I-mac or Avalon 737sp (what would you do?)

[articulatedrama]

I'm in a pickle here fellas! Im basiclly revamping my entire studio! I will be gettin an Audio-Technica AT4033/CL Large Diaphragm Condenser Mic, a pair of powered monitors, and the Digi Design mx002 pro tools controler. Where im stuck at is here.....Do i use the remaining 2 grand i have in my budget and get an Avalon 737sp (industry standard so they say) and build around that, later gettin a MAC. Or, do i get an IMAC for 1,400 and use the remaing 500 towards a better mic or pro tool plug ins? I'm operating on a Dell laptop wit Centrino Pentium 512 mb, external
hard drive spinnin at 7200 rpm.

What would you do?

and if you fellas have any recomondations on any mics or monitors or even a whole nother set up for 5 grand, im alllllll ears. Im doing Hip-Hop and i basiclly wanna get great quality out of my mixes with the bottom end and vocal tone. I make beats with an alesis asr 10 and reason 3.0

thanx yall, God bless.

[RadioMoo]

I'd personally ditch the 4033: you won't get what I think of as "The Hip Hop Vocal Sound." I have one, and it's OK for what I do (voiceover work), but when I have the two grand, I'm getting a Lawson L47. This would compliment your 002's pre amps very well.

But, the 737 sounds great, and has compression and EQ, and it seems to be pretty standard in Hip Hop and RnB these days.

But, I tend to favor Macs for their stability and just plain ease of use...but you've got a fairly recent, fast PC which should let you run Pro Tools OK.

Just some ideas to toss around; these are always tough questions to answer for someone else.

HTH

[A2D D2A]

Personally if I were you I wouldn't get anything until I did more homework, that includes the 4033, the 002 or monitors.
You will quickly discovery how little money $5g's really is and that it's even less when you spend it wrong.
Get a better idea of what you need to do, want to do and then start looking at what gear does that.
I would never start out by using a 737 w/4033 combo just too much of an off balance setup when your goal is vocal tracking.
I was once forced to track 5 hip hop songs (mail-baritone voice heavy in the middle) with the 4033, C1 and 4040 being the only mics available had a couple of different pres to try (TLAudio, 002r, Focusrite) and was glad when they decided to retract the vocals.
I don't know if you will be trying to track just your vocals or the vocals of others but if it's for you checkout mics using your voice to see what sounds good, if it's for others then get multiple mics or at least the most versitle you can afford.
Lots of available choices for gear and most are bad, don't fall victim to thinking that just because someone uses something that it will work well in your situation and environment.
The better you understand your needs the better off you'll be.
737 new is $1950 + 4033 new $399 + $2349, that same money could get you the combo of ME-1NV, RNC and U195 which would give you vocals that would be bananas compared to the 737 and AT mic.
Shop wisely and end up with something useful.
Giid luck

[mindnoise]

HI,

so first: if you are satisfied with the performance of your Laptop DON`T CHANGE IT.
getting a Mac just for a change of it isn´t worth it!

second: get the best Monitors you can afford, you can´t edit what you can´t hear!!!

investigate and learn as much as you can since getting high pro stuff is expensive.
and the wrong choice can be fatal. Be 100% sure about what you need.

so the following are just some thoughts to make things even more complicated:

personally I won´t buy a tube mic. A condesor mic an great Tupe Pre I see as much
more versatile since condesor mics are way cheaper than tube mics so you can easier have
a selection of condensers than of tubes.

as a replacement for the Avalon I REALLY suggest trying the RNC and RNP
(really nice compressor / pre) they are a steal compared to how they sound!!!

Also the Focusrite Octopre is a very decent MicPre.

Id´also look into an Universal Audio Channelstrip (LA610), they are even a bit cheaper than
the Avalon.

also the SPL Gainstation are very worth considering mono Micpre.


And definately get some decent plug-ins, as the digi ones won´t get you anywhere.
like the McDSP Filter- and Compressor bank lite or the Sony Bundle (EQ+comp+inflator)
or the Elemental Audio stuff.

Also If you don´t neet the standalone mixer capabilities of the 002,
I´d get a 002r plus the Command 8 controller since you can use the controller
with different software (like reason) also, which you can´t do with the 002.


just my HO

so far

regs

PS: I once wrote in a thread that an RNC won´t replace an Avalon.
I got the response from someone, saying that´s he likes and uses his RNC
more than his Avalon. Just another anecdote

[Andi R]

the guys above are right....
think before you buy! ;-)
I wouldn´t get the 4033, I at least would get a 4040 or 4050 if you want an AT....
do you really NEED the Avalon? I mean, we all need this stuff, bur do you REALLY NEED it? and is it right for what you do?

if your laptop is OK and works for you, don´t cange it. if you cannot do anything with it you want to do, go and change it. get a powerbook or a G5 powermac. and check out the SONY plug ins, they rock.

Cheers!
Andi