase on the pc setup but my mate uses reaper it's amazing for the price.

mani

sinbaadi said:

@mani Thanks, I ran the latency tester and it was fine, but then the odd red spike cropped up?  Presumably this is bad, so I'll have to track down which device might be the cause of that, I suppose.  And thanks for the MR link, but if anything that just proves my point, the variety and range of choices is surprisingly vast.  And every single one seems to have its fair share of bad reviews as far as I can tell.  This is without getting into microphones and software too.  I guess what I want from you fine gents (and ladies he said musing optimistically about the forum) is a bit of a push towards a combination of gear that works for you, and perhaps which you wish you'd bought first time around.

@sinbaadi A red spike means you'll have to track down the driver or turn off a non essential resource, otherwise you'll end up with drop-outs regardless of interface used.  I've experienced this recently just by upgrading the gfx card driver!

I prefer Roland/Edirol units for driver stability & build quality/shelf life - so no regrets.  Though there are lot's of good units now from Focusrite, NI, Presonus all similar in spec.

Teacherphil

I bought the prrsonus studio bundle which came with the audiobox interface, condesor Mic, headphones and stuidio one software for about £150. It's a great little setuhttp://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B004LLV04E/ref=redir_mdp_mobile/279-2279238-5380114

thomasross20

Nobody use the line 6 toneport interface anymore?

Fretwired

thomasross20 said:

Nobody use the line 6 toneport interface anymore?

I have a GuitarPort [no longer made] which I still use. The TonePort is based on the same tech .. very good but getting a bit long in the tooth.

Look at a Steinberg UR22 or UR44. I have both on Win 7 machines. Rock solid drivers and excellent Yamaha technology [Yamaha basicially designed these units] .. the mic pres are excellent. If you can run to the UR44 the unit comes with some excellent top end Yamaha plugins. Excellent for guitars, vocals .. you name it. Proper metal cases as well.

http://www.steinberg.net/en/products/audio_interfaces/ur_serie/modelle/ur44.html

http://www.steinberg.net/en/products/audio_interfaces/ur_serie/modelle/ur22.html

sinbaadi

I thank you, all.  Steinberg units appeal.

Anybody bought anything they wish they hadn't?

kin

The L'Oreal anti wrinkle ballbag cream, I am worth it, but it looks like it's going to take vats of the stuff to make a real difference

spark240

Teacherphil;520928" said:

I bought the prrsonus studio bundle which came with the audiobox interface, condesor Mic, headphones and stuidio one software for about £150. It's a great little setuhttp://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B004LLV04E/ref=redir_mdp_mobile/279-2279238-5380114

+ 1 for Presonus studio one .

thomasross20

Fretwired said:

thomasross20 said:

Nobody use the line 6 toneport interface anymore?

I have a GuitarPort [no longer made] which I still use. The TonePort is based on the same tech .. very good but getting a bit long in the tooth.

Look at a Steinberg UR22 or UR44. I have both on Win 7 machines. Rock solid drivers and excellent Yamaha technology [Yamaha basicially designed these units] .. the mic pres are excellent. If you can run to the UR44 the unit comes with some excellent top end Yamaha plugins. Excellent for guitars, vocals .. you name it. Proper metal cases as well.

http://www.steinberg.net/en/products/audio_interfaces/ur_serie/modelle/ur44.html

http://www.steinberg.net/en/products/audio_interfaces/ur_serie/modelle/ur22.html

Nice!! In honesty I'll stick with the Toneport until it dies but looks like there are lots of good alternatives... when needed!

Jalapeno

sinbaadi said:

I thank you, all.  Steinberg units appeal.

Anybody bought anything they wish they hadn't?

M-Audio Fast Track - didn't do concurrent playback/record (this was a few years back)