Powered Speakers

[The Weed]

Careful...us gear slutz on the forum will have you buying all kinds of equipment to improve your audio quality. Next someone will be recommending an Apogee and a Big Ben

If you're really only recording your guitar for you to listen back to, then the MBox pres should be fine and a lower priced pair of powered speakers should be all you need. Take a CD you know down to your local audio store and audition as many powered monitors as you can. Here's a few names to go along with the others above:

Alesis M1 MkII's, Yorkville, Yamaha, Berhinger Truths, Tannoy Reveal Active...There are many more. Get what sounds good to you.

If you're using the MBox to lay down tracks which will be used for a release or some form of distribution, well that's a different thing and the MBox alone probably won't give you the quality you need. Then you may want to upgrade, or just use the MBox to get your ideas down on a track or so, which you can then take to a studio so they'll understand your ideas.

What you need for equipment is really a function of what you're recording and why. Once you've answered those questions, let your ears and your budget be your guide.

Cheers,

[reynep]

I'm so ignorant about these things (that's what spending years in a conservatory does to you) that I didn't even know that I could hook up another mic preamp to the M-Box.
I thought the M-Box was it, nothing more, nothing less.
I will most certainly look into the John Hardy. It's a name I've never heard of.
Thanks for the advice.
GtrDude.

Weed is probably right - It might be best to stick with the mbox for a little while.

If you aren't happy with the sound you are getting upgrade the preamps FIRST (after getting your monitors). John Hardy's are about $1600US a pair so we're talking a fair bit here. There are cheaper options like the FMR audio RNP (500US) which is reputed to very good - I have never heard one.

good luck.

FWIW I was very interested in the Mackie HR624's before I got the Dyns. Never got to hear a pair tho'. Mackie stuff is expensive compared to a lot of other brands in Aus.

When using the Mbox preamps avoid turning the gain up past 3/4 as the pots get very "iffy" up there.

[GtrDude]

If you're really only recording your guitar for you to listen back to, then the MBox pres should be fine

OK, now you're making me worried. I was always under the impression I could get pro quality from the M-Box (I know, laugh it up ). I knew the price tag was too good to be true, darn it.
What should I get that can deliver professional quality? Would the 001 do, or should I get one of the 002’s?
The rest of my stuff is good, mics etc. and I like the idea of being able to record on my computer.
I guess I'm going to have to sell my M-Box and get the 001 or 002. Would they do?
Thanks for any advice.

GtrDude.

[where02190]

the quality fo the M-box preamps is very good. Yes ther eare better, and yest there are more expensive. IMHO you can get a great sound from your guitar from them, and you'll learn alot of audio and how it works on the journey. A decent pair of mics (I recommend a pair of AKG 414's) will do the guitar jsutice. Monitors are your link to your recorded sound, find a coupel pair you are very comfortble with and can mix on with mixes translating to the real world the way you want.

[Jburn34]

You can get professional quality from the Mbox. The pre's are decent on there. Definitely don't get the 001, the pre's are worse on it. The most important thing in your recording is going to be the room recorded in, the sound source (the guitar), and the mic position. Upgraded pre's can definitely make a difference, but they won't fix all the other stuff. If you decide to get a new preamp, I would try a few different ones. I got recommended several high end preamps when I was buying, but it wasn't until the 3rd one or so that I found what I was looking for. Recording classical guitar is very tricky.

What kind of room are you in? What mic(s) are you using?

Jeremy

[3JDamon]

Man, I'll have what where02190 is smoking... The Mbox mic pre's are very good, and he should spend $2000 on a matched pair of 414's? For classical guitar?! Assuming a decent pair of small diaphram condensers wouldn't cut it, don't ya think maybe a pair of Rode NT1A's might be as far as one should go before considering better preamps?

First, the Mbox preamps are no better than what's in a typical budget mixer. Still, that's not the first thing to address, and powered monitors probably aren't the answer either.

All you've described of your mics is "a pretty good stereo mic setup", which would imply you're either using a stereo mic or a closely grouped mic pair, which is generally inappropriate for any acoustic guitar. I bet your problem is there.

[GtrDude]

All you've described of your mics is "a pretty good stereo mic setup", which would imply you're either using a stereo mic or a closely grouped mic pair, which is generally inappropriate for any acoustic guitar. I bet your problem is there.

The mics I'm using are Rode NT5. They are stereo matched and I have been recording in stereo by launching stereo tracks in Pro Tools. I have after much experimentation found a good, spot for them. I have also thought about having one (mono) NT5 and then one Mono Electro Voice RE 20.
I saw a picture of some people recording a guitar with one small condenser and one large, that's what gave me the idea.
I also know of another classical guitarist who always useds Coles 4038; Sennheiser MKH-20, MKH-50 all at once with good results. He has the means to pay for things like that, I don't.
Do you mean my problem is in using the two matched mics? For me just to use one?
Thanks.
GtrDude.

[where02190]

I'm not "smoking" anything, and I never said spend $2000 on a pair of 414's. You can get pair of them used for around $1000. IMHO a far better choice than the NT1A, which is a fine mic, but no 414.

The Rode NT-5's are very brittle, and lack any real fullness in the low end IMHO. I'd definitely try some different mics, but don't rent, you're jsut tossing money away. Find a Pro Audio dealer who will let you demo mics to find a pair tht you like.

As far as the M-box preamps being no better than your typical budge tmixer, I don't knwo any budget mixers with Focusrite preamp in them.

If i was to recommend a preamp upgrade, it would include a converter as well. The Apogee MiniMe would be an excellent choice IMHO.

I'll pass on what you're "smoking", thanks...

[optymusblu]

I bought the tr8's they are great. You will be very happy with those at a good price also.

[31Hz]

There are a lot of techniques and influences that can play into the recording of a solo acoutic instrument. most factors depend and vary based on the space you're recording in. I engineer at a studio specializing in acoustic instrument recording, and I hope some of my experiences can be helpful.

I'm curious if you are working to make a release, just playing around, using this as a sketchbook?
Local release, region, or shopping national?

The coles can have some nice results, interesting if used in an M-S configuration w/ your nt5 cardiod and a *great* room.

we do a lot w/ a large diaphragm condenser (u87 klaus heine ed)on the lower end of the body and a small diaphragm condenser (km84) around the 12th fret, placement dependent on style, instrument & performer.

we've also used a large diapram over the guitarist's shoulder w/ some classical and a smaller diapragm around the sound hole/fingers for detail.

sometimes we use a set of km88's in an ORTF stereo config, probably how you use your NT5's, usually for very fast work and a guitar w/ wolf tones.

If you're ever in the northwest, drop me a line & if the studio's free we'll spend an afternoon playing w/ mics & configs - it would be fun! Also, your Mbox = portablility. you probably have some beautiful spaces in which you can experiment recording - DO IT! churches, concert halls/performance centers. sometimes a tiled bathroom at an institution/school after hours.

Don't want to be a dork throwing out micing technique names you might be unfamiliar with - I can find some websites w/ some info on basic mic techniques or email ya.

your re-20 has a large diapragm, but is dynamic, not a condenser, and might not give you the definition you deserve. also a very *colored* mic.

wow, this is long. hope there's something helpful. feel free to email me [email protected]

tim
31hz
bigredstudio.com