Setting up a studio...

[Finchy]

Ok, I want to start up a home studio. Right now I'm pricing everything out and figuring out what all I will need. I was going to go with a Vegas 5.0 setup, but I would much rather have everything in PT. So here's what I've come up with so far...

Digi002R
Focusrite OctoPre8
QuikLok 14space rolling rack
Mackie Control Universal (HUI)
(1)Neumann TLM103 condensor
(2)Shure KSM32 condensors
(3)Shure SM57 dynamics
Neutrik 48pt Patch Bay

For monitors it's a toss-up between a pair of Genelec 1031A's or Mackie HR824's, I will get the Genelecs if this guy can get me the deal he says he can. The total of this system will be around $6,700, including cables for everything. I am getting the patch bay so that I can keep everything hooked the same in the back of the units, and just route it on the patch bay. Right? For the PC I will be using, here are the specs:

Dell XPS Gen2
WindowsXP w/SP1 (until SP2 doesn't freak out PTLE :P)
21" LCD
3.4gHz P4 w/800mHz FSB
2gigs dual-channel RAM
10kRPM Maxtor 250gig
7200RPM Maxtor 250gig on FireWire400 (external)

Later on I will be getting an Avalon 737 and a couple more mic pre strips, maybe even one more OctoPre8 so that I can track drums. Right now I'm only doing guitars and vocals, since my band doesn't use a drummer, we use programmed drums. Besides I could get away with tracking drums with just the (12?) tracks that I can get with the Focusrite and the 002R combined, right? I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts on this system, suggestions, etc. Lemme know. Latah.

~Finchy

[tele_player]

My thoughts:
- don't get a Dell - get the system described in the 'Best Desktops' thread at the top of this forum. You'll get better performance, for a lot less money
- about using two Octopres with ProTools LE - The 002R is limited to 18 channels of I/O, as follows:
- 4 mic/line inputs (channels 1-4)
- 4 line inputs (channels 5 - 8)
- 8 channels via the optical port, at up to 48k sample rate (Octopre goes here)
- 2 channels on coaxial S/PDIF

Yes, you could use two octopres, but you'd use one if them just as analog preamps into channels 1 - 8, and the other on the optical input.

[Obsidian Dragon]

I would probably skip the Mackie Control Universal (HUI) and go with a Digidesign Command 8. (or go with the Digidesign 002 (non rack) to get the control surface features. I've seen a lot of HUI's on manager's special discount tables at Guitar Center that sit there for months or more.

21" screen is wonderful but you actually get more bang for the buck with two 17" monitors and a dual output video card. Your preference.

[Matt Whritenour]

for what u listed you don't need a patchbay for anything

also don't forget the 0ctopre is about 1 grand
then it's about another 250 for the digital option
plus the ocotpre doesn't ahve any inserts

you may want to consider a presonus digimax lt
it's cheaper sounds great, and has inserts which
is a big thing

[macr0w]

I'll second the digimax! I have the 96k myself.

[Finchy]

But I already have the Dell. It handles everything just fine. I did have two M Audio Delta 1010 PCI's running with Vegas 5. I had a PreSonus mic pre with 8 channels running to one 1010. I got rid of everything except the computer so that I could buy my laptop and a new guitar, since I wasn't ever recording anything more than 2 tracks, I got the MBox instead. It's been fine until now, where I'm starting to get back into recording more than just some guitars on little projects. Anything else? Latah.

~Finchy

[Finchy]

Hmm, sounds good. As stated in the post above, I was running a PreSonus 8 strip of mic pres, and never had any complaints. I didn't know the OctoPre had the digital (lightpipe) as an *option*. Ok, then the PreSonus DigiMax it is. I'm fine with running one of the pre strips as analog and the other as digital, as long as the digital is 24/96. Anything else, hehe. Keep the suggestions and ideas coming. Also, thanks too, lol. Latah.

~Finchy

[Finchy]

Ok, so the DigiMAX LT only goes to 24/48, I think I could live with that considering the price and features. Not to mention my experience with PreSonus pres has been nothing but good things so far.

To the guy that said I wouldn't need a patch bay for anything, why do you say that? I will eventually have all 14 spaces of the rack filled up, and probably need another unit as well, and probably fill it up, or close, too. Please explain why I wouldn't need one. Latah.

~Finchy

[tele_player]

It's a little confusing, but the optical port on the 002 (and 002Rack and 001) can do 2 channels at 96kHz (Optical S/PDIF) or 8 channels at up to 48k (ADAT mode).
So, if you want to run more than 10 channels into ProTools LE, you are strictly limited to 48kHz max. There's no way around it.

The Dell wouldn't have been my first choice, but you might get lucky with it. It doesn't matter if it's worked with other programs or interfaces. ProTools LE is pickier than most.

[Finchy]

Well, you have to look at the HUI and the 002 like this, they are basically just a mouse. Not even needed, I'm getting it because I like to actually touch faders instead of clicking, it's a personal preference. That being said, I would rather go the cheaper route, since it honestly does the same thing, and from my experience, same quality. We have an 002 and the older Mackie HUI at the studio I work at, I actually prefer working with the Mackie, just something about it. I'd rather have the 002R anyway just to have as much as possible rack-mount.

As far as monitors (screens), I do have a 17" LCD Dell UltraSharp hooked up right now that I forgot to mention. So it will be a 21" for the main, and 17" for the secondary monitor.

Now that I think about it, it won't really bother me to work in 48 instead of 96, mostly because it occurred to me that at the studio, we never use anything above 48, and actually when we bounce out, we put it at 44.1, so yeah.

I still don't understand why a patch bay wouldn't be necessary. I'm planning on filling every space of the rack up with eq's and pre's, so that I have a ton of options. And possibly getting another 10-14 space rack to add on to that. I'm certainly not going to flip that rack around every time a band comes in and sit there and re-route a ton of cables just so that I can get one [bleep] tom to go through a certain pre. That's why God created patch bays, so all I have to do is route on mic on the bay to go to that in on the pre. Easy.

Ok so with all that said, anything else? Keep all the ideas and suggestions coming, I'll either shoot them down, or be realllllllly glad I posted, hehe. Latah.

~Finchy