Confused about Converters and Pres

[nst7]

dj killer,

If you're looking for a good DAC and monitor controller you should check out the Dangerous Dbox. I've heard only great things about it. Though it includes analog summing capability, just how good it works as a monitor controller alone is worth the price from what I've heard, even if you don't use the analog summing. I don't know if it's out of your price range but you may want to consider it.

[Whiteyguitar]

I'm with the others in thinking room treatment and so forth is what you should be spending $$$ on, Treating your room is more for you to get perfect translation of your sound on any system than a matter of not using mics to record drums,vocals Etc. even though you are mostly recording using direct ins and Midi, you still want to be able hear exactly what's going on in your monitors without the room altering your sound.
Though the 002 pres are not as good as others they are also not as bad as some would have you think and you can find out allot about yourself and how far you can actually push your equipment with your room tuned properly.
Once the room is tuned up then I would suggest other pres and converters.

[getz76]

Indeed.

My living situation limits my ability to properly treat a space. My project studio doesn't warrant a dedicated space when New York City rental prices would run me a minimum of $12k/year for a shared space.

I have a SM Pro Mic Thing, some heavy moving blankets, rigging and isolation pads. It's not perfect, but even a little effort like this makes a HUGE difference. Killing the unpleasant reflections gives me something useful to work with.

Next year we may move to an apartment with a bit more space. I might make a proper isolation box for recording guitars.

[djkiller]

hmmm well, i'm not in the situation to redo my living room in a small apartment. i can do a little to it and have started already. really i want a certain sound and to play with it...as a guitar guy i've always loved tube amps. i dunno everyone seems to have their own opinion on things. i'll be honest i like the sound i'm getting back from my monitors for the most part. i'm more focused on what is going in and being printed to my audio drive and pres and you know maybe getting a tube pre amp or borrowing my friends marshall head might do what i want.

i'm trying to look at this from a musician and production standpoint but more so the musicians standpoint. i'd rather a marshall or a vox ac30 over a beringer amp and when i go play in a club i don't have a lot of option over the acoustics of the place i'm playing but i do have contorl over the quality of my amp and the sound i want and pedals. so i guess what i'm saying is that's the way i'm looking at this. everything stated is very important but i have to work with what i have and what i don't have. so yeah i really want some new pres and i may get the api a2d and even add a avalon tube pre for my guitar.

one day i hope to have my own house with a dedicated space ut it's not happening now so room treatment can only go so far. i think equipment that gives me a little better quality that i preffer is my best choice in MY situation. also i plan to use some of my equipment outside my studio at my friends houses to record who do have very nice treated rooms.