Upgrade Options & Outboard Gear

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Upgrade Options & Outboard Gear
A few months ago, Electronic Musician had an article "Build a Home Studio on Any Budget" but their bottom budget was my top budget. This is my answer to that column.

Mic Pre's $500

After the Microphone, the mic pre is the next item in defining the quality of sound that enters your computer. While many of the A/D converters I spoke of have high quality mic pre's built in, this is probably your next upgrade option (after some quality mic's - better than the ones I mentioned) on your quest for great sound.

A mic pre, or microphone preamp, brings the low output of a microphone up to a level other audio gear can accept. While doing so, many of them impart their own character on the sound that producers and engineers use as flavors.

So while these aren't bare essential items, they can do a lot to improve your sound once you have your studio up and running. Like microphones, mic pre's

Grace 101
When it comes time for me to buy a Mic Pre, I'll probably buy a Grace 101. At around $500, this is a clean mic pre, or so the reviews tell me.
RNP
FMR Audio is famous for their Really Nice Compressor (RNC) "the best compressor under $2000" and just introduced their RNP, or Really Nice Pre. Also around $500.

Signal Processors

RNC
The Really Nice Compressor, the best compressor for under $2,000, and at $200 it's a steal. Universally recommended as the compressor to get if you're on a budget.
Speck ASC Equalizer
Once you have a quality Mic Pre and Compressor, the next part of the signal chain should be an EQ. Well here's one EQ that caught my eye. $450.
Little Labs IBP Analog Phase Alignment Tool
I really don't know if I believe the hype surrounding this box. It will take two out of phase signals and let you dial in the phase settings to get them to match up. Important if you mic with multiple microphones at different distances from a source or combine direct and distance mic'd guitars. $475.

Guitar Amps & DI Boxes

The Pignose
At $70 this little thing sounds good, and gets loud. If you're like me and record in the living room of your apartment, there's no real need for a Marshall stack, and not being a guitar player I have no interest in investing a Fender Twin, so to get a good non-emulated guitar sound, The Pignose is the way to go.
SansAmp, Pod
The SansAmp, which comes in several flavors - acoustic DI box, bass DI box, guitar stomp box - does a decent job of adding crunch to your sound. The Pod is an out and out amp emulator. Again, if you want the sound of a mic'd amp but don't have the room or neighbors for one, then these are a good option. Another would be software amp modelling available as plugins to most pro audio software packages.

Next: Sample Packages

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page first created on Sunday, December 08, 2002