Best music recording equipment according to redditors
We found 14,093 Reddit comments discussing the best music recording equipment. We ranked the 3,053 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
We found 14,093 Reddit comments discussing the best music recording equipment. We ranked the 3,053 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
I have always wanted to have a "smart" radio. My parents have always owned various Pioneer, Kenwood, and Sony radio decks, but they always had their cons to them (clunky OS, different type of touch screens that suck, lack of features, very expensive $800-$2000), useless features, etc.). I wanted something that runs Android 6.0+. I thought about using iPads, but I didn't want to waste a bunch of money for something that is going to be used in my car only. I wanted a budget friendly "smart" radio. That is when I found the perfect tablet, the Nexus 7 2013. Cheap, powerful, Android 6, compact, somewhat thin and small, and best part, it fits in a double-din radio deck.
After finding various projects that people have used, I decided to order a bunch of stuff from Amazon (everything was bought with Prime) and see if I could get this to work. It took about 3 weeks to work out all the bugs, but it runs perfect now. I never found anyone that did this mod in a Nissan Pathfinder, so that was difficult going on my own, reading various wiring diagrams and getting power, sound and steering wheel controls to work. After lots of testing each wire, and lots of trial and errors, everything is working how I want it too.
Questions that people have asked me that I can remember on the top of my head:
Q: How do you turn the tablet on and off if the power button is blocked?
A: Easy, with Timur's Kernel, and the USB car charger hooked up to the accessory power, when I turn my key on/start my car, the tablet detects power from the USB, which wakes the screen/powers on. (ELI5: there are 2 power sources in your radio, a constant 12 volt power, and an accessory key power. So when you turn the key to ACC or ON, it gives power to the tablet, but when you turn the key off, it takes away power from the USB port.)
Q: How does it hold up in the wonderful California heat?
A: Shockingly very well. It hasn't given me any issues in ~95F (+35C) degree weather. There was a day where it was 115F (46C) degrees outside, and that is when the tablet finally said NOPE and started locking up and freezing due to the ridiculous heat. After running my AC for a few minutes, it cooled the tablet down to reasonable temperature and ran normally again. When my car is parked, I have a windshield sun shade that helps a ton with keeping the sun off my black/gray dash, and/or microfiber towels over the screen to keep the sun off. If it's super hot, I just take the tablet/radio/air conditioner part out of my car and bring it inside (not that hard to remove).
Q: How do you control the volume?
A: With the JoyCon EXC, it translates either CAN, IBUS, resistive, or digital steering wheel control signals, to USB keyboard signals that the tablet can see. I have the Joycon setup to have Volume UP/DOWN, Screen ON/OFF, PAUSE/PLAY, and PREVIOUS/NEXT. Click here for more information.
Q: How do you listen to the radio/music?
A: Spotify Premium. While I can spend ~$10 on a radio antenna to USB to listen to over-the-air radio stations, I never listen to the radio. When I had my old stock radio, I never listened to the radio part. I always used my 3.5mm jack to plug in my phone for Spotify. Great perk about being a broke college student is getting 50% off Spotify Premium.
Q: Can you/do you watch TV or movies on it while you drive?
A: I can, but I don't. Pay attention to the freakin' road.
Q: How do you get internet on it since it's a WiFi version?
A: I use my Bluetooth hotspot on my phone to get internet for Waze, Google Maps, etc. I can also use the WiFi hotspot, but that uses more power. I can drive from California to Idaho running Waze the whole way and it uses about ~300MB of data.
Q: Can you make phone calls with it?
A: This has been something I have been trying, but have not had success with yet. I use an app called [TabletTalk] (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.apdroid.tabtalk&hl=en), but it doesn't push the microphone/sound through the tablet. I gave up on this since I have a Samsung Gear 2 Neo smartwatch that has a microphone/speaker on it. Some day I will explore with this more.
Q: How do you power your speakers if you removed the radio?
A: I lucked out big time with this issue because my Nissan Pathfinder has the Bose System built in. That means that there's an amplifier already installed that powers the speakers. So the tablet sends the sound to the Behringer UCA202 DAC, that then converts to a 3.5mm headphone jack that then splits into the Left Front/Rear, Right Front/Rear, and dual subwoofer channels that go to the car wiring harness that then goes to the amp. This saves me hundreds of dollars. For vehicles without a stock amplifier that rely on the radio for power, that is when you will need to buy an amplifier to power the speakers. My 12 inch subwoofer also plugs into the DAC and works perfectly.
Q: I see the reverse camera, how did you get that to work with the tablet? How does the tablet know when you are in reverse?
A: There were 2 ways to get this to work, one way is by video detection, or the other way is by the JoyCon EXC. I chose to do the video detection way because it was simpler and waiting about one second for the app to open was fine with me. I use an app called EasyCap viewer.
Q: Why is there paper over the JoyCon, EasyCap, USB charger etc.?
A: The plastic pieces over the EasyCap and USB charger were bulky/broken. The JoyCon didn't come with a cover. Paper was the easiest/closest thing I had at the moment. If only I had a 3D printer. Someday..
Q: Why is the mic in the vent and not somewhere else? Doesn't the wind from the HVAC cause problems?
A: It was a last-second add-on and just put it in there without having to rewire the harness. I also didn't know where to move it that made it look "stock". I've gotten some great opinions on where to move it! Thanks for those!
I'll add more common questions here when I think of them.
Breakdown of Parts:
Price | Part
---|---
$100 | Nexus 7 2013 32GB WiFi (flo) (bought from /r/hardwareswap)
$5 | Nissan Radio Wiring Harness
$6 | AmazonBasics 4-Port USB 2.0 Hub
$20 | Esky EC135-05 Rearview Camera
$95 | JoyCon EXC
$7 | Tendak OTG USB cable
$30 | Behringer UCA202
$7 | VideoSecu Amplified CCTV Microphone
$25 | Timur's Kernel v4.0 for Nexus 7 2013
$10 | Maxboost Car Charger
Free/Other/Already owned | EasyCap USB Video Capture Card, RCA cables, 3.5mm audio cables, USB cables, 12-16 AWG wire, grinder, zipties, paper, hotglue, other random stuff.
TOTAL COST | ~$305
TL;DR: Modified my Android tablet to work as a replacement for my radio. Worth it? YES. Best Radio Ever.
Have Questions? Ask away. Since I had to learn most this crap on my own, I can share my experience with others and give pointers in the right direction.
EDIT #1: Formatting.
EDIT #2: RIP my inbox. I would never have guessed this would get this popular. I'm just speechless. Wow. Thanks everyone! Trying my best to reply to everyone! Also added another question to this.
If it makes you feel better, you can get better-sounding headphones than Bose for less money. The Audio-Technica ATH-M40X should blow anything Bose below $300 out of the water for just under $100, and if your budget is closer to $50 you can often find Sennheiser HD558s for around $50-60. The more you know!
these:
https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M40x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR54
https://www.amazon.com/Antlion-Audio-ModMic-Attachable-Microphone/dp/B00R98JVVU/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1491575296&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=modmic&psc=1
and you will be considered the best Girlfriend ever.......there are a million choices out there on the market today, but, in my experiance there are a very few full on pre-made Gaming headsets that are truly super good, sure some sound ok but very few have the sound quality of a decent studio monitor headphone, and for me, that's important. Good luck, and, you're awesome for soliciting info like this, well done!!
whoops, missed the wireless part, sorry!!!!
logtiech artemis is a nice headset, I loved mine till I moved to the set up I have above, decent sound, lots of extras, good range, good mike:
https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Artemis-Spectrum-Wireless-Surround/dp/B0148NPJ78/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1491575575&sr=1-3&keywords=logitech+artemis
and, if he already has some logitech gear, it works in conjunction with the software he already has.
This mic was probably my favorite purchase. Friends comment that the voice quality is stunning. I would recommend getting the Neewer mount for about 15 dollars if you're on a budget, this mic does pick up a lot of vibrations with the table stand it comes with. Also, purchase a metal 5/8 to 3/8 mic adapter if you do order the Neewer mount, the plastic one that comes with the Neewer mount is a piece of shit whose threads strip like nobody's business.
Edit: provided links
Link to Neewer Scissor Mount $12.50
Link to 5/8 adapter $4.95
Link to Rode PSA1 Mount if you have money to spend $98.79
EDIT 2: u/Mebbwebb stated the Neewer mount might not come with the tightening knob for the Mic. In that case you would have to use a wrench to tighten the mount where the Mic attaches to the arm. The Neewer mount I have has a tightening knob. He has linked an offer that includes a tightening knob plus the mount he linked is cheaper and comes with a free Google Cardboard promotion.
LINK TO THE MOUNT WITH GOOGLE CARDBOARD OFFER
I'm putting this here because I don't want to flood the main sub with what I'm able to find. So here goes:
Headphones| Price
:--|:--
[ATH-M50x Headphones] (https://www.amazon.ca/Audio-Technica-ATH-M50x-Professional-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR86/ref=sr_1_1?s=prime-day&psr=PDAY&ie=UTF8&qid=1499757226&sr=1-1&keywords=headphones) |$150 in cart. $250-$300 everywhere else I check
[Sennhieser HD 598 SR Headphones] (https://www.amazon.ca/Sennheiser-HD-598-SR-Open-Back/dp/B06WRMZZ45/ref=sr_1_1?s=prime-day&psr=PDAY&ie=UTF8&qid=1499757356&sr=1-1&keywords=hd+598) |$109 Record low
[Audio-Technica ATH-M40x Headphones] (https://www.amazon.ca/Audio-Technica-ATH-M40x-Professional-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR54/ref=sr_1_6?s=prime-day&psr=PDAY&ie=UTF8&qid=1499758834&sr=1-6&keywords=bose) |$180 - $38 = $141
[August EP650-Bluetooth headphones] (https://www.amazon.ca/August-EP650-Bluetooth-Wireless-Headphones-Leather/dp/B00F54Y6GU/ref=sr_1_2?s=prime-day&psr=PDAY&ie=UTF8&qid=1499759484&sr=1-2&keywords=headphones)| Was $99, now $58
[August EP640 Bluetooth Headphones] (https://www.amazon.ca/August-EP640-Rechargeable-built-Smartphones/dp/B00MHOFR78/ref=sr_1_1?s=prime-day&psr=PDAY&ie=UTF8&qid=1499772544) |was $80, now $37
[Prime Day Bluedio T2S Headphones] (https://www.amazon.ca/Bluedio-Shooting-Bluetooth-headphones-wireless/dp/B00Q2VIW9M/ref=sr_1_4?s=prime-day&psr=PDAY&ie=UTF8&qid=1499759635&sr=1-4&keywords=bluetooth) | Was $20, $21 in cart no tax
Prime Day Bluedio V Headphones | was $200, $140 in cart no tax
[AUSDOM ANC 7 Bluetooth noise cancelling] (https://www.amazon.ca/Cancelling-Headphones-AUSDOM-Bluetooth-Comfortable/dp/B01LZ7Q5R1/ref=sr_1_4?s=prime-day&psr=PDAY&ie=UTF8&qid=1499808109&sr=1-4&keywords=aptx) | was $100, now $50. Well reviewed!
[Sony Extra bass bluetooth headphones] (https://www.amazon.ca/Sony-MDRXB950B1-Extra-Headphone-Model/dp/B01N5UVZBP) | was $200, now $99
Earbuds| Price
:--|:--
[Aukey Arcs Bluetooth Sport] (https://www.amazon.ca/AUKEY-Bluetooth-Headphones-Microphone-Sweatproof/dp/B01EWUP4NQ/ref=sr_1_4?s=prime-day&psr=PDAY&ie=UTF8&qid=1499804815&sr=1-4&keywords=headphones)| was $24, now $14
[1MORE Triple Driver earbuds] (https://www.amazon.ca/1MORE-Headphones-Earphones-Compatible-Microphone/dp/B01KB9K9Z0/ref=lp_17037466011_1_4?srs=17037466011&ie=UTF8&qid=1499766067&sr=8-4&th=1) | Was $131, $106 in cart
Bluetooth misc| Price
:--|:--
[Anker Premium Stereo Bluetooth 4.0 Speaker ] (https://www.amazon.ca/Anker-Bluetooth-Subwoofers-Portable-Wireless/dp/B0107WH8Q4/ref=sr_1_6?s=prime-day&psr=PDAY&ie=UTF8&qid=1499800448&sr=1-6&keywords=subwoofer) | was $130, now $60
[Trond bluetooth receiver] (https://www.amazon.ca/TROND-Bluetooth-Receiver-Headphones-Speakers/dp/B01M9I0LSK/) | Was $25, now $20. I have one its awesome
[Altman Bluetooth Transmitter/receiver] (https://www.amazon.ca/ALTMAN-Bluetooth-Transmitter-Receiver-Wireless/dp/B06Y25PGBG/ref=sr_1_1?s=prime-day&psr=PDAY&ie=UTF8&qid=1499803431&sr=1-1&keywords=aptx) |was $43, now $26
CPU Coolers| Price
:--|:--
[CORSAIR Hydro Series H100i v2 Extreme ] (https://www.amazon.ca/CORSAIR-Extreme-Performance-Liquid-CW-9060025-WW/dp/B019EXSSBG/ref=sr_1_1?s=prime-day&psr=PDAY&ie=UTF8&qid=1499757440&sr=1-1&keywords=corsair) |$110. Historic [all time low] (https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/product/CrDzK8/corsair-cpu-cooler-cw9060025ww)
[Corsair Hydro Series H115i Extreme Performance] (https://www.amazon.ca/Corsair-Extreme-Performance-Liquid-CW-9060027-WW/dp/B019955RNQ/ref=sr_1_3?s=prime-day&psr=PDAY&ie=UTF8&qid=1499756838&sr=1-3&keywords=corsair) |$155 (temporarily out of stock)
[MasterLiquid Pro 240 All-In-One] (https://www.amazon.ca/MasterLiquid-Technology-Chamber-MasterFan-Radiator/dp/B01E5XNP5Y/ref=lp_16927652011_1_24?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1499766384&sr=1-24) | was $140, now $95 [Historic low] (https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/product/sqmxFT/cooler-master-cpu-cooler-mlyd24ma20mbr1)
PSU| Price
:--|:--
[Corsair CS650M] (https://www.amazon.ca/Corsair-Modular-Efficient-Supply-CS650M/dp/B00GH9NA2I/ref=sr_1_11?s=prime-day&psr=PDAY&ie=UTF8&qid=1499757999&sr=1-11&keywords=corsair) |$110. Not the lowest but okay
[EVGA SuperNOVA 550 G3] (https://www.amazon.ca/EVGA-SuperNOVA-Modular-Warranty-220-G3-0550-Y1/dp/B01LWTS2UL/ref=sr_1_1?s=prime-day&psr=PDAY&ie=UTF8&qid=1499759891&sr=1-1&keywords=evga)| Was $130, now $99 [historic low] (https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/product/sMM323/evga-supernova-g3-550w-80-gold-certified-fully-modular-atx-power-supply-220-g3-0550)
Cases| Price
:--|:--
[Corsair 780T full atx case] (https://www.amazon.ca/Corsair-Graphite-780T-Full-Tower/dp/B00LA6POK4) | $189 in cart. Not an [all time low] (https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/product/sNJwrH/corsair-case-cc9011063ww) but not bad
[Corsair Carbide 400C white] (https://www.amazon.ca/Corsair-CC-9011095-WW-Carbide-Compact-Mid-Tower/dp/B01F97W9ZM/ref=sr_1_12?s=prime-day&psr=PDAY&ie=UTF8&qid=1499813131&sr=1-12&keywords=corsair) |$105 in cart
HDD| Price
:--|:--
[Seagate Backup Plus Hub 8TB] (https://www.amazon.ca/Seagate-External-Desktop-Storage-STEL8000100/dp/B01HD6ZLQ6/ref=sr_1_3?s=prime-day&psr=PDAY&ie=UTF8&qid=1499758359&sr=1-3&keywords=hdd) | $270 - 51 = $219
[Seagate 4TB BarraCuda Pro ] (https://www.amazon.ca/Seagate-BarraCuda-3-5-Inch-Internal-ST4000DM006/dp/B01MSW4MNS/ref=sr_1_4?s=prime-day&psr=PDAY&ie=UTF8&qid=1499758359&sr=1-4&keywords=hdd)|$245-75 = $170 [Historic low!] (https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/product/qRtWGX/seagate-barracuda-pro-4tb-35-7200rpm-internal-hard-drive-st4000dm006)
[Seagate Backup Plus 4TB Portable] (https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B0196J43TE/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A3DWYIK6Y9EEQB&psc=1) | Was $160, now $135 [all time low] (https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/product/NyQRsY/seagate-backup-plus-4tb-external-hard-drive-stdr4000100)
[Seagate Firecuda 2TB] (https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B01M1NHCZT/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)| was $126, now $85 [Historic low] (https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/product/zk7CmG/seagate-firecuda-2tb-25-5400rpm-internal-hard-drive-st2000lx001)
[Seagate Firecuda 1TB] (https://www.amazon.ca/Seagate-Firecuda-2-5-Inch-Internal-ST1000LX015/dp/B01LWRTRZU/ref=sr_1_1?s=prime-day&psr=PDAY&ie=UTF8&qid=1499767750&sr=1-1&keywords=ssd) | was $83, now $60 [Historic low] (https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/product/w6x9TW/seagate-firecuda-1tb-25-5400rpm-hybrid-internal-hard-drive-st1000lx015)
Input Devices| Price
:--|:--
[Logitech G13 input pad] (https://www.amazon.ca/Logitech-G13-Programmable-Gameboard-Display/dp/B001NEK2GE/ref=sr_1_21?s=prime-day&psr=PDAY&ie=UTF8&qid=1499761901&sr=1-21&keywords=board+games) | Was $75, now $55 [Historic Low] (https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/product/jbvZxr/logitech-keyboard-920000946)
[Corsair Gaming K70 LUX RGB MX Brown] (https://www.amazon.ca/Corsair-Gaming-Mechanical-Keyboard-Backlit/dp/B01ER4B7YM/ref=sr_1_6?s=prime-day&psr=PDAY&ie=UTF8&qid=1499770080&) | was $180, now $160 [Historic low] (https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/product/34M323/corsair-k70-lux-rgb-wired-gaming-keyboard-ch-9101012-na)
Networking| Price
:--|:--
[NETGEAR Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Router] (https://www.amazon.ca/NETGEAR-Nighthawk-Tri-Band-Quad-Stream-R8500-100CNS/dp/B01A85Y9TE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1499760240&sr=8-1&keywords=NETGEAR+Nighthawk+X8+AC5300)| was $499, now $290
[TP-Link AC3200 Tri band router] (https://www.amazon.ca/TP-Link-Tri-Band-Beamforming-Archer-C3200/dp/B00YY3XSSA/ref=sr_1_3?s=prime-day&psr=PDAY&ie=UTF8&qid=1499760450&sr=1-3&keywords=modem) | Was $249, now $175
[Netgear 16-Port Gigabit Switch] (https://www.amazon.ca/Netgear-16-Port-Gigabit-Ethernet-Desktop/dp/B01AX8XHRQ/ref=sr_1_6?s=prime-day&psr=PDAY&ie=UTF8&qid=1499760948&sr=1-6&keywords=ethernet) | Was $106, now $75 in cart
MISC| Price
:--|:--
[Logitech C922x Webcam] (https://www.amazon.ca/Logitech-Stream-Webcam-Streaming-960-001176/dp/B01LXCDPPK/ref=sr_1_5?s=prime-day&psr=PDAY&ie=UTF8&qid=1499760799&sr=1-5&keywords=computer) | was $130, now $89. All time low
[Acer KG251Q 1080p Freesync monitor] (https://www.amazon.ca/Acer-KG251Q-bmiix-FREESYNC-Technology/dp/B06X6HJ1SF/ref=sr_1_6?s=prime-day&psr=PDAY&ie=UTF8&qid=1499762804&sr=1-6&keywords=monitor) | Was $230, now $170
[M9S PRO android tv box] (https://www.amazon.ca/Leelbox-M9S-Pro-Android-6-0/dp/B01MD0NZPK/ref=sr_1_2?s=prime-day&psr=PDAY&ie=UTF8&qid=1499767387) | Was $130, $98 in cart
[Cyberpower 600w UPS] (https://www.amazon.ca/CyberPower-CP1000PFCLCD-Sinewave-Compatible-Mini-Tower/dp/B00429N192/ref=sr_1_1?s=prime-day&psr=PDAY&ie=UTF8&qid=1499803529&sr=1-1&keywords=ups) | was $224, now $125
I'll try to keep tabs on everything but let me know if there are any errors or price updates. And as a side note, I'm actually getting downvotes for this? I can't see how there could possibly be a sane explanation for that.
 
EDIT: Updated 7:00pm EST!! Let me know if there's anything you see and I'll put it in here!
 
EDIT: I've put everything new as of Jan 11, 4:00pm in bold. Also, check this post on RedFlagDeals for a great big list of deal
 
EDIT: Its all over everyhone. Hope you snagged something cool beyond bitter disappointment this year!**
 
A good headphone stand:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MCVOILM/
A cool glass/metal stand thing to put under your tower or monitor:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AJHCQD8/
A big long mouse+keyboard pad that like a rug, ties your whole desk together:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N0LDFR8/
A cool scissor arm to hold & move your microphone:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DY1F2CS/
For things that are more significant than accessories: Get some active studio monitor speakers, a nice dac/pre-amp/mixer, a mechanical or electrostatic-capacitive keyboard, a REALLY nice office chair, and stuff like that. A good battlestation is about a lot more than a big monitor, cool case, and some good processing power.
All these recommendations of Logitech and Corsair (and Altec, etc.) speakers on what claims to be a knowledgeable forum really hurts, guys. You wouldn't recommend a $100 Logitech keyboard over a CM Storm, so don't do the same here.
Now to answer your question, OP:
A Xonar DG and M Audio AV40s will be a killer combo for a nice clear sound that extends into low frequencies very well for the price (great bass). I highly recommend it. Now a sound card isn't necessary, per se - you will have audio without it; but the improvement from onboard to a cheap sound card is immense. Go for it! I've recommended this setup to tens of people, and I used it myself until I upgraded my sound card, and it's really amazing bang for the buck and sound.
Hope this gets to you :)
Fear not, for you can still enjoy the wonders of surround sound with Hi-Fi headphones. Most "gaming" headsets use a built-in DAC (and BS marketing magic) to emulate surround sound over stereo. You can do the same thing using Razer Surround or similar software for free.
You'll have to decide between a closed or open earcup design. If you're not already familiar: a closed-back design will give you better noise isolation and more bass response, while an open-back design will give you a wider soundstage and better positional accuracy. 95% of headphones are closed-back, but there are some nice open-back options in your price range.
The Audio-Technica ATH-M40x ($100) are a decent option. They're durable, portable, closed-back headphones with a lot of bass response.
The Sennheiser HD 558 ($115) are a steal at that price. They're incredibly comfortable, open-back headphones with a very wide soundstage and warm signature. They'll do much better with surround software.
Both of those options have a relatively low impedance, so you shouldn't have to worry about amping (although they'll still benefit from it). If you're looking for a mic, the ModMic 4.0 is on MassDrop right now. It's a bit pricy, but I've heard great things about the sound quality. If you want something a bit cheaper, the Zalman Clip-On is always an easy option.
Edit:
This might be slightly skewed, because a brick sitting on my head would be more comfortable than the headband on my Q701s.
I teach music production as a side job and from what I have learned, the hardest (in terms of most confusing, not time consuming) yet most important part of getting into music production, is to fully understand the DAW itself.
So don't give up, there are tons of others who have been in your situation.
Personally, I usually approach two things: signal flow and user interface. You'll want to fully understand what gets send where and how to find that place in your software.
You'll want to have a basic understanding of what MIDI data is and what the difference between MIDI, an analog audio signal and a digital audio signal is.
Oversimplifying a little bit MIDI is a data protocol that sends information - usually information like notes being played, at what velocity etc. or controller data (MIDI CC). This data is not to be confused with an audio signal. The Akai keyboard for example uses the MIDI protocol to communicate with Reaper.
Now since MIDI does not contain any audio, but you want to make music, there is something needed to make an audio signal out of the MIDI data you can play on the Akai keyboard. For this, you can use any soft- or hardware synth, sampler etc. These programs/hardware will use the incomming MIDI data to trigger oscillators or play a sample - usually at a certain pitch, depending on the MIDI note's data.
It looks like you already figured some of this out, but didn't quite understand how it worked. Now, the software synthesizers work exactly how you imagined: They are loaded into Reaper as Plugins (usually in VST-format, but can be JS, AU, or other). For this to work, you'll have to tell Reaper where to find them. So I suggest you install them into a common folder and tell Reaper where to find that. (Options->Preferences->Plugins->VST->Add folder via "Open", than "Rescan".)
The octapad can output both, MIDI and audio. Now it really depends on what you want to get from it. Do you want to sounds from the octapad? Or do you just want to use it as a controller to trigger some sampler plugin in Reaper? Depending on that, you'll either need a MIDI to USB interface or a audio to USB interface. There are also interfaces that do both, audio and MIDI. And also interfaces with more fancy features like
Your computer probably even has an audio interface built in without you ever having thought about that. It'll probably not have many features, will not support phantom power, will have not gain adjustment for incoming signals etc, but it could work with your octapad if it has a line-in.
I'm happy to help, but your questions are very vague. Just try to tinker. Experiment, create basic rhythms, work with audio and with MIDI, explore ever feature of Reaper, bit after bit, and you'll soon feel much more comfortable. Getting comfortable is the most important step, since you'll want Reaper to be your laboratory, your tools, an empty canvas. At that point, you'll be able to truly focus on the music. So take your time :)
Bose QuietComfort 25 - $99 (Lightning Deal)
Surface Headphones - $189
AKG Q701 - $159
Audio-Technica ATH-M20x - $34.50 (Today Only)Audio-Technica ATH-M30x - $51.75 (Today Only)Audio-Technica ATHM40x - $74.25 (Today Only)Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBB Limited Edition - $99 (Today Only)Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT - $129 (Today Only)Fostex TX1 - $35
AKG K511 - $39 (Today Only)Sennheiser HD599SE (US) - $99Sennheiser HD4.50SE (US) - $99Sennheiser Momentum Free Special Edition - $149
HIDIZS Portable Headphone Amplifier USB Type C DAC - $33
Schiit Modi Multibit - $233
Brainwavz Headphone Desk Hanger - $9So you don't have to go through a YT video
https://www.amazon.com/Adjustable-Microphone-Suspension-Broadcasting-Voice-Over/dp/B00DY1F2CS
I started with just a few things and then listed everything I see... sorry for the spam
(these are all things I have, feel free to ask any Q's)
- Mini Fridge - https://www.amazon.com/Danby-DAR026A1BDD-3-Designer-Refrigerator-2-6-Cubic/dp/B00MO6V96W/ref=sr_1_8?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1519347546&sr=1-8&keywords=mini+fridge
- Cup - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MUBR8UH/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
- Air Cleaner - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01BI4UQK0/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
- Good Chair Mat - https://www.amazon.com/Black-Chair-Mat-Rectanglular-ABS-RC-4655/dp/B00D83MURM/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_229_t_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=CMJS2EM6STF7XCCJZGWZ&dpID=51%252BWDnIRG0L&preST=_SX300_QL70_&dpSrc=detail
- Big Boy Ergo Chair - https://www.ergoexperts.com/collections/ergonomic-chairs/products/office-master-iu79hd-24-7-intensive-use-heavy-duty-high-back-ergonomic-task-chair
- Camera Mount - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CMLX1O2/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
- Space Heater - https://www.amazon.com/Lasko-Ceramic-Heater-Remote-Control/dp/B00PYDGN18/ref=sr_1_17?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1519348189&sr=1-17&keywords=lasko+space+heater
- LED Lights - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LX9Z3LH/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
- Foot Rest - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EN9W3UY/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
- Wrist Rest - https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=node%3D510182&field-keywords=lasko+space+heater&rh=n%3A1055398%2Cn%3A3206324011%2Cn%3A9425950011%2Cn%3A510182%2Ck%3Alasko+space+heater
- Underdesk Headphone hanger - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00P31BMHG/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
- Trash Can - https://www.amazon.com/Rubbermaid-Commercial-295700GY-Wastebasket-Rectangular/dp/B079WPRXXS/ref=sr_1_26?ie=UTF8&qid=1519348333&sr=8-26&keywords=trash+can
- Cat Bed - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DJRCQBW/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
- Keyboard - https://mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=2164
- Keycaps - https://www.aliexpress.com/item/PBT-Backlit-Keycaps-109-Keyset-Top-Printed-Cherry-MX-Key-Caps-For-Tenkeyless-87-104-108/32842167507.html?src=google&albslr=220105582&isdl=y&aff_short_key=UneMJZVf&source=%7Bifdyn:dyn%7D%7Bifpla:pla%7D%7Bifdbm:DBM&albch=DID%7D&src=google&albch=shopping&acnt=708-803-3821&isdl=y&albcp=653478879&albag=34653160498&slnk=&trgt=75384829977&plac=&crea=en32842167507&netw=g&device=c&mtctp=&gclid=CjwKCAiA8bnUBRA-EiwAc0hZk62T3uqIKPVAUNx-ATVUQIzI8kscvB4UdNBR5dMpZ46l1gp9aoD38BoCNXQQAvD_BwE
- Mouse - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01JPOLLTK/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
- Mouse Mat - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0745N6CMD/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
- Headphones - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007R99S14/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
& https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008POFOHM/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
- Dac/Amp - https://www.jdslabs.com/products/48/objective2-odac-combo-revb/
- Speakers - https://emotiva.com/products/airmotiv-6s
- Subwoofer - http://www.outlawaudio.com/products/m8.html
- Mic - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KCN83VI/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
- Mic Interface - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0012MIVUQ/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
- Boom Arm - https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1194415-REG/o_c_white_ulp_mb_proboom_ultima_lp_adjustable.html?sts=pi
- Web Cam Alternative - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01G9EYN26/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
- Lens - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JDGB94S/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
- PC Cam Interface - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N4SM7H6/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
- Lights Boxes - https://www.amazon.com/LimoStudio-Digital-Photography-Fluorescent-AGG883/dp/B0091HO1FS/ref=sr_1_10?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1519348726&sr=1-10&keywords=16%22+x+24%22++soft+box
- Light Box Stands & Clamp - https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1327281-REG/ultimate_support_17637_jamstands_fixed_length_boom.html
& https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0010CYHW4/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
- Light Bulbs - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01IB8O2VU/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
this is my shit right here, shoutout /r/headphones
Best bet for your price range is probably ATH M50x, nice punchy bass while retaining a lot of detail in the rest of the frequency range
The Beyerdynamic DT770 are a little more pricey but worth the extra cash imo, again you get nice deep bass without sacrificing sound quality anywhere else and these bad boys are built like tanks
On the more budget-friendly side of things is the Sony MDR-V6, this is a straight up classic headphone that punches above its price point as far as sound quality goes although I personally would have some reservations about the non-detachable cable
There are a ton of other headphones that fit your general requirements and price range but these are the first three that popped into my mind!
Wall of text ahead. Please, read only if you are really interested...
What I usually recommend when someone ask for advice about gaming headsets is: Gaming headset are crap 99% of the time. They provide very poor sound quality, and any good headphone (literally, even 40$ ones) will sound far better than expensive 300$ headsets. The question is not if headphones are better than headset (the answer is “Hell, YEAH”). The question is, are they better for you?
What are you planning to use your headphones for? Just for gaming, or for gaming and music listening?
If the answer is “just for gaming”, then ask yourself if a Hifi headphone is what you need. Usually games don’t really need high quality headphones, since they provide low quality sound, and you will be more concentrated gaming than listening. In that scenario, everything will serve you, and gaming headsets have the advantage of the integrated microphone.
So, if you want something good for gaming, and just for gaming, with integrated microphone, then the only two headsets with good enough quality sound (aka don’t suck) are:
HyperX Cloud (70$)
Sennheiser G4me One (170$)
Both are good choices. Or go with any fancy RGB headset you find (Logitech, Razer, Corsair, Steelseries, etc), you will most probably don’t notice the difference while gaming.
BUT, if you plan to use them for music listening besides gaming, then keep reading.
Hifi headphones for gaming have the disadvantage of having to deal with the micro thing. None of them have microphone incorporated, and you must either use a desk microphone like this, use a modmic like this one. or if your budget is tight, something like this. The first one requires desk space. The second and third one are detachable micro, with an extra cable you’ll have to deal with. Any of them are a nuisance. Any solution is annoying. All of them are an extra expense that must be accounted. If micro is a must and you are not willing to bother with this solutions, please, go back to HyperX Cloud or G4me One.
Ok, so, you really want some damn good headphones, that also can be used for gaming! Keep reading, please (are you bored yet?).
You can choose Closed back headphones (the classic ones you have already used. Closed back models offer good isolation and do not leak sound. This is your choice when there are people around you, or you want isolation from noisy a environment.) or Open Back headphones (Open back models offer next to no isolation and will leak sound -and allow you to hear what happens around you-, but they are the best sounding models). Open headphones achieve the best sound, soundstage (feeling that sound is coming from around you) and imaging (ability to locate the origin of one sound).
If you are here because you want to get a replacement for a gaming headset, I would recommend you Open back, but since they don’t isolate, you must choose. If isolation is required, get closed back, if that’s not a concern, go open.
Some closed back cans:
Audio-Technica ATH-M40x. 100$. Balanced headphones, very good feedback from lots of people. Typical entry level headphones to the rabbit hole.
Sennheiser HD 598Cs. 125$. Balanced, very very detailed, great instrumental separation. Comfortable as hell, Very recommended.
Beyerdynamic DT770. 160$. V-shaped signature (lots of bass and lots of treble). Great for explosions, movies, and rock. Treble can be harsh if you are sensible. Get the 32 ohm version, as the 80 (may) and 250 (do) need an amplifier to work properly.
Those are some examples of entry-mid level of closed cans. There are lots more, depending of your budget!
As for open cans:
Superlux HD668b. 40$. Those are THE CANS. The best quality for low budget you can get. Hands down. Great soundstage, Bass light. They are not too comfortable, but pads can be changed for a deluxe comfort (extra expense). You are not getting anything better at this price. For gaming in a budget, this are the headphones you were looking for,
Philips SHP9500. 80$. Mid-forward signature. Good soundstage, great comfort. Very detailed. Another amazing quality for the budget headphone.
Sennheiser HD 598 SR. 170$. Very similar to the HD 598Cs, but with open back. Wider soundstage, a little less bass. Very balanced headphones. Super-duper comfortable. Great for long gaming sessions.
Philips Fidelio X2. 250$. V-shaped signature. Those are in another league. Build quality is just.. OMG. Extreme soundstage and imaging. More comfortable than the HD 598. Bass is BOOOOOM!!!. A little pricey, and can be somewhat fatiguing to listen if you are treble sensible, due to high treble.
Well, that’s all. I have selected only headphones that don’t need an amplifier. Now is your turn to research, watch some Youtube videos, read some reviews, and give them a try.
All this headphones are GOOD. No trash here, and all them will make you open your eyes when listening your music if you are coming from standard headsets. You will notice sounds, instruments, that you never realized they were there, even if you had listened this song a thousand times before. Try them, and be amazed.
Welcome to the rabbit hole.
Even if you make a fair amount of mistakes, most people will still come up and tell you it was great/tight, so it's quite an unreliable reference unless it comes from another good drummer you can trust to be frank. Frame of mind definitely messes with me too - sometimes you can't quite catch the groove and sometimes you don't realise that you already have. I'd recommend getting something like this http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003QKBVYK/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1396174652&sr=8-1 and recording gigs occasionally. If you feel like one song was a bit off, listen back to it the next day.
$30 DAC - Link - Please know these aren't game changers, it's only offering better quality sound than your motherboard. If your headphones or speakers aren't that great, it's not doing to do much. Weakest link type of thing. If your headphones suck, these wont help. But if you have a decent set of phones, many people have sworn by these.
$75 DAC - Link - More expensive, better sound output. Again, should be paired with even higher quality sound gear. $100+ speakers/headphones.
$115 DAC - My Dac - Link - I needed a dac with a little power. I use speakers with my setup instead of headphones. This one is 2x25. It's honestly the most anyone should need for a 2.0 system.
$80 Speakers - Link - These are mine. I love them. Best combined $200 I've spent. Instead of a CPU that will need to be replaced in two years, these will out last many builds if I take care of them. The reviews are through the roof compared to the price. And I'd have to agree.
There are a million reviews about the topping DAC + Micca speakers. Things feel more immersive. I think that's the simplest way to put it.
SSD de 240gb a 999
https://pcel.com/Kingston-SA400S37-240G-173822
Unos audífonos m40x de Audio-Technica a $1,700
https://www.amazon.com.mx/dp/B00HVLUR54?tag=pdesc-20
Monitor full HD de 22" a 1,900
https://www.amazon.com.mx/dp/B07415FFXY/?tag=pdesc-20
Personally, I think the MXL V67G is a good mic choice for beginners. It has a warm tone that's pretty forgiving for a lot of voice types, it takes EQ decently, and it's only ~$65. It has a good bass response, which many cheaper mics lack, and the upper frequencies are fairly smooth.
For the interface, pretty much any full interface will work. I normally recommend the Behringer UM2 for the price (~$40), but as long as you avoid stuff like the Neewer phantom power supply (which isn't an actual interface) you'll be fine. If you have extra money, something like the Audient iD4 (or iD14 if you need two inputs/think you will in the future) or Apogee Duet are good choices. They both have a good amount of clean gain (no hiss from the preamps) and they don't color the sound much, if any.
You will also need a mic stand, XLR cable, pop filter, and headphones. To get all that, it's going to cost about the same as a Blue Yeti (minus the headphones, but you'd need to buy those for the Yeti as well) and will sound far better.
If you have the money though, look around and test mics out before you buy. Every mic is going to sound slightly different, and just because one mic is popular or fits one person well doesn't mean it's the best choice for you. There are plenty of mics under $1000 (even under $500) that are phenomenal, you just need to find the one that suits your voice the best. As for mid-price mics that you may be interested in, there is the Lewitt LTC 440 Pure, Aston Origin, Rode NT1, CAD e100s, and Audio-Technica AT4040. This is just a list to get you started looking, and by no means covers all the good mics, so look around for what you think will suit you. Test out what you can, because you don't want to spend that much money without being sure it will sound right for you.
​
More important than mic selection though, is acoustic treatment. Even the best, most expensive mics are going to sound terrible in an untreated space. You can buy panels or foam squares, but if you're tight on money you can improvise this pretty easily. There are tons of youtube tutorials, so I won't spend too much time on it, but some good materials are blankets (moving blankets, quilts, comforters, basically anything really thick with lots of dead space), cushions, and pillows. If you have a fully stocked walk-in closet, that's even better.
I agree with the other comments here, don't worry about spending more to get more. If you haven't heard decent headphones (designed for the sound quality not the looks or marketing) then something cheaper will still be impressive.
Here are some recommendations to get you started:
Open Back
Closed Back
Open back is a headphone that allows sound to leak out and lets noise around you in. Closed back isolates you from surrounding noises and prevents noise from leaking out. If you will only be using these at home I would recommend open back. They generally sound better for the price.
I'm a bit of an audiophile and anyone looking for probably the best solutions for cheap:
IEMs(earbuds)
< $20
KZ ZST https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N0782B3/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_vri5Cb0QCWCKX
Open back headphones
~$60, $70 right now
Phillips SHP-9500
https://www.newegg.com/black-philips-shp9500-00-over-the-ear/p/N82E16826138190?item=N82E16826138190
Closed back headphones
< $100
Audio Technica ATH-M40x https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HVLUR54/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_nui5CbDJBP9S7
Personally my favorite is the KZ ZST at just how freakn cheap they are.
the sm58 is a directional mic, and you need audio cables+audio interface for it (like a focusrite scarlett solo https://www.amazon.ca/Focusrite-Scarlett-Solo-Audio-Interface-Tools/dp/B01E6T56CM or a behringer um2 https://www.amazon.ca/Behringer-UM2-Audio-Interface-Preamplifier/dp/B00FFIGYOI/ref=sr_1_18?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1541103504&sr=1-18)
the yeti can do 4 different modes, it's got a built-in preamp and it's powered straight off of the USB cable.
different setups for different purposes. i got a yeti but i want a sm57+audio interface to mic up a guitar amp setup
I see a lot of people here recommending great builds, so I don't have anything to add on that from. However, no one here is mentioning the audio interface that will be needed to actually record his music.
There are a lot of different options available for those, and they definitely have a huge range in price. As an audio guy/musician myself, I use the Presonus Audiobox USB for home recording. It has the inputs I need to record with either a mic or by directly plugging in my guitar and using amp plugins.
If he's using large sample libraries, then he'll need a lot of ram. 16gb would be ideal, but he can get by with 8gb. It'll just limit the amount of libraries he can load in one recording session.
Also, I don't know if he already has a Pro Tools license, but that doesn't come very cheap. Currently, a Pro Tools licence goes for pretty much your entire budget (600$). If you want a cheaper solution, I HIGHLY recommend Reaper, which goes for about 10% of what it costs for Pro Tools (60$). I use it both personally and professionally for work and can say with some authority that it's an excellent tool for any kind of audio work that you need to do, be it music, sound design, or even scoring video.
These work great for my yeti:
Shock mount: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073Z9NF3Y/
Arm: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DY1F2CS/ (will not fit the yeti without the shock mount)
Crappy pic of it all
Something like this makes a lot more sense, went with a white / black build.
You're not going to need an optical drive to install windows, it can be done very easily via usb.
Same goas for the sound card, you don't need one since the on board sound bard will work fine. If you're looking for better audio, invest in something like a Scarlett Solo.
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
Type|Item|Price
:----|:----|:----
CPU | Intel Core i5-6600K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor | $229.99 @ Newegg
CPU Cooler | CRYORIG H7 49.0 CFM CPU Cooler | $34.88 @ OutletPC
Motherboard | MSI Z170A KRAIT GAMING 3X ATX LGA1151 Motherboard | $118.48 @ B&H
Memory | Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2666 Memory | $91.99 @ Jet
Storage | PNY CS1311 240GB 2.5" Solid State Drive | $64.99 @ Jet
Storage | Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive | $69.49 @ OutletPC
Video Card | EVGA GeForce GTX 1070 8GB FTW DT GAMING ACX 3.0 Video Card | $409.89 @ OutletPC
Case | NZXT S340 Elite (White) ATX Mid Tower Case | $89.99 @ SuperBiiz
Power Supply | EVGA SuperNOVA G2 550W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply | $74.99 @ NCIX US
Operating System | Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit | $88.58 @ OutletPC
| Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts |
| Total (before mail-in rebates) | $1303.27
| Mail-in rebates | -$30.00
| Total | $1273.27
| Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-12-20 09:50 EST-0500 |
The two ROLI bags belong to the ROLI Seaboard Rise. Awesome, but pricey.
https://www.amazon.com/ROLI-Seaboard-RISE-25-Controller/dp/B0159ZO4U2?tag=equipboard-proof-20&amp;psc=1&amp;SubscriptionId=AKIAJNPAI32UDCKLKDGA&amp;linkCode=xm2&amp;camp=2025&amp;creative=165953&amp;creativeASIN=B0159ZO4U2
The small item to the left of it is a Teenage Engineering OP-1 Portable Synthesizer.
https://www.amazon.com/Teenage-Engineering-002-AS-001-OP-1-Synthesizer/dp/B00CXSJUZS?tag=equipboard-20&amp;psc=1&amp;SubscriptionId=AKIAJNPAI32UDCKLKDGA&amp;linkCode=xm2&amp;camp=2025&amp;creative=165953&amp;creativeASIN=B00CXSJUZS
To the left of it is a audio interface, Scarlett. To me it looks like a 2i2.
https://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-2i2-GENERATION-USB-Recording/dp/B005OZE9SA
Below that is the Arturia BeatStep Pro.
https://www.amazon.com/Arturia-BeatStep-Pro-Controller-Sequencer/dp/B00V5BIKNW?tag=equipboard-20&amp;SubscriptionId=AKIAJNPAI32UDCKLKDGA&amp;linkCode=xm2&amp;camp=2025&amp;creative=165953&amp;creativeASIN=B00V5BIKNW
Below the ROLI bags is the Apogee Quartet Audio Interface
https://www.amazon.com/Apogee-Quartet-Audio-Interface-iPad/dp/B009HPDNKS?tag=equipboard-20&amp;SubscriptionId=AKIAJNPAI32UDCKLKDGA&amp;linkCode=xm2&amp;camp=2025&amp;creative=165953&amp;creativeASIN=B009HPDNKS
And to the left of that is the Yamaha Reface DX
https://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-REFACE-DX-Portable-Synthesizer/dp/B010UXJZWA
I don't know what the other things are, but I hope that I helped
The Audio-Technica ATH-M40x are probably your best option at $79.00.
these mackies are at your limit but they're gorgeous, I use the CR4's(same thing slightly larger) Good balance and clarity, and surprisingly good bass, though you won't get the pounding bass a sub will provide. I feel like that is not a big deal, I get plenty off these speakers for enjoyable movie, gaming and music.
One of my favorite features, they're reversible, you can set them up in either orientation both speakers can serve as a left or right speaker via a small switch on the back.
thanks for the review. Ive a few of these arms in my workbench as well. If it helps anyone save some $$$ using 3-6(for dslr) of these microphone mounts and hacking them together can get the desired effect with extra parts to spare and no more sway because you have doubled the springs. Ive been using that for about 2 years now and theres no noticable lack in strength.
Youll be saving about 80$+ (From 120$ to <40$). I dont have a dslr anymore but there should be some dslr tripod mounts that you can 3d print to also get that camera holder mount.
If not I can build a 3d model and test it out for anyone for a small fee (once I do, ill send it over to you if youre in the US).
edit: downvotes :/
I'd suggest looking at the Audio Technica M40X. It's currently going for $99, and is truly an awesome pair of study headphones. They will be more suited than the M50X, because the M50X features more unnecessary bass and treble, and the soundstage is also narrower. Comparatively, the M40X is more neutral and pleasant.
But, if you can splurge upto $145, just look no further than the Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro 250 Ohm Version currently going for $144, and is like miles ahead of what the M40X/50X can offer you.
Pair the DT770 Pro with an amp like the Fiio A1 currently for $28, and you get a long term solution. Basically for just $50 more ($144 + $28), you're getting a solution that's head & shoulders above your all expectations!
Here is the link. It does work with Blue Snowball and yeti. Just check the Q/A below
As a DJ I just died a little bit inside. I sure hope they have a shitty sound system because driving even a halfway decent sound system off a phone is asking for serious trouble.
It will sound like shit, it will be distorted and have a serious lack of bass and high end.
Hope you put that phone in airplane mode, nobody wants to hear your txt message or phone ringing.
Please, I implore you not to do this. At the very least you should have a low end laptop running foobar2000 or something with the auto crossfader and a low end music/dj sound card like this one.
First of, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to your Grandpa!
Second! Go onto Amazon.com and buy:
ZOOM H1 Audio recorder
Go find a list with good questions, work of it or find inspiration for your own:
100 Questions to ask your parent
50 Questions Google Doc
Now hit record and sit down with him, once or a few times, and let him ramble. Use the questions as a guide and prompt to tell his stories.
Upload the original MP3 to google drive!
You now have created great lasting memories for generations to come without much effort. Do the same with a video camera if you feel able, but don't wait too long. Time is of the essence!
Here is one I did a few years ago for friends. Great memories!
You are playing too much Aphex Twin.
What you are actually hearing is a classic case of poorly shielded onboard audio hardware and/or poorly grounded hardware. Since pushing on the connector helps that means it is probably the latter. You have to ground the plugs manually by physically adjusting them or soldiering them. Another option is not using your onboard soundcard and getting something like this behringer dac to replace your soundcard and separate your audio from all the bad inside your PC.
To build a system using the minimum recommendations from this sub, let's start with this diagram: http://i.imgur.com/Z8FMJ.png
DAC is optional, so is a subwoofer but I recommend one.
DAC: Behringer UCA202 $29.99 Link: http://amzn.com/B000KW2YEI
Amplifier: SMSL SA-50 $68.99 Link: http://amzn.com/B00F0H8TOC
Subwoofer: Dayton Audio SUB-800 $99.00 Link: http://amzn.com/B0063NU30K
Bookshelf Speakers: Micca MB42X $89.00 Link: http://amzn.com/B00E7H8GG2
Wire: 16-gauge Speaker Wire $8.00 Link: http://amzn.com/B006LW0WDQ
With DAC, this cable: Stereo Male to 2 RCA Male $5 Link: http://amzn.com/B00I0HPK6O
Without DAC, this cable: Monoprice 105597 3-Feet Premium Stereo Male to 2RCA Male $5 Link: http://amzn.com/B0094A1F3S
This is a great starter system, I would have loved to had something like this starting out.
All of these pieces can be upgraded, do your research. Look for sales etc. Good luck and have fun.
Garageband is a good option, since you have a mac. Audacity is free. You can find some other DAW programs for free if you know where to look. I plug my guitars (electric & acoustic) and mic into this interface and it works great for the level of quality I'm looking for. It aint free...but it's relatively cheap as far as recording goes and I'm sure you could find something similar for less if you look.
I've said it before here, and I'll say it again: I think a cheap recording interface and a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) is one of the most powerful tools for isolating issues, practicing, working through trouble spots, creativity, and more, and you can get started for about $100-$150.
I constantly use my interface and DAW. A very common use for me is to throw down an audio track with a song I'm having problems with, then I'll loop the tough sections and practice them over and over until I nail them. Some DAWs will allow you to adjust your playback speed without affecting the pitch, so if you're trying to tackle a super technical spot in something like YYZ, you can slow playback speed by 50% (or whatever) allowing you to play the song at a slower speed, then as you develop your chops you can increase the speed, ultimately easing yourself into playing the song at full speed.
I also use it for learning songs real fast. I'll start at the beginning of a song and loop the first ~25%, practice until I know it, then loop the next 25% of the song until I know it, etc until I've worked thorugh the whole song and I've found that I internalize songs much faster by doing this. The beauty is that you can lay a track down with virtually anything that can play through your phone (or basically anything with an audio jack). Just lay down a stereo track, hook up your phone to the interface via stereo cable, press record on your DAW and play on your phone.
I have a whole project for the songs I practice, each song has its own track, then below each song's track I have my bass line that I play, which I can then analyze. Recording yourself is like putting a magnifying glass on your playing, you might be surprised. I remember the first time I recorded myself I thought I nailed my part, then when I played it back I was quite humbled, to say the least!
There are tons of ways you can use a recording interface for practicing, but of course you can (and should) also use it for music creation. There are billions of free plugins out there which will work with most DAWs. Just get a cheap $30 MIDI keyboard and you'll have unlimited creative potential that would have cost tens of thousands of dollars to have just a couple decades ago in the analog world.
I personally use a Mackie Onyx Blackjack recording interface, which I would not recommend if you are using Windows (drivers are aging and Mackie doesn't appear to be updating them or supporting newer OSs, which is a shame). For a DAW I use Logic Pro X (only available on OS X), which is the best $200 I've ever spent, but you don't need to spend that (or anything) to get into a DAW. When you buy a recording interface it should come with a basic DAW that will do all the essentials, if you want something real powerful for cheap then try Reaper, which has a trial that doesn't ever cripple the software, and it's only $60 for a license (which you should buy to support the dev if you like it, it's a great piece of software).
For recording interfaces, the Scarlett Focusrite is super popular ($150). You can get decent recording interfaces for a little cheaper, I would just make sure it has at least two channels.
I'd say for me, if I were making my own home office and wanted to trick it out:
At minimum a dual monitor setup, but it would be nice to have 3 (I have dual monitors and also the laptop screen running them so it works out to 3.) A nice monitor arm that will hold both (or all 3) monitors to keep the desk clutter free. Something nice that makes both monitors adjustable for you (maybe even a 90 degree rotation so you can code on a vertical screen when you feel like it.)
A nice condenser mic with an arm for it as well. I figure if I were working from home I would probably be doing conference calls more regularly than if I were in the office, so a good condenser mic will make my life easier and make sure I can communicate well. Maybe a blue yeti or blue yeti snowball with a nice boom arm for it like so so I can use it when I want it and then push it away when I don't.
In the same vein, a decent webcam that can clip on to my monitor (or buy one of the above boom arms and attach the camera to it, probably smart for only $15 so you can move it around.)
Definitely a great office chair since you can justify the expense and you're going to be sitting all day.
This one is great regardless of working for home or working from the office, but a nice mouse. I just got a Logitech G502 the other day for gaming as well as work purposes and MAN. I never knew what I was missing out on. I have thumb buttons/extra buttons programmed to copy, paste, delete, winkey + e to open an explorer window, ctrl + t for new tab, and also a key combination to switch my active window to my other monitor so I can quickly move stuff between them without having to click and drag.
Since you're working from home and don't have to worry about bothering other people, I'd definitely buy a nice mechanical keyboard. They're a dream to type on. I used to have an office to myself so I bought one and I miss it dearly now that I'm in a cubicle. In my opinion, well worth the expense.
Again since you're not in an office you could get a nice speaker. Bluetooth to keep the cord clutter down but really anything works. You can go budget or big here.
If you're a whiteboard person, a whiteboard to hang on the wall.
Definitely yes to the dock. I have one here at my office and it's so flipping nice being able to plug in one thunderbolt cable and keep the clutter contained to the back of my desk behind my monitors with the dock.
I'd probably buy a nice standing or desk light that still uses filament bulbs to make it warm/easy on the eyes. Ample lighting. And probably a plant or two just to make it look nice and feel good being there.
That's all I can think of. Can you tell I'm living vicariously through you? I know you said must haves, so if I were going to buy the above in order, it would be monitors > dock > mouse > blue yeti snowball > mic stand > camera > camera stand
20 cents cheaper on amazon.com via third party seller.
https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M40x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR54
Review by Z Reviews: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6wBv03B1nk
Might be a tad bit biased, but there is important information here.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DY1F2CS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_DsPOCbBFSCZN7
Not being a dick or anything just dont want it to fall
So assuming that all normal PC components are included (PC, display, keyboard, mouse), as well as monitors or headphones, this is what I'd do:
DAW: Cakewalk by Bandlab [FREE]
Interface: BEHRINGER UMC22[$59]
Mic: Audio-Technica AT2020 [$99]
MIDI Controller: Alesis VMini [$49]
VSTs/Plugins:
I'd try to get by using as many free VSTs, as well as what's included in Cakewalk. Here's a list of decent free stuff that'd get you started:
Guitar amp sims: LePuo free collection [FREE]
Drum sim: MT Power Drum Kit [FREE]
Other plugins:
Assuming your PC is relatively recent and has enough horsepower to run a production suite, and you have monitors/headphones that are fine for mixing, this would be a great place to start out. Also, even after buying extras like cables, mic stands, pop filters etc, I'd say you have about $200-250 left for whatever genre specific stuff you'd want - whether it be a used guitar, a second mic (such as the Shure SM57 [$95]) or a second hand hardware synthesizer, for instance.
I was thinking the exact same thing all along. He probably uses a XLR to 3.5 mm adapter, and thus not providing enough voltage to the mic.
He needs something like a cheap microphone preamp or just a cheap USB audio interface with 48V Phantom power.
EDIT: Just something like this.
Depends on the headphones and depends on what you're using them for. $300 is a lot of money for a pair of headphones though. I personally would say that $100 and beyond is where I notice the quality difference less and less. This is all assuming that you're buying quality headphones and not overpriced trash like Beats.
I use the [ATH-M40x's] (https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M40x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR54/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1519152807&amp;sr=8-4&amp;keywords=ath-m40x).
Haha, yeah welcome to recording things. You're never done spending money.
I just checked the user manual for your current interface, and yeah, you're not going to be able to use that with a condenser mic.
Something like this will work: http://www.amazon.com/PreSonus-AudioBox-USB-Recording-Interface/dp/B00154KSA2. It's cheap, and probably a little better quality than the Line-6 you're currently using. Presonus makes high quality stuff, and I think for what you're doing, that's about the cheapest you're going to get (feel free to prove me wrong, other people)
Re: your question about phantom power adapters. I don't have any experience with them, but if anyone else does and likes them, it's really up to you.
If you're looking for a durable, good all-around dynamic mic for recording/performing, I would recommend the SM58.
If you're wanting a condenser mic, I've been using the MXL 770 for a couple years now and it's been great. Do you have an audio interface? If not, the one that I use is the PreSonus AudioBox.
EDIT: Feel free to PM me with any particular questions. I've been in a band for a few years and working on my second CD. Not an expert by any means, but if you have starter questions, I could definitely give you my two cents.
It might be easier to just download Audacity and get an affordable audio interface and mic. Here's what I record with and it sounds great for what I need.
Focusrite Scarlett Solo - $89
Tonor Condensor Mic - $30
XLR Cable - $6
To be honest, It really depends on what your budget is. If you have a $10,000 budget my recommendations are going to change drastically compared to if you have say, a $400 budget.
Assuming you want to keep price pretty low but still want pretty nice quality I recommend the following.
My one tip to anybody beginning is learn to mix and experiment. You can have a shitty mic and a shitty interface, but if you can mix well, You can make 90% of things sound at least decent and that's all that really matters in music. If you make a song that's a banger but it's not mixed that great, people will still listen to it. If you have a shitty song that's mixed by a world class engineer, nobody is going to listen to it. Don't get caught up in making sure everything sounds amazing, Just work and be creative.
Focusrite Scarlett Solo/2i2 as audio interface. If you are certain that you're only going to record one thing at a time, the Solo will be sufficient.
I've seen many people recommending Reaper which is the WinRar version of free DAWs (I think?)
Arguably some of the best headphones for gaming under $100 are the Superlux HD668's. They are open back with large drivers, so the soundstage is huge.
Superlux HD668B Dynamic Semi-Open Headphones https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003JOETX8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_u-MnDbPGZC3YH
Not sure if you also need a microphone. The Behringer xm8500 is pretty fantastic for the price. You'll also need a way to get XLR to your PC. That could be as fancy as a USB interface. Or as simple as a USB to XLR cable.
Mic: Behringer Ultravoice Xm8500 Dynamic Vocal Microphone, Cardioid https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002KZAKS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_BdNnDbREJJ63R
USB to XLR cable: USB Microphone Cable 10Ft, Tanbin 3 Pin USB Male to XLR Female Mic Link Converter Cable Studio Audio Cable Connector Cords Adapter for Microphones or Instruments Recording Karaoke Singing (10ft) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079DQ9ZPT/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_7dNnDb3NWRQ71
Or a basic USB audio interface: BEHRINGER Audio Interface, 1x XLR/TRS 1x 1/4" 2X RCA USB, Black, 1-Channel (UM2) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EK1OTZC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_4eNnDbZXTS70G
You'll also need a mic stand: InnoGear Microphone Suspension Mic Clip Adjustable Boom Studio Scissor Arm Stand for Blue Yeti Snowball Microphone and Blue Yeti Nano https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01L3LL95O/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_1fNnDbNW9G9RW
This is what Sound Mixers are made to do.
https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-Micromix-MX400-Low-Noise-4-Channel/dp/B000KGYAYQ
This question might be better suited for /r/audioengineering .
Who will ask you what the fuck you're doing starting a label to produce cassettes. Nobody has a cassette player anymore. But at least some of the old-timers will probably have the know-how.
As a side note, the Behringer UCA202 (or 222, choose your color) is a really affordable USB interface with line-level RCA inputs and outputs. I use mine as a DAC outputting line-level audio to my headphone amplifier. It sends a nice clean signal and only costs $30. I assume you would take that line-level signal from the stereo RCA outputs and plug it into the input on whatever cassette recorder you wind up with.
The Behringer UCA-222. It's 30 bucks, acts as a headphone amp as well as a stereo RCA interface with optical out for easy connection to a stereo, mixer, etc. I use mine to plug my laptop into my living room home entertainment system. I never have to worry about a lousy 1/8" to RCA cable breaking or falling out of my computer's headphone jack.
http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-UCA222-U-Control-Ultra-Low-Interface/dp/B0023BYDHK/ref=pd_cp_MI_0
The aux in bypasses the preamp and tone adjustments from the amp so you need to adjust the bass with an equalizer app or bass boost app on your phone. One other option I have used is a mini mixer with stereo inputs using the proper cable from your phone to the inputs (probably RCA type) or 1/4" dual mono inputs on the mixer...I have a couple of these cheap Behringer USB 302 for around $50-60 (they used to be around $40 when I bought mine)...https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-302USB-Premium-5-Input-Interface/dp/B005EHILV4
These will allow you to adjust the bass and treble from your phone. Cheers
The headset that broke was the G35 headset from Logitech which goes for about $90 these days. It's a great headset but this would be my 3rd set in 4 years. The mic quality is average and often requires fussing with in post but overall it's a great headset.
While rocking this backup setup I've been using ear buds and I quite like it compared to the closed ear noise cancelling headset so I don't think I want to go the headset route again.
I've always wanted to go the XLR/Mixer route. This would allow me to manipulate any volume/noise issues with the mic on the fly and not touch it at all in post. I never settled on a solution that was afforable and always went with what I knew the G35.
This is the goal. It's not much more expensive than the G35 headset but is the correct tool for the job :Þ
A few notes about these choices. The 5 channel mixer is total overkill but this one functions as a USB audio interface meaning when you plug it in to your PC it shows up like a USB mic would. Behringer makes a 3 port USB mixer but I don't like the way it looks lol.
Not all mixers have the ability to function as a USB device. On NON USB mixers you would have to run the output of the mixer into the input on your soundcard on your PC.
I prefer the audio device approach. You plug your XLR mic into the mixer which is acting as the USB audio device. This allows you to control on the mixer what the computer hears on the audio device interface.
Totally a long and involved answer but some might find it useful if in the market for audio upgrades :Þ
I just bought the JBL LSR 305's for 99 bucks each.
I saw this on the recommended sidebar and this is the lowest I've seen it on camelcamelcamel. This is a good price right?
So I would suggest the JBL 305's. Same price just a better monitor. $130 is for one monitor. Check amazon as I found my JBL 305's for $123 a piece. There are a few ways to hook these up to your PC. The easiest and most efficient is to hook them up to a Audio Interface. Another way is to get a 3.5mm to TRS cable.
For general listening these are fine, I use my JBL's for music production and youtube watching. My JBL's get pretty loud and these are the smaller monitors so the bigger you go the louder they get.
JBL 305 $135 each
No, you likely don't NEED this nice of a boom arm. The $12.50 NEEWER arm will certainly get the job done for much much cheaper. But if you prefer professional/higher quality and don't mind paying a premium for such, then the RODE arm may be for you. This thing very rarely goes on discount as you can see here.
Its the ATH M50'S x.
http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M40x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR54/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1411079782&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=audio+technica+ath+m40
http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M50x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR86/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1411079798&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=ath+m50x
pay attention to the symbol the triangle.
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2
http://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-2i2-USB-Recording-Interface/dp/B005OZE9SA/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1450379687&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=focusrite+scarlett+2i2
Go play at open mics. This is great for networking with other musicians/bands.
You could also get a cheap recording setup, record band demos, and email those to venues. My old band recorded on a laptop from an SM57 going into a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 and we edited/mixed/arranged/exported all the audio through Audacity (free). That's it. Excluding the laptop and mic cables, all this costs around $250 Hell, there's even cheaper alternatives available if you're super strapped for cash.
As for actually finding venues that exist near you, try going to Indie on the move and type in your area and it'll give you all the venues that exist within however big a radius you put.
Hopefully this helps!
Here's a few that are in your price range and pretty well known for their durability:
Beyerdynamic DT 770
Sony MDR 7506 (Also check for the price on the V6 as they're both very similar and just as durable)
AKG K240
Shure SE215
Get the DT-770. They're like the 990 but closed and bassier, a good fit for electronic music. They're built like tanks, they don't look great (and don't need to), they isolate well, and thus they barely leak sound.
If you're using with a laptop or phone with underpowered audio out, get the 32 Ohm for $124.
Otherwise, the 80 Ohm version is $118 and also has velour pads. It also has just a bit more bass, but on worse audio sources it will be too quiet or otherwise sound a bit off.
Don't get an amp - if you would need an amp, get the 32 Ohm version. If you're dead set on getting an amp, go for a DAC/Amp, the SMSL M3 is one of the best cheaper desktop models.
Alternatively, and this will be frowned upon here, you could go for HyperX Cloud for $80. You missed the cheaper sale Friday ($65), but from personal experience of having these exact headphones without the microphone, they sound great with everything and have enough detail that they're a significant upgrade over what you have now.
Your best bet would be an Akai MPK Mini, in that price range, you get pads, switches, knobs, and a keyboard. Can't really beat it for the price, it's also pretty high quality and portable.
I have these $99 Mackies. Definitely not a pro-quality studio monitor, but they're cheap, loud, and work great as both my synth & CPU speakers.
If anyone's curious about getting an XLR setup, I can direct you to some pretty good starting gear! I personally use the Audio Technica AT2020 cardiod condensor microphone and a Focusrite USB audio interface. You'll also want to buy a male to female XLR cable of some kind. A pop filter is also a good investment! And, of course, you'll want a stand of some kind for the microphone. I personally use this but it limits your ability to move the microphone away from a desk.
If you want studio quality, be sure to record in 24-bit 48k, with an uncompressed format like a wav. That's the standard both Hollywood and indie productions have been using for years.
Oh, and if anyone's curious about credentials, I mix and record audio for commercials.
You really, really need an interface. The built-in soundcard isn't quite up to snuff when it comes to audio input, and as /u/despicable_secret mentioned, condenser mics need 48V of phantom power to function correctly.
The most popular option is the Focusrite Scarlett Solo, but just about any of these will do the trick.
Yeah. Good enough. Way better mix than my previous 2.1 system. It's this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KVEIY4E/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
What they are using is an interface, a DAW and possibly an amp simulator on their computer.Basically an interface is a box that you plug your instrument or mic into that goes into your computer. It turns the analog signal of the instrument or mic into digital information that the computer can read. These can be worth a hundred dollars to thousands of dollars depending on your needs.
The bass signal would then have to go into an amp simulator for the direct input signal to be heard like it's played through an amp. These amplify and change your signal just like an amp would do, providing a full sound for your guitar/bass. These are can be worth anything from 0 dollars to a couple hundred and each has its own sound and quality.
DAW stands for Digital Audio Workstation and allows your instrument or mic to be recorded along with other tracks and instruments. These allow you to record songs and covers but also allow you to use tons of effects including compressors and eqs, amp sims and midi instruments.If you simply want to play and/or record your bass through your computer I'd recommend getting a simple 1 input interface like a Steinberg UR12 or a Focusrite Scarlett Solo. The Focusrite would have a higher quality build and sound, but the Steinburg will still get the job done. A great DAW would be REAPER, as it is completely free to use but will request a licensing of $60 that you do not have to pay. And there are tons of great free amp simulators online, but there are some really nice amp sims for a bit of money. I'd suggest checking out This list of free sims and checking out the other paid amp sims including Bias Fx and Amplitube.
Good Luck!
ATH-M50x's with brainwavz pads since the stock ones are thin and will fall apart after a year of heavy use. And a ModMic.
https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M50x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR86/ - $150~
https://www.amazon.com/Brainwavz-Hybrid-Memory-Foam-Earpad/dp/B00ZGGG3KY - $30~
https://www.amazon.com/Antlion-Audio-ModMic-Attachable-Microphone/dp/B00R98O6R4 - $50~
Of course if you already have a mid the ModMic isn't needed. OR for just twice the price cut the second cord attached to your skull and get an AT2020 and even a Scarlett Solo for the best sound possible.
https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-AT2020-Cardioid-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B0006H92QK - $100~
https://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-Scarlett-Audio-Interface-Tools/dp/B01E6T56CM - $100~
I would definitely pay more than $11 for your ADC. In fact, the one in your laptop is probably better.
Ideally, you want an audio interface where you can control the gain. Biggest problems I had (aside from lots of noise) in these cheap audio interfaces was the inability to set the input gain or lack of a preamp.
The Behringer's aren't amazing, but something like the UM-2 should be a vast improvement.
https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-UM2-BEHRINGER-U-PHORIA/dp/B00EK1OTZC/
You can return that Nady because the UM2 has phantom in it, and you pay about the same price.
Ableton is a great DAW and is my preferred software choice for recording/editing.
You can use the TASCAM to capture your performances and transferring those .wav files into Ableton for editing but you'll have a much better experience recording directly into your computer.
You can go a few different routes here. You can pick up an audio interface that accepts an XLR connection for a proper microphone like a Presonus Audiobox and an SM57 which will allow you to capture as good a single channel signal as you can really get outside of a big recording studio.
OR you can go with something cheaper like a Blue Snowball USB microphone. These things actually sound surprisingly good and have multiple settings for directional and omni modes for different situations.
Once you have a way of capturing audio directly into Ableton you can start building up your songs layer by layer. Experiment with things like EQ and compression/delay/etc to make your guitar tracks sound nicer. There are built in patched in Ableton for EQ like "Acoustic Guitar" or "Electric Guitar" and just dragging one of those onto your channel will be a great place to start.
That's a skill in and of itself but you have to start somewhere so start experimenting.
When starting out applying EQ to tracks I'd start this way :
Do that 3 or 4 times on a channel and you'll have something that sounds a bit nicer. If you do too much it'll sound hollow and empty so make subtle adjustments as much as possible. Don't dump that "bad frequency" all the way to the bottom, just bring it down a little bit so it doesn't jump out at you.
You won't be creating drastically new tones this way, just polishing them so they sound nicer.
Having a good pair of headphones or even some inexpensive studio monitors will also be extremely helpful so you can accurately hear what you're producing.
Use the built-in metronome and record with headphones (so the click doesn't get picked up by the microphone) to keep things tight.
Once you've finished your audio and it's how you like it THEN film your video and just play along with the click. Don't use any audio from the video recording and just pair the two back up in editing.
Here, use this. There is NO reason you should be going into the line in on your pc for Christ's sake. It's got such low headroom you'll clip almost always. This setup doesn't come with a mic, but you can plug your guitar into it and get a cheap condenser mic on craigslist. If you're playing acoustic guitar and singing, then just buy this usb mic. Good luck!
Edit:The term you were looking for was "interface", not "preamp", which is why you got solutions that aren't going to work well.
You have 2 good choices.
Will you mainly be using it stationary or in one room? (i.e. a film where you set up the shots beforehand) Buy a Zoom H4n
or
Will you be using it while walking around and want better sound for random shots or documentary style recording? Buy a Zoom H1.
I'd consider getting the Sony A6300. You'll be able to do 120fps in FullHD.
I'd then consider recording your audio externally, maybe on something as simple as a Zoom H1. It's going to be difficult to find a high framerate camera that also does clean audio capture within your budget.
I'd go with the M-Audio AV40's, cheap and the sound really good.
(http://www.amazon.com/M-Audio-Studiophile-Powered-Monitor-Speakers/dp/B0051WAM64)
I have a few recommendations for you to get you started:
/r/edmproduction/
/r/WeAreTheMusicMakers/
/r/abletonlive/
I hope at least some of that is helpful...Good luck with everything!
I'm actually in the market for computer speakers although my budget is a bit lower than yours. But the Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 is one of the options that I'm considering, it is my second choice right now.
Here are some reviews for the ProMedia 2.1 from youtube.
Review 1
Review 2 update from #1
Review 3
Review 4 update from #3
Some issues i have with these speakers are that there is not a power switch on the speakers but instead it is located on the subwoofer. That from the reviews on amazon said for some people the knobs that control the volume and bass have not worked after a while. Also, that the subwoofer can get really hot if it is played for a long time.
My first choice right now is the M-Audio Studiophile AV 40s. One thing off the bat, is that is not a 2.1 system but looking at reviews it looks to be a solid product.
Here are some reviews from youtube.
Review 1
Review 2
Review 3
Review 4 M-Audio AV40 Vs Micca MB42
Final thoughts I'm leaning towards the AV 40s but I'm still doing some research, I hope this helps out.
What you want is called a mixer. It takes multiple inputs and sends them out one output, with volume controls for each individual audio line. Behringer makes one that is very affordable and I've been one using this for casual stuff for a few years now. You'd take the output from both computers and put them into inputs 1 and 2 on the mixer, then plug your headphones into the output jack on the right side. Voila!
Even though this may be unintuitive, you cannot reliably use splitters to sum signals. Just like a funnel upside down is not the same thing as a shower head. Google "Why Not Wye" for a great technical explanation of this problem and how to build a little summing box.
In layman's terms, the problem is that your phone output ends up fighting the mic receiver, as opposed to just adding to it. A little more technically, the phone is designed to drive headphones so it has low output impedance and allows a relatively large current to flow across the contacts. This output impedance is a property independent of the volume. The mic receiver is not meant to be an amplifier in the way your phone is, so it can only push a tiny amount of current out before the voltage drops. This is fine when plugged into an amplifier input - hardly any current has to flow. But when the phone starts soaking up its output, it doesn't put up much of a fight. This can be very detrimental to both devices, and certainly has the potential to break one or both if you push them. Not a great situation.
What you can consider is small passive mixer like [this](.Behringer MicroMIX MX400 Low-Noise 4-channel Line Mixer, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000KGYAYQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_LRf7ybWHMG37Q) cheap no frills option. You can also solder up some converters yourself. Finally you could use something like a DI box to isolate the phone from the mix receiver. That would do it if you have some lying around but the reason I didn't recommend it is that a small cheap mixer would be more useful and cost the same.
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Very excited to be ~95% complete with the install. A couple things left:
More than happy to try to answer questions for anyone else looking to do the same thing. Very happy with the outcome thus far.
Swan D1010-IV powered bookshelves cannot be best for under $70:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0058QMRCK
Monoprice's basic 8" powered sub is just $60 right now:
https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=8248
So, at this point you should still have around $60 left to work with. I would recommend spending that on some kind of external DAC; pretty much anything will be an upgrade over the onboard outputs from your motherboard. This unit from Behringer is well-regarded and gets the job done for $30:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000KW2YEI
Grab two of these RCA splitters from Monoprice; you'll use them to split the one set of left and right outputs from the DAC into two, to route each to both the Swans and there sub:
https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=663
Grab a couple sets of these RCA cables to run from the splitters, to both the Swans and the sub (they're available in 6, 12, and 25 feet; get whatever you need to reach, probably 6 for the Swans and maybe 12 for the sub):
https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=2009
Let me know if you have any other questions (hooking things up, etc), or would like further recommendations. Enjoy!
I've used a Behringer UCA-202 on Fedora 19, Fedora 20, and Debian Wheezy. It's always been a plug-and-play affair. It has a headphone jack and is reasonably priced.
It sounds good to boot.
Best answer is probably/maybe. Here are some options at different price points:
$30 UCA202
$76 FiiO E10K
$100 Modi 2
$150 ODAC
Behringer UCA202 - This is what I use with my laptop.
Fucking excellent.
Make sure to try them out first though. Noice cancelling headphones might make it feel like you constantly have a preassure on your ears (like the one you get when you're on an airplane and it's climbing) and that's really uncomfortable. Not all people experience this but I do and I can't stand to have noice cancelling headphones on for more than 5 minutes. Instead I bought a pair that are closed headphones that passively cancel out noice instead of actively like the Bose quiet comfort do. I have pair of these and they are also great on a plane but they don't fold down as nice as the Bose ones do.
I think the JBL LSR305 are the best value. Sometimes you can catch them for $250/pr or less.
They're $276/pr on amazon right now.
https://www.amazon.com/JBL-LSR305-Studio-Monitor/dp/B00DUKP37C
Also these 5" Mackies for $220
https://www.amazon.com/Mackie-CR5BT-Channel-Studio-Monitor/dp/B015U623MQ
These http://www.amazon.com/M-Audio-Studiophile-Active-Monitor-Speakers/dp/B0051WAM64
The M-Audio AV40 is highly recommended on the Head-Fi forums: http://www.amazon.com/M-Audio-Studiophile-Powered-Monitor-Speakers/dp/B0051WAM64/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1341940916&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=m+audio+av40
They are the type of speakers people who enjoy music use, but are budget oriented. I'm sure they would be decent for gaming as well.
These are the Bose speakers I have
Here's a set of speakers that are better for half the cost
These blow away the Bose speakers and cost a bit less
By the way - check out /r/audiophile - I'm not an audiophile, but that's what a few guys from over there recommended. The Audioengines would probably be your best bet, though if your budget is $150 get the second one. I haven't used either one so I'm not speaking from personal experience, just what's been recommended to me.
With a sound card made for studio usage, lag/latency shouldn't be a major issue. Some basic knowledge is required to set it up, but that same knowledge is required for any sort of computer-based recording, so it's easy to come by these days! There's tons of materials about this online, but I'll write a brief summary (not to be considered a tutorial!).
(I'm assuming Windows usage here. For Macs, the default sound card may be good enough -- it was in my 2006 and 2011 Macbook Pros. Apple's Core Audio API is really good for a OS stock one!)
You need a sound card (or: "audio interface") with good ASIO drivers. In practice, that means one that is designed for studio use. That doesn't have to mean anything very expensive, though. The cheapest ones are about $100-120, but a pretty decent one is probably more like $180.
A few examples:
FocusRite Scarlett 2i2 (a 2nd generation is on the way, so I wouldn't recommend this right now. Also, I returned my Scarlett 2i4 due to having issues.)
Roland Quad Capture (the one I use personally)
Presonus AudioBox 22VSL
The sound card you already have might work well enough with the ASIO4ALL driver, in which case you may be able to use the hardware you already have.
Once you have one of those, you install the drivers and set up the ASIO latency or buffer size (different names, same thing) to some low value. You might have to tweak this -- having too low a value will cause dropouts as the computer doesn't have time to apply effects and so on before it's time to move the sound to the speakers.
With that in place, there are a few ways to go. You need some sort of effects (like amplifiers, cabinets, delays, EQs and so on); the easy way to do this is to use some package. I mostly use Guitar Rig for this, but there are plenty of others, such as AmpliTube and Peavey ReValver. There are fully free options as well, e.g. the LePou plugins.
You can use those in several ways. The simplest would be to use a simple audio editor, like Audacity. Another way would be to use a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation), i.e. an application used for recording music, with tracks and mixers.
I use REAPER for that, as it's about $60 and I still prefer it to ones that cost ten times as much. Other popular choices are Cubase, Logic (Mac), Pro Tools, and so on.
So, yeah, it's a bit of an involved process... but once you're there, the main difference between playing for fun (to a track or by yourself) and recording an album is clicking the record button before you start playing. :)
As for cost, that really varies. If you're lucky and your sound card works well with ASIO4ALL (or you have a Mac and that works well), you can do this for free. If you need to buy a sound card and want to use the software legally, you might have to pay a few hundred bucks for the combo.
Actually there are plenty of mic arms under $100 that hold the yeti, it's just the seller will state otherwise. This is what you want: https://www.amazon.com/Adjustable-Microphone-Suspension-Broadcasting-Voice-Over/dp/B00DY1F2CS
I own it and it's great for the price.
Your mic stand snapped? I'm pretty sure you got a defective product. The mic only weighs 1.2 pounds without the stand...
I have the $10 NEEWER stand and it's been great for about the year I've had it.
Bare minimum: you need an audio interface, such as the Behringer UM2, an XLR cable, and a DAW, like Audacity. There are more expensive and higher quality options for all of the above, of course.
Your problem is the lack of an actual preamp. Phantom Power does not do anything to the actual microphone signal level, it merely provides the capacitor circuitry in a condenser microphone with the power necessary to operate. However, the output from that microphone is still going to be extremely low. (Microphones are generally -40 to -60 dBv, which is 100 to 1000 times weaker than the signal powering your speakers, for example.) Microphone inputs on motherboards are notoriously craptastic as well.
Vileem's suggestion to try using the USB output on the UPM-1 is a good one - this is probably going to provide you with a much stronger signal to your computer. If you want to keep things analog until they hit the motherboard, then you need a preamp that also provides phantom power. Something like the ART TubeMP - but this could lead to other problems as you may run into phasing issues or left-channel-only issues when plugging into a computer input. This is why USB preamps are generally preferred.
If you want cheap and effective, my recommendation would be to send the UPM-1 back, and get something like the Behringer UM2 - for $30, it handles phantom power, it has direct monitoring (meaning you can hear the microphone right as you speak, instead of after passing through the motherboard and OS which adds latency), has nice big dials for controlling level on top, and also acts as a secondary sound card (output device) as well - honestly it will likely sound better than your motherboard's sound card.
> Audio Technica
Facts
Bought these a few months ago and couldn't be happier spending $100. My mixes have actually improved a tonn using these just because they present the sound as is with no bullshit so it stays consistent and accurate. They come with a really long cord that detaches from both sides and a nice little "leather" baggy to take it on the road. They also have an optional $30 Bluetooth adapter.
You said you got a $200 budget, so maybe go for a higher model although many people on youtube said 50x is not that much better than 40x and isn't worth the price difference.
Not sure if you are interested, but I would actually recommend splitting that 200 on M40Xs and a MPK Mini midi keyboard. Both are 100 and would bring more value for $200 (if you don't already have a midi keyboard.
Hola!
Arranqué el proyecto Economista del medio el año pasado como una forma de llevar el laburo de analista de consultoría macroeconómica a un espectro de población más amplio, lo cual implica menos jerga y biribiri financiero. Este año se sumó la periodista de Infobae Jorgelina Do Rosario y empezamos a cambiar el formato del programa: hemos ordenado los temas y sumamos las entrevistas que le dan un valor agregado enorme al oyente. Estamos muy contentos con el resultado hasta ahora, tanto en calidad del material como en escuchas.
De la misma manera que como mejoró el material también mejoró el hardware con el cual grabamos. En su momento empecé con un mixer Behringer Xenyx 1202FX, un micrófono Shure SM58, unos auriculares Audio Technica M40x y una Zoom H4n. Luego de mi viaje a Japón me traje micrófono un Audio Technica 4040 (large diaphragm condenser) y ahí terminó el avance en hardware en 2016. En términos de software editaba (y sigo editando) el archivo crudo con el Logic Pro X de Apple.
Este año invertimos y nos trajimos (via Amazon Europa) un mixer Allen & Heath Zed60 10fx y un segundo micrófono Audio Technica pero el AT875r (un shotgun cortito condenser que es una maravilla). De backup tenemos dos micrófonos Audio Technica 2100 (los que son USB/XLR) que en relación precio/calidad son muy recomendados para los podcasters amateurs. En resumen, nuestro lineup de materiales es de primera calidad y para explotarlo al máximo, estamos intentando mejorar el tratamiento acústico del área donde grabamos para minimizar ruidos indeseados.
Como te decía, estamos muy contentos con las escuchas (en número general y en público en particular, es decir, los quienes). Hemos recibido comentarios de gente que nos sorprendió y eso nos motiva. Todavía no es LA masividad en escuchas pero queremos estar acá invirtiendo en esto para que cuando explote el podcasting en Argentina (porque va a pasar, que no te quepa la menor duda) tener una buena base y experiencia para seguir proyectándonos.
Lo lindo es que se están acercando algunos sponsors interesados en el material asi que significa que hay proyección a futuro. La verdad que al día de hoy estamos muy a gusto y cómodos laburando en el proyecto, que es para nosotros ahora lo más importante.
Por otro lado, una de las cosas más copadas que me pasó es poder grabar con una persona que conozco y confío de hace muchos años. Al principio hacerlo solo era más un desahogo pero laburar con alguien en esto, que aparte sabe y se mueve en el medio, tiene algo muy especial y divertido. Ese es un item que taché de mi lista de pendientes.
En materia de proyección a futuro y ToDos, creo que seguir mejorando y buscando calidad para ofrecer el mejor producto disponible en el mercado. En materia de hardware todavía tengo la espinita clavada por el Shure SM7b con su respectivo Cloudlifter pero por ahora estamos muy contentos con el equipo con el cual grabamos.
Saludos!
PC Specs
CPU: Intel Core i5 9600K (OC'd to 4.3GHz)
GPU: GeForce RTX 2060
RAM: G.Skill Aegis 2 x 8GB 3000MHz
MOTHERBOARD: ASRock Z390 Phantom Gaming 4
PSU: Seasonic G Series 550W ATX Semi-Modular Power Supply - 80 PLUS GOLD Certified
CASE: Phantek P300
STORAGE: 480GB SSD + 250GB Samsung EVO SSD + 1TB Barracuda HDD
Links for (almost) everything
MONITORS: $230 for the Asus, $120 for the LG
MONITOR STAND: $50
CORSAIR K63 COMPACT: $45 (got it on sale)
M-AUDIO CODE 49 MIDI: $400
LOGITECH G600 MOUSE: $80
M-AUDIO ATH-M40X HEADPHONES: $140
FOCUSRITE SCARLETT SOLO AMP: $210
M-AUDIO AT2020 MICROPHONE: $140
MIC STAND: $150
IKEA DESK: $40 per stand, $30 for table top, total $110
CHAIR: $90 (crappy Walmart brand. Does the trick but wouldn't recommend)
MOUSE PAD: $20
PHILIPS HUE LIGHT: $85
AUKEY LAMP: $45
PICTURE SHELF: $15
EDIFIER R19U SPEAKERS: $35
A full setup that will record four local mics, max, or two local mics and a Skype caller. A choice of mics.
Behringer UMC404HD interface for $100 (needs a USB cable I think)
https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-UMC404HD-BEHRINGER-U-PHORIA/dp/B00QHURLHM/
Behringer HA400 headphone amp for $25
https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-HA400-BEHRINGER-MICROAMP/dp/B000KIPT30/
Needs two TRS 1/4" stereo cables, one for the headphone amp and one for Skype. $10
https://www.amazon.com/Hosa-CSS-105-Balanced-Interconnect-Cable/dp/B000068NYF/
Behringer XM1800S three pack of good enough mics for $40
https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-XM1800S-BEHRINGER-ULTRAVOICE/dp/B000NJ2TIE/
or a slightly better Behringer XM8500 at $20 each
https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-Ultravoice-Dynamic-Microphone-Cardioid/dp/B0002KZAKS/
or a very nice Blue enCORE 100 at $60
https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Microphones-enCORE-100-Studio-Grade/dp/B002SQJL9U/
A couple 9-foot XLR cables for $12 or vary as you see fit
https://www.amazon.com/2-Pack-Cable-Male-Female-Microphone/dp/B074KYQ66J/
On-Stage, desk stand for $13 (lots of options)
https://www.amazon.com/Stage-DS7200-Adjustable-Microphone-Stand/dp/B0002M3OVI/
You need some RCA to 1/4" TS cables. Technically two though there are reasons up to four and this six pack is cheap at $8. Wish they were shorter.
https://www.amazon.com/GLS-Audio-Patch-Cable-Cords/dp/B0010XVYGA/
or you can get by with one of these.
https://www.amazon.com/Hosa-CPR-201-Stereo-Interconnect-Cable/dp/B000068O16/
and my personal favorite, the UCA202 for $30
https://www.amazon.com/BEHRINGER-U-Control-Low-Latency-Interface-Digital/dp/B000KW2YEI/
This gives you full Skype access to the other rig for Two local mics.
!
I would recommend upgrading that at least a little bit. I host podcasts and I wouldn't want headphone mic audio on my show.
You should at least look at some cheap usb microphones. I'd recommend the [ATR 2100] () which I bought for 25 bucks. I'm currently using an [XLR mixing board] (http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-1202-BEHRINGER-XENYX/dp/B000J5Y282/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1456871248&amp;sr=8-4&amp;keywords=behringer+mixing+board) and a [10 dollar dynamic microphone] (http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-XM8500-Dynamic-Cardioid-Microphone/dp/B0002KZAKS/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1456871363&amp;sr=8-3&amp;keywords=behringer+3+pack) that sound absolutely wonderful and only cost me 70 bucks when I bought them used.
I have a $20 behringer xm8500 mic and u can get a behringer $40 usb interface and it sounds pretty good. My vod from yesterday is my first stream with this mic and it sounds the same as a $100 shure sm58
Edit: I originally had an audio technica at2020. It was too sensitive for me so I got a shure sm58 based on reviews. Then people were saying you can get this behringer mic for $80 less and it sounds the same. I did and I am happy with it.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002KZAKS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EK1OTZC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
You want a 4 input mixer with a USB out. Brands will cause an uproar in this sub but I've had 3 different Behringers and never had a problem and they are cost effective. You want a USB out for sound clarity. If you go with line out to a PC, it will sound like shit.
This is a great mixer for the price. It's has USB out to your pc and 4 xlr inputs for mics as well as a couple for your pc or whatever audio in.
This mic will do what you need it to. It's not a condenser, but it will sound great.
With cables and windscreens you should be able to keep it under 200 with those 3 items. But, you may want to look at some cheap mic stands (holding a mic makes too much noise that will annoy your audience) and balanced Y cables for your pc inputs. I'm pretty sure the mixer will come with the USB cable. Also you will need a good headphone splitter/amp. Or you can get a cheap 4 way headphone splitter, just make sure it's stereo.
You have a low budget so you will have to sacrifice on some of the equipment. Not to say this stuff is shitty, just that five hundred would get you more bang. I realize you only have 3 people now but a guest will happen over time. Chances are though, you will do 10 shows and quit - someone will not have the time or life will get in the way, it happens. The equipment I linked to will work in many applications so it will be easy to move if you decide to get rid of it.
Again, people here will argue for days over brand name and set ups. My suggestions are suggestions that will work. I've used them for years and have had a few incarnations of each. I personally use completely different equipment now, but I know this stuff works on a budget. No - I do not work for Behringer, but the shit works for its price. Good luck, guys. PM me with the first show!
tyfogob is correct, no computer needed for most mixers.
The cheapest and easiest mixer I know of is the Behringer Micromix but it only controls volume.
For a little more you can get a mixer with gain, pan, aux in, and other features. I have an Alto mixer that I got used for cheap at a Guitar Center.
Mackie CR3 fit your budget
This build will be adequate for music production, although just barely. Like others have said, an outboard audio interface that connects by USB is one of the most important components for an audio production PC (definitely cut that asus xonar sound card). this focusrite Scarlett series is an immensely popular choice https://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-Scarlett-Audio-Interface-Tools/dp/B01E6T56CM/ref=sr_1_2?s=musical-instruments&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1491756709&amp;sr=1-2&amp;keywords=audio+interface I would also recommend the behringer umc hd series as being much better value at the $99 price point (this is what I just replaced my ancient audio interface with) https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-UMC404HD-BEHRINGER-U-PHORIA/dp/B00QHURLHM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1491757010&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=umc404hd The audio interface will allow you to 100% bypass the motherboards audio chipset and will provide far higher quality and much more routing options than any onboard audio chipset can claim.
I wouldn't cut anything from this parts list. If you running even a few different VST's in ableton you may come to find the mechanical drive insufficient to allow you to smooth play back of instruments. An 250-500gb SSD would be a likely future upgrade for this build that would tangibly improve performance.
Also, if an audio interface is outside your budget, I would simply wait on buying one. Depending on what your doing in Ableton you might not find it essential right off the bat. Its not like its gonna affect your warping or timestretching ;)
Being an IT professional sometimes this sub's acronyms confuse the hell out of me. That said, has he looked into a Scarlett solo? It's what I use at home. It's technically an interface, but is powered over USB and is great if you only have 1-2 inputs. It's also pretty small and could easily fit into a backpack or messenger bag (really anything with pockets). May not be exactly what he's looking for, but it sounds like it might fit the bill.
https://us.focusrite.com/usb-audio-interfaces/scarlett-solo
https://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-Scarlett-Audio-Interface-Tools/dp/B01E6T56CM/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1483738306&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=scarlett+solo+second+gen
If you're willing to spend a decent chunk of money on a sound card, don't. Get an external DAC- it does the same as a sound card but is further isolated from interference in your computer. Some also have built in volume controls and mute buttons.
I use a Scarlett Solo with audiotechnica M50X headphones.
This is a good small DAC.
FiiO E10K Headphone Amplifier and DAC https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00LP3AMC2/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_Sh8FxbGKRG5TQ
And this is one which I use.
Focusrite Scarlett Solo 2nd Gen 2 in 2 Out USB Audio Interface https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01E6T56CM/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_Xi8Fxb55YAY5D
Edit: It's not worth it unless you have a good quality headphone set. I would recommend the audiotechnica M40 or M50 headphones for very good quality at low prices compared to other brands.
This is one of the best entry-level audio interfaces you can get for the money. It might seem expensive, but trust me if you buy a 30 dollar Behringer U-Phoria you're going to get some nasty static noise because those things are garbage.
With that, if you're already breaking the bank, you can get a relatively cheap microphone that will sound reasonably good compared to the snowball, and then you can upgrade later on.
Also, what do you mean by "sound like I'm in a cave"? Perhaps your issue is something else... like a poorly treated room?
Good audio interfaces (like the Scarlett Solo) have a switch to directly monitor the audio from the mic (aka, it would feed it directly back to the headphones with 0 latency). Other than that, it's 100% your mic's quality.
If you're going microphone shopping, look for condenser mics instead of dynamic ones. Dynamic mics are more suitable for live performances (on stage) since they're vastly more durable than condenser mics but they're nowhere near as accurate as condensers.
The easiest way is to get an entry level pro-audio USB interface like a Focusrite Scarlett Solo (which has a 24bit 192KHz DAC built in).
The Solo only has consumer-grade stereo RCA outputs, so a set of RCA to 1/4" (6.3mm) (TS) adapter cables in whatever length you need is all you need in addition.
Keep in mind, the JBL 305's are pro-audio studio monitors and not consumer speakers, so there isn't much in the way of upgrade-ability unless you're building a home studio with more pro equipment.
From what I know, good home studio headphones will cost you at least over $200. If you aren't in the music production business then I can see why you'd be going for a nice pair of budget headphones.
Sennheiser and Audio Technica are 2 brands I really enjoy. I have used the Audio Technica m50x's for over 2 years and they still hold up great. They costed me around 175 CAD but I hear great things from m40x's as well which are going for around $80 USD on amazon ( https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M40x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR54/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=ath+m40x&qid=1554515435&s=gateway&sr=8-3 ). The price on the m40s are practically a steal right now, so they are my top recommendation.
I also know that open-ended headphones are usually best for mixing, which the m40s are not. The only reason I chose closed-ended was to prevent leakage when listening to music in public. Your preference may vary but it's something to take into consideration.
&#x200B;
I'd say just mess around with chopping things up
i'd say buy a small MIDI keyboard (something like this or this) to start off and just play around with stuff. A lot of it is learning music theory and different chord progressions
If you want a quality table from Best Buy and are willing to upgrade around it as you go, you can grab the AT LP120 for about $250 and get a set of powered speakers (which would eliminate the immediate need for a receiver). These go on sale periodically, so you could get them for cheaper. To add in the CD player you'll either have to be ok with changing your cabling when you want to switch to the CD player or get a receiver.
Mackie CR3 Studio Monitors $80@ amazon
Mackie Studio Monitor, Black w/Green Trim, 3-inch (CR3)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KVEIY4E/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_VhS-BbG65VV1M
I use a mic to an interface to my laptop, which is the standard route.
For the mic, I use an sm57 for higher volume stuff (if you ask any musician what mic they would use if they could only have one mic for general recording, 80% will say an sm57). For lower volume stuff, I use a large diaphram condenser mic (requires phantom power)
For my interface, I have an old Tascam 1800 (it has 16 inputs, I used to use it to record percussion and orchestral parts.
For software I use Cubase and Reaper. Cubase is expensive and difficult and I kind of hate it but it works really well once you figure it out. Reaper is free and fairly simple to use.
This is a fantastic less expensive interface for recording guitar
This is the Shure sm57 microphone
Link to Reaper's site
Link to Cubase's site
Best of luck!!!
The go to interface for that price range is the Focusrite Scarlett
I tried using my nexus 5 with a usb-otg cable that allows charging and usb-dac/amp
it's unnecessarily complicated, and a headphone jack is the sane choice, preferably a good one like the lg v10 has.
I still sometimes buy books on cassette - some older books are only available that way. And somehow it seems more fitting to hear and old-time book with old-timey tape hiss and frequency response.
I picked up a couple old cassette decks from a thrift store and use a decent digitizer (https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-UCA222-BEHRINGER-U-CONTROL/dp/B0023BYDHK) to record them to flac/mp3.
In fact, here's a bash script (I'm a Linux user) that I wrote to record sides of tape to flac:
!/bin/bash
usage()
{
cat << EOF
usage: $0 [Filename Base] [Tape Number] [Tape Side] [optional DURATION (default=60 minutes)]
Record from the ALSA hardare hw:1,0 (USB Audio) to a FLAC file.
examples:
$0 War_and_Peace 1 A (record 45 minutes to 01-A_War_and_Peace.flac)
$0 War_and_Peace 1 B 60 (record 60 minutes to 01-B_War_and_Peace.flac)
EOF
}
if [[ -z $1 ]]
then
usage
exit 1
fi
get command line arguments
DURATION=$(( 45 60 )) # 45 minutes 60 seconds
if [[ -n $4 ]]
then
DURATION=$(( $4 * 60 ))
fi
OUTFILE=$(printf %s%s-%s.flac $TAPENUM $TAPESIDE $TITLE)
avconv -f alsa -ac 2 -ar 44100 -i hw:1,0 -t $DURATION -y $OUTFILE
Of course, that's hard-coded to my audio setup (
hw:1,0in the last line).One example of something I could only get on cassette was Asimov's The Complete Robot.
I use one of these: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0023BYDHK/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1394292147&amp;sr=8-1
Nothing super special, but it sounds good and gets the job done. Just use it on booth/record out of your mixer.
Low-Tech solution: http://www.amazon.com/Zoom-Handy-Portable-Digital-Recorder/dp/B003QKBVYK/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1463419912&amp;sr=8-3&amp;keywords=zoom+recorder
If you're on a budget, I'd recommend the following...
Sadly, a $125 microphone mounted on your hot shoe will not give you high quality sound. The mic will still be too far from your subjects and you'll still have the challenge of the T5i's noisy preamps.
Instead, you might want to consider a couple of other options in your budget range (either option will require you to sync your audio and video tracks in the edit):
Option 1: Buy a decent quality [$99.99 external recorder] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003QKBVYK/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B003QKBVYK&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=battleforthew-20) and get it close to your subject (either on their person or on a boom as pictured [here] (https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-9Y6-Dzel6tQ/U4sh36uWaSI/AAAAAAAAIzA/A-sKB4PzWOE/w965-h543-no/P1080826.JPG)) or
Option 2: Buy one or two [$70 Aspen HQ-S Lavaliers for iPhone] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MVK29BK/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B00MVK29BK&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=battleforthew-20), plug them into your subjects' iOS or Android phones and record to the free [Rode Rec LE for iOS] (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/r-de-rec-le/id590021166?mt=8), [Smart Voice Recorder for Android] (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.andrwq.recorder&amp;hl=en) or [Skyro Voice Recorder for Android] (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.triveous.recorder&amp;hl=en) apps - then sync your sound in post.
Here is how a lav/phone combo works (example is for the Rode SmartLav, but it makes the point for the entire lav/phone category):
http://youtu.be/P2RIFZOGMZo
Either of these options will give you higher quality sound than plugging a consumer shotgun mic directly into your camera.
Good luck!
Others will fill in the details, but the basic answer is, you'll need three more pieces of gear:
An inexpensive (though perhaps temporary) option is to buy a pair of powered speakers (like these perhaps: http://www.amazon.com/M-Audio-Studiophile-Powered-Monitor-Speakers/dp/B0051WAM64/), which will combine the amp and speakers. But you'll still need that preamp (these are inexpensive and start at about $40).
Edit: Just saw your post elsewhere about hating Beach Boys' Smile. I love it but am curious about your dislike (and about who's forcing you to listen to it). As a Beatles fan you should know that they were fans—and rivals—of the BB's; the two groups inspired one another circa '65-'67.
Slide your SSD and HDD onto the bottom rack and take the top rack out for much better airflow like this. Easy as pie and it'll keep your parts, especially your GPU cooler. When the time comes, here are some potential upgrades:
M-Audio AV 40 Speakers
G502. There's going to be a sweet deal for this. Bull full price at $79.99 and get a $50 steam card.
CM Storm Quickfire Mechanical Keyboard w/ MX Blues
It's your audio interface, or rather, your lack of an audio interface. Crackling in audio like you're experiencing is due to the ASIO drivers and your soundcard not being able to keep up with the bitrate to play back your audio without dropping data packets.
Audio interfaces that will fix your problem and let you play at much lower latency aren't expensive.
If you really want to spend as little as possible then you can get this Berhinger interface at just over $50, but I recommend spending the extra $20 or so and getting this Steingerb UR12. I use the 2-input version (UR22) and it's been great.
Behringer UMC22 is US$48 on Amazon. It will do.
Behringer Uphoria UMC204HD is the best bang for the buck. If you can save some more money you can get it for US$80.
Behringer UMC22
$60, plug and play (no driver fuckery that some people encounter with Scarlett), front 1/4" for headphones and rear L/R 1/4" for use as a preamp with powered speakers.
How do these compare to the audio technica ATH-m40s? Roughly the same price on Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M40x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR54
You need a line level mixer: https://www.amazon.com/Rolls-MX42-Stereo-Mini-Mixer/dp/B00102ZN40/.
Connect the Modi and your monitor's line out to the inputs. Connect your Magni to the output.
That looks like it's for mono signals, not stereo. Try the Rolls MX42 instead.
You'll want a USB Audio Interface - something like this and a good set of headphones. Since you're using a Mac, you'll have access to GarageBand; grab the BIAS FX free trial for Amp + FX sims and load it as a plugin with GarageBand. You should be able to get a pretty nice setup for less than £100.
Edit: You can record in GarageBand just by pressing the 'r' key or by clicking the record button.
As far as the volume for recording at, that's a good volume. I record at a level that makes me need to boost my audio by a good 30dB or so before I do any other work with it.
Buuuut... sadly, you're definitely too far away. As far as positioning it more closely, I think your best bet is going to be something like this. It's cheap, and it shows in the quality, but it works.
Neuman TLM 102 Mic --
UAD Apollo Twin Duo --
Macbook Pro --
Henge Dock --
Logic Pro X --
Squier P Bass --
Mexican Telecaster --
Martin DCPA4 --
Fender 3 Guitar Stand
Hit me with any questions.
EDIT: Mic Stand
No. You should, however, get yourself an audio interface. And even then you don't need to spend a lot of money, but it will sound far better than just connecting it through an XLR to 2.5mm or USB cable. I use this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EK1OTZC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_bQLJDb5GAFJCH. It works great with my Sennheiser e835, has gain control and direct monitoring, as well as a switch for phantom power. All you really need in my opinion.
I actually got my mic setup for ~$60 including that, XLR cable, and a little tripod because I found the mic itself sitting around in my house from when my brother used to record himself playing music. Pretty satisfied!
JBL LSR305 $89 each
https://www.amazon.com/JBL-Professional-Next-Generation-Powered-305PMKII/dp/B00DUKP37C/ref=asc_df_B077N2GQXC/
These compare well with the best powered speakers in the <$500 range. Tons a professional reviews for them if you want to learn more.
> MoBo this is where I can use some help, looking at blue black models left me looking at pretty much MSI but from there the chipset selection I get lost on what would be needed
Here you're paying extra for the Z97 exclusive feature of overclocking, which you don't plan on doing. Stick to the cheaper LGA 1150 chipsets, just pick a motherboard that has the features you need. Though I'm not sure if the 'lesser' chipsets support SLI/CF in PCIe 3.0 x8 x8 configuration for both slots.
> Monitor
U2412M is definitely good, but some people can't live with the very grainy anti-glare coating (if you've seen it next to a normal anti-glare coating, you probably know what I'm talking about). My favorite 1920x1200 alternatives are the NEC EA244WMi and the BenQ BL2411PT. There are tons of other 21-24" alternatives, see this thread for many suggestions with links to reviews
> Speakers
Don't bother with those $45 pieces of trash. You may want to consider instead 'down-grading' to a 280x (not really a downgrade at the chosen gaming resolution) so that you can afford a pair of these JBL 305s (sold each) or, at the very least, M-Audio AV40s. Or you could go with passive/bookshelf speakers and an amp, but for the love of sound don't go with sub $100 garbage on such a budget.
Alright, your TV has RCA outputs and the option of fixed or variable output through there. If you wanted you could just grab two JBL LSR305 and connect them with RCA to TRS cables. Probably $450 total but would sound much better than the miccas. Go into your TV audio settings and select variable audio out. This way you can change volume through your TV remote. Just set the amp on the back of the JBL speakers to 8 or so and never touch them again.
If you want to go the passive speaker route for upgradability then you can grab a stereo receiver like this Yamaha for $200. Just plug your TV in with RCA cables. This allows you to spend an extra $100 on speakers. You'll save even more money if you look through your local listings for a used receiver. If you like the Klipsch sound you can go for these. Otherwise look through your local listing for a good tower speaker that you can afford. I was going to recommend the Pioneer FS52 but a pair of those would go over your budget. You can try pairing them with a cheap SMSL amp, but I would be worried they would distort a tad early.
The best sounding setup out of the box would be the JBL LSR305, but it's also the least upgradeable setup.
Try getting a Boom arm will take that clutter of the mic away from your keyboard.
The best portable, closed headphones are the Sennheiser HD 25-1 II which are only $175 right now. They will block out significant amounts of outside noise, and keep your music to yourself. Being professional headphones, they are very durable and can be easily repaired.
What you're asking for in a USB connection is going to require a separate DAC. That is a whole separate issue, and you can easily spend another $100 on that alone. This $24 Behringer unit would probably be the cheapest one worth trying.
Honestly, If I were in your shoes, I'd grab a BEHRINGER UCA 202 along with a Beyer Dyanmic DT 880 Pro 250 ohm, with a Schiit Vali 2
Upgrading from the DT 880 is difficult to do, as it's very neutral. You can compliment it with something like a Senn HD 650, but for less money you can just swap a Mullard Tube into your Schiit Vali 2, and then if and when you want more, you can easily upgrade the Dac, as the DT 880 will scale nicely!
The same company makes an 8" or 10" powered sub that is usually recommended with these speakers. The sub itself is around $80-$90 iirc, so it would be difficult to get something under $100 total.
Also note that these speakers require an amplifier.... which will drive your total cost up a bit.
If you need an amp, you could look at
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=300-650
You could always add in a cheap USB DAC (digital to analog converter) such as
http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-UCA202-Audio-Interface/dp/B000KW2YEI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1333570606&amp;sr=8-1
To bypass your sound card (your sound card has a DAC built in, but its probably shit).
As far as needing the sub, it really depends on what kind of sound you want. I would recommend getting the 2.0 (just speakers) first, and adding a sub (bringing you to a 2.1 system) if you feel like the bass is lacking.
I have those two speakers, without a sub, and I am very pleased with them.
These speakers are frequently recommended for people looking for the best sound at a low budget.
Get a Digital Aanalog Converter.
Sure!
My gear is easily affordable (except a few choice pieces being the studio monitors and the PC itself).
I use a Focusrite Saffire Pro 40 - Which is overkill for recording, but I have other projects that involve a lot more inputs. The Focusrite Scarlett is more than adequate for this kind of work.
For my Mic, I use a [Rode NT2A] (http://www.amazon.co.uk/R%C3%98DE-NT2AANNIV-NT2A-STUDIO-PACK/dp/B004L06ZCM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1415053266&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=) for the bulk of the recording, I have a few smaller Clip on mics for some more sensitive recording.
For my electronic audio samples, I use a [Alesis QX61] (http://www.amazon.co.uk/ALESIS-QX61-Master-keyboards-Keys/dp/B006Z6VIZO/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1415053433&amp;sr=8-7&amp;keywords=Alesis+Q) which for this kind of work is not necessary at all.
As for Software, this can get a little expensive but I've built this up over the years, I use Ableton Live 9 and a list of plugins to extensive to name, but 90% of the recorded samples have been edited very little, and if they have, the default suite plugins are more than adequate (EQ, Reverb etc).
I only really have to dig into specialist plugins when looking to create a certain effect - such as space, etc.
get the 32 ohm version of the DT770s. I have a nexus 5 as well :)
http://www.amazon.com/Beyerdynamic-DT-770-PRO-32-Headphone-Monitoring-Applications/dp/B008POFOHM
Are your price point you can start looking into entry level powered monitors.
A good first stop would be the M-Audio AV40
You won't find high quality until the 120-150$ range. m-audio av40's for 150$ have been the best i've seen for a reasonable price. These are 2.0 speakers, which are generally what you want over a poor quality 2.1 set.
However, your needs are important to your choice. Are you looking for gaming, general music, flac music? You say electronic music, but that is a HUGE range of things. No matter what, this is a question better suited for a pc hardware type site/subreddit.
All <$100 speakers are all poor quality and not BIFL.
M-Audio av40 link
Strictly speaking, you are in the wrong subreddit - gear for a musician is better asked in /r/audio.
However:
> HT | OMEGA Claro Halo 24-bit 192KHz PCI Interface Sound Card w/ a built-in HI-FI Headphone Amplifier
If your friend is making music, it's reasonably likely that he's at some stage going to record external instruments (or voice). Internal, consumer-oriented sound cards are very nearly useless for this: They won't have a sufficient number of inputs, and their inputs are unbalanced. He is going to want a proper prosumer external audio interface.
There are many to choose from, but here are a few that has been reasonably well reviewed:
Both of the above have headphone amps, and you can connect instruments directly, and microphones requiring phantom power.
Disclosure: I use neither of the above - I needed a budget option for recording in situation where I may not always have a computer, so I use the Zoom R16, which is also neat because it can act as a very compact control surface.
> Logitech Z506 75 watts RMS 5.1 Surround Sound Speakers
No. For making music, he's going to want studio monitors, or something resembling them. The absolutely cheapest option in that department I can recommend is the M-Audio Studio AV40 at $130. I have owned these, and wrote a review here.
However, I'm going to go out on a limb, and guess that you're coming from the PC gaming side of things. In which case, you've probably picked the heftiest graphics card you could find. Scale that graphics card back by about $100 - a fast GPU isn't needed for music. Lots and lots of RAM and a fast CPU is.
Either way, my point about scaling back on the GPU is that while I like the AV40's, monitors at around $300 are much better tools for musicians than $130 monitors. I was so happy with the way the AV40's performed, that I upgraded to their big brother, the M-Audio BX5 D2 - but there are many alternatives to it.
TL;DR Your friend needs an audio interface, not a sound card, and he need studio monitors, not gamer's toys from logitech.
I'm a singer (both lyrical and pop) and I wanna start recording myself at home. I wanna make demos and write songs (since I don't play instruments and only know the most basic music theory, I have to record). I also have a very, very limited budget (I'll get a freeware DAW). I do have a "mic": this beauty, and I wanna improve my situation, because while I'm not starting a pro studio or anything right now, I do want my voice to sound as good and accurate as possible.
My sister is in the States right now on vacation, so I can tell her what to buy me, but I have to do it soon, and I don't know what's best within my budget.
I'm overwhelmed. I don't know if I should get a USB mic (like a Samson C01, Snowball, ATR2500, Yeti, etc...), a cheap XLR mic with an icicle, or a cheap DAW interface like this with a cheap condenser. I'm not even familiar with the brands or anything, so I don't know which is better, and virtually all reviews I've seen are geared towards podcasting or things like that. What would you recommend me?
Couple things... first, add POWER to your lower register. You got very muffled and flat when you dropped down, a good example is around 0:40. Watch a few videos on budgeting your breath to help sustain you when you drop down.
You have a few pitch issues, especially around 0:30 "everybody look to your right" the everybody was off. There were a few more like that as well. A good exercise for this is arpeggios.... learn them, sing them, love them :) They will help an aspiring singer a ton.
Finally, if you're serious, and since you're putting yourself out here for critique I assume you are, go ahead an invest in a good microphone and an interface so you can record yourself better. You can do it on the cheap with something like an AT2020 and a small Focusrite for around $200'ish. It will really make a difference.
You have some uniqueness to your voice, which is what everyone looks for, and you're already taking steps to improve and learn which means you accept criticism which is crucial if you're going to do anything in music... so good for you and keep working at it!
These Swan M10's are meant to be quite good, you could use the spare cash to buy a cheap DAC.
An even better option that is very upgradeable is this selection of components for just over your budget at ~$170.
Another option is M-Audio Studiophile AV40.
Just a word of warning, try to stay away from any speakers that are marketed as for "gamers". An example of this are Logitech (although the more expensive 5.1 setups are know to be fairly good).
Good luck!
Use studio monitors
Edit: You can also try A->B mixing, which is listening to a professionally mixed/mastered track of the same genre and comparing the frequency levels to your own
What I would get in that range:
Reaper - $60.
Focusrite 2i2, Mic, Cable and headphones bundle - $240
then either a
Blue Spark - $170
or a pair of KRK Rokit monitors - $265
or an SM 57 - $92
and a cheaper set of monitors. - $135
So,
Reaper + Bundle + Spark = $470
Reaper + Bundle + KRK Rokit = $565
Reaper + Bundle + SM57 + Other monitors = $527.
Note that you don't need to buy reaper immediately, and can buy it later if you like it or switch to a more expensive DAW if you don't like it.
My monitor recommendations are very uninformed, but they're to give an idea of price range.
Came here to recommend that. Surprisingly good bass out of such a tiny speaker but still great accurate sound. Not overpowering.
If those are out of budget, the M-Audio Studiophile AV 40 are good.
Much of the weight involved in XLR is for shielding from EM interference. If you're going for a clean sound, this will work against it. Also, consumer sound cards do not have the kind of preamp that would work with larger microphones, so you would also need to get a preamp. You're better off just getting a low-cost USB audio interface or mixer.
An example would be the Behringer Xenyx 302USB (http://amzn.com/B005EHILV4). It's good enough to be both functional and portable. Granted, $80 is not exactly pocket change, but it's still two-digit.
I think the setup is definitely overkill, and you're missing out on an audio interface, which is IMHO the most important part of a setup like this. I wouldn't get the preamp at all - preamps (and especially preamps under ~$400) won't do too much to affect the sound, at least in a way that'll be noticeable when you use it for streaming. And you probably don't need a compressor either - they can be tricky to learn to use and even trickier to learn to use well. I would skip that too. If you ever need to compress something you've recorded, use Audacity. And compression shouldn't really matter if you're just streaming. And a mixer isn't really necessary for just one microphone.
But then, even if you got all of this nice equipment, everything would be ruined if you just ran it into your computer's mic jack. You should get a USB audio interface to connect your microphone and computer. I would recommend something small, like the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2. And this would remove the need for a preamp and a mixer, so all you should need then is the mic, the one long cable, and the interface. This isn't really overkill for streaming, and this will also allow you to record covers with decent quality as well.
Not OP but I can help you out here. Let's break this down by component:
Hope this helps. Higher quality audio equipment can be confusing and daunting, what with all the technical details, wide price ranges, parsing through all the marketing bullshit and the sometimes snobby attitudes of some "audiophiles". I wish you luck and feel free to ask me if you have any questions.
I would personnaly go for the Scarlett right now, because it might be a little money right now, but it's worth it (and you can always sell it used for a good price if you don't damage it). If you really must go down in your price range, simply search ''Solo Sound Card'' on google, amazon, ebay, etc. and you'll be able to find a wide range of stuff, for example
I give this out a lot. I use all of these, and they were recommended by another podcaster who uses them too.
Here is my short list. I personally have used these. I still use everything but the mic (I upgraded) Everything together is less than $125 USD. Good luck!
Mixer https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EK1OTZC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
Mics (You get 3, so you can have others on (they will need their own mixer for this setup) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000NJ2TIE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
Mic Stand, pop filter https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01EBDZHNQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&amp;th=1
Sound paneling https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071VDDVHQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
These things and Audacity (which is free) will help you make a professional sound on a budget.
A Samson Q2U is a good option since you mentioned breathing and keyboard noise. It's dynamic as well as both XLR and USB, so you've got both upgrade paths in the future.
If you're set on a condenser mic then the AT2020 is a great choice. I'm using one with a Behringer Q802USB mixer, but you can get a cheaper UMC22 or UM2 which will sound just as good.
edit: If you want to go with XLR and Dynamic, then I highly reccomend the Shure SM57-lc as it sounds absolutely amazing, and there is a ripoff version of it which sounds almost identical called the pdmic78 for $20, but some people say it's not as durable as the sm57 (you can run over that thing with a bus and it still works).
As everyone else has stated, you should consider some other options what are more worthwhile, such as the M40x's.
Here! Mackie CR series
How about some active monitors, like these?
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00KVEIY4E/ref=s9_top_hm_boFF1_g267_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&amp;pf_rd_s=mobile-hybrid-11&amp;pf_rd_r=0Z63887HV9MHZ3MC7ZVB&amp;pf_rd_t=30901&amp;pf_rd_p=a4302e38-8758-5d24-8f61-af0db9a23423&amp;pf_rd_i=11974991
The new Behringer interfaces are solid as a rock. Highly recommended. [link](BEHRINGER U-PHORIA UMC404HD https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QHURLHM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_UahPzbFF7V6TQ)
Hey guys! I know this just looks like a generic RGB battlestation. I recently just bought a house for myself, and was finally able to set up my own gaming room, and I wanted to show it off .I plan to eventually set up my VR stuff in this room somewhere. I know the photo quality sucks, but I don't own a camera, and my iPhone camera sucks.
Case - NZXT Phantom 410
Mobo - ASUS TUF SABERTOOTH Z97
CPU - i7-4790k Devil's Canyon
CPU Cooler - NZXT Kraken X42
RAM - Kingston HyperX
GPU - ASUS ROG GTX 1070
Storage - Samsung 860 PRO 1TB
Keyboard - Ducky Shine 4
Mouse - Corsair Scimitar
Headphones - Sennheiser PC 360
Microphone - Audio-Technica 2020
Audio Interface - Focusrite Scarlett Solo
Monitors - Asus VG248QE x2
If you're going to do voiceover semi-regularly to very often on even your own projects casually, it's worth doing better than the Blue Yeti or Snowball. You can get a much better sound than that if you can manage a little more cash—I'm sure you can get creative.
AT2020 ($83), Behringer B-1 ($89.95), MXL 770 ($74.99) or 990 ($87.67), or the Samson CO1 ($38 used, $62 new).
All XLR condenser microphones, which means that you also need an interface and an XLR cable. The Focusrite Scarlett is the most popular and most affordable.
Let's start from the top.
____
they're bothMixcraft is Windows-only (Reaper has a Mac version. Thanks for the correction @Cassinpants), and I assume you have a Mac, since you have GB.____
My personal setup is:
-Focusrite 18i20
-Electrovoice Re20 + Heil PR40
-Custom PC (i7 6700k/ Fury X/ 16Gib DDR5 RAM, Hard drives for days)
-Mixcraft 8
-various plugins
-Libsyn
Hope this helps, for now! See you back, soon, to figure out RSS ;D
Edit: Added multiple links
Audio-Technica ATH-M40x Professional Monitor Headphones https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HVLUR54/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_hvZfAbBEX0HJV
I've got the 50s and they're great, 40s are a step below but still have great ratings.
That's almost retail price. Are you gonna be using them for listening to music or for producing music? If you will be listening, I would suggest these instead: https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M40x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR54/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1509968134&amp;sr=8-3&amp;keywords=M40x
cheaper, new (not used) and better sound for simply listening to music.
Budget - $125. Really don't want to spend more than $100 unless you can convince me.
Source - Dell laptop
Requirements for Isolation - All the isolation. I don't want to hear around me, and I don't want them to hear me.
Preferred Type of Headphone - Closed. See above. I want solitude and I don't want to bother others with my music.
Preferred tonal balance - Probably can't really tell the difference in mids and highs, but I love bass.
Past headphones - Grado SR80i. Sounded great, but they're open so they didn't block out noise and everyone could hear me even at low volume, which is not what I want. Also the pads pressing against my ears for awhile hurt pretty quickly.
Preferred Music - Alternative Rock, Hip Hop, Ambient/Post Rock, Trip Hop
Misc - I tried my friend's Audio-Technica ATH-M50 and it was incredible. A little big, but I did like the coiled cable. The cable on my SR80 has gotten twisted a lot from storing it in various places. I will use these primarily for studying and occasionally watching TV or movies on my computer. I love the M50, but the price tag may be a bit too high. Should I go for the M40x or the M30x? How much "worse" is the M30x than the M50? Are there alternatives that are better for the price? Also I have Amazon Prime which is why I keep linked to Amazon haha. Saves 10-15 bucks.
AT MSR7
Sony MDR-1A
and
B&O H6 (if you're comfortable buying used-like new / very good out of the warehouse)
are the common commuter/office recommendations.
And of course there are always the M40x 's, but many people do not find these comfortable out of the box. A pad upgrade is recommended.
I have never used those but I do use Audio-Technica ATH-M40x and they work great for me. They are tuned flat, that is what you want.
It's made to power professional headphones like https://smile.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M40x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR54/
Is your co-host local? If so
If they aren't local? I know blue makes some higher tier USB mics.
I have the Dot in my study, connected via an audio mixer, into an amplified speaker. You can then use the mixer to set the level of (in this example) 4 inputs. Now, any of those inputs can play at the same time, and you can use the mixer to control the level of each input. This might be better for an amplified speaker than a stereo, but might give you some ideas.
http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-MicroMIX-MX400-Low-Noise-4-channel/dp/B000KGYAYQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1464220713&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=audio+mixer
I use one of these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Behringer-MX400-Micromix-Noise-Channel/dp/B000KGYAYQ/ref=lp_3816966031_1_6?srs=3816966031&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1523996945&amp;sr=8-6
You need a mixer to connect your gear to, and then you just connect speakers or headphones to the mixer. I have this mixer for my Volcas and small gear: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000KGYAYQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1408515182&amp;sr=8-1&amp;pi=SY200_QL40
To get a stereo sound from it you need this $3 adapter as well http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003DBTAZ4/ref=pd_aw_sims_2?pi=SL500_SS115&amp;simLd=1
You will then also need at least three 3.5mm stereo male to 3.5mm stereo male cables, as well as 3-5 of this http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000068O3T/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?qid=1408515974&amp;sr=8-3&amp;pi=SY200_QL40
I would definitely recommend the Rode Videomicro. If want even better, plug the Videomicro into a Zoom H1 and you'll be set!
As it's for a computer you need active speakers. That just means they have a built in amplifier so you just need to plug them into your source (in this case the computer) and there's no need for any additional equipment to power them.
These are a pretty good buy in that price range. I've used them for 5 years or so and they have surprisingly good sound quality. Probably the best at this price point:
http://www.amazon.com/M-Audio-Studiophile-Active-Monitor-Speakers/dp/B0051WAM64/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1398030452&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=m+audio+av40
Heya guys, I dug through the faq and even did that website but Im still a bit lost.
I work in an office where I'm not allowed to have a computer or a phone at my desk; and I'm not allowed to connect anything to the work systems.
Apart from that I'm pretty much allowed to do whatever I want while I idle waiting for work to happen.
I've decided that I wanna try and learn to play some keys and maybe make some beats while I idle; with that in mind I have some requirements on a synth/keyboard.
Apart from that here are some things I'd like for it to be able to do also, but wont fuss over.
line in would be cool, so that I can play along with music from an MP3 player
Drum pads would be awesome.
I was looking at something like this but Im not sure if that will run without having the comptuer plugged into it.
That thing is just about the perfect size and layout for what I want; Quality isn't so important since this is going to be mostly a time waster and quick try at something. If I find I like it, I will get something better down the road. I also realize my needs and wants are pretty specific, so I'm not opposed to spending some money.
arturia minilab mk2
if you want full size keys try this or this
stay away from the launchkey it has terrible keys that feel like ass, it's only good if you want the clip launching features for ableton
the akai mpk mini is okay while it lasts but eventually the keys will break off. not might, will. Akai also just released an updated version of this controller, no idea if the keys are any more reliable on it though.
$200 is a bad amount of money to spend. either go cheap ($100) or go expensive with midi controllers and get something like this or this, everything "mid range" feels like ass for the price you pay & you will be disappointed with it.
hmm maybe something like a simple usb keyboard that connects to your pc?
you can record directly with that and put it in your software + they are way smaller
https://www.amazon.com/Akai-Professional-MPK-Performance-Ready-8-Assignable/dp/B00IJ6QAO2?ref_=Oct_BSellerS_8882496011_0
im by far not a pro but this is what i would do^ :)
Micca PB42X
https://www.amazon.com/Micca-PB42X-Powered-Bookshelf-Speakers/dp/B00NXAEPDC
Edifier 1010
https://www.amazon.com/Edifier-R1010BT-Bluetooth-Reference-Multimedia/dp/B071YV97LK
Mackie CR3, CR4
https://www.amazon.com/Mackie-Studio-Monitor-3-inch-CR3/dp/B00KVEIY4E
https://www.amazon.com/Mackie-Reference-Multimedia-CR4-Pair/dp/B00KVEIY4O
Or Spend some Coin n get Kanto - Quality, built in DAC, amp, sub out
https://www.amazon.com/Kanto-Powered-Speakers-Bluetooth-Preamp/dp/B01N1ZTJJK
I use this mic for any vocals I do and I get pretty decent results for a bedroom. You can find cheaper mics than that, but make sure you get a large diaphragm condenser mic and make sure its XLR, not USB. It doesn't come with a mic stand. I learned that the hard way
You'll need an audio interface as well. That's probably the cheapest interface that's worth getting as well from what I hear.
About $250 or so for a cheaper setup, but it's a one-time purchase and the added quality is worth it I think.
I know that a lot of streamers use the audio technica microphones so here's one. There is also the Blue Yeti. In terms of budget microphones, there is the Blue Snowball and the CAD u37. You also might want to consider an audio interface as well. Here's an excellent combo, cause its awesome.
Happy Cake Day duder! Here are my suggestions!
Under 100$
[Lexicon Alpha](http://www.amazon.com/Lexicon-Alpha-Desktop-Recording-Studio/dp/B000HVXMNE/ref=sr_1_1?
ie=UTF8&qid=1412270622&sr=8-1&keywords=lexicon+alpha)
Scarlett Solo
Tascam US-32
Over 100
Scarlett 2i2
M Audio M Track Plus
Steinberg UR22
Personally, I use the UR22, mainly because I need the Midi in/out for my outboard synths, and the d-pre amps are quite nice for basic mics. I work for a music shop, and our best seller is the UR22. However, any of these interfaces would work well with FL Studio, and you would not be displeased with any of them. Let me know which one you get, dude! Cheers!
Ninja Edit - Stay away from Behringer, Gemsound, Pyle, and Pyramid. They are low cost, but have poor quality builds, poor converters, latency issues, and a myriad of other problems. Also, if you need multiple inputs and mixing capabilities down the line, I suggest these;
http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-MG10XU-10-Input-Stereo-Mixer/dp/B00IBIVL42/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1412271070&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=yamaha+mixer
http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-Audiogram-6-audio-interface/dp/B001F1WNAS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1412271058&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=yamaha+interface
I commented about this in a thread about the new Razer mic... not really a big deal but here goes.
If you are looking for truly good audio, these USB mics wont cut it. It's not that they sound bad, it just bugs me that they are marketed as "studio grade," when they really are not. It is like buying a "Gaming PC," from HP.
If you plan to use it for any real content creation, you'd do yourself a favor by buying an inexpensive interface and inexpensive mic. Yeah, this option puts you over $200..... but those are two very cheap options considering that they are viable for pro audio. And they specifically are strong in features that people in this thread would use. The Focusrite Scarletts have amazing (for the price) microphone preamps, and the MXL condensers are amazing (for the price) VO mics.
Everyone in this subreddit is familiar with the price/benefit curve of buying video cards etc... this setup is probably 4x better than a USB mic at 2x the price. From here, you'd have to jump to $800 before you saw any real benefit.
If you can scrape together about 125 more Euro, I would suggest this Focusrite USB interface. It's a great little unit for the price, and if you're just getting into things, this should keep you busy for a while until you start needing more options.
I have had a fair bit of experience in the field of audio engineering, and so hopefully I don't talk out my ass when I say this but:
If this build is audio-orientated, why haven't you included a sound card or other audio interface? This kind of equipment is pretty much the most important part of your setup if you are seriously seeking to create high-fidelity recordings.
Unless you already have an external audio interface or a decent sound card that you're planning to recycle from a previous build, I would highly recommend investing in one. A mid-to-high end sound card will reduce hiss/buzz/interference and will allow you to sample audio at much higher bit-depths.
When it comes to the actual gear (as per usual) your budget dictates the hardware you should purchase, but I give some general guidelines. If you are only planning to do simple recordings (guitar + 1 or 2 vocal mics), I would go with an external soundcard like the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2. If you're interested in richer recordings of perhaps larger scale (drum kits, bands, etc), something similar to a Focusrite Clarett 8pre X or other rack gear would probably suit.
At this stage, we're talking about spending more on an interface than your actual PC, and I'm guessing you came to this sub to find computer advice. Nevertheless, I hope what wrote helps in some way. Good luck with your auditore endeavours!
No. Kinda why I bring it up...cause I know it's something not immediately obvious to others. ;)
You need 32ohm - something like this:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/beyerdynamic-770-PRO-Studio-Headphones/dp/B008POFOHM/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1541872185&amp;sr=8-3&amp;keywords=dt770
32ohm you can use with consumer grade gear directly. The audiophiles will disapprove & argue that 250ohm gives superior sound, but I'd argue the cost & convenience wins out here.
My brother tried my 80 Ohm with his S3 and the sound was absolutely loud enough. But there are also 32 Ohm which are made for mobile devices.
Edit: http://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B008POFOHM (German Amazon)
Keep in mind that they also have different earpads (not velour, although you can change them if you want to).
Increase your budget just a tad and get this: http://www.amazon.com/JBL-Professional-LSR305-Studio-Monitor/dp/B00DUKP37C
Well worth the price, especially if you're doing music production.
If you can bump up to $260 I think the JBL LSR305's are your best bet.
All you need is one of these. Fairly cheap, and you can hang your camera from it instead of the mic. Looks much better than taping your perler cam to a paper towel roll, which is what I was doing before...
Yes, and while it’s really really cheap, I find the quality to be surprisingly good when on a stand and the mic is very close to your face.
Here’s the mic I bought.
Here’s the stand I bought
Here’s a link to my voice in a YouTube video I uploaded
Not a great YouTube clip lol but it’s quiet and clear and that all I need for YouTube uploads and discord.
A dac, possibly (depending on your source). An amp, definitely skip. Unless you plan on getting more detailed or power hungry cans in the near future. I'd be more worried about your source files at this point. And if you are curious about an entry level dac, the behringer uca202 is like $20-30. I still use mine to rip vinyl and connect optical to my receiver.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000KW2YEI/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1505704590&amp;sr=8-1&amp;pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&amp;keywords=Uca202&amp;dpPl=1&amp;dpID=41IUcFvupvL&amp;ref=plSrch
And black friday is just around the corner.
Mixxx's wiki about this subject
X-Session Controller
USB soundcard for master output
Use your regular headphone out on your laptop for cueing.
Not sure what perspectives you are looking for but here are my thoughts. :)
I am more on the Pro Audio/recording side of things but you can run the music from anything that plays YouTube and get a mic/interface that can be plugged into any pro system. (Your living room setup can become a karaoke machine)
The standard mic for live is a Shure SM58 which is not too expensive. Then you can get a used audio interface to run the sound from your computer. For example the PreSonus AudioBox USB. Granted, you would need speakers but could plug into your current home Audio system or buy a bundled system with a mic, interface, and speakers, etc.
The advantage of using the computer is you can easily record her singing! Just another route to consider, although I suppose the appeal to a machine is simplicity and having it all in one box.
I'm /u/whitefeather14's friend. If it's solely for headphones and you're not looking to spend a lot, then I would strongly recommend something by Fiio. I have an older one, the FiiO E7. They don't sell this one anymore, but they have a newer one called the FiiO E70k. I haven't personally used it, but I can only assume it's like mine but better.
If it's a little more than you want to spend, then I'd look at the Q1. I've heard good things about these as well.
These are nice, because they double as a USB dac and a portable headphone amplifier. Which means if you're traveling or something you can plug your phone into it and still get the amplifier out of it, no need for a USB source.
If that doesn't interest you, then there's the FiiO K1, which is just a USB DAC, and does not have an analog 3.5mm input, only the micro USB.
Now, understand that any of these aren't going to be the greatest DAC ever. Sub $100 is pretty cheap for a DAC, and I'm pretty sure these are all 24-bit, with 32-bit being more or less the best you can get (There's some debate on whether or not you can hear a difference, but that's entirely a different conversation.)
If you do want something a little more pricey and nice, the Schiit Modi DAC and Magni amp are really quite nice. They also have a Amp/DAC combination for $80 which I haven't heard anything about, but Schiit is pretty good.
The one /u/whitefeather14 said is a PreSonus AudioBox USB. You probably don't want this, as it is primarily an audio interface for recording instruments and microphones, and isn't a dedicated DAC, though the DAC is pretty nice, and as a bonus has a 1/4in headphone out as well as two 1/4in outs for L/R powered speakers, such as studio monitors, if that's of any benefit for you.
As for the SMSL one you posted, I have also heard good things about that one, though it's a desktop unit and does not have an analog 3.5mm input.
Let me know if you have any questions, I'm happy to help.
>don't see a guitar input
There's a 1/4" mono input in the centre of the XLR.
That behringer unit is prettly limited, especially getting the audio back out of the PC to your monitors. Line OR USB, instead of line and USB.
In your price range, better choices would be M-Audio MTrack Plus, or MTrack 2, Focusrite Scarlett or Presonus Audiobox
They all come with some form of 'Lite' DAW software as well.
I was referring to something like the Akai. While you can record a midi keyboard using just a usb cable, you'll need some sort of interface to record signals from your microphone. I suggested a pci device because you're building a pretty badass rig, and pci devices are much faster/have better latency/have more inputs and outputs than usb or firewire devices. However, they're also usually quite expensive. Plus, if you're only going to be recording with one microphone, you really don't need all that nonsense. For this reason, I highly recommend getting a usb device. What's your budget going to be like? There are a wide variety of very high-quality interfaces to be had for under $200. Off the top of my head, two that I can recomend are the PreSonus Audiobox and the Line6 UX2 (which I use).
I just got this. I got tired of my G930 always disconnecting, so I'm going the good headphone + good microphone route.
I use it with Discord mainly, and I just up'd the threshold where it picks up sound. No push to talk necessary.
I also scooped this up. https://www.amazon.com/NEEWER-Microphone-Suspension-Scissor-Stand/dp/B00DY1F2CS
It says it's not compatible with the blue yeti, but the attachment has a converter that threads with the blue yeti. It's a little tricky to wiggle it out. So far, it's hanging fine.
Hope this helps someone.
I would stick with a USB condenser microphone. They're phenomenal as they have a built in condenser and some have built in noise reduction. That doesn't mean you shouldn't do post editing to the show (like running a condenser and noise reducer over your audio), but it helps shave a lot of post work off.
I run the XLR version of the Audio-Technicia AT2020. What I'm linking is the USB version and you may be able to find it used, or cheaper, elsewhere. It's a phenomenally powerful microphone for little cost.
If you want to go XLR, because you feel like you need to do some on the fly mixing, a Scarlet interface + the XLR version of that microphone is a great combination. You can go more advanced with a Behringer Xenyx Q802USB (what I am running), but if you're just starting out keep it simple.
Also pick up a microphone boom, pop filter, and a shock mount (that particular shock mount has a pop filter with it). Keep it off your desk and about 5-6 inches from your mouth when podcasting. You want to reduce all extra noise including mouse clicks, keyboards, or bumping your desk.
If that's too expensive, a Yeti or a Snowball are great introductory microphones. There is a reason everyone uses them. I cut my teeth on a Samson CO1U, but eventually upgraded to the AT because the sound quality is a bit better. Just...always get some kind of arm or tripod or something and keep the microphone suspended.
At the end of the day, as long as you're using some kind of condenser microphone, it doesn't really matter. Post production can help make the whole podcast sound a lot more enjoyable. Just make sure you're consistent, have decent audio quality, and are excited to podcast. I wrote up some dirty tips and tricks here if you're interested.
Good luck!
Personally, every time i've tried to make music on an iOS device I've given up in frustration. It might be fun for fooling around, but the interface drives me crazy and makes me want to do just about anything else. This is just my opinion maaaan.
In terms of software, I'd start out with REAPER as a DAW because you can get started right away on your gaming rig for free. It has a 60 day evaluation period, which can be extended until you are overcome by guilt. You're going to have to dig around the net for free VST virtual instruments and sounds, but they're out there. Buy a cheap USB audio interface, and a cheap mic and start working on your own music. You can record acoustic instruments, vocals, and random sounds with one of those mics. I'd find a cheap pair of open back headphones for mixing, and use whatever closed back sound isolating headphones you have lying around for monitoring while you're recording.
I think the best way to learn music production is to force yourself to produce music on the regular. To that end I'd suggest learning about songfight.org, which is an online songwriting and production contest that happens roughly every two weeks. There is nothing like a firm deadline to inspire you to create. You're given a title, and you write, record, and produce a song with that title. People on the Internet vote, and there's a winner. Folks on message boards will often give you feedback on your song so you can improve. Also there is a podcast that reviews the current batch of songs, so at the very least you're gonna get some feedback from those jerks. Disclaimer: I am one of those jerks.
I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Reddit's very own r/Gameofbands which does something similar, and might hook you up with folks to collaborate with.
Yes, you’re almost certainly missing out on a lot of quality.
The analog to digital converter (ADC) in your computer is almost certainly bargain basement hardware, if you have an out of the box PC. If you have a custom built PC with a good sound card or a Mac, this might not be the case. But you’re still going to get more noise, as you’ve already noticed, than with a dedicated piece of hardware.
With that being said, are you recording for fun? If so, who cares if you get some noise? A noise gate plugin will fix that instantly, as far as amateur/hobby grade recording goes. If you’re recording something serious, it’s probably advisable to get a decent interface.
I don’t have much experience mic’ing guitar cabs, but you might run into the issue of your signal being too high, which will cause god awful digital clipping. A dedicated usb audio interface will typically provide you with a gain/volume knob for your input signal. This is an extremely useful feature, in my experience.
If you’re just a beginner, this is a pretty good, straight forward, and very affordable option.
http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-UCA202-Audio-Interface/dp/B000KW2YEI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1372590150&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=behringer+uca202
This should be sufficient for your use case
That's almost certainly your GPU causing some interference. A cheap, surefire way to fix that would be to grab an external DAC, like the one in the UCA202.
Hi Zeos,
Which combination would you recommend?
Headphones:
DAC/AMP:
I will use the setup at work, hence isolation and comfort are important. Nevertheless I'm not competent enough to decide myself if there's enough power for 80ohm headphones from each DAC/AMP
Thanks!
EMI interference is a pain. It's impossible to test all the combinations of motherboard and GPUs.
One thing you could try is moving the GPU to a different PCIE slot.
Or you could just get an external DAC, these are really good for the price and will beat most any onboard audio: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000KW2YEI/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
The line in on your soundcard is built for literally pennies. Using it will almost always result in horrible audio, regardless of what software you use. Audacity is fine for recording direct tracks.
The next step up would be to get a usb audio interface, it will sound much better recording through that.
Here is a cheap one:http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-UCA202-Audio-Interface/dp/B000KW2YEI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1396199199&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=UCA+202
If you can't buy ANYTHING.... well do you have a smartphone? Your smartphone's mic placed 5-10 feet from the amp with a decent volume will sound better than the line in on your sound card. Do a bunch of takes until you find the best placement and amp volume.
Instead of spending $30 on a USB headphone splitter the OP would be much better off in every way buying an actual amp/dac for the same price.
Yes. That's the exact sound it would make. In that case, a USB DAC would probably help, but it doesn't have to be expensive. Even this would probably be an improvement: http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-UCA202-Audio-Interface/dp/B000KW2YEI
I have no idea whether or not it would damage the headphones or if it would even really work, but I'm curious if you have a standalone DAC or DAC/AMP. usually any noise you get from headphones on your computer would be caused by interference in the motherboards on-board audio. If you don't have a dac or dac/amp, consider getting one as it might just eliminate the noise you experience without having to use a device like this. You can get a cheap standalone dac like this or this. Now, idk what version of the DT770 you have, but if it more than the 32 Ohm, you could also consider getting a cheaper DAC/AMP combo from SMSL or FiiO.
for the price, this is an excellent DAC. Not $400 quality, but you probably aren't looking for that. Optical out is a big pro btw. http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-UCA202-Audio-Interface/dp/B000KW2YEI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1325278076&amp;sr=8-1
You are coming from the stereo output (2 channels) of your mixer. You need an interface with two inputs. You could use the Scalet 2i2, but the Scarlet interfaces are made for microphones, not line-level inputs like your mixer.
All you really need is one of these. Depending on what computer you are using, all you may need is just an RCA to 3.5mm cable like this.
Hope this helps!
Maybe someone can correct me, but according to the manual for that receiver, it has an output impedance of 470ohms. That's a bit high for HD800s (and just high in general, like most AVRs jacks).
You're also possibly double amping it by amplifying the signal out of your MacBook and then again in the receiver. I think people tend to overstate this as a problem though.
Apple usually has a good reputation for DACs, but a cheap external DAC like this one will feed a line level signal to your receiver at least. This DAC just got an update with a new DAC IC that people are excited about.
You'll find tons of amp recommendations for the HD800 here so I won't even bother going into much detail.
Ultimately though, if it's loud enough and it sounds good, I wouldn't bother tinkering unless you really want to.
This is probably the cheapest I'd recommend. https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-UCA202-Audio-Interface/dp/B000KW2YEI
Hey /r/audiophile! Three questions for you today.
I have seen the Behringer UCA202 recommended on here a few times for a DAC, but I am considering the UFO202 instead because I want to also be able to record vinyl to my computer. Is this the right choice? Will I still be able to use the UFO202 as a DAC for playback?
Also, if I plug a 3.5mm to RCA cable from the headphone jack of my computer to the AUX input of a receiver (Yamaha CR-450), will I get any additional benefit from adding a DAC, or does the receiver serve as a DAC?
3rd question: If I were to use that same 3.5mm to RCA cable to go from the headphone jack of the UCA/UFO202 to the receiver, would that be just as good as getting an RCA-RCA cable, or would that throw away some or all of the benefit of the DAC in the first place?
Thanks!
For the DAC, I'd suggest the excellent behringer UCA202, but the speakers are by far the most important part of the system. Getting the best speakers might mean going without an external DAC for a while.
First double check that your PC doesn't have a combo jack (3.5mm analog and 3.5mm optical in the same port). a lot of modern PCs (especially macs) have this and if that's the case this is your best bet for audio. This is what you'd want.
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If you're using HDMI output (especially if you're using a receiver or multiple HDMI inputs), something like this is a good choice.
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If not, your next best bet is a internal soundcard with optical output (like this one) if it's a desktop, or an external USB soundcard with an optical output if it's a laptop (like this one).
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If neither of these work, and/or you're on a device that only has a 3.5mm analog output and nothing else, you can use one of these with one of these adapters. It's known as an analog to digital converter (ADC) and will take in analog (RCA/3.5mm) and convert it to a digital format like optical. This isn't super recommended, as it add extra conversion steps to the process and will reduce the sound quality of your soundbar somewhat unless you pay out extra money for a high quality professional ADC.
You're looking at the wrong stuff here. All of these are going to sound terrible.
USB DAC. That way you can plug into the computer via USB.
From there, go into a Lepai amp and Dayton speakers. This setup will sound so much better than the ones you were looking at.
It also doesnt do USB, making it useless for many.
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Here is a decent USB DAC:
https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-U-Control-UCA202-Ultra-Low-Interface/dp/B000KW2YEI/
https://www.amazon.com/BEHRINGER-U-Control-Low-Latency-Interface-Digital/dp/B000KW2YEI?crid=1RLE08EIBRMC&keywords=behringer+audio+interface&qid=1537566551&sprefix=behringer%2Caps%2C162&sr=8-10&ref=sr_1_10Get one of these then use the controller output into the usb souncard rca inputs the pc will pick it up as an USB input so will B.U.T.T i actually own one and it works great .
Connect your laptop to this DAC with USB, then connect that with a pair of red and white phono leads to an amp like this or this which will power your speakers. There are loads of little amps like that on eBay that can be had for very little money if you're willing to wait for delivery from China vs getting one from a UK 3rd party, (my SA-50 was £33 and took about 3 weeks to arrive.)
So you have a couple of different options.
You can get a PCIe sound card with an optical output on the back:
https://pcpartpicker.com/product/zRckcf/asus-sound-card-xonardgx
Or a USB audio interface:
https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-UCA202-BEHRINGER-U-CONTROL/dp/B000KW2YEI/
I personally prefer USB based options. They are easier to swap between computers if you need to do that.
Go for a used pair of active KRK, Roland, or Yamaha studio monitors. If you're patient I bet you could find a steal for ($100-$150) on craigslist. Hook em up with a behringer usb audio interface (used as well) and toslink digital cable. You could get a MUCH better setup for around $150.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/KRK-Rokit-5-G3-RP5G3-5-Active-Powered-Studio-Monitor-Speaker-White-/181573222913?pt=US_Pro_Audio_Speakers_Monitors&amp;hash=item2a469b8201
http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-UCA202-Audio-Interface/dp/B000KW2YEI
Yes. /u/I_eat_mangoes is pointing you in a good direction. Definitely need an amp. I also recommend looking into the O2 or the O2+ODAC Combo. I've heard really good things about both. The Schiit Stack - Magni and Modi - are a little less expensive. The nice thing about them is you can just get the amp at first and add on the DAC later if needed.
I have a UCA202 floating around somewhere, and the sound is surprisingly good for the money. It certainly might be all the DAC you need.
If you can only afford one thing, I would get whatever amp you can afford and add a DAC later.
I know you said under $100, but I've never known anyone to regret spending that little bit extra on a set of cans (except people who bought Beats™). Assuming you're going to be using them for mixing work as well as leisurely listening, I can highly recommend [Sennheiser's HD 380s] (http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-380-Pro-Collapsible-Professional/dp/B001UE6I0G). There are very few other products in your price range that compare.
When you have a little extra scrilla on hand, I also recommend picking up one of these so you can boost the output level to the 380s. The power, clarity, and control offered by this combination is an amazing value.
Like /u/ulgreswo, I used a different card; the Xonar DG. In my case, it did work under linux alright, but I'd always have to tamper with a setting under alsamixer in the terminal to get it to output sound on any fresh install of linux. Not sure if the DGX would be any different in that regard.
Also the audio-quality wasn't really all that spectacular, as I would still get buzzing and beeps due to interference from the LAN port.
In the end, I sold it and instead replaced it with this external USB DAC (Digital to Analog Converter), which was very affordable, and put out excellent sound. This particular DAC interested me due to the well written review on the Amazon page from Jayteck, where he describes replacing the capacitors on the board for even better sound quality. I followed the instructions contained in the comments, and found that it does indeed sound quite superb when these modifications are done (though it sounded better than the Xonar DG even without the mod).
Alternatively, I've also read great things on various audio enthusiast forums about this Behringer DAC, which is also quite affordable.
Due to using USB, both of those DAC's are plug-n-play with Linux, and require absolutely no configuration to get working. The only potential downside is that they do not have microphone inputs, and only output stereo audio.
Just buy the Behringer UCA202 and be done with it.
It's only $30. It has great quality for the price. It has a headphone jack (and volume potentiometer) as well as RCA line-outs for going to a line-input (NOT pre-outs - use in conjunction with a preamp/receiver). It also has optical out for direct digital passthrough, should you decide to get a better DAC in the future.
ok, your desktop PC should have a blue plug at the back:
http://i.imgur.com/sXF0D.png
plug the console into this port with the adapter.
now, connect the speakers to the green as usual.
go into your sound properties on your computer:
for windows 7 it would be control panel -> sounds -> manage audio devices
click on recording and you should see the line in option. turn on listen to this device. now, when you do that, you can see it pop up in the volume control. open volume control in the bottom right near the clock and click mixer. you can control how loud the console is in comparison to the PC sounds.
http://i.imgur.com/sS7Tr.png
if you dont want to do all of this PC fiddling, you need to get a mixer:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009XH4HU/
which does the same thing, but has more inputs and does not rely on the PC.
if you want more inputs for your pc, you need to get something like this:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000KW2YEI/
which will add one more stereo input.
An interface goes between an audio source and a computer. It converts an analog signal to digital, and sends it to your PC via USB, FireWire, thunderbolt.
In your situation, iPad->interface->computer.
An interface is the correct solution. Using your line input on your computer is an option and may work, though.
Ninja edit: you would plug in what you call an aux cable to your iPad and something like this
Double edit: even cheaper
zed is on point with what hes saying. I would add that the 8050 seems to be pretty similar to the 8255 in terms of the quality of sound reproduction. ie same THD. The 8050 does have more power and the bells and whistles that zed mentions.
You need to check out your computer first. What kinda of sound card you have and if you need a better DAC. If not do you have digital out for sound. As far as I know most laptops dont have a digital out so you would still "need" a USB DAC. (You might find that the integrated sound card does the job and you can use the headphone out on the computer.
Personally I look for barebones stuff for an amp/reciever and I would prolly go for the 8255 and save the $100 difference. Then you could see if the headphone out works out well enough and if not grab a DAC.
Sounds like your line level is a bit low - maybe a poor output from your soundcard?
I recommend dropping like 30$ and getting this http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-UCA202-Audio-Interface/dp/B000KW2YEI to see if that doesn't help your problem.
I'm guessing the dynamic range on the output for your sound card isn't great and music tends to be on the louder side so the issue isn't as apparent there.
Also could be poor noise floor on your amp - solve this by putting an inline pre-amp (to raise your signal level for quiet material) or unless you have a real high power amplifier (explaining the poor noise floor) I'd just grab a T-Amp or a cheap stereo amp like this http://www.amazon.com/Dayton-Audio-DTA-1-Digital-Amplifier/dp/B001PNOH2I/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1346872929&amp;sr=1-2&amp;keywords=t+amp (lower power higher fidelity). I say this because you will have to remember to turn the pre-amp down for louder material to avoid breaking your amp (it may not care, but more than likely you will damage it if your signal input gets too high)
or this http://www.amazon.com/Pyle-PCA1-30-Watt-Stereo-Amplifier/dp/B0012KZNP4/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1346873001&amp;sr=1-2&amp;keywords=2+channel+amplifier (little more power, probably not as good SQ but it is well enough reviewed, and I'm sure there is probably minimal audible noise at listening levels)
Also could be noise from your soundcard output - if you unplug the signal cable from the amp is the hiss still present? if not just grab that behringer dac I linked to above and it will sort you out
I could recommend a 7.1 card, and if you must have a 7.1 sourround headset, this is a fairly swell soundcard it: Asus Xonar DS
Having done as you ask, let me ask something. Do you really need a gimmicky 7.1 Headset? Because that's what it is: a gimmick. The individual drivers in the headset will not only be smaller (and thus lose any quality in bass, and be incredibly tinny in higher trebles), but the incredibly limited space for driver placement (opposed to how with a home theater, you have the entire room to place the speakers for surround) in the headphones, meaning that you'll find it incredibly difficult to actually discern the direction of a given sound in the 3d environment of a game, making the feature ever so slightly pointless.
Infact, in my experience (I've owned both a Turtlebeach 5.1 headset, and a 7.1 Razer Megalodon), even software virtualization techniques (for example, Dolby's Pro Logic software) beat a given 7.1 equipped headset in ability to make clear the direction of a given sound.
As many no doubt will recommend you do in this thread, I must recommend you pick up a quality set of headphones, and this is a good place to start looking for one. Along with that, I'd recommend you get a quality DAC (Digital-to-Analog converter, they function kind of like soundcard, but offer alot of benefits over a sound card, at the price of being outside the computer) such as this.
Of course, it's all subjective, and there's no way for me to convince you of the lovemaking-sounds a high quality set of headphones (with a DAC) can provide, without your experiencing it yourself. Whatever you decide to do, best of luck to you.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000KW2YEI
Saved you $200.01 American dollars and you get a better product for a low price of $28.99.
Found this link through an older slick deals page, seems to be only through this link and is not searchable through the website. Took 4 days to process, but my headphones shipped today.
~~EDIT: Amazon is dropping them panties as well
http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M40x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR54/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1449637163&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=m40x~~
Look at Audio Technica M40x's.
https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M40x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR54
ATH-M40X or ATH-M50X
Out of the box they are SUPER firm on your head, which makes them extremely uncomfortable after an hour or so, but for shorter demos they'll do an excellent job of blocking out outside sound while also sounding absolutely amazing inside the headphone. The ...'leather' (idk what it actually is, maybe leather?) that the ear muffs are made from would easily be cleaned with alcohol wipes, in case someone is worried about ear germs.
If you plan on giving longer demos, the 'tension' (ear-pressure) mechanism is in the head band. It's just a spring-steel bar. Bend it backwards (GENTLY! Small bends; nudge it till you get it right) will take the bite out of the headphones. They won't clamp as hard, but they'll be more comfortable long term.
Audio Technica AD500x(114$) - Open Back Headphones
https://www.amazon.com.au/Audio-Technca-Ath-Ad500x-Audiophile-Open-Back/dp/B009S333U4/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?keywords=audio+technica+ad500x&qid=1556534148&s=gateway&sr=8-1-fkmrnull
Audio Technica AD700x(144$) - Open Back Headphones
https://www.amazon.com.au/Technica-ATH-AD700X-Audiophile-Open-Back-Headphones/dp/B009S332TQ/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?keywords=audio+technica+ad700x&qid=1556534388&s=gateway&sr=8-1-fkmrnull
&#x200B;
Audio Technica M40x(129$) - Closed Back
https://www.amazon.com.au/Audio-Technica-ATH-M40x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR54/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_2?keywords=akg+m40x&qid=1556533775&s=gateway&sr=8-2-fkmr1
&#x200B;
The difference between open back and close back is that open back headphones have the advantage of having better positional audioBut the disadvantage of typically lower bass quantity(although more accurate) and you can hear people around you(irl). The AD500x and AD700x are probably some of the
best headphones for positional audio at 150$ and below except for the that are a bit more expensive 144$. They also have good higher frequencies meaning that you'll be able to hear footsteps behind you
Where the enemy that shoots at you is located etc.
Closed backs on the other hand typically has a more punchy bass(low end frequencies) but at the sacrifice of positional audio.
&#x200B;
I am sure there are others around that has good alternatives here as well, but those are my picks in that price range.
Compare to https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00HVLUR54/ref=pe_3034960_233709270_TE_item ?
I'd highly suggest you get one decent pair of headphones, instead two headphones which either sacrifice build or sound quality.
The Audio Technica M40X are your best bet. They have a neutral sound and have great comfort for a good price.
A better combo would be a mic and headphones. Here's a good mix.
Mic
Headphones
For gaming he may prefer a closed sound stage.
The ATH-M40X's at $64.99 are a pretty good deal in this price range.
Check out my home studio. Gotta' keep the list building!
List:
Let me know what ya think or if there are any questions!
EDIT: Links for gear added/formatting.
https://www.amazon.com/Mackie-Studio-Monitor-3-inch-CR3/dp/B00KVEIY4E
I use the Mackie Studio Montier 3 inch. Perfect compact size with a great range for sound
What about these?
https://www.amazon.com/Mackie-CR3-Creative-Reference-Multimedia/dp/B00KVEIY4E
80Hz low freq cut off so probably not awesome, but that fits with the $100 budget.
Not OP, but I think they are the Mackie CR Series CR3 - 3" Creative Reference Multimedia Monitors (Pair) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KVEIY4E/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_h.C0xbPGBPA5P.
5" Swans D1010-iv for $139 would be near the top of my list. Nicer fit and finish than the Miccas, more grown up looking than the Mackie's and basically everything Edifier makes is just a Swans clone anyway.
What's your budget? If you've got Amazon, the Amazon Basics speakers will do for a pinch. https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-Powered-Computer-Speakers-A100/dp/B00GHY5F3K/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1480363997&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=amazonbasics+speaker If your budget is a little higher, I'd suggest these. The sound is meant to be true to what you're working with, so what you're putting out in audio is what you'll hear. https://www.amazon.com/Mackie-CR-CR3-Reference-Multimedia/dp/B00KVEIY4E/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1480363965&amp;sr=8-3&amp;keywords=studio+monitors
Given your budget and space available I have a suggestion and it isn't surround sound. Reason being is that doing it well is expensive and doing it cheap just makes it inferior to a well setup system with fewer speakers.
https://www.amazon.com/Mackie-CR-CR3-Reference-Multimedia/dp/B00KVEIY4E
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0063NU3AA
Small studio monitors + a dedicated 10" subwoofer. Good amounts of detail, a night and day difference vs what you have now. You will need a 3.5mm output, split into RCA lines. You will then need to split said RCA lines and run one set to the subwoofer and another to the studio monitors.
https://www.amazon.com/Hosa-CMR-206-Stereo-Breakout-Cable/dp/B000068O33
https://www.amazon.com/CableWholesales-Audio-Piggyback-Cable-Female/dp/B000I98ZE6
Hello! I have a noob question for my setup that probably isn't relevant enough to warrant its own post but it might be simple enough that you could answer real quick.
I just bought these studio monitors:
https://www.amazon.com/Mackie-CR-CR3-Reference-Multimedia/dp/B00KVEIY4E and have the top left L and R inputs connected to my Scarlett 2i4 audio interface (https://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-Scarlett-2i4-USB-Interface/dp/B009B15N0Q) in the balanced inputs 1 and 2 on the back right with TRS cables, but now I don't know what to do to actually be able to get my computer to "recognize" them and use them in my DAW or otherwise be able to control them through my audio interface. The monitors themselves work fine because I can still use them with the auxiliary cable plugged directly into my laptop, but that is a temporary fix because then I can't use my audio interface to control them. No idea what to do and I feel so dumb!
Any help would be huge. I'm using a PC with Windows 10 and my DAW is Reason 10 if that helps at all. Thanks!
Here:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KVEIY4E/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
I just bought these from Amazon, but don't have them at my place yet so I can't give a full review, but they are the top seller on Amazon and seem to fit what you're looking for.
http://amzn.com/B00KVEIY4E
I did some testing with multiple USB microphones and was able to setup a virtual audio device in Mac OS and Windows. They were different microphones, but I would assume if they were the same make/model it would have worked as well. The quality was okay, but you've got a lot of room for interference and bandwidth issues on the USB bus doing it this way. What I did and what I recommend you do is move to XLR microphones and a USB audio interface. I have the Scarlett 2i2 but for more than 2 XLR inputs you'd need to upgrade to a 4 or 8 port version. This Behringer 4-port interface is only about $129. Then you'd just need 3 XLR microphones, I have the MXL 770 which goes on sale pretty regularly for about $65. The Audio-Technica AT2020 is also a great choice under $100. The ATR2100 is also a surprisingly good podcasting mic and has both XLR and USB output.
I recently got a umc 404hd from behringer and it is sick. It runs great on mac and pc and you can take stereo inputs from it in fl studio, ableton, basically any daw. I highly recommend it, and it also has midi in and out as well as xlr out for 1/2, and trs and rca out for 1/2 and 3/4. I managed to snag mine for about $99 and it was a hell of a steal. I have my analog synth in as well as 2 mics and a guitar as my inputs. I highly suggest you look into it if you want to control and capture all the sound coming into your pc. Also, there is the added benefit of having your headphones able to listen to an alternate track that is not your master track. This helps for live performance.
Link BEHRINGER U-PHORIA UMC404HD https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QHURLHM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_FZDmybKJS4DWX
It is currently 105$, with prime shipping available. I seriously suggest you get this interface rather than that steinberg one.
as the above guys said the usb audio interface you gonna have couple advantages, basically if you ever planing to upgrade into studio speakers or so, you already gonna be having audio interface, and for studio speakers audio interface its must have thing otherwise you losing more than half of the speakers quality , same goes for microphones, if you ever consider buying some microphone and it has XLR connection, or even 3.5mm jack, you can buy adapter to get XLR or so , and even for some £20 microphone you gonna have pretty clear and more than enough quality for skype talks or so , and it would be many times better than directly plugging into your motherboard or front 3.5m socket. / and the last one its what you need the Headphones quality, usally if you buy headphones for few hundread bucks or so, and you using 3.5mm jack to plug into your motherboard, you losing more than 50% of your audio quality , So with some certain interface you can get the full of your headphones/speakers/mics etc. So for audio interfaces you can go for https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-U-PHORIA-UM2-BEHRINGER/dp/B00EK1OTZC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1484581921&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=usb+audio+interface that would be the most basic and it would do the job more than enough. The 2 more choices is either M audio or Scarlete , m audio : https://www.amazon.com/M-Audio-M-Track-2X2-Interface-24-bit/dp/B01FFH5XMC/ref=sr_1_21?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1484581921&amp;sr=8-21&amp;keywords=usb+audio+interface thats also one of their newest audio interfaces , and it has pretty good design doesnt it ? :P The other one https://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-Scarlett-Audio-Interface-Tools/dp/B01E6T56CM/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1484581921&amp;sr=8-3&amp;keywords=usb+audio+interface , its literally up to you which one you prefer, you can go for more basic option if you not planing to get some expensive pair of speakers or so , if you thinking that you might get some KRK studio monitors or so you can pick one of them 2 £100 worth audio interfaces , the quality between m audio and focusrite wont be noticeable . But to mention again if you literally need it only for those headphones and you not planing to get anything in future just go for the 50 usd audio interface and you will be more than happy :) ( sorry for not fluent english hopefully you can understand )
In that case I would just put the $100 for Scarlett Forcusrite Solo (2. gen) - Personal recommendation.
Install the driver, and you are good to go.
IF you arent trying to spend too much money on it, I'd recommend just heading to a local studio and renting some time to record what you need. That is, unless you are trying to make this a regular thing.
I'll go ahead and throw some links up on what I list as good, low-budget options to get you going.
I'd recommend getting a cardioid condenser mic (AKG AT2020 ~$100), an audio interface with at least one mic preamp and phantom power (Scarlett Solo ~$100), and a pop filter (Audio 2000s AWS4071 ~$10). You'd also need a DAW to edit the tracks, such as cutting out long pauses and words you didn't intend to make into the final cut, and adding a bit of compression and EQ changes. Most likely the audio interface will come with an intro DAW that'll do just enough for what you want to do. For better results you can also pick up an acoustic shield (Monoprice 602650 ~$65) to help isolate the sound, which doesn't seem important just getting into it but once you hear the difference you'll see why its important. Oh, and you'll need to get an XLR cable (~$8) to plug the mic in, but you may or may not want one that's a bit longer than the one I linked.
Something I want to throw in there as well is you'll also probably want to learn how to get on de-essing. In a vocal take, often times an "s" sound will come out very harshly if left unedited. A method to avoid this is to not talk directly into the mic, but slightly off center. Alternatively, you can buy a VST or program that can do it automatically for you. Also, a good thing to do is to reduce noise either through careful automated eq cuts or by using a program such as reafir which can be downloaded for free from the developers here.
If you do get involved with all this craziness, and I know its all pretty intimidating, I'd be happy to help you get on your way to making some great recordings. Just send me a message any time.
If you're new, let's introduce you to the different types of microphone.
First, there are traditional microphones, and USB microphones.
USB microphones (like the Blue Snowball) don't need additional power or cables apart from the USB cable. The USB cable alone will power the microphone and carry the audio signal fine.
Traditional microphones use XLR cables and require a preamp. If the microphone is a condenser mic, it will ALSO require power which we call phantom power or 48V power.
If you go with a USB microphone, you just need to buy the microphone and that will work fine by itself plugged into your computer. If you decide you want a traditional microphone, you would also need a preamp, and possible phantom power. This is the purpose of an Audio Interface. An Audio Interface such as a Focusrite Scarlett Solo, a Presonus AudioBox iOne, or a Behringer UM2 include the preamp your mic needs, plus phantom power if you are using a condenser mic.
So with a traditional mic, you would need to buy both a microphone and an interface to convert that analog signal to digital, amplify the signal, and provide power to your mic.
I know this is a lot, but I hope it helps you figure some of this out.
If by daily communication, you mean for gaming and skype/chat, I would go for a simple USB mic. There are cheaper options than the Snowball that are also very good. Look at CAD or Samson. Both have good options.
If you have other questions, feel free to send me a pm.
You need an audio interface. You don't need that phantom power supply. I don't know why they even sell that shit as a bundle. It just confuses people.
GET THIS. It's what everyone here recommends for beginners. It connects to your computer via USB. It has a built in preamp, phantom power, and a headphone jack as well as RCA outputs on the back if you want to hook up speakers. Just plug you mic directly into the mic input on the front, turn on phantom power, adjust the gain with the gain knob and you're good to go.
If you want two mic inputs GET THIS. It's also got balanced outputs on the back if you ever decide to get studio monitors.
Don't get a USB-Condenser Microphone. Yeah they are easy to handle, but you will need a XLR-Interface if you get any Type of "better" Mic in the Future.
A USB-XLR Interface is not really expensive, and is a one-time buy. If you know you'll only do Vocals, just get something like the Scarlett Solo or similar.
For Mics: the Rode NT1-A is an absolute classic for Voice/Vocals, because it offers a lot of Value for the Money and you can Record basically everything with it. Also, it's cheap. If it's not cheap enough, the AKG P120 is even cheaper, but imho the NT1a is worth the money.
And: don't forget a stand and a pop-filter (you can build one yourself, just google diy-popfilter)
First of all, the feature that the other commenter is referring to is probably Discord's attenuation feature, which lets you turn down the volume of other applications on the system while you are speaking. That may work for you, but it's not the same as monitoring.
Second, as you noted, Windows' builtin monitoring feature has enough latency that it's essentially useless. If you don't already own a headset that supports monitoring, then the only way to do this properly is with an audio interface (for example; there are probably cheaper ones that would work, I just don't know a good one off the top of my head). They can do monitoring without latency because they send the sound directly back to your headphones, without doing a round trip through the computer.
My setup is literally two pieces of equipment. It seems expensive, but if you sell some textbooks to amazon, you can easily knock about a hundred fifty bucks off the total cost. This isn't audiophile equipment, but it's solid, it's a good place to get started, it's relatively cheap, and it'll sound a million times better than whatever you'd get at best buy or urban outfitters for the same price.
Speakers: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0051WAM64/
Turntable: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002S1CJ2Q/
Of course, if you can, go vintage.
Don't buy a Yeti!! Blue mics are generally overpriced and offer the same quality that a cheaper alternative will get you. Get an AT2020 XLR and a phantom powered mixer. It'll be much much better than a Yeti and you can fine tune your audio settings with the mixer. If you don't want to deal with a mixer there is a USB version of the AT2020 that should save you $30.
There's also this bundle for $180 that comes with a Windtech Windscreen (Which is awesome, I use it on my AT2035) a pair of headphones and the AT2020 USB+.
I think that piece of kit is just a mixer and won't work as an interface to for recording.
Luckily, Behringer makes an even less expensive mixer/interface that will do exactly what you're looking for: http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-302USB-Premium-5-Input-Interface/dp/B005EHILV4/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1407273279&amp;sr=8-9&amp;keywords=behringer
Can't go wrong with a Behringer. They're specifically what I use. I originally started with console capture, having both PS3 and 360 so I sprung for the xenyx 802 for the extra channels. This is a list of their small mixers. I know a couple people(larger streamers) Running the 502usb...it seems nice. I'm using a 1622fx atm but that's big. I got it second hand at guitar center, it's fairly safe to check what they might have that's small, you might get something cheaper than online, or something better for the same price, but you ARE taking a chance.
Another option if you're going for a traditional XLR mic(since windows mixer w/ OBS/Xsplit is strong for PC gamers) you can get an audio interface. This basically is a piece of equipment that turns your XLR into a usb device. The Behringer 302usb is just an interface/small mixer that looks like it might be nice to use. There are also things like the babyface that is expensive as shit but absolutely wonderful, or the much more budget focusrite that are both solid devices. These are actually best as you're taking balanced audio directly translated into a digital signal through a device designed to eliminate interference, but they can get expensive.
Good audio costs money, but you can alleviate the cost some. Don't by a snowball...get something you can shockmount and popfilter and boom to eliminate ambient noise...that is if you don't have a good mic yet.
^_^
If you get a mixer you can plug any old headphones into it and get really good quality sound out of them.
But if you're looking for a headset I doubt you'd find a good quality one for $80. Definitely don't buy Logitech headsets. They break really easily due to how the ears swivel where they connect.
If you had the money and didn't wreck your headsets I would especially recommend the Sennheiser PC363D. Sennheiser make some awesome headphones.
You will likely want an actual audio interface.
Behringer has a number of cheap USB mixers. That will give you a simple EQ, gain, and simple mixing with physical knobs. This might be better to learn on?
Edit: for a little more, this one would give you a few more features to play with and learn on, and give you more capacity down the road if you get into it a little more.
Maybe this? Behringer Xenyx 302USB Mixer
If you want to play several audio sources at once then you need a mixer to combine the inputs. A simple Y-splitter cable won't work for this and most DAC/Amps only play from one source at a time. There are affordable USB mixers that act as USB audio interfaces (both playback and recording in PC), like this one BEHRINGER XENYX 302USB. It combines analog audio inputs and you can listen to the output via the headphone out on the mixer itself, the line out from the mixer to a separate headphone amp, or using the PC's audio playback if you treat the interface as a recording device and enable listening on it.
As for the optical, as long as it's just a PCM signal and not DTS or Dolby Digital (those require decoding), then you can convert that to analog using a simple digital to analog converter ($5-10) and run that analog output (RCA, 3.5mm, 6.5mm, etc) as another input on the mixer.
> this Blue Yeti set
Lots of people start with that but soon upgrade. You can get better quality mic in a same price range (like Blue XLR models). You still need some kind DAC but those are cheap while giving better sound quality for playback than onboard audio (handy for reviewing audio quality of a game).
Well here's where it depends on what you want to do with the recordings after the initial recording. If you aren't looking to mix and edit the individual instrument tracks afterwards, you could use the 8 mic inputs on your mixer, and output the audio to your pc via a usb interface like the Focusrite 2i2:
https://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-2i2-GENERATION-USB-Recording/dp/B005OZE9SA
Now miking exerything up: You've got Bass and keys which could easily be lined directly into the mixer. For vocals, you're looking for a straightforward dynamic micropohone, a common workhorse is the SM-58 or SM-57, now at around $100 this might be more than you are looking to spend, but then again, you can never go with a 58 or 57. If you wand a good budget clone, I'd look at the $35 GLS ES-57 https://www.amazon.com/GLS-Audio-Instrument-Microphone-ES-57/product-reviews/B001W99HE8/ref=cm_cr_dp_see_all_btm?ie=UTF8&amp;showViewpoints=1&amp;sortBy=recent
For guitar, again the industy workhorse is the SM-57, so again you could grab another ES-57, and move on to the Drums.
You've got 4 channels left, so You're probably going to want Kick, Snare, and 2 overheads.
Kick drum you probably want to go with something with a larger element, and while nothing extraordinary, Cad makes a couple kick mics for around 40 bucks https://www.amazon.com/CAD-Audio-KBM412-Microphone-Cardioid/dp/B0002D0Q7W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1474769856&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=Kick+drum+microphone
Snare, grab another ES-57, as an SM-57 would be the go to.
Overheads, If your mixer can supply phantom power, there's a plethora of small diameter condenser microphones to choose from. For $100 you can get a set of Monoprice condensers and while you're not going to blown away by the sound, for $100, they'll be more than enough in this situation. https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=600700
Add in 6 15' mic cables at 10 bucks a piece via monoprice https://www.monoprice.com/category?c_id=115&amp;cp_id=11509&amp;cs_id=1150902 - 4 1/4 cables for the bass, keys and to go from your mixer output to the audio interface and thats about it.
1 - Focusrite 2i2 - $125
3 - GMS ES-57 - $120
1 - Cad kick drum mic - $40
1 - Stereo Pair Monoprice condensers - $100
6 - Xlr microphone cables - $60
4 - 1/4 Cables - $30
Grand total $475.
With this, whatever comes into the mixer is what you're gonna get, so you'll need to make sure you have all your panning, eq, and levels set the way you want them, because aside from some post production eqing, that's pretty much what you're going to get. If you're looking for individual tracks for individual instruments, thats going to take an audio interface with at least 8 inputs, and probably set you back 400-500 on the low end.
I assume you play guitar. I would recommend either Cubase, Reaper, or Ableton for your DAW (digital audio workstation/recording software).
For drums I would recommend either Superior Drummer 2 with the Metal Foundry expansion or Addictive Drums 2
For guitar amp simulation I would recommend either Guitar Rig Peavy Revalver or Podfarm
And finally I would highly recommend a recording interface. The Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 is awesome and you can't go wrong with it.
Assuming you mean acoustic guitar, the cheapest setup I would recommend is these three items:
GLS Audio ES-57 which is $40 and very similar to the legendary SM57.
AT2020 condenser microphone for $50.
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 recording interface for $150.
You'll then need cables and stands, which will run you $40 at the cheapest, but you might want to get some better cables which can be around $10 each.
I recommend cables with rubber connectors like this, the ones with smooth metallic ends generally have really terrible soldering and are very breakable.
(Ones like this are okay).
This is a lot better than just getting a microphone that already has USB, and the AT2020 for $50 is a steal.
Buy a Scarlett 2i2 USB interface
Download Reaper (a free Digital Audio Workstation)
Buy an Audiotechnica AT2020, a great all-purpose mic
Take songwriting classes and production classes, or try and find lessons on Youtube or something. Learn music theory and how chord progressions and good melodies are written. It doesn't matter how good your hardware/software is if you don't first spend a lot of time learning how to create a well-structured song.
If you don't understand how chords and melodies fit together, and how to make a well-structured lyric (at least subconsciously) at a music theory level, it will be very difficult for you to progress if you are trying to make catchy music - Find a professional and invest in classes!
http://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-2i2-USB-Recording-Interface/dp/B005OZE9SA
I have one of these and it is awesome. great sound and great build quality. it looks great on my desk as well.
Is the speaker going to be using any kind of amplification in the room? If so, the easiest thing to do might be just to take a split from the live mic into a small USB audio interface. There's tons, something like this: http://www.amazon.ca/Focusrite-2i2-USB-Recording-Interface/dp/B005OZE9SA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1405700687&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=focusrite+scarlett+2i2 would be fine. If there's somebody running sound for the room, they can probably help you with a feed from their board, and maybe setting up a room mic to capture audience sound as well.
If you're all on your own, it might be a little more difficult. Is the focus entirely on one person speaking? If so, one mic close to the speaker is probably going to work best. If there's a lot of involvement from people in the room, it's trickier. You'll need to capture the audience generally to get audience questions, but you'll probably also want a mic on the speaker to put the focus there.
Really, your best bet if they want anything halfway professional is to hire a pro to deal with it.
Every interface I can think of has a 48v phantom power... And you wouldn't need to rely on RCA cables (which are unbalanced) to make it in to your DAW (your Digital Audio Workstation, the software you use to record.. i.e. Ableton, Logic, Cubase, Nuendo, Pro Tools, Reaper, etc.). For $100 you could buy a simple two channel interface with better preamps (marginally, but still better) then the Sampson you purchased that would hook directly to your PC/Mac via USB. For an extra $50 you could get something like the Scarlet 2i2 which will give you 2 solid focusrite pre's and a clean signal path into your computer.
You can buy a decent enough audio interface on Amazon for about $30.
You can afford to cheap out pretty much everywhere.
Get these first:
https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-UMC202HD-BEHRINGER-U-PHORIA-2-Channel/dp/B00EK1OTZC?th=1 Audio interface for $40
https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-Ultravoice-Dynamic-Microphone-Cardioid/dp/B0002KZAKS/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=behringer+dynamic+mic&amp;qid=1555465176&amp;s=gateway&amp;sr=8-3 Microphone for $20
Get the cheapest mic stand and xlr cable you can find to go with them.
Use your phone camera (if your phone is actually serviceable and you want to appear in your vids). If not, a decent enough camera to start are the Logitech 1080p hd webcams which go as low as like $40. You can also get good used interchangeable lens cameras for like $200-300 or a new entry level one for $500, if you want to spend some money.
'Procure' a good video editing program in a '''non ethical''' manner (search for 'Vegas 14')
Download Audacity for editing audio (free)
What kind of computer are you using to record your gameplay with?
For audio, a cheap dynamic mic would be a great way to go. It might not sound great initially, but a lot of those problems can be solved easily with software--Audacity is free and easy to use, and makes our recordings sound much better despite the mic's problems. You'll also need an XLR cable to go with it--preferably XLR male to female, but you can also find an XLR to USB one if you want to connect it directly to your PC. Otherwise, you'll need an audio interface to go with it. As for mic stands, I've honestly never had a problem with this one. It's not as easy to maneuver as the 100 dollar one, but it should serve your needs as a beginer.
If you're recording multiple people, you could get the Blue Yeti--a lot of people swear by it--but it's also a lot more expensive and it picks up everything if you're not careful. A lot of people think that the Yeti is cruise control for great audio, but it really doesn't do much more than a cheap mic can. I would just recommend having an audio interface that connects at least two microphones and then buying another dynamic mic instead.
As for recording your Switch, the standard is the Elgato. I'm currently using the HD60 model, which is nice, but it has some latency issues (meaning you'll need to manually sync your audio with your video). The HD60s has no latency problems, but it's a bit more expensive.
You need a USB audio interface with phantom power to get the most out of it. The total still comes out to less than the Yeti.
Blue make the most overpriced pieces of garbage in audio at the moment. They're designed to look great on webcam and fit the asthetic of your iMac, but really they're filled with the cheapest parts possible.
It's designed to look like a large-diaphragm condenser mic. Great, right? Perfect for VO. Well, what's actually inside are three cheap-ass capsules similar to what you'd get in a gaming headset.
For $150 it's a total rip off. If it cost $30 and wasn't marketed as a 'professional' product, it might be worth picking up; but you can do a lot better for the money.
Here's a complete ~$125 USB recording setup that has a proper large-diaphragm microphone that will eaisly give 10 times the quality that anything Blue offers:
You said that you were using Line In to your computer, right? If so, that's what is causing the latency. Unfortunately, your best solution is getting a USB audio interface like the $30 Behringer UM2.
Audio interface
Hey man, I'm gonna go against the grain here. I just spend $50 on one of these and I love it.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EK1OTZC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
I'm a begginer so I don't really know exactly what I need or want yet. So far that thing has covered all my needs and you'll have an extra $100 to spend on other cool stuff. I do play acoustic mostly, but when I use the electric I just use line in from the amp to the interface. No PC effects required.
Behringer UMC22 + MXL BCD-1 dynamic mic
No prob! Those work if you have a DAC or audio interface that outputs RCA.
Otherwise, if you're only using your computer, get this
If you think you'll want to record, I would recommend this. You can use any pair of 1/4 inch cables with this.
How are cheap are you talking about? What are you trying to do? Do you want to record with a PC/Mac, or something like an iPad?
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I have a cheap Behringer audio interface that I keep in my travel bag. Since its USB audio is class compliant, I use it with my iPad. The iPad powers it and I can send two channels of audio in to record stuff. Cheap, lightweight, easy to use, and it sounds fine to me.
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Here's something I recently recorded with it. I'm no audio engineer, but I think it sounds good:
https://soundcloud.com/strangersun/comet-head#t=1:33
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Here it is:
https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-UMC22-BEHRINGER-U-PHORIA/dp/B00FFIGZF6/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=behringer+umc22&qid=1559237676&s=gateway&sr=8-3
So when recording vocals and guitar at the same time, like you'd like to do, the debate on what to do is really about how much control you want over editing in the end process.
- If you don't care about control on the individual levels of guitar and vocals AND want to record in one take with both instruments, all you need is one mic, XLR, Mic stand, headphones, and an interface to get the signal into your computer.
In this situation, you need A. and Interface that is cheap but not a POS because it really affects the sound of your recording. Behringer makes a cheap interface for 1 Input (microphone) and actually has a decent Preamp in it. B, you need a microphone and cable (XLR, Balanced) to capture the sound and send it to the interface. This area people could talk forever about, but for just getting the job done and a decent sound, AT2020 Condenser (Currently On Sale) is a great option for capturing both your voice and guitar. any XLR will do $10 or something like that.
- If you wanted to track the guitar and vocals separately, one at a time, the only change I would make is the microphone. Shure SM57 would do great for vocals and guitar individually. There have been many singles and albums in the rock, acoustic, and folk category recorded on these mics alone with fantastic results.
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- If recording the guitar and the vocals at the SAME TIME is the route you want, it's definitely possible. 2 Input interface, Two mics, Two XLR's, Two Mic stands, headphones.
- a change in interface is needed from the first behringer to this one because they have the same sound only difference is the amount of inputs for ~$50 more. Next would be buying two microphones, both options listed above are probably going to be the cheapest you'll find with a decent sound. You can find packages like this on guitar center and other audio retailers, but the mics come with a lot of bad frequencies in my opinion, but hard to argue $99 for two microphones. get the cables, plug everything up and record enable two live tracks in you preferred DAW.
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As far as the computer goes, Ableton hands out free versions of its "lite" program, and I believe you can record in that version. That would be the best route in my opinion for DAW, Reaper is a good option, I'd stay away from fruity loops if you are mainly just going to be recording audio.
Most of these solutions will put you under or around $250 so I hope this helps, if you have more questions let me know.
get an audio interface and monitor speakers. the audio interface will allow you to record any instrument/mic that uses an instrument cable or an XLR cable. make sure you get one with the right amount of inputs u want. if you JUST wanna record vocals, you can get a pretty cheap single-input interface on amazon for like $40. here's a pretty good cheap one that you can also hook monitor speakers up to with the Left and Right outputs in the back.
(https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-UMC22-BEHRINGER-U-PHORIA/dp/B00FFIGZF6/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1519988949&amp;sr=8-8&amp;keywords=behringer+interface). For monitor speakers, I've only ever used KRK rokits. I have the 8" and the 5" ones. Obviously I like the 8" better but the 5" ones are still very accurate and impressive. you can go to a guitar center or whatever and listen to a bunch of different brands though if you wanna hear for yourself before you buy. and if you have any leftover money, save it for after you find out what your ideal production workflow is. i personally use maschine and it does everything i could ever want and more, but it might not work out for you. i'd say the interface and speakers will elevate your game instantly and will lead to producing better quality music.
This is what I use and it works wonderfully https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-UMC22-BEHRINGER-U-PHORIA/dp/B00FFIGZF6/ref=sr_1_92?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1504745924&amp;sr=8-92&amp;keywords=xlr+to+usb
Audio technica m40x + boom mic is a solid combo. Will run you $97 + tax on amazon prime. Boom mic lists m50x but the connectors for the m40x and m50x are identical.
m40x
Boom Mic
Audio Technica M40x: https://www.amazon.ca/Audio-Technica-ATH-M40x-Professional-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR54/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1484163326&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=audio+technica+m40x
Not especially cheap right now though.
It'd be better to get a USB audio adapter* and just a normal dj turntable like a Technics SL-1200 (assuming you want to queue up certain parts).
Some things to know:
*rca jacks would be the best, and if you have a desktop you could get a sound card installed that has them too. Other wise you could use the line-in plug which might require and adaptor.
http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-UCA222-U-Control-Ultra-Low-Interface/dp/B0023BYDHK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1324431582&amp;sr=8-1
RCA line-level input, higher quality than onboard audio, relatively inexpensive.
I've used a Behringer UCA222 with a Pi 1 and a Pi 3. It isn't audiophile quality, but it does sound pretty good. (I think I paid $22.)
http://wiki.linuxaudio.org/wiki/raspberrypi#supported_usb_devices
$30 and it works with phone, tablet, and PC. Just need a cable or adapter to convert stereo 3.5mm to RCA.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0023BYDHK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_kUrTCbYY19BCS
Your mic is a good one, your mixer is probably fine... it probably is the sound input on the laptop. Laptop integrated audio is usually pretty shitty to begin with, as it is crammed in close with a bunch of EM-producing circuits, not to mention general cost cutting and the fact that most inputs on laptops aren't meant for anything but a crappy headset-type mic in the first place.
What you need is an external sound card, or, more accurately when talking about music production, an audio interface.
The simplest route to go would be to get something like a Behringer UCA222. It's cheap, but pretty bare-bones. You would simply plug in the RCA output of the mixer into the RCA input, and you should be able to record via that.
For the next level up, there's some better options. One would be the ART USB Dual Pre, which would let you use TWO microphones. Seeing as you don't have two, and it's fairly limited otherwise (it would ignore your mixer completely), I would rather recommend something else...
..such as the Tascan US-100. This is a more complete audio interface, with mic/instrument and stereo in. You could run your SM57 directly into it, to the computer and have the lowest noise possible (any analog connections introduce some level of noise into the signal). You could also connect the RCA output of your mixer to it. The only drawback is that it does not have phantom power, but your mixer can supply that if you ever end up getting a condenser microphone.
All of these options should sound QUITE a bit better than running your mixer directly into your computer.
You didn't mention what software you use, but almost anything should work with any of these.
Hope that helped a bit!
I'm a semi-professional voice actor - lot of low level experience in a bunch of different projects, and some paid projects for youtube videos or video games. Here's what I can say that can get you started rather than stumbling your way around:
Get a mic geared more towards voice recording (such as the H1 Zoom) - having your own equipment is a much more accessible way to get started.
Sound editing/engineering skills - can't hurt to be fluent in, or at least familiar with programs like Audacity, which will give you a better handle on the output of your work.
Personal projects - find something to practice doing a narration of. Do an audiobook, write something and narrate it, or do a chapter of a classic. Compare your copy to a professional one, show it to audio producers, redo and edit your own audio until you can emulate or develop a style of narration.
Community projects - I got into doing voice over stuff through mod projects; The Freespace Open project has a forum for their voice acting projects. Whilst it's not that active anymore, you can look around if there are any certain games you're interested in.
Learn from the pro's - This documentary is a great place to start; professionals like John DiMaggio and Tommy Kenny give a good insight into the difficulties of building up a career and skills for voice acting.
zoom h1 amazon
$98
and don't be fooled - these are quality recorders, stereo spread, balanced and unbalanced...etc.
if you really wanna splurge - go for the zoom h4n, which can take xlr inputs and more - but in your price range - get the h1 you won't be dissapoint
*edit - come to think of it if you are doing highly dynamic concert band type of recordings - save up an extra hundo and get the h4n.
If you want the audio all on one track as you record, you're going to need a mixer of some kind (a device that takes several inputs and feeds it into a single output). This might get expensive, clunky, and difficult to set up.
My suggestion is that you buy stand-alone audio recorders for as many people as you want to have miced, with lav attachments. I have a Zoom H1 with a cheap lav attachment from RadioShack, and it works great for what I do.
In order to make it work, you'll have to start recording on each recorder manually, and hide it in the subjects pocket or something (you can test if the lav is working using headphones). It would be smart, once the camera is rolling, to get one of your subjects to clap loudly on screen (like they do with a slate on movie shoots), because you'll need to sync the different audio tracks in post-production. You'll have to remember when shooting that every time you stop and re-start recording, you'll need to re-sync in post, which can get extremely tedious, especially with multiple different tracks.
Now, the benefits to doing it this way are: it's less bulky than using a field mixer for multiple inputs, and your camera will not be tied down to the input; it frees up your subjects to move around; it's much cheaper than what you'd need to buy for wired and/or wireless mic/mixer setup; and reduced chance of wireless interference, without wired loss of freedom.
Downsides: having to sync in post can be a bitch; less freedom to stop/start recording whenever you want if you don't want to have to re-sync 50 times; no way to tell if it sounds good until you're done shooting (but checking with headphones before a take, and making sure batteries are full will solve 90% of this problem)...
Anyway I hope that helps.
The other replies here are good suggestions, but everyone is suggesting new lenses. Personally for someone starting out I would suggest crawling craigslist or KEH for some used nikon or super-takumar lenses. You'd have to buy an adaptor ring but even with this you can get two or three solid lenses for the cost of one new one.
There would be no automatic/electronic components meaning you would have to do everything manually, but if you are interested in getting into cinematography this is good as it forces you to learn how lenses work and what looks best.
Audio is best recorded separately, but in a pinch having a mic that attaches to your camera is better than nothing. I would suggest a Rode Videomic as they can be used with a small external recorder or your new camera.
Lighting equipment is expensive, but a DIY set can provide great results on a budget. Some wax paper, PVC, and work lights from Home Depot can look good if used correctly.
Zoom H1
Blue mic
Audio is recorded separately.
For voice recording probably the easiest would be to have one of those Sena headsets in your helmet.
When I did motovlogging I had a cheap lecture recorder and taped a lapel mic in to my helmet.
For just exhaust notes you would want something like the Zoom H1 wrapped up in foam and shoved under the seat. Sync audio with your horn or a hand clap.
Well, you don't have to multitrack – there are plenty of devices which record a single mono or stereo signal. You just won't be able to modify the mix after recording – i.e., whatever you hear while you're playing will be what the recorded track sounds like.
One drawback of this single-track approach: since you only have two hands, it would be difficult to perform and mix at the same time. So you would either need to sequence (at least some of) your instruments (to free up your hands for mixing duties), or you would have to forgo complex mixing (i.e., you would need to set the levels and EQ on the mixer before recording, and leave them more-or-less alone for the duration of the track).
There are many portable, non-multitrack digital recorders such as the Zoom H1 or the Tascam DR-05. Many of them have built-in microphones (meant for field recording), so you'd be getting two pieces of gear in one.
If you're really trying to keep costs down, you could buy an old cassette deck at a secondhand shop, and use that. The Behringer 1202 has RCA inputs and outputs, so that would be pretty simple to set up. Cassette is noisy, but some people embrace its retro / lo-fi sound. (But you would still need some kind of audio interface to get the finished recordings into your computer.)
But: full-fledged multitrack recorders don't have to be expensive. This looks like a decent option – and it doesn't cost much more than the single-track recorders linked above.
Also, if you don't mind older and somewhat clunkier tech, secondhand multitrackers can be quite cheap. Here's a Roland VS-880 for US$80 (plus shipping). (Just don't expect it to play well with modern computers, at least not without a fight.)
Really, though – since you already have a computer, I would start by using that for recording. At least until you've gotten comfortable with your mixer.
ETA: you have not asked any stupid questions :)
Lost my comment somehow ... anyway: Zoom H1 might fit your bill:
http://www.amazon.com/Zoom-H1-Portable-Digital-Recorder/dp/B003QKBVYK
$100 and pretty low-tech, but high audio quality.
The H1 zoom is the best. You can stick it on a little tripod and leave it wherever. Definitely within your budget too.
Hi /u/saientific - the Zoom H4n has noisy preamplifiers - if you decide to go with a Zoom, you may want to consider the [£229 Zoom H5] (http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-53481-19255-0/1?icep_ff3=2&amp;pub=5575034783&amp;toolid=10001&amp;campid=5337235943&amp;customid=&amp;icep_item=181460355481&amp;ipn=psmain&amp;icep_vectorid=229508&amp;kwid=902099&amp;mtid=824&amp;kw=lg) instead.
If budget is an issue, you may want to consider the less expensive [£69 Zoom H1] (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B003QKBVYK/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1634&amp;creative=19450&amp;creativeASIN=B003QKBVYK&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=hybrcamerevo-21). This recorder has a single 3.5mm mic input instead of the more expensive recorders' twin XLR inputs, so you will need a [£22.91 Hosa MIT-156 XLR to 3.5mm transformer/adapter] (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00FC4YR58/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1634&amp;creative=19450&amp;creativeASIN=B00FC4YR58&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=hybrcamerevo-21) in order to accept input from professional mics such as the [£148 Rode NTG-2 shotgun mic] (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00093ESSI/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1634&amp;creative=19450&amp;creativeASIN=B00093ESSI&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=hybrcamerevo-21).
No matter which recorder you buy, you should also invest in a set of [£69 Sony MDR7506 monitoring headphones] (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000AJIF4E/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1634&amp;creative=19450&amp;creativeASIN=B000AJIF4E&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=hybrcamerevo-21) to prevent surprises in the editing suite.
With your recorder, headphones, shotgun, a [£9 shock mount] (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00KXQIY86/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1634&amp;creative=19450&amp;creativeASIN=B00KXQIY86&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=hybrcamerevo-21), a [£69 Rode boom pole] (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00139PYEY/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1634&amp;creative=19450&amp;creativeASIN=B00139PYEY&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=hybrcamerevo-21) and good technique you will be able to get the microphone to within a meter of your actors/interviewees and record high quality sound.
Hope this is helpful and best of luck with your venture into videography!
Bill
With the Rebel T6, there is no way to connect a microphone, regardless of whether it is wired or wireless. What you can do is use something like an external audio recorder. If you just want to use the audio recorder with its own microphone or with a 3.5mm microphone input, you can get a Zoom H1. If you also require the use of an XLR microphone, you would need a Zoom H4n. Both of these devices can be used with or without an external microphone (they have built in microphones that are better than the camera's). But, you WILL have to sync the audio in POST. The audio will be recorded completely separate from the camera and there is absolutely no way to connect them while recording, but it's easy to do in editing software after.
http://www.amazon.com/Alesis-Elevate-Speakers-Elliptical-Waveguide/dp/B00F3F7OIS
http://www.amazon.com/M-Audio-Studiophile-Active-Monitor-Speakers/dp/B0051WAM64
http://www.amazon.com/Fostex-PMO-3B-Powered-Digital-Speaker/dp/B00CIVVKQC
The AV40s just dropped in price on Amazon
Another option would be Dayton B652s with an amplifier.
Basically, there's two components to think about. An amplifier takes power and audio input (as stereo RCA plugs or a 1/8th inch jack) and outputs amplified audio (almost always as binding posts or clamps for speaker wire). Speakers take amplified audio as input (again, as binding posts/clamps for speaker wire) and make noise.
Active or powered speakers just means that you're buying the amp and the speakers integrated as one unit. M-Audio AV40s are a good example of this. Scroll down and you can see a picture of the back of one speaker. Power cord, RCA inputs, and speaker wire output to the other speaker.
Passive/unpowered speakers mean you're just buying the speakers, and you need to buy an amp separately. A good example of this is the Micca MB42x and Lepai LP-2020. Again, look at the back of each one to get an idea of how they're connected.
If you want simplicity, go for a pair of powered studio monitors. However, what you trade off with that is upgradeability - because monitors are integrated all-in-one, you can't easily add to them later on.
If you want to go the component route, I'd recommend a 2.1 amp (meaning it has outputs for 2 speakers plus a subwoofer) such as the Lepai 168HA. Add in some unpowered bookshelf speakers like those Micca MB42x, and you've got a great system for less than half your budget. Depending on how much room you have on the floor near your desk, you can also add a subwoofer, either now or at some point down the road. The Dayton Audio SUB-800 for example is small enough to fit under a desk pretty easily, and would still be within your budget.
Samson makes some desktop monitors that feature bluetooth input. I haven't really seen any reviews for them yet. The MediaOne
Take a look at reviews for those and get at least the 4" ones. I can't expect the 3" ones would have much bass response.
Everything else listed lacks bluetooth, but you could add a standalone bluetooth reciever to any of them.
The M-Audio AV-40s get good reviews, and the Wirecutter calls them the best computer speakers.
Those are active monitors. They will be good for near field, and the amp inside them is designed with the speakers.
If you go passive plus amp you can upgrade components down the road. Maybe get the Micca MB42X and a Topping TP20, or find a good reciever (70s Kenwood, Pioneer, Marantz, Teac, Technics, etc. are great) for super cheap (0-$20) at a yard sale or thrift store or craigslist and get the Panasonic SP-BS22
La mia conoscenza si basa sui due modelli che ho a casa: le Audio Technica M40x e un paio di cuffie AKG che avuto insieme al mio S9. E devo dire che quest'ultime sono fantastiche. La mia prima volta che le ho provate, mi si sono alzate le sopracciglia. Non mi aspettavo una qualità simile da un paio di cuffie fornito insieme a un cellulare. Per carità le M40x sono suonano meglio, però la comodità delle in-ear è un qualcos'altro.
Io ti consiglierei le Galaxy Buds, se riesci a trovarle in negozio. Sono la versione migliorata Bluetooth di queste AKG di cui parlavo.
$95 Audio technica: https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M40x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR54/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1467256596&amp;sr=8-5&amp;keywords=audio+technica
$98 Sennheiser: https://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-558-Headphones/dp/B004FEEY9A/ref=sr_1_5?s=aht&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1467256628&amp;sr=1-5&amp;keywords=sennheiser
First will feel like the sound is coming from inside your head, second will feel like you're at a concert, both are amazing for their price.
I got really close to your budget, but both companies have alternatives above and below your budget.
Audio Technica ATH M40x or ATH M50x are both stellar and can hang with headphones that cost hundreds more.
If you're on a budget get these. If you're willing to spend a bit more, get these. They're a bit more expensive, but the bass is soooo good. I've never experienced such good headphones. Worth the extra money in my opinion. Also never buy beats again. you can get much better for the same price, or the same quality for much less;)
I mean Imma be real with you, I think you should invest in good headphones. These ATH M40x headphones are great, and they're only 100 bucks. I know 100 bucks may sound like a big investment, but these headphones are actually on the cheaper side, and provide great value for your money. I personally have the ATH M50x headphones, which are maybe like 30 bucks more expensive, but those M40X's are actually even better for mixing, since they have a nice balanced audio response.
Edit: You should also get an external audio interface I recommend this. I have one and it isn't very expensive and works great, very simple to use too.
/r/edmproduction is a great place to start and to learn, but can be opinionated at times.
/r/AdvancedProduction is good for the complex, nitty-gritty stuff of production.
/r/whitelabels and /r/electronicmusic are good places to get your music heard, once you've had some experience.
A few personal words of advice:
Invest in some quality headphones. Audio Technica ATH-M40xs are inexpensive, durable, provide good sound, and have a 2-year warranty.
Don't spam your music, ever. If people aren't interested, you'll only come off as obnoxious.
Don't be afraid to use samples, loops, and bits of other's work, ESPECIALLY when studying another artist's style and experimenting.
Finally: backup, backup, backup. There's little more frustrating than losing your entire 150GB project folder because of a faulty surge protector or a spilled drink.
Good luck.
2 things:
Sony MDR-7506
Audio-Technica ATH-M40X
If you really need good quality audio for that price point, I would suggest you look into something that has a detachable cable. The audio technica ATH_M40x headphones are a great option. Then you can add on a Modmic that attaches to the headphones or even get a Blue snowball standalone microphone.
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Audio Technica ATH-M40X - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Audio-Technica-ATH-M40X-Professional-Headphones-Black/dp/B00HVLUR54/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1549866398&sr=8-4&keywords=audio+technica
&#x200B;
Antilon Mod Mic - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Antlion-Audio-ModMic-Attachable-Microphone-Uni-Directional-Mute/dp/B00R98JVVU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1549866832&sr=8-2&keywords=modmic
&#x200B;
Blue Snowball Mic - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blue-Microphones-Snowball-iCE-Microphone/dp/B006DIA77E/ref=sr_1_5?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1549866907&sr=1-5&keywords=blue+snowball
&#x200B;
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The problem with the design of the PSVR is that although you really want a set of closed over-ear headphones like the Audio Technica M40x, they tend to not exactly fit underneath the strap quite perfectly if you have a fat head (like mine) or if you use thick replacement ear cups for better sound quality. Sure things sound amazing and immersive but it's not exactly the most comfortable option.
I've also tried Phillips SHP9500s which sound amazing (especially for their price) but again, you'll run into a situation where it might not fit perfectly tucked under the head band of the PSVR headset. These actually work well for me, but not so much for my son. The only complaint I have with them is that they are open headphones so I hear the outside world extremely easily.
Honestly, unless you're swapping the PSVR around frequently, I would say that a good set of ear-buds are going to be your best bet for isolating and giving you quality sound while not being too uncomfortable. Unless you just hate earbuds.
Xm8500 from Behringer. I love it because has built in pop filter and it’s very quiet. Required a little bit more gain than other mics so better have a good preamp.
One time an editor told me my mic was “too quiet to sound believable that was recorded in a restaurant”. Recorded used at that time, Zoom H4N Pro.
Behringer Ultravoice Xm8500 Dynamic Vocal Microphone, Cardioid https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002KZAKS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_fqNmDbC48M728
I see in the comments below that you've already returned it, if you are willing to use a mixer the setup I would recommend to start would be:
Behringer Xm8500
Windscreen
XLR Cable
Behringer Xenyx 502
RCA to 3.5mm
All this is less than $80.
A stand like this would work well, and it is still below $100.
Here is a sound sample I found on YouTube.
Once you have more money to play around with for dynamic microphones look into: Shure SM58, Shure Beta 58, and the EV ND767A. These will run you roughly $100-$150.
Once you have a use case for condenser microphones look into: AT2020, Samson C02 Pair, and MXL 770. All of these will run you roughly $100, however if you went with the Samson C02s you would need more inputs and therefore a different mixer.
20$ Behringer Ultravoice Xm8500 Dynamic [dont be bothered by the price, listen to YT video reviews and how it sounds], its cheap because its just the mic no accessories.
48$ Shure SM48-LC Vocal Dynamic Microphone [This only better option if you going to actually sing, otherwise for voice the first one sound better, again compare and listen on YT, there are people that do 2-3 mic reviews a week and have hundreds in their review list over the years]
60$ Samson Q2U, the best all-in-one, has both USB and XLR, with this one you dont need to buy anything extra, highly recommend in tens of YT reviews by professionals.
I got this one for the same purpose (without realising the speakers I was trying to connect had an auto-sleep function sigh) but the mixer seems great quality and I've kept it around because it might be handy in future.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Behringer-MX400-Micromix-Noise-Channel/dp/B000KGYAYQ
Apologies for the UK link if you are from elsewhere. You should be able to find the same item on your local store though. As mentioned you'll want to get some 3.5mm-1/4" adapters as well though.
I have a tiny mixer from Behringer. Run the output from the amp and your laptop each into one of the inputs, and then your headphones into the output. You'll need a male-male 1/8 cable and 1/8->1/4 inch adapter to plug in your laptop.
Having said that, the suggestion from /u/ChuckEye is simpler, plus you would also have something in the end that would allow you to record yourself.
If you want multiple sound sources to play at the same time, you'll need some kind of mixer before the SMSL amplifier.
That could be a software mixer on the PC (take the 3.5 mm output from the Dot and connect that to line-in).
That could be a simple hardware mixer.
Or you could install Alexa on your PC and not worry about the gadget.
I used the older version of this for a while, and while it's not the greatest sound quality, it works and isn't too much money. It has the ability to plug into your computer so you can record.
No experience with this one, but it has decent reviews, is cheap, and would work for what you need with a little room to expand but no USB implementation.
And this is the one I'm currently using and really like. A lot of room to expand here. It has built in effects, but I don't think they sound very good. No USB either, but it's pretty cheap for what you're getting.
Take a look at the inputs on whichever one you decide on, as they may required some adapters (1/8" Stereo to 1/4" dual mono, etc...) to work with your setup. Let me know if you have any other questions.
You are on the money - syncing the two instruments means getting them to play in the same tempo. If you're looking for a quick, cheap mixer, I use one of these and it works just fine.
Behringer Micromix
Thank you for the reply.
Do you think these cheap Behringer MX400 and Behringer HA400 will do the job for band practice?
The only problem is that I have a very convenient record function on my drum module that records the mix in and the drums to a wav file on a SD card, by plugging everything to the mixer I lose this function so maybe I should wire like that:
Bass + Guitar -> MX400 -> Drum module -> HA400 -> headphones.
That way I can record easily while jamming, what do you think?
You need a mixer to combine the two signals.
This mixer combined with these adapters should work.
http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-UCA202-Audio-Interface/dp/B000KW2YEI
This USB DAC will give you the best bang for your buck until you want to drop big money on stuff. I've been using mine for about 6 months now, and really dig the quality. It's also great for using headphones (if they don't need a dedicated amp), since it's a much higher quality than your typical pc headphone jack. Soundcard's aren't really worth the money, IMO, unless you're gonna try setting up a 7.1 system or something. But with your current setup, the USB DAC -> RCA output -> receiver -> speakers should be solid.
Also, check into building some monitor stands, or stacking some books up to set them on. Getting the tweeters around ear level makes a big difference in the sound at your listening position.
Placement makes a big difference. /u/zeospantera has some nice guides on setup, often referring to this diagram he's drawn up of the suggested placement for a 2.0 system. You can also play around here with different recommendations from around the web with a good visual.
Spotify and cellphones are certainly not high quality audio sources. If your having trouble with a particular sound device on linux you might just want to try a different device.
Are you paying for Spotify? The free version audio quality is pretty terrible. With premium if you set the quality to very high its ok.
The sound interface on most phones isn't all that great. It's optimized for speech and not music. Some phones are better than others.
These are slightly better than your typical built in audio interface and work good under linux:
https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-U-Control-UCA202-Ultra-Low-Interface/dp/B000KW2YEI/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=behringer+usb+audio&amp;qid=1565255621&amp;s=gateway&amp;sr=8-5
NEEWER Microphone Suspension Boom Scissor Arm Stand https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DY1F2CS/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_MEcuybDNT6ET5
My boom is... cheaper than his. Mine clamps to the desk, so depending on your situation it might or might not work.
I'm using this arm for the snowball:
NEEWER Adjustable Microphone Suspension Boom Scissor Arm Stand, Compact Mic Stand Made of Durable Steel for Radio Broadcasting Studio, Voice-Over Sound Studio, Stages, and TV Stations https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DY1F2CS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_ts9WzbYMBPSQE
Microphone: https://www.amazon.co.uk/SAMSON-SAC01UPRO-Samson-USB-Microphone/dp/B00HXE4BYW/ref=sr_1_1?crid=285PSSILIJQ2D&keywords=samson+c01u+pro&qid=1554143075&s=gateway&sprefix=samson+c%2Caps%2C139&sr=8-1
Shock mount: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Koolertron-Universal-Microphone-48MM-54MM-Microphones/dp/B00H40WUQG/ref=pd_sim_0_13?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00H40WUQG&pd_rd_r=6a9a2ae2-54ab-11e9-b66c-2357e9d6a74b&pd_rd_w=ksuLw&pd_rd_wg=eIXOC&pf_rd_p=1b8636ae-4f21-4403-a813-e8849dd46de4&pf_rd_r=P0A9YARVG8JTSJ3HRQXS&psc=1&refRID=P0A9YARVG8JTSJ3HRQXS
Boom Arm: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00DY1F2CS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Ive been using this Neewer arm for over a year now and it works great.
The only thing I had to do with tighten down the joints on it because of the Yeti's weight, but it works flawlessly for me. You can screw the yeti onto it right at the end by taking off the mic holder. I have my arm attached to a mic stand so I have more options on where I want to move it.
Cheap, but has lasted 1 year now no issues with noise or anything else..
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C86FA0E/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DY1F2CS/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Also this is probably the best quality USB mic you will find, rivals the Yeti. Remember to always run USB mics on a POWERED USB hub for zero feedback noise...
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01GHOM67W/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I bought this for it, Really like it for streaming and recording gameplay stuff.
Amazon link here, some reviewers specifically mention using it with a Blue Yeti, so you should be good.
If you're in need of a mic stand to go with it, this seems to be a popular one
Edit: So I've set it up and tested it and the mic sounds great. It doesn't pick up any of my key presses or mouse clicks although you just have to mess with the thresholds and gain a little to suit your room and whatnot. The Neewer stand is nice also; easy mount and easy to move around
OP PLEASE disregard all these comments and buy this mic arm for $13: LINK
This mic stand isn't supposed to fit a Blue Yeti but it can; there's a bit of a trick to it. Basically you have to unscrew the male part of the fitted bolt on the stand and put the male end into the bottom the the Blue Yeti, then screw it onto the stand. Here's a video encase I wasn't clear:
VIDEO
Here's what my setup looks like: http://imgur.com/a/ZF9z2
I pinned it to the back of my desk and have the stand and mic hanging over my monitor. I've haven't had any issues with this thing at all since I bought it a year ago.
The stand given with the AT2020 is complete shit. Maybe look for a desk one and mount it on a wall or something.
like this http://amzn.com/B00DY1F2CS
My current one - http://i.imgur.com/QVPq8Ch.jpg
That's what I do with a old flat panel mount. I have tried different locations and it seems that it sounds better rather away then up close with the right settings.
bLeaguer said they have noise but I have never had any with it for recording or streaming but I do use a noisegate for the fact is i make stupid noises and type hard.
Also make sure it is plugged in to the back of your PC in a USB and not a front USB port. This might be what cause the noise bLeaguer has mentioned.
Shock mount is nice to have but I find it isn't really needed, same as a "POP" filter.
The AT2020 is a great condenser mic. You'll need an audio interface though. AT2020 Microphone: https://smile.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-AT2020-Cardioid-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B0006H92QK/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=at2020&amp;qid=1564418857&amp;s=musical-instruments&amp;sr=1-3
USB Audio Interface: https://smile.amazon.com/BEHRINGER-Audio-Interface-1-Channel-UM2/dp/B00EK1OTZC/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=usb+audio+interface&amp;qid=1564418882&amp;s=musical-instruments&amp;sr=1-3
So as another 29yo musician figuring out reaper over the past few weeks. Definitely watch tutorials, how to's, and basic use videos from youtube and stuff posted here. You'll learn way more from doing that faster than you will from poking around. Most of the time i just google something like "Reddit Render Midi track in reaper" and i'll get a link to this sub with a video.
Definitely get an audio interface, i'll help tremendously with overall sound and latency. I think something with two channels will work well for you. You'll most likely only be recording one instrument at a time if you're doing this solo but the option of the second channel will let you record an acoustic performance if you ever want to. I have no brand loyalty so here's a few options, you can do research on them as you see fit or search some out yourself:
UMC202HD , Scarlett 2i2 , AudioBox USB 2x2
Or if you need to be more budget friendly, this guy is a great bang for you buck, however it is only one channel:
Behringer UM2
If you dont have any 1/4" headphones, pick up a 1/4" male to 3.5mm female adapter as well so you can monitor your sound and for playback through the interface. You can find these at bestbuy or somewhere local pretty easily.
You'll want to look at some 3rd party VSTs for effects instead of your phone. I'm currently in the process of trying different free things out, so i don't have too many suggestions unfortunately, but maybe some other people can chime in with their favorites. I'd watch youtube tutorials to learn how to setup and use these. two I could recommend so far are:
MT Power Drumkit 2 - Simple drum VST that allows you to pick from a select of beats in different styles, then once you import them into reaper you can change the beat with the MIDI editor as you see fit. Watch some youtube tutorials on it to get going using it.
AmpliTube Custom Shop - Comes with a few amp, cab, and effect options that should get you going with some guitar sounds. You can also get the demo version of AmpliTube Full and it will run for 30 min, then you have to close and reopen it for it to work again (seems to be a common setup for demo versions of VSTs), but you can get a good bit in 30min if you know what you want going in.
Something like this? https://www.amazon.co.uk/UM2-U-Phoria-USB-Audio-Interface/dp/B00EK1OTZC
That little mixer doesn't have a USB out, so you'd have to go with this little box in stead.
The XM8500 is an alright mic for the $20 price tag, but don't expect too much. To be honest you might be a lot happier with a cheap condenser + pop filter.
I've used both mics when I was starting out. I'd only use the xm8500 in the rehearsal space where the quality doesn't matter. The condenser will sound 'nicer' (i.e. less disappointing when you're trying something for the first time)
I wouldn't call it a 'decent' setup, but should be fun to dick around with for $100.
You need an amplification system of some kind. One very cheap way to go about it is to get a cheap USB interface like this one and to use your computer as an amp sim. On top of that you'll just need a pair of studio headphones (I strongly recommend these) and of course a cable. Total under 50 murrican bucks. Cheap, portable and highly versatile setup. Main downsides are that it can be very difficult to get working for a beginner (especially on Windows) and, well, you need to be wearing headphones unless/until you get decent monitoring speakers.
Of course if you can afford an actual combo amplifier you should get one. Even this is far better than nothing. Same price range. Problem with ultra cheap gear is that you will with 100% certainty want to replace it at some point.
Do not play electric bass unamplified. You will teach yourself to play way too hard in order to be audible, and will miss out on some crucial skills like control over dynamics and tone.
Guys, get some powered monitors like these instead, you'll be a lot better off.
https://www.amazon.ca/JBL-LSR305-Studio-Monitor/dp/B00DUKP37C $219 each (80 watts)
or these
https://www.amazon.ca/Micca-PB42x-Powered-Bookshelf-Speakers/dp/B00NXAEPDC $179 (pair) (75 watts)
/r/audiophile
JBL Active Monitor - $150 Amazon Price
Read up on how powerful these budget speakers are. It's insane the quality that these suckers perform at! That said, you'd have to look into getting a subwoofer down the line but they can perform without one. A nice budget subwoofer is Polk Audio PSW10 10-Inch - $101 Amazon which is a steal at that price point. Polk's have built a solid reputation in the audiophila world and are quite the reliable little beasts.
You should check these out...http://www.amazon.com/JBL-Professional-LSR305-Studio-Monitor/dp/B00DUKP37C/ref=pd_rhf_se_p_img_1?ie=UTF8&amp;refRID=1V2NY5Y4RCGEEPS2W7SX ...$99 each is a steal
Instead of getting Klipsch, go with either JBL LSR305s or Micca MB42X. As for headphones, are you looking for wired or wireless? I've had great experiences with Sennheiser headphones and you can get them almost anywhere.
Great bass for 220 USD isnt going to be easy. If you can stretch your budget a little, these used would be by far your best bet.
https://www.amazon.de/gp/offer-listing/B00DUKP37C/ref=sr_1_1_olp?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1493673270&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=jbl+lsr305+studio+monitor
same price on amazon
http://camelcamelcamel.com/JBL-Professional-LSR305-Studio-Monitor/product/B00DUKP37C
It does get to that price occasionally on Amazon.
It's way too damn heavy to the point where some products go out of their way to mention that you shouldn't even attempt to use them with it.
Has its own very specific shock mount, which is absolute shit, and will fall apart before you can tighten it to where it will actually stay where you want it for any real amount of time.
You can get a better, more complicated, but at the same time easier to swap things out, setup for cheaper.
Basically, to me, the Blue Yeti is the gaming headset of microphones.
Hell yeah.
https://imgur.com/a/qVR8F My mic setup.
https://www.amazon.ca/Adjustable-Microphone-Suspension-Broadcasting-Voice-Over/dp/B00DY1F2CS/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1511832876&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=mic+arm
It's this. I bought it as a pack though with a shock mount and pop filter.
If it's just you and your buddy and you aren't doing any Skype call-ins, and you guys can both be in the same room all you'll need is...
Two mics:
ENTRY/BASIC: https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATR2100-USB-Cardioid-Dynamic-Microphone/dp/B004QJOZS4/ - $64.00 American - $128 total.
Intermediate: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/356521-REG/Audio_Technica_AT2020_AT2020_Condenser_Microphone.html - $99.00 American - $200 total.
Two XLR cables: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JNLTTKS/ - $5.99 American - $12.00 total.
One XLR-to-USB setup: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CTKI45M/ - $99.00 American
Two Scissor Arms: https://www.amazon.com/Adjustable-Microphone-Suspension-Broadcasting-Voice-Over/dp/B00DY1F2CS/ - $12.99 American - $26.00 total
Two Pop Filters: https://www.amazon.com/Neewer-Studio-Microphone-Filter-Shield/dp/B00ACFAULC/ - $6.95 American each - $14.00 total.
A DAW: Audacity - Free - https://www.audacityteam.org/download/
TOTAL BASIC COST: $280-355 American
If you need to do a Skype call Mix-Minus it will cost an extra $20-50 depending on how you would like to do it.
I'm good on connectors, my main 3 screens are taking up all my display ports, I gotta move my t.v. off the HDMI and use a DVI adapter for that to make room for my Rift.
As far as the stand goes, I'm kind of hoping that bezel and gap between center and side monitor will be enough, other wise I'll get scissor stand, I can wait for prime shipping and just lay camera down when not in use in the mean time.
By keeping face plates clean I think you mean the face gasket?
Some people have been using face masks, especially people prone to sweating like my self. A face mask looks easier to clean than a face gasket, though I may get one too for comfort reasons.
The hard part of prep for me is finding a way to mount my hotas either to my chair or desk properly so they don't move when I'm in the Rift. Aside from that I think I'll just need some double sided foam tape for my Leap Motion and a usb extension cord, then I'm set.
Well... I can honestly say that's a new one for mic preference. Bravo?
As far as a mount, that mic is light enough that you can pretty much use anything. There's a bunch of identical entry-level scissor mounts, all with the same design/clamp, like this one (hell, there's even one for a couple bucks more that comes with a pop filter). I use this for my own desk setup with an NTG-2, works alright, just know that it has its quirks and can't support anything over maybe a pound without overloading the friction plate.
inb4 PSA1 recommendations for a Disney mic.
Get headphones and a mic that can be on an arm. I made a budget combo ($100) that would blow any headset out of the water.
Links below
Mic: https://www.amazon.com/Microphone-Condenser-Recording-Streaming-669B/dp/B06XCKGLTP
Pop Filter: https://www.amazon.com/Professional-Microphone-Stabilizing-Recordings-Broadcasting/dp/B01N21H9WY
Arm: https://www.amazon.com/Adjustable-Microphone-Suspension-Broadcasting-Voice-Over/dp/B00DY1F2CS
Headphones: https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M20x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR18
Yeah, o-rings don't do much to any switch from my experience. And if you've got Razer Greens, which are pretty close to Blues, there is no muting that click sound. Especially with a Yeti, that even picks up my board that's as silenced as I can get it. This mic stand made a huge difference in vibrations/sound quality honestly though.
But you need a non-clicky keyboard mainly, with either tactile or linear switches.They're a lot quieter already than clickies.
You can also get silenced versions of both with rubber dampers inside, like Cherry Silents, or Aliaz, Zilents, but the latter silent tactiles are not available in pre-builts - only on hotswap boards like the Glorious Modular, Massdrop CTRL, or with some soldering. And parts for larger boards are rare, if you want TKL or larger, buy one of the previously mentioned boards.
I think it all depends on your current setup concerning desk real estate and how you use your mic. I picked up a very cheap boom arm (~$20 CAD on amazon) just to clear up some space for my mouse/keyboard. That being said, it did help filter out some vibration sounds and the convenience of being able to easily move my mic to and from is really nice.
I'd happily recommend a boom. If not for the removal of vibration sound, than definitely for the convenience of mobility and added desk space. Note: I also use a Blue Yeti.
I use THIS boom arm. There's a small black piece that unscrews from the mic holder part that can screw into the bottom of the Meteor. For the price, this thing has worked amazingly well. I'm able to keep the gain low (as to not pick up ambient noise) and can position in it in between myself and my keyboard, yet not covering my face.
Shockmount helps a lot but also the suspension boom.
Look you may need a small amp between your guitar and the interface but I doubt it.
Focusrite Scarlett Solo (2nd Gen) USB Audio Interface with Pro Tools | First https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01E6T56CM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_g3qXKNij2Nsgu
Currently my interface for simply recording voice, no instruments. Cheap and really reliable. Let me know if I can be more help.
First of all, thank you so much for such a helpful and detailed answer! I wasn't expecting this kind of awesome comments from everyone!
About the virtual instruments, I was thinking that I would really get inspired if I bought the expensive ones, but you are absolutely right. I'm just starting and probably should try learning everything with the free tools that are available (which don't sound that bad actually). I'll check out everything you recommended, including the audio interface. I just have one question about that. I'm about to buy a new digital piano (This is one of the reasons I started to take interest in the computer compatibility), and since (as you said) those have MIDI ports, should I avoid this interface and buy this one instead, since the first one doesn't appear to be compatible with MIDI? Sorry if this is a very obvious question. I'm a real newbie to this fascinating world and I would really want to make the right decisions, especially since I'm about to spend on a piano already and have limited money for this project (at least for now).
Okay, I'm going to pick up the [Scarlett Solo] (https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Computer-Audio-Interfaces/Focusrite-Scarlett-Solo-Audio-Interface-Tools-First/B01E6T56CM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1485701751&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=scarlett+2i2), thanks for the info :)
The SM57 is a pretty good mic... The problem is most likely the adapter. And the fact that you have less control over the gain of the mic. Dynamic mics shouldn't need phantom power, but I've only used adapters like that when running one into a real mixer. And if you're considering an adapter like that, something like https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01E6T56CM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_36RzybA61JRPK would be a much better option. I'm using a larger version of the same thing to run my audio when streaming.
I realize it's a long shot but if you're in the San Francisco bay area, I've got a few extra USB audio interfaces I don't need
A Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 is the way to go. Excellent quality at an insanely low price. Plug your amp straight into it.
Scarlett focusrite https://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-2i2-GENERATION-USB-Recording/dp/B005OZE9SA
Well, I like your list. I don't know that Rode mic in particular but Lefty had two different Rode mics during PKA and they both sounded great.
I'd personally point you toward the RE20. I love mine and you don't have to be right on top of it to sound great. I also love my Shure SM7B but more than one person has mentioned to me that they can hear me breathe so I'm either going to switch back to the giant foam pop filter or to the RE20.
This package is $500 but it comes with the mic, shock mount, cable, boom, etc. http://www.amazon.com/Electro-Voice-Microphone-Shockmount-Two-Section-Broadcast/dp/B00U1S4YY4/ref=sr_1_2?s=musical-instruments&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1457378551&amp;sr=1-2&amp;keywords=re20
I don't like your audio interface. In particular it's analog and in my experience if you turn up the gain on an analog mixer you get a hiss. It's not a subtle hiss you think you hear either, it's a real problem. (Or maybe the one I had was just extra bad?)
Anything in the scarlet focusrite series will do, this one is $100: http://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-Scarlett-Solo-Compact-Interface/dp/B00MTXU2DG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1457378874&amp;sr=8-3&amp;keywords=focusrite
For $150 you can get two inputs: http://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-2i2-USB-Recording-Interface/dp/B005OZE9SA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1457378874&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=focusrite
Let me know how to sound wedges do. I typically just count on curtains, shag carpet, oil painting and furniture to break up the sound.
I use this:
http://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-2i2-USB-Recording-Interface/dp/B005OZE9SA
You'll want to get some kind of USB audio recording interface such as this:
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2
Most of these types of audio interfaces have high impedance instrument inputs built into them, so you can plug a guitar or synth directly into it.
A DI box isn't really necessary unless you are doing long cable runs, plugging into a mic input on a mixer, or have ground loop hum issues.
In regards to lightening the CPU load, this is not the case.
You can shift most of the workload to a sound card or an interface and gain a ton of slack for your CPU. You can make this upgrade *relatively* inexpensive, but you can easily get into more bells and whistles with external interfaces.
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Here's a few links for some examples:
https://www.amazon.com/Creative-Blaster-Audigy-Performance-Headphone/dp/B00EO6X4XG/
https://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-2i2-GENERATION-USB-Recording/dp/B005OZE9SA/
https://www.amazon.com/Steinberg-UR12-USB-Audio-Interface/dp/B00QY4RLRQ/
https://www.amazon.com/PreSonus-AudioBox-USB-96-Interface/dp/B06ZZCR6P4/
Check out this page to get a little more info on how to reduce latency issues while using Ableton for a little more help: https://help.ableton.com/hc/en-us/articles/209072289-How-to-reduce-latency
The Rode podcaster is a REALLY great mic. However, it is also a dynamic mic which has a low sensitivity. It is meant to be used a few inches from your mouth and probably would not be very well suited for picking up multiple people.
The best way to mic multiple people on a single recording is to get several XLR dynamic mics and feed them into a mixing board or preamp. The Akai EIE is great for this because you can have multiple audio streams output to your computer. However, a Behringer Xenyx 1202USB or a Tascam 1200 would work well too. Pair that with a few
If you want to do mic multiple people with one mic then you're looking at a condenser mic. For the price of your podcaster($230) I have a few suggestions. I would still look at getting an XLR setup, because they are much better IMO.
Pair one of those mics with the Behringer Zenyz Q802 USB ($80), Focusrite Scarlett 2i2, ($150), Focusrite Scarlett Solo ($100), Presonus AudioBox 2x2 ($100), or Presonus AudioBox iOne ($70). For future-proofing I suggest gettign at least a 2 channel audio interface, in case you want to add more mics later. That's up to you. Make sure you factor in the price of a mic stand.
If you have any questions let me know! You could always go with a USB mic, like the Blue Yeti or the AT2020USB, but I think you'd have more luck with the XLR setup. Up to you.
Yeah I totally agree, excet he's mentioned a new interface in the past and I have that in my shopping cart right now: [Focusrite Scarlett 2i2] (http://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-2i2-USB-Recording-Interface/dp/B005OZE9SA/)
I know he uses Logic and Reason to make his beats and if anything I want to help add something to his pool of equipment that he could capitalize on later.
It really depends on how much you want to spend and what you're planning to do with your setup.
I personally use a Rode NT2-A with a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 interface (or you could get the Solo and save 50 bucks, but I needed two input ports) and I am pretty satisfied with my setup - I've been using both of them for a whole bunch of paid audiobooks I've done over the years, so they've paid for themselves many times over.
I started out with a Blue Yeti myself, but I decided to change it as soon as I started getting more work. It's not a bad mic, but it's not stellar. When it comes to cheaper USB mics though I'd recommend the Rode NT-USB - my NT2-A broke down over the summer and I was supposed to be recording an audiobook, so I needed a decent replacement until my main mic got repaired. It's slightly more expensive than a Blue Yeti (goes for around $170, while the Yeti is around $100), but I think it's a better quality mic. I still keep my NT-USB at home to use for smaller work that doesn't require going to the studio.
Those JBLs are meant to have a balanced input (commonly used in the pro-audio scene). Your Sonar DGX puts out an unbalanced signal (commonly used in the consumer and home theater/hifi scene). A DAC that outputs a balanced signal would take care of your interference issues. Take a look at the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2.
I recommend a Focusrite Scarlett as the audio interface based on my own experience. I am not a pro or anything.. I just record guitar/singing for my own amusement. I personally use a Scarlett 6i6, Sony MDR7510 studio headphones, and a Shure SM57 mic (which admittedly, is not ideal for recording vocals), though I ordered a Rode NT1 condenser mic just yesterday and am excited, since it should be great.
Foscusrite has a starter bundle that you could get (http://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-2i2-USB-Recording-Interface/dp/B005OZE9SA/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1452070488&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=focusrite), though I personally would not get the bundle since the mic and headphones are not the greatest.
The Scarlet 2i2 interface, some good "budget" studio monitor headphones (sony makes several for around $100), and a good "budget" condenser mic (Rode NT1 or NT1A... ~$225-$275) is what I would buy. You're looking at $400 at least. I know that sounds like a lot of cash, but if she is even remotely serious, go ahead and do it and don't buy the cheap shit, cause you'll just end up buying better stuff later anyway. After you have all that you may want to look at Reaper as the DAW instead of Audacity. It's only $60 and does a LOT... VST plugins, etc... a 60 day trial is free.
I have the same setup and use a Scarlett solo. Never had a problem, very easy to use and good looking too.
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (1st GENERATION) USB Recording Audio Interface https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005OZE9SA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_hAyUzbGRGF014
It would probably be better than your internal sound card, but if you're really worried about sound quality, you'll need to get a proper recording interface.
I prefer Reaper to Audacity, but that's just personal preference. I find it waaaay easier to edit. It's not free, but it has a pretty much unlimited trial with no restrictions other than a box telling you to buy it when you open the program. Should you get use out of it though, you totally should buy it. It's cheap as hell for a DAW and worth every goddamned penny.
I use an Audio Technica AT2020, which should be a decent step up from your ATR2100. If you want a leap up, the Shure SM7B is one of the best mics you can get, but it requires a shitload of gain so you have to make sure you get a mixer or audio interface that can support it. Since I can't afford to get both a new mixer and a new mic, my next mic will likely be an Electro Voice RE320 dynamic microphone, which seems like a great mic for the price.
Making your audio sound better is not a cheap venture. Once you start your way down this rabbit hole, be prepared to spend a lot of money over the years on it. I'm a voice-over artist, and most of the money I make doing that goes right back into my setup. This room needs audio treatment, I need a better mic, I need better isolation, maybe a full recording booth, but god damn I could build that myself for a fraction of the cost, but will my mediocre craftsmanship be worth the savings? etc etc etc.
If you're just looking for a good setup for a podcast, an XLR AT2020 and a Focusrite Scartlett 2i2 should keep you satisfied for a while. Make sure you also get a pop filter, and good XLR cables.
Im pretty much a newbie. So i wanna buy headphones which i can use on mobile devices and desktop too. They should have a good sound overall and also be fine on desktop for example working with fl studio(im just doing some basic stuff). Price segment is around 150$. So they should be below 50 Ohms so i dont need an amp. My favourites right now are the beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro(32 Ohms) and the Audio-Technica ATH-M50X. I slightly prefer the beyerdynamics. So what do you think?
Here are the links:
beyerdynamics DT 770 PRO(32 Ohm):
https://www.amazon.com/Beyerdynamic-DT-770-PRO-32-Monitoring-Applications-32/dp/B008POFOHM/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1485698908&amp;sr=8-3&amp;keywords=beyerdynamic+dt770
Audio-Technica ATH-M50x
https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M50x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR86/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1485699370&amp;sr=8-3&amp;keywords=audio+technica+ath-m50x
Isto: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beyerdynamic-DT770-Pro-Headphones-Ohm/dp/B008POFOHM/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&amp;srs=1724418031&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1495460352&amp;sr=8-1-catcorr&amp;keywords=beyerdynamic&amp;th=1
These are very good, but not for that price
ATH M50x: Nice starter headphones.
Beyerdynamic DT770: These are closed so they are good at bass. I linked the PRO-32s because I doubt you have a soundcard, or want to get one that can push the ohms.
Beyerdynamic DT 990: These are like the 770s, but they are open, so less bass, and better positioning (sound staging).
All three should be good for music and gaming, with the first 2 being better for bassy music and the last being better for more instrumental music.
Later on you should look at getting a DAC.
You can get good stuff at the price point you are looking for, but if you end up loving the sound quality, 150+ should be your starting point. Also check out head-fi forums for other suggestions.
Edit: Changed link for the 32 Ohm version of the DT990s
If you're willing to extend your budget about $20, or if you're willing to wait until the right time, I recommend Beyerdynamic DT770 Pros, 32 ohms. Over the ear, extremely comfortable, extremely durable (if you break anything on them you can get replacement parts instead of having to buy a new one). Perfect for when I'm listening on my phone/iPod or on the computer. They are German, so the price fluctuates with currency exchange, so I've seen them priced on Amazon everywhere from $230 to $160. I bought mine at $170, and sprang for extra comfy velour earpads for $20.
Edit: Right now they're $250, so you'll have to wait. But they're well worth the wait, their sound is orgasmic.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008POFOHM?cache=58b9c80c4073d6688fa166f21682dee6&amp;pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70&amp;qid=1409590132&amp;sr=8-6#ref=mp_s_a_1_6
One final thing - Have you looked at the JBL 305s? If you have the desk space these are way better powered monitors than the 2+ they are $134 each and well worth it
https://www.amazon.com/JBL-LSR305-Studio-Monitor/dp/B00DUKP37C
JBL LSR305s on Amazon are 99ea. https://www.amazon.com/JBL-LSR305-Powered-Studio-Monitor/dp/B00DUKP37C/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1511400753&amp;sr=1-1-catcorr&amp;keywords=lsr305
The UCA202 is pretty well recommended, it's a good DAC and has RCA and Optical outputs
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000KW2YEI
As I said you will need a passive mixer.
Something like: http://www.amazon.com/Rolls-MX42-Stereo-Mini-Mixer/dp/B00102ZN40/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1410601405&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=stereo+mixer
or http://www.amazon.com/Rolls-MX41b-Stereo-Inputs-Potentiometers/dp/B00102XUX6
Sure, I am also doing this. What you need is an Audio Mixer. I use this for my system:
http://www.amazon.com/Rolls-MX42-Stereo-Mini-Mixer/dp/B00102ZN40?tag=viglink20850-20
You can hook up to 4 audio sources (I have my TV, my PC and an AUX cable for my smartphone hooked up as sources) and 1 set of speakers (Output). I don't know if you are using chinch or normal 3.5mm AUX cables, so you probably have to buy some 3.5mm to chinch adapters, but they cost only 2 bucks ore so.
Greetings from Germany
You need a mixer, like this, or maybe this would do.
I did a lot of research on this a while back for my desk setup. Ended up passing, but I found both of these came pretty highly reviewed:
Let me know how it goes!
Here's about the cheapest option I'm aware of.
This is the one I have
It lowers the volume some but it's awesome when I want to watch TV and catch a youtube clip. There are more expensive active mixers that probably keep the volume up or amplify it, but they're much more expensive
not sure how much you thinking of spending, but a USB audio interface would be nice for those studio monitors. Presonus Audiobox is a popular choice
Does he have a phono preamp that he's happy with? If so, you just need a "USB Recording Interface". There are tons to choose from, and since you're just doing stereo, almost any will do.
24bit - 48kHz resolution should be good unless he wants to go nuts (maybe do an AB comparison of higher bitrates or frequencies to make sure it's worth it).
Something like this:
Presonus Audiobox 2x2
If it's just this one recording project, then you can buy used and then sell it after you're done. I don't know what the market is like there in Germany (I tend to have a good selection for that kind of stuff here in Los Angeles.)
If you need a good phono preamp too, that gets a little more expensive and complicated.
You can get a USB audio interface. The better the turntable and interface the better the end product. But for a turntable the level of your LP60, this Behringer unit should do the job fine:
https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-UCA222-BEHRINGER-U-CONTROL/dp/B0023BYDHK
Behringer UCA202
Also, since I'm getting a lot of questions, might as well post my headphone guide
I've heard good things about these
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000KW2YEI/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1414251551&amp;sr=8-1
Plug the turntable into a phono preamp with USB support. Or if you already have a nice phono preamp (without USB) or your receiver has a nice phono preamp, you can use an audio interface like this one.
So, to break it down in simple terms, these good options:
Turntable -> USB phono preamp
Turntable -> phono preamp -> USB audio interface
Turntable -> stereo receiver with phono input -> USB audio interface (via receiver's "Tape Out")
I have this one working in my car (through an OTG adapter):
http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B000KW2YEI
Still looking for a hub/OTG adapter that will let me charge the phone at the same time, though.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000KW2YEI/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
when all else fails
I recently bought one of these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000KW2YEI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
Sound quality is fantastic and there is no audio delay. Would definitely recommend it
I also vouch for the Behringer XENYX 1202. It's relatively inexpensive and reasonably powerful. You'll also need one of these for USB interface:
Behringer UCA202 Audio Interface
>2. Is it worth buying a separate audio board? Which one will pair up nicely with the headphones?
You might be interested in the ODAC, which is a ~100€ DAC. You need a separate amplifier though, like the O2. For a cheaper DAC I recommend Behringer UCA202 Audio Interface.
That's the amp! The speakers are Pioneer SP-BS41-LR and the stands are Sanus NF36B. There's also a Behringer DAC that I've hidden on the left side of the cable rack.
your boses will probably not benefit from the amplifier but that won't hurt either.
also have a look at things like this one, they're pretty popular around here.
Hi; if you have powered speakers, a simple device like this one, which I've used for years with no problem, should suffice:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000KW2YEI/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
I used an analog USB sound card (specifically, this one).
Well I record my PO-20 using this interface and this wire. It's all worked perfectly well for me.
So one question, if you plug your echo directly into the input (skipping the record player) does the sound work properly ?
I was trying to do a similar split for my grandma, she had a set of computer speakers as her home theater and it only had 1 3.5mm input. I bought the same splitter as you did thinking I could run her TV output and echo into that splitter and the speaker would play whatever is being piped through.
But I ran into a similar issue as you where the TV volume was incredibly muted. I think the issue had something to do with the echo constantly outputting a very small sound output or low frequently or something , that was overriding the TV signal. I determined this since I had previously run a DVD player into the second input, and as long as it was off, there was no issue of the splitter fighting between 2 sources.
So i think because the echo is outputting some time of “phantom” power, an analog splitter can’t handle that.
I haven’t come up with a solution to the same issue. But I think it would either be:
1: get an A/B switch that someone else here mentioned
2. Get a Bluetooth adapter that powers off when not in use
3. Get a 2 channel (or more ) audio mixer. Did a search on amazon and this came up , and would probably work:
Rolls MX42 Stereo Mini Mixer https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00102ZN40/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_zaoJAbXD4NHQV
Or look for a mixer with 3.5mm audio inputs, Just make sure they are stereo. I’m also not sure if your turntable is stereo, you might need a mono to stereo adapter to get it playing on all speakers.
I hope that helps!
Not quite. That will only do one pair of L&R - you need two pairs.
It seems like it's a little tough to find a minimal mixer with XLR outputs, but you can also use something with RCA or 1/4" outputs to connect the mixer to the KRKs instead... e.g. https://www.amazon.com/Rolls-MX42-Stereo-Mini-Mixer/dp/B00102ZN40
How about this one? There's still volume knobs for each channel, but it's a small black box design.
Edit: This one's even a bit cheaper and simpler in design.
This. You want a switch or a mixer. With a straight circuit cable like the ones you linked, the outputs will try to drive each other and that can damage them.
Here's a mixer.
What you might want to be looking for is a stereo mini mixer i think. https://www.amazon.com/Rolls-MX42-Stereo-Mini-Mixer/dp/B00102ZN40
You're going to need an audio mixer of some type.
(note: for the Bluetooth receiver, you'll need a Y cable to feed the mono signal to both channels.)
I don't know about availability in Finland but in the US HART Mini Mixers, BEHRINGER MICROMIX MX400, or Rolls MX42 Stereo Mini Mixer.
That loopmixer is all mono so you will lose all the stereo from all your sources if you got that. It's the right idea though. You want something that is a stereo mixer, or even cheaper would be just a simple switch like this. Super cheap, passive so it requires no power, and does the job. Unless you need to actually mix your inputs, this will do just fine.
If you want to be able to mix sound from, say the PS4 and an iPod, then you will need an active stereo mixer maybe like this. Also passive, cheap, and keeps things stereo. There are lots and lots of more expensive options in this area too, just watch out that they are stereo on the input side. Many professional mixers will be called "stereo" because they output stereo, but really they offer pan control of a bunch of mono inputs.
There are also passive mixers.
https://www.amazon.com/Rolls-MX42-Stereo-Mini-Mixer/dp/B00102ZN40
EDIT: Technically, you can use one of these, as well, but I'm not sure what that would mean for the output... If it would still be stereo from each unit, or not. I think it would also mess with the volumes.
https://www.amazon.com/Belkin-Speaker-and-Headphone-Splitter/dp/B00009WQSR/ref=pd_sim_23_8?_encoding=UTF8&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=VSXKK16GPHXJMY3HG5MK
Or combine 5 into one:
https://www.amazon.com/Belkin-RockStar-5-Jack-Headphone-Splitter/dp/B00904WS2K/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1503136561&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=belkin+rockstar
You need a stereo mixer, something like this
http://www.amazon.com/Rolls-MX42-Stereo-Mini-Mixer/dp/B00102ZN40/ref=sr_1_2?s=musical-instruments&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1450707438&amp;sr=1-2&amp;keywords=stereo+mixer
They also make one with 1/4" inputs and outputs, but the best solution would be to plug your source and guitar amp into this box, then the output goes to your Marantz for the final amping before going to your headphones, otherwise you have to play with volume knobs in three different places to get it to sound right.
Have you considered a mini mixer? I haven't personally used one, but it seems like a perfect solution for your needs.
Here's an example, but I'm sure there are a range of options out there: https://www.amazon.com/Rolls-MX42-Stereo-Mini-Mixer/dp/B00102ZN40/ref=pd_sbs_267_3?_encoding=UTF8&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=63FCJJNHJFDNA7FTFNKQ
Each source (computer) gets a 3.5mm to RCA cable. Then you run the mini mix out to your existing amp in any of the aux inputs. Allows you to balance each source to the volume you want, run all 3 at the same time, and send the sound as a single source to your receiver/amp. Gives you room to add another if you need it, gives you volume on each, it's physically small. The only box it doesn't check is that it's still a moderate amount of wires, but if you set it up cleanly, that shouldn't be a huge factor with some ties.
Here's one that I've been using for the last three years for a similar purpose, but it doesn't come with a power adapter so you need to also buy a universal power adapter to go with it.
It also has a few slight downsides that might bug you. First, you get independent volume knobs for each channel, so you have two volumes to change to adjust one stereo source, not one. Second, it uses 1/4" jacks, so you need adapters to plug in your electronics. Third, at least on mine the internal jacks didn't meet up perfectly with the 1/4" plugs when they were plugged all the way in. The weight of the wire would pull the tip of the plug away from the contact in the socket. I fixed that by putting the plug through a washer or piece of cardboard that stopped the plug from going in all the way. Has worked great ever since.
If I had a link to another similar mixer at similar price on hand I would recommend that instead. On the plus side, the Nady is built to be user-serviceable. There are probably better options that might be cheaper once you factor in the cost of power adapter. I spent a bunch of time shopping last time I needed one and found it surprisingly hard to get a simple, cheap, stereo, line-level mixer. Everything's either DJ equipment, made for microphones and not line level, or a huge crazy $400 mixer board with tons of channels like you would use for recording a band.
I'll look around a little bit longer, but here's what you're looking for in a mixer case I come up dry:
By definition what you need is a mixer. You'll just have to find a small one.
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Perhaps this Rolls RCA mixer is small enough.
We've got kind of an array of equipment, as our studio isn't funded too well. Fortunately, we got an upgrade a few years ago, and we've got some nice stuff to work with:
That's about it really. We have some leftover mics I don't know much about. We don't use the Shure SM57b for whatever reason. And we really need better optical mice for audio editing. Also, we upgraded from analog to digital mixing boards, but I can't recall the brand.
You can see a photo of it here: https://www.instagram.com/p/BLJkMxgB7Xz/
Audio Interface: http://www.amazon.com/PreSonus-AudioBox-USB-Audio-Interface/dp/B00154KSA2/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1464108100&amp;sr=8-7&amp;keywords=Audio+interface
MIDI Keyboard:http://www.amazon.com/Akai-Professional-LPK25-Ultra-Portable-Controller/dp/B002M8GBDI/ref=sr_1_12?s=musical-instruments&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1464108184&amp;sr=1-12&amp;keywords=midi+keyboard
Headphones:http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-202-Professional-Headphones-Black/dp/B003LPTAYI/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1464108227&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=sennheiser
If just want to play into you computer, the quarter to eighth inch jack will certainly work. However, if you want improved audio quality you can purchase, as mentioned by the guy above me, and audio converter that plugs in via USB to you computer. The two leading units are probably the scarlet 2i2 or the audiobox usb. They both pretty much do the same thing.
You can probably get a used Presonus Audiobox USB within your budget:
http://www.amazon.com/PreSonus-AudioBox-USB-Audio-Interface/dp/B00154KSA2
I have one and it's been solid. The most budget friendly option would be that or something similar and headphones. The computer will not handle the amplification. If you try to output through your pc sound card, there will be a slight delay. If you plug pc multimedia speakers into the interface, it's not going to sound good. You'll either need studio monitors or headphones.
https://www.amazon.com/PreSonus-AudioBox-USB-Audio-Interface/dp/B00154KSA2 - Cheapest external soundcard (US Link).
edited parts list
http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/list/yYm9WX
total is about the same as before.
You can do this in FL, but if you're starting out, I think FL is about the most confusing DAW to record audio tracks into. Audacity is free and will work fine. If you want something more polished, Reaper is easy to use, free to try for 2 months, and $60 for a full license—worth trying out.
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But, like /u/BartonPatrick says, you're going to want an audio interface between your mic and your computer. If you buy a new audio interface, a lot of them will come with a basic DAW—so look into that first.
Would this device work for amplifying three headphones? I remember it worked pretty well in Music Production class in high school with this interface. I need it to be able to connect to that (I have an RCA to 1/4" jack adapter) for near-zero latency listening to playback from live instruments.
First, sorry for bad english.
I think you misunderstood the noise canceling feature, your headsets cancel noise from getting into your ears, not your microphone.
I live in a very busy avenue in my country, and i have a similar problem. Mic was picking up cars and stuff from the street. Your best chance to avoid this noise is getting the mic closer to your mouth, reduce the volume (or sensitivity from your mic) and speak louder. thats why i prefer headsets instead of regular desktop (or tripode) mics.
if reducing the volume and getting the mic closer doesnt work, you probably need a better mic.
After searching for a long time i find the best price-value "noise cancelling" mic is the audio Technica BPHS1. But it isnt usb (it is xlr) and you need a audio USB interface to use it in your pc. This headset is designed to use in sport breadcast, in very loud enviroments.
Link to the headset:
http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-Broadcast-Stereo-Headset-Dynamic/dp/B003D87JI2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1412137022&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=bphs1
Description:
Created especially for on-air news and sports broadcasting, announcing & interviews, this rugged stereo headset offers natural, highly intelligible and focused vocal reproduction, closed-back circumaural (around-the-ear) ear cups to seal out background noise, and a high-output dynamic microphone mounted on a flexible gooseneck boom. The headset's microphone has a cardioid polar pattern tailored for pickup of speech with maximum voice intelligibility over a wide range of frequencies. It is more sensitive to sound originating directly in front of the element, making it useful in reducing pickup of unwanted sounds. The flexible gooseneck boom swivels for easy positioning on either the right or left side.
Link to the audio interface I use:
http://www.amazon.com/PreSonus-AudioBox-USB-Recording-Interface/dp/B00154KSA2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1412137064&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=audio+box+usb
After switching to this headset i cant hear almost any unwanted noise. I even apologise for a loud truck of something but people cant hear anything :).
But be carefoul, the speakers arent that good as others gaming headsets, but i think it is the best solution for your problem.
Hope it helps! Sorry again for bad english, im still learning a lot of stuff and my keyboard doesnt helps :c.
First, I'd like to point out that in your situation it would be redundant to run your mic through the mixer and then through another interface (unless your mixer has incredibly awesome pre-amps, which is something I'd argue most Behringer products lack).
If I were you, I'd ditch the $10 mic for a used SM58, and the Behringer usb mixer for a decent cheap interface like the PreSonus Audiobox, or if your budget permits, something from the Focusrite family.
That said, you may be able to increase your sound quality 10 fold just by upgrading the mic and leaving the XENYX. I don't have any experience with either of those products, but they are by brands I would warn any newcomer to steer clear from. Good luck!
Quality seems great, I use it with an AT2020 mic and from what I can tell it sounds really nice.
My Audiobox looks almost exactly like that, but doesn't say '96' and has a few other very slight differences (I'm guessing that one supports up to 96kHz sample rate while mine only supports 44.1k or 48k). See here for the one I've got. I would imagine the 96 would work too, but I can't say for certain.
Buy a USB audio interface like the Presonus Audiobox.
Of course, although I don't claim to be any expert in microphones or anything. I just have an [AT3035] condenser mic with a Presonus firestudio project as an interface plugged into my iMac via Firewire. I like to have lots of inputs, which is why I got one with 8, but you'd probably only need one. I'd check out the presonus audiobox as its cheap and simple, and uses USB.
First off, make sure you have a decent soundcard. My laptop's soundcard is balls so I use an external audio interface -the difference is huge. If your soundcard isn't up to snuff, look at grabbing something like this. You can get them used (or other versions) for cheaper, and they're a good utility to have around. You can also look for simple USB DAC (Digital to Analog Converter).
For speakers, if you want really good sound, look for powered speakers, they have built in amps to drive them so that you don't need to worry about an external amp hanging out on your desk. I use reference monitors, these have an excellent frequency range and soundstage that's hard to produce with a two-way desktop speaker otherwise. These are what I use currently, and you'd be hard pressed to find something cheaper that can produce the same sound. Also of note are the Rockit 5's at about the same price point. These are pretty future proof, if that's your thing. The next step up from a setup like this would be a sizable chunk of money more.
Of course, this is just my opinion, so take it with a grain of salt and all that. This focuses largely on clarity of sound, frequency range, and small footprint at this specific price range. There are certainly other setups that use subwoofers, forgo DACs, etc.
This setup will, at the very least, blow the Klipsch speakers you have listed out of the proverbial water, but the extra cost is there. If you have the money, I'd buy better speakers now, rather than upgrade in the future when you decide yours aren't doing it for you anymore.
I got the Presonus AudioBox a couple months ago and I'm very pleased with it. Definitely would recommend it. I don't do dance music, but if you want an idea of how the preamps sound, here is example of something I did. (SM57 on a guitar amp straight to the Audiobox)
Cheapest option would probably be to get a cheap Audio Interface like this, find a free DAW (I use ableton, they have a free version that would work for your needs but any should work), then learn enough about the DAW to add backing tracks and stuff.
Having two mics is a good call, but instead of recording vocals and guitar together, I'd would HIGHLY suggest recording your guitar in stereo with both mics and your vocal in mono with one mic (performed separately). When I started out, I used AT2020's which are very affordable and will sound okay until you're able to upgrade to something better.
Also, Reaper is a steal at $60. Use the trial version for a while and see if you like it...comes complete with all the basic, entry-level plug-ins that you'll need.
You'll also need an interface and a good pair of mixing headphones. Good luck!
The AudioBox is in my price range, but the only advantage seems to be the MIDI in and outs. Is there an upside to running a keyboard through the USB interface rather than straight to the PC via a MIDI to USB cable? I will be doing almost everything on the PC anyways right?
I was looking at Reaper actually. I've used various software like Sonar, Audacity, Reason, some Cakewalk products, and Project 5, but I haven't really done recording. I think this will be the first software I try.
I've bought all this and your estimated are way high.
My setup:
Audiobox USB: $149 http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00154KSA2
Behringer condenser: $94 http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/245575-REG/Behringer_B_1_B_1_Condenser_Microphone.html
Behringer stereo mics: $58 http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/373764-REG/Behringer_C_2_C_2_Stereo_Matched_Studio.html
2x XLR, 2x 1/4" cables: $20 or so monoprice
Stand: $35 (local shop)
Midi keyboard: $50 used off eBay
Headphones: $50 closed ear
Well under $500 for a good setup that lets me record electric, vocals, accoustic, and my piano.
I did this with a Tascam 424 by getting 2 Behringer U-Control UCA-222's ($60 for a pair) and creating an Aggregate Audio Device on my Mac.
This way each of the 4 outputs was sent to their own dedicated track in Logic Pro X and I could mix it as I'd like in Logic.
Also consider:
Behringer U-Control UCA222 Ultra-Low Latency 2 In/2 Out USB Audio Interface with Digital Output
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0023BYDHK/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_i_AJrkDbQRRQ7VX
As an option. I have it and it works great to give an rca interface to the PC, you can then "listen to" this USB input on any of your connected output devices whether that be 5.1 aux cables or USB headset or literally any of your output devices.
Ok, so I'm not allow you're just uninformed. I use bt in my car also, but i have a corolla so no way I'm upgrading the sound system in there.
It's a slippery slope when you get into hifi. If you want to experience it, get a dac like this FiiO E10K USB DAC and Headphone Amplifier (Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LP3AMC2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_hHd0xb76ZBHTW, a pair of decent quality headphones ie Audio-Technica ATH-M40x Professional Studio Monitor Headphones https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HVLUR54/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_yId0xb7WMCQB1 and then a lossless recording of your favorite song.
Remember, as soon as you get the starter pack you will have a hard time listening to it any other way.
Don't worry about why stuff costs more, monster used to sell a $200 hdmi cable.
Bit above your price range but I'd recommend these.
I really like the Audio-Technica M40X. I think they're pretty neutral overall (nothing particularly emphasized), they're closed (so no sound leak at all), and they're either comfortable out of the box (for some) or can be easily made much more comfortable with different ear pads (thoroughly tested by others already!) and extra padding on the headband (mine actually have both, and I use them at work).
I just copped these , they're relatively cheap and have a p flat response.
https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M40x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR54/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1512010579&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=40x+headphones
They were 70$ when I got em on cyber Monday but they've gone up a bit
https://www.amazon.ca/Audio-Technica-AUD-ATHM40X-Professional-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR54
correct me if im wrong but these are a really good pair right?
Hi! I'm looking for closed on-ear headphones around ~£30-40 (45-60$). Initially, I was interested in Sony's MDR-XB450, but after a quick search it seems like bass is not very well defined, just loud. I'm mostly interested in a well resolved mid and low range, especially at high-bitrates (I usually listen in FLAC). I'm also planning to use them outside, so they need to be well isolated.
After browsing through this sub and head-fi.org, I've found the following options:
Any suggestions?
I use these: Audio technica: m40x
https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATHM40x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR54/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2C0K98UOO4D6V&amp;keywords=m40x+headphones&amp;qid=1564698341&amp;s=gateway&amp;sprefix=m40x%2Caps%2C275&amp;sr=8-3
Really nice neutral sound and give a crisp clear sound.
Audio-Technica ATH-M40x Professional Studio Monitor Headphones
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HVLUR54?
m40x - $75-100
-cheaper, under $100 pretty good bang for your buck
-fairly old model with 40mm drivers and no bass port
-somewhat flat sound signature
-closed style headphones, detachable audio cable
-all plastic construction with use of fake leather (can get warm for long listening)
-I noticed a slight lack in the mid to low bass in terms of detail. Other than that the sound quality is quite impressive for the price
m70x - $200-250
-better build quality using metal, and I think real leather (still odd choice to have a plastic headband top)
-very flat sound signature
-very detailed sound considered to be a true monitor headphone, some say too bright for a relaxing listening session
-45mm drivers
-closed headphones, detachable audio cable
"Preferred Tonal Balance" is simply how do you like your music, example: "I listen to Rap so I want as much bass as possible!". With your taste it would be safe to say you want a bit more bass.
Personally I wouldn't recommend buying something from Bose unless you really wanted good noise-cancellation (tip: you don't). They are a bit pricey for what you get.
At that price range you might want to check out headphones from Audio Technica, specifically the M50's or the M40X's. Now I like the M50's because they have nice slightly punchy bass but it doesn't overpower the rest of the song. Sounds pretty good with Glitch-Hop and other electronic music in general IMO. I've had them for 3 years now and is a solid common go-to with their sweet price tag.
The list goes on and on since around $100 is where you start getting good headphones but i'll throw in another two headphones for you to consider: Shure's SRH440. For more bass, check out the V-MODA Crossfade LP. They're quite stylish, come in lots of colors and have a more bassy sound. V-MODA has a few other headphone line-ups you might like if you like their headphones.
Hope that helps, give us updates!
EDIT: I am dumb I just saw you wanted closed back.
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open back or closed back? Open back is better for gaming but others will be able to hear what you hear. If it doesn't matter then open back for gaming.
OPEN Headphones:
ATH-AD700X - ~95 - 100 new https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-AD700X-Audiophile-Open-Air-Headphones/dp/B009S332TQ/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=ATH-AD700x&qid=1563901733&s=gateway&sr=8-2
ATH-AD900x - ~135 new https://www.amazon.com/Technica-ATH-AD900X-Open-Back-Audiophile-Headphones/dp/B009S331VU/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=ATH-AD700x&qid=1563901733&s=gateway&sr=8-3
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HE4XX - $180 new https://drop.com/buy/massdrop-x-hifiman-he4xx-planar-magnetic-headphones
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Sennheiser HD 58X - 160 new - https://drop.com/buy/massdrop-x-sennheiser-hd-58x-jubilee-headphones
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Closed headphones:
ATH m40x - $100 new https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M40x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR54/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=ATH+m40x&qid=1563902298&s=gateway&sr=8-3
These are deemed better than the m50x's
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DT770 80 ohm - 135 new https://www.amazon.com/beyerdynamic-770-PRO-Studio-Headphone/dp/B0016MNAAI/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=DT770+80+ohm&qid=1563902448&s=gateway&sr=8-3
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ATH-MSR7 - 175 new https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-MSR7BK-SonicPro-High-Resolution-Headphones/dp/B00PEUBIKM/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=ATH%2Bmsr7&qid=1563902327&s=gateway&sr=8-3&th=1
I owned these and played CSGO and I had no issues hearing anyone. I made it to LEM (if that matters to you) Very clear audio. I also never used an amp with these so they can only get better. if you have more questions on these just message me, I can compare them to the HE4xx's as I now own those.
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AMP & Dac:
FX Audio DAC X6 - ~54.99 new https://www.amazon.com/FX-Audio-Optical-Coaxial-Amplifier/dp/B072JJT7SF/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=FX+Audio+DAC+X6&qid=1563901865&s=gateway&sr=8-3
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Schiit Fulla 2 - ~120 new https://www.amazon.com/Schiit-Fulla-Converter-Headphone-Amplifier/dp/B07KWG13Q4/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=Schiit+Fulla+2&qid=1563902076&s=gateway&sr=8-3
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Basically I am no expert as I am just getting into the DAC/AMP world but from my research and this subreddits wiki and other sources, it seems better to put your money into better headphones and then into a better DAC/AMP. I would look for a used pair of headphones from
/r/AVexchange or /r/hardwareswap if you are wanting something better, I picked up a pair of HE4xx for 110 shipped.
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Just my two cents. I could be wrong and anyone please feel free to correct me as I am still learning all this.
These Koss Porta Pro headphones are on sale right now for 30 bucks USD, and they're honestly worth every penny in sound quality. They're the cheap gems of the audiophile community. Also, if you prefer over-ear, they've got these guys here for only 26 bucks. The build quality of Koss headphones are nothing to write home about, but the sound is always consistent and clear. If you want to spend more, for $100 USD the Audio Technica ATH-M40x headphones are worth their weight in actual gold for the amazing sound quality.
For 100 dollars the ATH-M40X's are a really good choice. Z reviews has done a good review on them. I use them for most things. Listening to music, editing for montages and now and then gaming. They have a balanced sound meaning they are neutral. They sound really good for the price. There a problems. The comfort is mediocre. After a while the ear cups get warm and a little uncomfortable. I recommend picking up brainwavz hm5. Another thing is that they are large. They are not that great for looks when commuting. However they sound awesome for the money. I recommend them.
Link: https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M40x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR54/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1525079595&amp;sr=8-2&amp;pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&amp;keywords=ath+m40x&amp;dpPl=1&amp;dpID=41gFqXe5oBL&amp;ref=plSrch
No tenes muchas opciones buenas, por un lado tenes estos Sony que son muy conocidos (el cable es no removible lamentablemente) y sino los [Audio Technica M40X] (https://www.amazon.fr/Audio-Technica-ATH-M40X-Casque-professionnel-d%C3%A9tachable/dp/B00HVLUR54/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1523577512&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=audio+technica+m40x). A este ultimo lo estoy usando ahora mismo y me parecen muy buenos pero es medio obligatorio cambiarle las almohadillas por algo como esto, se que son medio caras pero son comodisimas. No significa que con las almohadillas stock son inusables pero si son incomodas despues de usarlas un largo rato.
EDIT: Aca tenes un review de los sony y este es uno de los M40x.
EDIT 2: Estuve probando los pads stock para ver que cambiaba en sonido y te digo que a mi me gustan mucho mas con los pads que te puse en el link. El interior de las almohadillas stock me toca la oreja, son mucho mas duras y siento que el sonido es como mucho mas angosto (no se como decirlo, es como que todos los instrumentos estan juntos), tambien los bajos suenan mucho mas fuertes y yo soy de preferir un sonido un poco mas neutral. Dicho eso, los pads HM5 comunes te reducen los bajos (bastante, yo lo subo un poco con ecualizador), aumentan los detalles y te dan mejor separacion y todo esto aparte de ser mucho mas comodos. Te dejo una foto a modo de comparacion (derecha stock, izquierda hm5).
Daca vrei de alea mari, peste urechi, recomand Audio-Technica ATH-M40x Professional Monitor Headphones cu adaptor Bluetooth. Iesi un pic mai scump... dar castile sunt de foarte buna calitate.
Open back headphones have an open earcup behind the driver, meaning you will hear much more background noise while using them but generally sound more "natural".
For gaming, people usually prefer closed backs, in which case i'd reccomend the monoprice retros with pads that are actaully comfortable. If you're looking for something with a microphone you can pick up a little lav mic or go with the V-moda boompro. The boompro requires your headphone to have a detachable cable but its only one cable which is nice.
In my experience he most popular heaphones for the boompro are the Philliips shp9500 for open back and the ATH M40x for closed.
I own everything but the M40s but i hear they're great for gaming.
i have tried these (the ath m40x) round a friends house and they are great https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M40x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR54/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1493146433&amp;sr=8-6&amp;keywords=audio+technica+headphones#HLCXComparisonWidget_feature_div or their older brother (the ath m50x) which is slightly out of your range https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M50x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR86/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1493146783&amp;sr=8-3&amp;keywords=audio+technica+headphones+m50x
hope this helps!
The Audio Technica ATH M40x is quite popular in that price range, however, they have been recommended with the Brainwavz HM5 Pads. Another option is the Sennheiser Urbanite(On Ear), which is a little bassier than the M40x, but, in my opinion, looks a little nicer. You can also do some browsing around the sub, and visit/comment on the Daily Purchase Advise thread.
Happy hearing!
I have the game one headphones (the semi closed one, not the zero) and it's alright. I prob wouldn't suggest it. The one I have I hear some plastic particle moving in there. it feels overall very "gamery" where it looks nice but has a cheap plastic feeling to it. Earmuffs are really comfortable and so is the actual cup itself, however, the clamp i find overpowering and have to switch headphone. Sound is good. Not spectacular, but good. It sounds like its got a sennheiser house sound but i can't confirm. Mic quality is passable, not the best (comparing to an xlr mic into an actual interface which gets way more expensive) but it doesn't matter for discord or voip in game, just don't do podcasts in these. I don't know if my unit is defunct, but when hearing recordings back I often cut out. I don't if that's a mic issue or pickup issue.
I have no impressions on the SHP9500 or the SHP9500s since i missed the train. My opinion is worthless here.
I usually avoid mic and headphones integrated together at all costs, they don't do each job better and are harder to find what the issue is. They are cheaper overall.
If i can add suggestions, I would say the m40x is fine. It's 15 dollars more but Audio Technica is pretty no frills and reliable. Granted, hit or miss on how they handle their marketing and lines. This will sound flat, they are monitoring headphones. It's audio the way the audio engineers heard it. Flat, boring, excels at nothing, fails at nothing. As for quality, it's really good. Very presentable outdoors as well (then again, so are the SHP9500/s) and function well for public commutes, etc. These are closed set, so less sound goes out (leakage), but the soundstage is more narrow. If these are too much, go m20x or m30x (mixed reviews) just to try them. m20x are 70 or so dollars, so way cheaper then the shp9500 is currently but the shp9500 would dip below that frequently. m20x has a really long heavy aux cable that is non swap able and comes with a 6.3 jack converter if you're into that.
And then get a cheap mic and the sound quality should be close to the same. If you want a more headset like feeling, get a modmic. this has better quality anyway, but is more expensive. Can be attached to any headphones. comes with stick on magnets that it can stick to so you can make your headphones civvy friendly again by detaching them. this comes with a mute switch. cheaper version comes without one. If you have any questions, let me know.
Im on ATH-M40X at my work & theyre "good enough" like what youʻre asking for. A co-worker sits just feet away from me, so I cant use speakers or open-back cans. Theyre very comfortable to me, sometimes I wear them just to tune everybody else the fck out LOL.
https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M40x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR54
The older brother M50ʻs are well coveted among music listeners, but the bass is hyped so not trustworthy for mixing.
If itʻs a more serious project Ill take it home with me and listen on Sennheriser HD600ʻs + JBL LSR305 monitors before making final decisions on audio. Unfortunately our largest audience is on social/mobile....so I also check the mix on shitty speakers or my cellphone.
From my recollection, I dont think u want noise-cancelling effects when u mix audio. Read that years ago.
Edit: Look at Sennheiser HD280ʻs too. Decent set of "neutral cans" that wont break your bank.
Do you need Noise cancelling? Because I'd grab these KEF's or some mdr7506s or Audio technica m40x
Audio-Technica ATHM40x Professional Monitor Headphones https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HVLUR54/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_JnP3CbEQ4NFQE
These are probably the best headphones I ever had.
If you dont like over ear I’d recommend
1MORE Triple Driver In-Ear Earphones Hi-Res Headphones with High Resolution, Bass Driven Sound, MEMS Mic, In-Line Remote, High Fidelity for Smartphones/PC/Tablet - Gold https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A7G35S0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_LiP3Cb3DG1833
They dont have active noise cancelling but they offer many different ear buds. If you find the perfect size you can seal the sound
There are better if you have more to spend but I personally try not to spend more than 100 on headphones
Audio-Technica ATHM40x Professional Monitor Headphones https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HVLUR54/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_ELG0CbF1AA9Q3
At that price range there isn't much that is usually recommended. I'd personnaly go Audio Technica M40x or Sennheiser 518/558 if you can find some at <£100.
I have a pair of Audio-Technica ATH-M35.
I would rebuy them without any hesitation.
Looks like they're not available any more, but you can get the ATH-M30x for $55 on amazon. The ATH-M40x for $90 and the ATH-M50x for $120.
I'm really impressed with the M35, and the 30x is supposedly the newer version of it. If you want you can spend more money and get he 40 or 50, but I think you would have to take a hard look at the specs and understand the differences to justify it.
I've had mine for 4 years, used every workday. Continually solid.
I also have some Sennheiser HD205II, and a Logitech G930 with the 7.1 surround, mic, and wireless.
The Sennheiser are just not in the same ballpark, and are a very tight fit, leading to me not wanting to wear them for extended periods. The ATH I can and do wear all day. The logitech are mostly just for gaming and for taking advantage of the wireless (and for conferencing with work when I WFH).
Audio Technica ATH-M40x
takstar pro82 has that bass adjustment
However, I would strongly suggest you go to a store and listen to different headphones.
Should I get these or these while they're on sale? Mostly used for gaming.
Audio Technica's ATH-m40x. They're closed headphones that I've heard are great for the price. I don't have them but I do have the m50x's, which are the next step up in the series. I think the shp9500s are better than the m50x's in almost every way other than like the cables they come with.
I personally use [Audio-Technica ATH-M40x] (https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M40x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR54/ref=pd_sbs_23_1?_encoding=UTF8&amp;pd_rd_i=B00HVLUR54&amp;pd_rd_r=ACMXT7QQSE8VYQABZRM2&amp;pd_rd_w=7Cem2&amp;pd_rd_wg=JoDlh&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=ACMXT7QQSE8VYQABZRM2). It has a strong build quality and the listening experience is amazing.
I still recommend those two. Check out the stand-alone reviews at amazon for the M50X and M40x
I know someone who still uses his M40X since it was released in 2014
For your need, I think Audio Technica ATH-m40x with Brainwavz hm5 hybrid angled.
Total cost for both of this are around $130 but they are worth it.
The m40x are faily nuetral with a little bump on the bass. The imaging are good. The soundstage are quite narrow before changing the pads but after chaing tha pads thay are great for a closed back. Isolation are great enough to be used at noisy place like in a train. Comfort are quite back due to the clamping force but it will be fix after changing tha pads.
I've never tried the ws770 and anc27x so I can't really say anything about them.
Ok, i would recommend these http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M40x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR54/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1418636015&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=audio+technica+ath-m40x
I'd say with EDM in general, go for headphones with high detail/a slight treble boost and pronounced bass. A good 80-90 dollar headphone for this might be the ATH-M40x's, cheap, reliable, and a good sound.
Bass presence is important, but the magic of Trance is in its ambiance and synthesis, things that really come to light (in my opinion) with high quality upper-frequency recreation.
I hope this helped :D
http://www.amazon.in/Technica-ATH-M50X-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR86/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1421391232&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=audio+technica+ath-m50x
http://www.amazon.in/Technica-ATH-M40X-Professional-Over-ear-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR54/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1421391341&amp;sr=8-14&amp;keywords=audio+technica
http://www.amazon.in/Audio-Technica-ATH-AD500X-Audiophile-Open-Air-Headphones/dp/B009S333U4/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1421391395&amp;sr=1-3&amp;keywords=audio+technica
These will give you a phenomenal soundstage (instruments will appear to be separated spatially, giving the feeling of listening to a live performance from nearby).
http://www.amazon.in/Audio-Technica-ATH-WS77-Over-Ear-Headphones/dp/B009FRPN4M/ref=sr_1_10?s=electronics&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1421391395&amp;sr=1-10&amp;keywords=audio+technica
These should have good bass.
http://www.amazon.in/Sennheiser-HD-558-Over-Ear-Headphone/dp/B004FEEY9A/ref=sr_1_19?s=electronics&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1421391474&amp;sr=1-19
This Sennheiser will give you god-level sound, but you'll need to use the equalizer if you want very strong bass.
I'm a big fan of these. If you can shell out the extra 50 or so for the m50x, I would recommend you do that.
I have this plugged into speakers, but plugging it into speakers doesn't matter. Windows volume is at 100%, Apex Legends is at 15% master 30% SFX. Another thing that doesn't matter is that Apex Legends goes into Voicemeter Banana before it goes into the headphones, but that doesn't change the audio at all.
So basically I have $100 headphones with Windows volume 100% in-game volume about 5%. But it's really loud for me, I think as long as you have headphones it should be fine.
I love my mouse. The only thing is that it is kinda heavier compared to other mouses. For headset, I would suggest getting something like an M40x and a modmic. This way, you'll get better sound and a better microphone. Unless you want a headset then I would say the Cloud II.
Check out the Shure SRH440.
EDIT: The Audio Technica M40X is built better and costs a bit less.
Forewarning: I'm only a hobbyist. If you want more info, definitely go to the subreddits I linked as well as the resources in their sidebars.
---
Mic: $100
Shure SM58
Video of SM57 and SM58 sound test starts at 3:30
With either of these mics you'll need an XLR cable
and a device to deliver phantom power to the mic. They're the same price but I linked to the SM58 amazon listing because that's the more popular one for vocals. These two mics are industry standards so you can't really go wrong with them.---
Interface: $130
Shure MVi Digital Audio Interface
When getting your DAW, I recommend getting some sort of microphone amplifier / hardware interface. I'm not too familiar with the budget options of these but if you have any questions about DAW hardware and software, head over to /r/audioengineering and post in the appropriate stickies.
I linked to this shure interface because it does both XLR (microphone cables) and 1/4" TRS (Guitar/instrument cables). I highly recommend reading reviews and opinions about it to see if it's the right one for you because, again, I'm not too familiar with the budget options in this category.
---
Which leaves $170 left in your budget for your choice of headphones and other gear:
Mic stands, mounts, cables, and pop filters can be pretty cheap, get your preference for your work space. Get a floating mount if you're having problems with translation through the stand. (I.e. desk bumps, people walking in adjacent areas, etc.) If you get a wire mesh pop filter, make sure it has a bevel around it (I've cut myself on mine too many times).
My recommendation for headphones would be some type of closed monitors. Audio Technica M-series headphones are popular entry level cans. If you have any questions about them or how they compare to other cans, head over to /r/headphones and post in the sticky.
ATH-M40x $80
ATH-M50 $133
ATH-M50x $125
---
As for the DAW itself, any decent computer will work fine for single-channel recording, these days. If your computer can run minecraft then it's more than enough.
What's important is that your software and hardware can use ASIO drivers. ASIO drivers will help reduce any latency on the computer's side, which is really helpful for live recording and playback. Definitely read up on how to use ASIO devices for live recordings. Depending on what you get and what version driver you're running, you may have to mess with the driver settings manually from time to time.
in my setup I've got these as well as a polk subwoofer
I have really been thinking about getting these:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00KVEIY4E/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1474135266&amp;sr=8-1&amp;pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&amp;keywords=powered+bookshelf+speakers
I've used these for my Chromcast audio for about a year and love them. Incredible build, sound, and also very affordable.
Whatever it is, make sure it has an optical audio input, or you'll be spending another 20 or so on a converter.
I recently got some studio monitors because my TV has shit for sound. Also had to get a converter though...
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KVEIY4E
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F4ORTZ6
Huh. Well, butter my grits -- that one is indeed made only for mic and instrument level sources. Presonus actually suggests that line level sources could damage it:
https://support.presonus.com/hc/en-us/articles/210044713-Can-I-connect-a-line-level-source-to-my-AudioBox-USB-or-22VSL-
I'm also a 0-coast user, and I'm using this Behringer, which is relatively cheap and works fine (there's also a smaller two-input version):
https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-UMC404HD-BEHRINGER-U-PHORIA/dp/B00QHURLHM
I do not think so. Do not know that piece but if you are considering USB, I believe that is only USB out.
I prefer a recorder rather than a laptop or computer, but if you can record directly to the computer an interface via USB is probably the way to go without breaking the bank.
The UMC404HD is a decent one for $99.
This mic, the Audio-Technica-AT2020 99$. This Interface, umc404hd. 99$. Reaper. Free or 60$. Some headphones/monitors.
not too crazy about the whole rap thing, but it's a hobby i put about 30 hours a week into.
What do you mean by that?
I have a similar setup, though it's all digital.
Here's what I do, and then I'll suggest a setup for you.
My equipment:
vocal mic - at2035
audio interface - umc404hd
midi pedalboard - fcb1010
midi controller - maudio code61
I have both my vocal mic at2035 and guitar plugged into my UMC404HD.
The UMC404 allows you to record 4 input channels (2 stereo) into the computer via USB, it also has midi inputs if you want a midi controller that isn't USB.
That allows me to monitor the input directly and to monitor after passing both through ableton live. The direct input monitoring (using the mix knob on the umc) doesn't have any effects applied to it since it's only the mic and guitar that are straight into the recorder.
The UMC also has 4 output channels, which allows you to send some outputs to the monitors, and some to the headphones, I use this for "cue" tracks and the metronome, which gives me a click track in my headphones, but not over the output I would use for playing live.
I then have a code 61 that I use for pad drums, midi control and keyboard input.
I want an FCB1010 to do the looping and etc inside of ableton itself, so it's a single contained unit and everything goes through my laptop, but currently I just program my sustain pedal on the keyboard to trigger looping.
What I would do for you is...
If you're using an amp / pedals for your guitar, get something like a shure sm57, plug that into the UMC, and point it real close to your amp so that you're capping it without any room noise.
If you're looping guitar, you can have the looper pedal connected in line before your amp.
If you're only wanting to loop vocals, you can inline the looper pedal to the mic before input to the computer/umc.
You can loop both with a single pedal, but at that point, your output probably should go into the computer only, skipping the guitar amp. You can direct monitor that, and have it inputting to the PC. You can have midi / etc backing on the PC playing back at the same time into your headphones/monitors.
I personally use amp modeling VST on the PC and just playback my guitar through my monitors anyways.
A much cheaper (but still good) alternative to the code61 is the akai mpk mini 25.
If you want to skip a loop pedal and only loop in software, this is specific to ableton, there are a few ways to do that.
I've seen 2 main methods.
Here is a video explaining one of the ways to do looping. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFQzc8bYE2g
If anyone else knows better ways to do looping in ableton, I'd love to hear about it.
Hope this helps.
Our set up with the audio interface and XLR mics has been so much easier to work with. We use the Tascam MiniStudio. It's a good little machine that works well for just the two of us. Also lets you plug your phone/tablet in to record music, but not as a separate track. Ultimately, will probably upgrade to something like this, this, or this. That Monoprice mixer however may not be great for recording more than 2 people on separate tracks. But the Behringer and other Monoprice audio interface look good.
We use the Samson Q2U microphones. I really like them, and think they have great sound quality. If you want to hear the difference between our USB episodes and our XLR mics, check our podcast out: https://fanlink.to/bzYq. Episodes 1 and 2 were recorded with a Blue Snowball and Yeti Nano, and the rest of our episodes are with the Samson Q2Us.
I'm just getting into the game and am looking to pick up a good inexpensive audio interface, how does this look? I know most people here recommend the focus rite ones, but this one has pretty good reviews and is less than half the price.
iPad + UMC404HD + Korg nanokontrol2 + AUM and you'll be all set. Replace the UMC404HD & nanokontrol with any class compliant usb audio interface of your choice and the nanokontrol with any midicontroler of your choice. These are just inexpensive options.
Or just buy a full fledged mixer. There are too many options to list.
That depends on your set up. Most basic home studios have some kind of audio interface that your monitors and headphones will all be plugged in to.
Something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-UMC404HD-BEHRINGER-U-PHORIA/dp/B00QHURLHM/ref=sr_1_5?s=musical-instruments&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1499395618&amp;sr=1-5&amp;keywords=audio+interface
Hi, I'm the co-editor for podcast production and I think I may be able to help with your questions.
Mics: Depending on your current recording space you have 2 options, Condenser or Dynamic Microphones. Condenser mics are very good at picking up detailed sound but they are most of the time to sensitive to be used without some sort of sound proofing or acoustic treatment to the room as they are really good at picking up even the quietest of sounds. but if you have a treated room or a acoustic shield then that might be an option to look into. Dynamic mics however are really good at capturing loud sounds and because of that, they are mostly used for singing and instruments. however they are also often used for narration because you don't have to go all out with the sound proofing as they are less sensitive. now since my talents are in post production, I don't need an expensive microphone to get a good sounding recording, so I just use a $20 Dynamic microphone from amazon, they're great in fact I bought 4 of them for a podcast I was doing, I can give samples if you would like. As for price, Condenser are on average going to cost more because of everything that goes into it. Dynamic mics are older tech, so they aren't as expensive. my friend who does the vocal recordings has the Rode NT1a, a rather expensive condenser microphone $229, and I record using the Behringer Xm8500 Dynamic mic $20 on amazon. so it's really up to your budget and editing know how.
Rode NT1a
Xm8500
You will also need a audio interface if you're going to be using XLR mics, which I highly recommend you do. Here's the one I use, although you may not need that many channels
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Software: I use Adobe Audition around $20 a month subscription. However I have in the past used Audacity and if you know how to use it, you can get some really good results. If you are looking to get into industry standard software I would recommend Pro Tools also I think $20 a month.
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Yes, people who don't use a studio generally record to their preferred Audio editor and mix/edit then upload to a hosting website for their podcast, the production I work for uses Blogtalk which I think has a free option. However there are many options for hosting websites (E.g. Acast, Podbean, Libsyn, Ect.) I recommend reading this website for hosting options.
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People typically find voice actors through Casting Calls which they themselves set up or by going through a casting call website, and yes voice actors are typically paid although some may offer volunteer if they're just getting out there or for charity. For the sake of professionalism always assume you are paying for their services, that way if they decline payment then that's their choice as an actor.
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If your podcast gains enough listeners then yes, you can definaty make money through podcasting, but you should never go only for making money. because one, it takes a while ti gain listeners and two it's just no fun if your only in it for the money.
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I remember being exactly where you are now asking these questions, so If you need any help don't hesitate to ask. I hope this helps :)
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TL,DR
Mics: I use a $20 Dynamic mic which gives me great recordings, although there are more expensive and higher quality options out there.
Software: I use Adobe Audition to edit everything but there are a myriad of other audio editing options out there including the free software Audacity.
Yes it can be as simple as Record/Edit/Post depending on what your doing and the type of podcast your going for.
You find actors through casting calls, and typically you always pay actors for their services. Always expect to pay.
Yes you can make money through podcasting depending on your listenership and Ads and things like that.
If you want multiple tracks to edit in your software I would probably get something like this instead https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QHURLHM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_9KznzbCHMHMGM . If you still want to use your mixer your going to run into issues trying to record separate tracks at the same time because I'm assuming the mixer only has 1 output. If you don't mind only having 1 track to edit I would say keep the mixer and get a cheaper interface to make that 1 output USB :)
So we use the Behringer U-Phoria UMC404HD Audio Interface for our show that has 4 hosts, and I love it (I'm also the guy who edits the show and sets up our recording setup). It provides the power to all 4 mics, but it needs power. Also, we were about to buy a mixer and quickly learned that is not what we wanted. If you are wanting all your mics to have a separate audio track in your program than what you want is a USB audio interface, which is what the UNC404 is. I would highly recommend it.
https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-UMC404HD-BEHRINGER-U-PHORIA/dp/B00QHURLHM
Assuming you mean 4 mics with 4 separate channels. We do it for our podcast.
We use this interface: https://www.amazon.com/BEHRINGER-Audio-Interface-4-Channel-UMC404HD/dp/B00QHURLHM
It's a little tricky because there are you have to use an older version of the Behringer software (3.29.0) and the following drop down settings in Audacity: Windows WASAPI, Behringer LINE in, and then you will have the option to have 4 inputs in the last drop down.
If you go this route and have questions, let me know and I'll be happy to help.
> I believe the Blue Yeti is a USB mic, meaning you're not going to be able to use multiples of it anyway without having to jump through a lot of hoops to make it work.
On a Mac, it's pretty easy (search for "aggregate device"). On Windows, you can use something like VoiceMeeter Banana.
But to /u/wittiestphrase's point, USB mics are really for one-person setups. For multiple participants, a better budget setup would be a "starter" audio interface and starter XLR mics.
Yeah, I really love the Behringer UMC404HD. Not a lot of options to play with it, but I did buy one and return it to amazon no problem.
Best bang for the buck my guy
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QHURLHM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Dr7OzbA9S460B
The Behringer U-Phoria is probably the best value for a mixer I've seen. I also second the Focusrite, but they are a little more than the Behringer.
I second the Behringer UMC404HD and an SM57! Add some software for recording, I use Studio One, and you are definitely still within the limit.
If you want to get more complex in the dorm: I live in an apartment and have to worry about how loud I'm being at night especially. Learning about the amp sims and VST plugins you can get will really help. Mercuriall makes some KILLER sounding amp plugins that I use.
Here's a sample of the Mercuriall Tube Amp U530. This guitar is just plugged directly into the Behringer UMC404HD. I was pretty pleased with how much like my amp it sounded.
Hope that helps!
Ohhh, I see.
You need a USB audio interface, get rid of the Behringer.
https://www.amazon.com/BEHRINGER-Audio-Interface-4-Channel-UMC404HD/dp/B00QHURLHM/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=4+channel+audio+interface&amp;qid=1554232697&amp;s=gateway&amp;sr=8-3
Something like that. Run your microphone and audio out from your gaming rig into the interface, into the streaming PC, and then you will have separate channels to play with in Reaper and then push that to OBS. Connect your speakers/headphones to the streaming PC.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00QHURLHM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
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Idk if you have the headphone amp, but you may want that too: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000KIPT30/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Here’s my personal recommendations:
For an interface, this is the best bang for the buck on the market right now (again, in my opinion), especially if you’re just starting out :
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00QHURLHM/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1520813639&amp;sr=8-1&amp;pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&amp;keywords=umc404hd&amp;dpPl=1&amp;dpID=41q-puettzL&amp;ref=plSrch
For a mic(s), it really depends on how extensive (and what) you’re going to be recording, and specifically if you plan on recording real drums or not. I’d recommend just getting one or two mics to start with, and getting more slowly over time, because if you use sampled drums in the beginning (which is a reality for many small home studio owners), you can do quite a lot of work with 2 mics. I’d recommend the following:
Any large diaphragm condenser in this price range will get the job done, but here’s what I use:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00D6RMFG6/ref=mp_s_a_1_14?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1520814113&amp;sr=8-14&amp;pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&amp;keywords=condenser+microphone
An SM57 is a standard in many studios, and is also versatile and good to have around:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0000AQRST/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1520814292&amp;sr=8-1&amp;pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&amp;keywords=sm57&amp;dpPl=1&amp;dpID=31KR2%2BJ86GL&amp;ref=plSrch
Now, for a monitoring situation (a.k.a. How you’re gonna actually listen to what you’re recording and mixing), it’s not the smartest idea to invest in monitors (which will eat up a substantial amount of your budget) without investing in treatment for the acoustics of your room. You could easily spend $500 on these two things alone, so I’d recommend just getting a pair of decent headphones for starting out. I know mixing on headphones is a whole can of worms on its own, but while you’re learning, it’s really not gonna make a difference, as long as you have something better than apple Earbuds (not that they aren’t useful). Just get something where you can really understand the sound of it, and reference on a lot of different systems, especially your car. (Disclaimer, I wouldn’t recommend spending more than $100 on headphones, and try to look for something with a relatively flat response, instead of something with cranked bass and hi end, so you can hear as accurately as possible)
As far as DAWs go, I know how appealing it is to buy the same program that people at the top of the industry might be using, but the truth is that most DAWs nowadays can essentially do the same thing. If you only take one of my recommendations, let it be REAPER. You can use a fully functionally demo for as long as you want, and chances, it’ll do everything you need, especially while you’re starting out. Hell, I know professionals that swear by it, and for good reason; it’s insanely flexible and useful, and for the price point (basically free, but if you end up sticking with it, you really should buy a license, it’s only like $60), you just can’t go wrong.
http://reaper.fm
Edit: Unless you’re gonna be mixing 50 track songs right out of the gate, your MacBook will probably be just fine for the time being
Hope all of this helps, good luck!
Cheap if you don't mind swapping cables:
2 input Interface (one mic one line) but pairs nicely with the mixing board I suggest below for more inputs - 99$ https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01E6T56CM/ref=s9_acsd_top_hd_bw_boEu3_c_x_1_w?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&amp;pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-4&amp;pf_rd_r=EZHZBK8WK13BRVK7F6FK&amp;pf_rd_t=101
Microphone - $94 - https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-AT2020-Cardioid-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B0006H92QK/ref=pd_sim_267_3?_encoding=UTF8&amp;pd_rd_i=B0006H92QK&amp;pd_rd_r=YC9JK5873KG0PKYJ97JP&amp;pd_rd_w=cB3Pr&amp;pd_rd_wg=V6k1t&amp;psc=1
Alternatively the Shure SM58 for vocals and 57 for drums are worthy checkouts at a similar price point.
MIDI controller w/drum pads - $99 - https://www.amazon.com/Akai-Professional-MPK-Mini-Controller/dp/B00IJ6QAO2/ref=pd_sim_267_16?_encoding=UTF8&amp;pd_rd_i=B00IJ6QAO2&amp;pd_rd_r=YC9JK5873KG0PKYJ97JP&amp;pd_rd_w=cB3Pr&amp;pd_rd_wg=V6k1t&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=YC9JK5873KG0PKYJ97JP
You can spend your remaining $200 on:
Cables (xlr/trs) ($10-20)
Mic boom or desk mount ($25)
Pop filter ($10)
A second microphone ($99)
A pretty sweet small mixing console ($99) https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-Premium-12-Input-Multi-Fx-Processor/dp/B000J5Y214/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1485406829&amp;sr=1-1
That has a single XLR input, and onboard effects. Doesn't seem very flexible to me. For the price, I'm not at all interested.
Unless you are specifically wanting an 'all in one' outboard solution like that, which requires quite a bit of compromise in terms of price, flexibility, and usually quality... I personally would rather go with a modular solution and software effects, as that would remove all limitations and be more easily upgraded at a later date... Not to mention it would be cheaper.
Free effects are abundant on Linux. A nice all-inclusive option would be something like Guitarix. It's a full suite of 'guitar' effects (which would work fine for vocals as well.)
You'll need the following hardware (examples included:)
So if you went with the Scarlett Solo + Akai MidiMix, you'd have more flexibility, better preamps, and more easily portable setup for less than half the price.
With the Behringer options listed above, it would be 1/4 the price, again with all the benefits I listed.
FYI, the example products in this comment are just that: examples. There are dozens of other options available.
Any interface would work. Save money and get this one
https://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-Scarlett-Audio-Interface-Tools/dp/B01E6T56CM/ref=mp_s_a_1_3
Take the money you saved and put it towards a better mic or something
I'm not good at equipment, but I seem to remember that a condenser mic needs phantom power to work. I'm not sure if that converter works but something like this would work:
https://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-Scarlett-Audio-Interface-Tools/dp/B01E6T56CM/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1510076865&amp;sr=8-3&amp;keywords=scarlett+solo
It has the XLR input, USB output back to computer. Also it has a headphone jack so you can hear what the mic is picking up.
Okay then what I would do is buy a guitar headphone amp they are cheap like less then $20 USD, and plug it into the out for the fx loop, and your headphones into that. This only utilizes the preamp portion of you amp but it is probably the most cost effective. If you do this and the guitar headphone amp has a gain option turn that all the way down. A similar option to this would be to plug your fx out into a DAW or some kind of audio mixer this would also give you the option to record yourself on a computer without being effected by room acoustics. If you want to you can use the other output but that will damage your headphones unless you buy a line level converter. Then the analog from the converter to a headphone amp, and from there to your headphones. This would require you to do some simple wireing, but hey if your up for it why not try.
I also want you to make sure you know the people on this thread including me are NOT professionals and you should do you own research and only do what you feel comfortable doing with your money and equipment.
If you would like to do more research here is a good place to start.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Line_level
Also here are links to example of the things I mentioned
Guitar headphone amp - Monoprice 611500 Mini Headphone Amplifier for Guitar, Clean https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AJHE5E6/ref=cm_sw_r_apa_95ZExbPNDRWFP
Electro-Harmonix Headphone Amp Portable Practice Amp https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003UIBQEI/ref=cm_sw_r_apa_E6ZExb9S9N2V7
DAW - Focusrite Scarlett Solo (2nd Gen) USB Audio Interface with Pro Tools | First https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01E6T56CM/ref=cm_sw_r_apa_N7ZExbDTYTZC7
Mixer - Behringer Xenyx 302USB Mixer https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005EHILV4/ref=cm_sw_r_apa_58ZExb4RMVW9V
Line level converter - PAC SNI-35 Variable LOC Line Out Converter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001EAWS3W/ref=cm_sw_r_apa_O9ZExbPEZPHXN
Hope I helped in some way and hope you find your solution!
So ur saying I should get this https://www.amazon.ca/Focusrite-Scarlett-Solo-Audio-Interface-Tools/dp/B01E6T56CM/ref=asc_df_B01E6T56CM/?tag=googlemobshop-20&amp;linkCode=df0&amp;hvadid=292950006227&amp;hvpos=1o1&amp;hvnetw=g&amp;hvrand=9921289442064949606&amp;hvpone=&amp;hvptwo=&amp;hvqmt=&amp;hvdev=m&amp;hvdvcmdl=&amp;hvlocint=&amp;hvlocphy=9000827&amp;hvtargid=pla-318315375266&amp;psc=1
First, I don't think this is the right sub for this, but I do have some experience with mics and interfaces. I use the Focusrite Scarlett interface with my mics and it sounds very good.
https://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-Scarlett-Audio-Interface-Tools/dp/B01E6T56CM/ref=sr_1_6?crid=2A5UC636NFJF9&keywords=scarlett+2i2&qid=1563802357&s=musical-instruments&sprefix=scarl%2Cmi%2C148&sr=1-6
If you're just doing simple, single mic recordings, then the interface i linked to will be fine. If you're doing multiple mics, Focusrite makes interfaces with more XLR ports so you can connect multiple mics and control their levels individually.
The Behringer mixer you linked to is really for turntable DJs, and does not seem to have XLR ports so it won't work with the mic you're looking at.
Sorry for the delayed response: Yeah, step one is to usually invest in a decent cardioid mic and an audio input. Here are the ones I'd recommend for getting started. Good enough quality to be just under professional tier, though capable of producing professional quality sound, but not so expensive as to offer you features you don't need for years to come:
Mic: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002QAUOKS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
Audio Interface (to be able to plug that or any other professional mic into [XLR input]): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01E6T56CM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
and this is optional but can be helpful to understand the true sound of your recordings, monitors:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075QVMBT9/ref=twister_B07NDRK282?_encoding=UTF8&amp;psc=1
(either the 3.5 or 4.5 would be totally fine)
Aside from t hose t hings, the only other things you'd need to get set up would be soundproofing foam, either putting panels up around your space, or around the mic itself. Conversely, you could set up inside a closet full of clothes and accomplish the same task for free, cable length and space permitting.
Good luck!
Actually the Scarlett SOLO is a bit cheaper than that even!!
https://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-Scarlett-Audio-Interface-Tools/dp/B01E6T56CM
It only has a pair of RCA outputs so maybe not the best for home studio usage. But it's PERFECT for me to take on the road for ableton gigs 😎
The established brands like Ditto, Boss, etc are going to be $100+. You might take a chance on something like this, but I've never heard of them before.
You might also consider getting a cheap audio interface like this. Though, again, you may actually get better value by spending a little more money. Many interfaces come bundled with DAW (Ableton Live, ProTools, etc) software licenses, like this Focusrite.
It's not as easy as plugging a loop pedal into your chain, but you'll be able to do a lot more with your investment if you climb the DAW learning curve. There's plenty of free VST plugins for pedal and amp emulations out there. Even some free open source DAW, but I haven't researched what's available in some time. Ardour appears to be the top google result at the moment, though I'm not sure how suitable it is to playing live (vs. only recording for playback).
So you have some options, and ultimately it comes down to future ability.
Starting out, you can buy a SM58 for cheap, and it'll have pretty nice quality. It outputs mic level signal though, so it will need amped by something, which is where your choices come in.
If you're looking to keep it cheap, you can pick up an audio interface to get the mic up to a reasonable level and into your computer. Something like this. This setup will run you ~$200 in total (mic and interface), but will limit what you can do with the equipment you purchased.
If you're willing to shell out just an additional $100, you can grab a mixer like you said. This would be my recommendation. It gives you 4 mono inputs and 2 stereo inputs, opposed to the 2 mono inputs the interface above provides. It's also a fully fledged board, so you can use it for more than just getting audio from your mic into your computer. Its USB interface is pretty handy, too. It'll send 4 channels to your computer and your computer can input 2 stereo channels back to the board.
Initially I only used my board for getting my mic into my computer, but I've ended up using it for mic and guitar input into my computer, as well as computer audio & DAW output to my monitors.
The board's pretty handy, but if you don't need it there's not much reason to buy it. If you're only ever going to use one channel to get your mic into your computer, you're probably better off with the interface, as setting up the board can take some time. Plus, if you don't have studio monitors / speakers that take analog input, the board isn't going to help you in getting signal to them.
So it pretty much depends on what you need, and if you plan on expanding or not. Rule of thumb, however, is to plan ahead so you don't end up spending more buying something you could have bought earlier. And if you plan on getting serious, you're going to want to pick up some studio monitors.
But again, if you're just going to be recording some covers every now and then in your room and not much else, I'd recommend going the interface route opposed to the full on mixer route.
Behringer UCA-222 https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-UCA222-BEHRINGER-U-CONTROL/dp/B0023BYDHK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1486995664&amp;sr=8-1
BEHRINGER XENYX 302USB https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-302USB-BEHRINGER-XENYX/dp/B005EHILV4/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1486995664&amp;sr=8-3
Focusrite Scarlett Solo (2nd Gen) USB https://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-Scarlett-Audio-Interface-Tools/dp/B01E6T56CM/ref=sr_1_17?s=electronics&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1486995773&amp;sr=1-17
So, what you're saying is that if I get an Audio Interface (looking at this one currently https://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-Scarlett-Audio-Interface-Tools/dp/B01E6T56CM/ref=sr_1_4?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1540419648&sr=1-4&keywords=audio+interface) I would eliminate most of the static created by my sound card?
Cool, then the loss of inputs from the R-15PM shouldn't matter much. I'd definitely recommend adding some kind of physical volume knob inbetween the speakers and computer though, easier to prevent yourself from blowing up the speakers.
Audio Interfaces are pretty popular for this, but you can find cheaper options that still have some features. This things 20 bucks and has a volume knob, speaker outs, and a headphone jack. Even this $8 knob does the trick.
Are you trying to play out, or record?
If you're trying to play out, research looper pedals. This will allow you to either create multiple tracks on the fly, or play live over stuff that you've pre-recorded and saved. I have a Boss RC-30 that has served me well, but it has a bunch of functions and may be more than what you're looking for.
If you're trying to record, you'll need to get an audio interface and some recording software (bundles like this are available that have both). This will let you directly connect your instruments to your computer, to create and manipulate sound files. If you don't want to learn all about different types of mics, mic placement, isolation, etc. this is the easier way to go. In terms of software, I use Adobe Audition, but Pro Tools is industry standard.
In terms of mixing, I wouldn't worry about being knowledgeable. Learn your setup (especially the software) and play around until you find levels, presets, patches, EQs, etc. that you like. Remember what you did and/or write it down.
And I guess write shit that you want to play.
For live sound, you'll need some sort of USB audio interface, one of these, that have some sort of monitor out. This will act as a digital to analog converter from your laptop to the house PA for the highest quality audio. It will also give you an input to either DI your guitar, or mic it or a speaker cabinet. You'll also want something to trigger your loops and and adjust things on the Ableton side, but I'd have to know a little more about what you are looking for on that end.
XLR mics with phantom power for the win! If you're going for professional quality sound, save your money and invest in a good XLR mic.
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The problem with USB mics like Blue Yeti is the fact that they use the integrated sound on your computer's motherboard. If your motherboard's sound system is older (2 years or older), the voice from the USB mic could sound robotic or it might not capture your entire voice range. This is especially a problem for folks with deeper voices. On older computers, you might sound far away or your voice could break up. If you have a brand new computer, feel free to use a USB mic until you can afford an XLR microphone.
XLR microphones require phantom power. Scarlet Focusrite (https://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-Scarlett-Audio-Interface-Tools/dp/B01E6T56CM) is a good product for phantom power, but there are affordable, good quality sound mixers that provide phantom power as well. Alot of streamers have used Berhinger Xenyx 302 ( https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-302USB-BEHRINGER-XENYX/dp/B005EHILV4) or Berhinger Xenyx 502 (https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-502-BEHRINGER-XENYX/dp/B000J5UEGQ). I personally use Roland VT-3 (https://www.amazon.com/Roland-AIRA-VT-3-Voice-Transformer/dp/B00IGDXK9Q) because it's a voice changer, sound mixer, noise gate, and phantom power all mixed into one machine.
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For mics, I admit I'm using a cheap Pyle PDMIC58 . (Hey, I got this XLR mic for free with my Best Buy points. I didn't have enough points for a good mic). My problem with the mic is that it's too bright for my voice, and I have a low voice for a woman. I need something that captures my full voice range alot better. I'm planning to upgrade to a RODE NT-1 mic (Not the Rode NT-1A) before the end of the year.
Like others have stated, take your time and do research. Don't rush! Find the mic that fits your voice best. Good luck!
I'm pretty sure it will do the job but probably for that amount of money you can get a recording interface
Edit: check these out
https://www.amazon.com/Lexicon-2-Channel-Desktop-Recording-Studio/dp/B000HVXMNE/
https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-UM2-BEHRINGER-U-PHORIA/dp/B00EK1OTZC
https://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-Scarlett-Audio-Interface-Tools/dp/B01E6T56CM/
Hey Tony. That's a great question.
My Credentials: I do 2 podcasts (Well Met! and The Payload) and live stream. I have thousands of dollars in microphone equipment.
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Your Answer: You'll need something else to power it. The AT2035 requires +48V Phantom Power. Meaning, your 3.5mm jack wont power the microphone. The good news: These aren't that expensive. I personally recommend FocusRite interfaces. I use a Scarlett 2i2, but you'd be totally great with a Scarlett Solo. The only difference is that the solo has 1 inputs, while the 2i2 has two inputs. This wont only just give you phantom power, but the digital-to-analog converters (often called DAC) are REALLY good for spoken word and vocals... Like REALLY good and it's a preamp so it'll amplify the signal to the proper amount.
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Disclaimer: There are some XLR to 3.5mm adapters that you can plug in to a standard plugin or USB to get phantom power, but I highly recommend in investing in an interface. It's one that, no matter your microphone, you'll be able to use for a long time. If you need other options in different budgets, let me know!
This or this or this + laptop among other options.
http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-UCA202-Audio-Interface/dp/B000KW2YEI this got a pretty good review by NwAvGuy.
can you use a USB soundcard as a preamp... Something like http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Alpha or http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-UCA202-Audio-Interface/dp/B000KW2YEI
buy this PC-UCA 202- (rca output to receiver) and headphone ouput to logitech speakers. If you have headphones connect them to the receiver's hp output. edit; i just realized i didn't answer your question (control the volume with the receiver), but that product i linked will help your sound quality.
Here are some links for the product in the above comment for different countries:
Amazon Smile Link: http://smile.amazon.com/Behringer-UCA202-Audio-Interface/dp/B000KW2YEI
|Country|Link|
|:-----------|:------------|
|UK|amazon.co.uk|
|Spain|amazon.es|
|France|amazon.fr|
|Germany|amazon.de|
|Japan|amazon.co.jp|
|Canada|amazon.ca|
|Italy|amazon.it|
This bot is currently in testing so let me know what you think by voting (or commenting). The thread for feature requests can be found here.
I definitely want my speakers to be running through a DAC if I have one, but thanks for the input. This was recommended by Zeos so I'm going to try it and see how it goes.
How do you find the Fiio E7? Is there any background noise/interference when using it with headphones?
Hahaha, I think the juxtaposition of budget and audiophile drive us all to the brink madness :) . Anyways, I think I just hid it in a link like this without actually naming it. I'll have to work on making my links a little more clearer. But yeah, that behringer dac is a definitely a great affordable option.
Awesome thank you! I'm on a MAC so I think the audio interface would be better than software. What about these other ones from amazon? I'm a cheapskate what can I say. Would they be just as good, or would the one you recommended be better because it works with Traktor?
http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-302USB-Premium-5-Input-Interface/dp/B005EHILV4/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1409689712&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=audio+interface
http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-UCA202-Audio-Interface/dp/B000KW2YEI/ref=sr_1_2?s=musical-instruments&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1409689712&amp;sr=1-2&amp;keywords=audio+interface
http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-502-XENYX502-5-Channel-Mixer/dp/B000J5UEGQ/ref=sr_1_5?s=musical-instruments&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1409690145&amp;sr=1-5&amp;keywords=audio+interface
Plugging the Line Level output of the mixer to the amplified microphone input of your laptop is probably resulting in excessive clipping - hence the distorted output.
An Audio Interface with at least one stereo input is probably what you are after. There are a number of options like the Scarlet FocusRite series are worth looking into.
Maybe even something like this?
http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-UCA202-Audio-Interface/dp/B000KW2YEI/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1409908950&amp;sr=8-3&amp;keywords=audio+interface
This is the way i've found out i could do this (at least on my computer). I can tell skype to go to whatever output you want, say the front headphone jack. Then have the game audio coming out of the speakers. Run both of those inputs to the mixer and you're done.
If you don't have an extra output, you could always get something like this, or maybe 2 if you want the 1/4 inch jacks to go into your mixer. Just set one as the skype out and the other as the system's main output
http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-UCA202-Audio-Interface/dp/B000KW2YEI/
> ... so what specs should I be looking for in that regard?
With your budget you could get something with an Intel i5 and a 1080p display.
If you can wait with your pruchase, then get a Acer Aspire V5 473P-5602, which has a 1080p IPS touchscreen. It's currently out of stock and I don't know when it's going to be back, so ...
If you don't mind something refurbished, then I would recommend the Asus Q501LA which has also an 1080p IPS display. But check the warranty and the return policy. Not everyone is okay with that.
If you want to buy now, a Lenovo Z40 wouldn't be a bad choice. It even has a dedicated GPU.
> Great audio: Yes
Behringer UCA202 Audio Interface. Get this. Laptops with a "decent soundcard" aren't a thing.
iPad, 'camera connection kit' & behringer UCA202 works for me
Get a good cheap pair of bookshelf speakers (or smth more expensive) connect them to an amp and either use a splitter cable to plug it directly into mobo's integrated sound or use a usb dac (with rca cables). You will also have to spend some money on speaker wire to connect speakers to amp.
EDIT: another option is to skip amp part and get a pair of powered studio monitors.
the audio 2 DJ interface, what does it do?
I'm completely out of my range here. is it for splitting the audio output into 4 channels? if so, would this do?:http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-UCA202-Audio-%0AInterface/dp/B000KW2YEI/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&amp;amp;ie=UTF8&amp;amp;qid=1322396456&amp;amp;sr=1-1
That's what I did, except I run it to a $30 USB soundcard. It took a lot of tweaking but I'm not even using a preamp and it doesn't sound bad at all. Spend more money if you can though.
You can get a Behringer UCA202 for $30 which will take care of it.
Wow you are so helpful, thank you.
So I think I've found a way that will work that involves less pieces. I cross posted this question in r/iphone here. The comments led me to this potential set up:
From my XDJ-RX's dual 1/4 TRS output, I'm going to have this male TS to male RCA cable going into the RCA input ports on the Behringer UCA202 (or UCA222), and then I will have that plug into the Apple Camera Connection Kit via USB, and then that goes into my phone. And THAT should get me a stereo signal.
Does that sound right to you? I'm like 95% sure that plugging two TS plugs into two TRS jacks (on the XDJ-RX) will only reduce the connection to unbalanced, but keep it stereo.
But it's good to know that if this setup doesn't work, the one that you suggested will. Finally this is all starting to make sense!
I've got a nearly identical install to his, but mine is not a fixed install so I can take the tablet with me.
The DAC is pretty crucial, and compared to the rest of a car AV set-up, is pretty cheap. The Behringer UCA-202 is another great one for low cost.
Behringer UCA202 is a decent budget DAC and should work perfectly for what you want.
Hey! Hopefully I can give you some insight. I am not sure if you can use the USB out if the RX2 into a computer to get an audio signal (someone let me know if I'm wrong). Something you could do is purchase an audio interface. I use this one that is relatively inexpensive for my streaming purposes and it works great! I use it with a Mac and if I remember correctly, it was plug and play. The system would recognize the interface from the streaming software and you get a good quality feed from the mixer. It worked out for me and isn't too overly complicated. Hope you get everything worked out!
You'll need an external (or internal) soundcard or DAC with digital optical toslink S/PDIF ports as there is no way to directly convert to this via most digital and analog connectors. This one is decent for the price:
https://smile.amazon.com/Behringer-UCA202-BEHRINGER-U-CONTROL/dp/B000KW2YEI/ref=sr_1_8?s=electronics&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1500070400&amp;sr=1-8&amp;keywords=external+sound+card
I recommend the Behringer UCA202. It is a USB DAC with an Optical output. It also has a headphone jack and a ADC audio input.
There are a few ways to do this, the simplest is with a bluetooth receiver and cellphone, I have this one and it sounds okay: http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-980-000910-Bluetooth-Audio-Adapter/dp/B00IQBSW28
The best way to do this is with a USB DAC, this is the cheapest: http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-UCA202-Audio-Interface/dp/B000KW2YEI and works pretty well. There are lots of different ones with different features, you can spend from 30 to 300 easily.
USB DACs will work with windows and android cellphones with OS 5 (lollipop) and higher. I'm not sure about mac or linux support. Something like this may be useful: http://www.amazon.com/FiiO-Digital-Analog-Audio-Converter/dp/B005PWPUW6 if you just want to connect optical or coaxial out from a device.
I think he just wants speakers for his computer and doesn't realize you can use bookshelf speakers to do so with an amp.
My current setup, and one I recommend to him, is as follows
Computer --usb--> Behringer UCA202 DAC --rca--> Lepai LP 2020A+ Amp --speaker wire--> Micca MB42X Bookshelf Speakers
That'll give him the dial he wants - on the amp - as well as amazing sound quality by bypassing the computer's built in DAC.
OK, so my recommendation:
Zoom G1on ($50): http://www.amazon.com/Zoom-G1on-Guitar-Effects-Pedal/dp/B00IOSJ68C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1421777443&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=zoom+g1on
This will give you SO much great stuff. Loads of amp+speaker simulators for recording direct (vox, fender, marshall etc.), as well as loads of distortion, chorus, reverb, echo synth, wah, filter etc. effects that can be linked together in a chain. I have a lot of experience with guitar effects, and this unit is by far the best way to spend your money.
You still need a better way to input from that pedal into your computer. If you want to be able to use stereo effects (recommended), meaning the reverbs will be wider and more spacious, then you will need to go for a 2-channel USB interface. Something like this might work for you:
http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-UCA202-Audio-Interface/dp/B000KW2YEI/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1421777678&amp;sr=8-7&amp;keywords=2+in+audio+interface
...however I have no experience with that so I can't vouch for it. You could try to find one a little pricier that might work better, I don't know. Look around for reviews etc., but if that works fine then you should have pretty much all you need to record a good quality sound in Audacity.
For drum sounds and others such as piano and strings, check out this software:
http://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/sampletank3free/
I use it myself. It should work as a plug-in with Audacity but I haven't tried that myself. Either way it's free and has some good sounds in it.
I've recently gotten myself a fancy new setup to record. Along with using a Novation Twitch and an Akai MPK25 to control Serato DJ, I have a lighting rig, which I use while mixing to make it more dynamic. I use a chauvet Obey 40, with two Chauvet Mini Kintas and two generic LED spotlights, to create an atmosphere. AAANNDDDD along side that, my most recent addition is two video cameras on tripods to catch the whole mix from different angles, which I then take into Sony Vegas 13 to edit it all down and make it look cool. (Oh, and I've got my mix recorded in Serato while I play, which I sync up with the video via a few clap samples that I play from my speakers). Here's the final product ( don't mind my kinda boring mixing, I just wanted to test out my whole setup to see if it worked) http://youtu.be/MkKARNRvfU8
And to help you out with the recording situation, Behringer sells rather good quality input/output sound cards for about $30 (Behringer UCA202 Audio Interface https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000KW2YEI/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_5zRVub1GCHXDR), and you just plug in the output from the mixer into it, and use audacity (or your favorite recording program) to record it all.
Just buy a 3,5mm to RCA cable and you'll be all set. You can also get a DAC for a slight improvement (http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-UCA202-Audio-Interface/dp/B000KW2YEI/) but it's not necessary.
If you're going to get a cheap USB audio card, spring the extra few dollars and get one of these if you can. It'll be a lot higher quality.
https://www.amazon.ca/Ultra-Low-Latency-Interface-Digital-Output/dp/B000KW2YEI
Get one of these, it is inexpensive. I use it with Audacity. My difference is that I record out of a home tape deck, not a box like yours. I think I can help you up to a point. The Behringer has a ton of reviews and very high ratings. I have the one in Red also, it came free with another device, a guitar effects pod.
https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-UCA202-BEHRINGER-U-CONTROL/dp/B000KW2YEI/
I've read your manual, although they combined it with ES23 model. Cycle through the Sound settings to EQ Off when dubbing. Turn off or Cancel the sound virtualizer effect. On this Panasonic you have an advantage in that you can control the volume digitally. Start at 6. Level 7 might be better. You will be able to figure out which is best, but adjust it depending on the volume of the entire tape when you move on to another tape. Simon and Garfunkel would be a different setting output SLIGHTLY than Metallica, etc.
On your computer, reboot. Don't have the jack plugged into the computer. Do have the playback Panasonic prepared. You want to test one song. You want to monitor at the end of the chain, so you want to use your computer speakers, or connect via bluetooth to speakers or headphones, somehow.
My laptops now only have one port for sound In and Out. When I plug into the jack it opens a box with a question of how I want to use it. I'll go see the options on mine after I post this, but you don't want Microphone in, you want recording in or something else if you have a choice. If the Audio Device selection doesn't pop up, google it, there is help "How to get a popup when device is plugged into audio jack" - Or if you know your computer pretty well, open the sound panel options for the input/output to see what options are there.
You want LINE IN.
>Here are the options in the sound panel on my Acer with one jack:
>The current connected device is:
>Which device did you plug in?
>Line In [this is the one you want to use]
>Mic In
>Headphone
>Speaker Out
>Headset
This is where the Behringer USB device will come in handy. Audacity will find it, and you can simply monitor via the interface or on your computer.
Audacity, if you are new to it, it defaults at fresh install to 48khz sampling rate in my experience. You want to set that to 44.1 khz, the CD Audio standard. You can google that. I personally record to WAV file on a clean partition, but recording to high rate MP3 or something else might be what you want to do.
Your cables need to be good, and you need to notice if there is dust affecting the signal in the headphone port or the port on your computer. When you are monitoring at the business end DURING A SILENT PAUSE MODE, you can rotate the plug that is in the jack, you will hear if there is a crappy connection. You can clean the mini headphone jack ports just google it.
I hope you have got a way to monitor what is coming in to your computer after you do all this, it is really the only way to go. Like I said, considering the disadvantage of recording from a boombox headphone output, your advantage is that digital level control on the output, so you might turn out a fairly good recording.
Generally you can get a better standalone turntable and an RCA to USB converter (I use this Behringer one) for the same price.
Behringer has a few cheap audio interfaces that will do it well for $30
https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-U-Control-Low-Latency-Interface-Digital/dp/B000KW2YEI
I'm pretty sure you can get a crappy little USB device with a 1/8" mic input and use that. The sound isn't going to be great but it might hold you over in the meantime. Something like this or this (along with cable adapter(s)) i think would work.
Otherwise, I'd probably be spending all my time learning the blofeld and making patches for it. That synth is basically limitless with its possibilities. Try to make some patches that sound like the gear you want (e piano, etc.).
And get some VSTs! There are plenty of solid-sounding free ones - you can compose your ass off with just free software.
I would personally go for this. When I was looking to build my system, it came highly recommended on this subreddit. Plug it into the USB and bypass your soundcard altogether.
what is an interface? and do you have a suggestion for which one? noob here :)
Edit: would this one work?
http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-UCA202-Audio-Interface/dp/B000KW2YEI/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top
I use a USB DAC so that it appears as another audio source in the OS. This way I can use keyboard shortcuts to switch between headphones and speakers, rather than using a physical switch.
On what budget? Beringer UCA202 if you just want something cheap.
No, that's just electrical interference from your computer being a computer. To fix it, you'd have to get a cheap DAC like the Behringer UCA202 or FiiO D3 , other than that, just deal with the static.
Here you go. Works like a charm and will eliminate any noise from interference in the case.
Behringer UCA202
To use that with a computer, you’ll need something like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000KW2YEI/
It seems unlikely that a wire degrades over time. If rebooting works, it's more likely related to the computer.
You could buy a cheap DAC, you could try the headphone jack at about 60% volume and see how that works.
This is better cheaper and uglier
https://www.amazon.ca/Ultra-Low-Latency-Interface-Digital-Output/dp/B000KW2YEI/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1506007071&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=behringer+dac
On-board audio interfaces suck on almost all computers.
I use the JustBoom DAC on the RPi 3B+ CD Player I built for my GF. It sounds great!
Another alternative is to use a USB audio interface like the Behringer UCA202. I had one laying around from when I used an old laptop as a media controller, and it works fine on my OSMC RPi.
Right. If you're not American, tell me and I'll re-evaluate. So as for speakers I recommend the Klipsch RB-51 II's at $420. Pair this with a Yamaha A-S300 amplifier for $330, and the Klipsch RW12D subwoofer for $350 dollars. Lastly, you're going to want a DAC, which are much cheaper than soundcards. Take the Behringer UCA202 at $30 Very hefty prices, but for a subtotal of $1110, you'll have an absolutely amazing setup. If you're a bit taken aback by the price, I can cook up something cheaper with not much of an issue, so tell me what you think!
You want a Behringer UCA202 Audio Interface. I purchased one specifically for use with these speakers. It's just a USB Digital Audio Converter (plug it in via USB, and it detects as a sound card, and has RCA outputs.) You could probably get away with using your onboard soundcard with a 1/8 jack to RCA as well, but, onboard soundcards are notoriously bad.
Also, get a good cable as well.
After getting a headset I moved onto a asus xonar essence stx so that I had something decent to power my headset and my Behringer UCA202 has been retired.
If you want to get the most out of your new gear, you should buy a DAC. On-board sound cards are not high quality and you'll be better off getting your DAC chip out of the electrical shit storm going on inside your computer. You can spend anything from $30 or so up to the price of a new house on a DAC. The Behringer UCA202 is popular at the $30 range. If you want a nicer one, I'd recommend the Schiit Modi. And it goes up from there.
As for an amp, opinions vary. Most audiophiles will tell you an integrated amp is better than a receiver, and separates (a power amp and a preamp) are better, and dual mono all the way through is even better (separate amps for the left and right channels).
You could get a craigslist or eBay special and be perfectly fine. If you want a popular and solid integrated, the Emotiva Mini-X a100 is on sale for $170. Emotiva is the kind of the go-to for a lot of budget-minded audiophiles.
Lastly, while those speakers are going to sound very nice, "absolute best" is not only a relative term, it costs a lot more to achieve. Check out /r/zeos/ for a lot of good information.
spend 10 more dollars
spdif out, headphone out, and rca out.
How much money are you willing to spend?
If you're only looking for a headphone amp, a solid (and probably one of the cheapest) options is an O2. If you have the tools and know-how, it's easy (and cheaper) to DIY.
If you're also willing to buy a DAC, the UCA-202 is a popular recommendation, and it's pretty cheap. If you're willing to spend a bit more money (or in the future) you can upgrade to the ODAC, which does measure better. I do not think you'd need a DAC that measures better than the ODAC, at least not with your current setup.
Audio out of the PC is easy:
The Cheap Way using internal sound card
Or using an external DAC
For the 360 it will output audio and HDMI at the same time, there is just a plastic shield over the hdmi port when the component cable is plugged in. Options are:
you can break it off the plastic tab so both the component cable and hdmi cable can be plugged in at the same time or
Get an xbox vga cable
I didn't think the wii had hdmi out so I have no idea what you are doing there.
here is a decent one
http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-UCA202-Audio-Interface/dp/B000KW2YEI
From what it says in the specifications, it comes with an RCA adapter? You could use the audio input from an RCA connection from this to get audio through USB. I'm currently using this particular USB DAC and it works fine. It's got left and right channels for input as well as output.
As for the loss of audio quality, I don't know much about this in the way of distortion, but I've noticed no distortion whatsoever. Somebody else, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong about this.
This is a USB DAC, for example. A USB DAC is basically any kind of audio device, such as a USB sound card, headphone, or speaker.
DAC means digital to analogue converter.
For gear demos I use one of these to record straight into my iPhone using the CCK.
Behringer UCA202 U-Control Ultra low-latency 2 In/2 Out USB/Audio Interface https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000KW2YEI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_GGtaBbH7WP55F
If I am recording a track then I record the audio into a Zoom H1, then I master it on my Mac before importing the audio into iMovie and attaching it to the video.
You can see/hear how this turns out on my latest video
https://youtu.be/BywKoNRX9wY
You want portable or is this just at home?
If you're only at home O2/ODAC combo or the Magni/Modi combo.
Magni: http://schiit.com/cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&amp;cPath=0&amp;products_id=13
Modi :http://schiit.com/cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&amp;cPath=0&amp;products_id=14
O2 : http://www.jdslabs.com/item.php?fetchitem=o2full
ODAC (this is the combo and the odac by itself) http://www.jdslabs.com/storecat.php?fetchcat=5
If you want to be on the go as well at home I would say the E17/E09k combo. This way you can take the E17 on the go but dock it at home.
E17 : http://www.amazon.com/Fiio-E17-USB-Headphone-Amplifier/dp/B0070UFMOW/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1368754570&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=e17
E09k : http://www.amazon.com/FiiO-Output-Desktop-Headphone-Amplifier/dp/B008J26ZL4/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1368754606&amp;sr=1-2&amp;keywords=e17
If you want to do away with a pricier DAC a behringer uca202 is an easy substitute.
http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-UCA202-Audio-Interface/dp/B000KW2YEI/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1368754731&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=uca202
Edit - Links
You certainly can go cheaper than that. You’re just plugging in a mic/guitar/headphones yeah? If so you can use pretty much any USB interface with 2 inputs. Should be around $100
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07664LMPQ/
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B074F2V6VJ/?th=1&amp;psc=1
That’s your best option, the cheapest option would be to continue using your Yamaha mixer, and to connect the LINE OUT from the mixer to your computer using a cheap USB converter like this:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000KW2YEI/
i'm not sure what this is, or if it's any good, but this is what i use to bypass my laptop's shitty on-board audio.
Behringer UCA202 Audio Interface
Audio-Technica-ATH-M40x are $115 on Amazon right now. I didn't want to make a thread because they're usually like $130 but now they're $115.
https://www.amazon.ca/Audio-Technica-ATH-M40x-Professional-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR54/166-7182757-1994246?psc=1&amp;SubscriptionId=AKIAJ7T5BOVUVRD
For under $100, I'd recommend this. Kind of a beginner level audiophile pair. Compact and durable, and you can expect borderline professional sound quality.
Just fyi, the ATH-M40x is currently on sale on amazon. I think they've gone lower once(?) but this is a pretty good sale.
Link
Easy solution for the future: Buy these and listen to music at a comfortable level, you won't really hear much from the other side of the wall anymore.
Affordable? $400!
Get a decent DJ style headphone that folds up like the ATH-M40x and get a separate case for it. $95 total.
Just grab a pair of [Audio Technica ATH M40X's] (https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M40x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR54) and an [Antlion ModMic 4] (http://www.modmic.com/products/modmic-4-0).
Better quality all around.
Price History
CamelCamelCamel │ Keepa
_
Price of a Pawn, value of a Queen.
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Okay, so it looks like I'm getting a pair of M40x!
My last question about them is: where should I buy them?
They're on amazon for $99, just the headphones, cords and bag
[Then there's this $99 bundle with a $30 amp (I plan to sell it, I know that an amp won't do much with these headphones)]
(https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NLHBZ30/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_tYravb16479AK/)
[Finally, there's this $109 bundle with a $40 amp]
(https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00T58SB18/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_zZravb132AM6Y)
Is there a better deal somewhere else? I plan to sell the bundled amp for about $25, so hopefully I'll get the headphones for about $75.
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Also, I'm looking to add suggestions and bring attention to my poll on massdrop for entry level headphones that are less than $100! Any suggestions that you have are welcome!
Link: https://www.massdrop.com/vote/entry-over-the-ear-studio-headphones-less-than-100
Here.
if you want a seperated set : Mic , Headphones
I have Audio-Technica ATH-M40x Headphones for my USB Interface.
They work great, but I do not know how they compare to the other suggestions here.
I recommend them.
Just letting you know, at your price point you can get a refurbished pair off Amazon. GLWB.
M40X https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/B00HVLUR54/ref=dp_olp_used?ie=UTF8&amp;condition=used Go for a warehouse deal and it will fit your budget almost
I hate earbuds and wanted something nicer quality so I picked up these, Audio-Technica ATH-M40x and also got the shorter cable, it's perfect.
If you want to save a little bit of money I bought the Audio Technica ATH-M40'S
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HVLUR54/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
and they get the job done perfectly. They are not better than the ATH- m50s but they are still great amp headphones.
Audio Technica M40X. (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HVLUR54/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1)
Then, while still staying under your budget, treat yourself to some much better pads https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01J53KM32/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
The Arturia Minilab Mk2 isn't bad, but I think the Launchkey Mini Mk2 is better. I've found I don't use the knobs as often as I'd thought, the extra pads are a more than welcome exchange for it. Plus, it has easy-to-install drivers, works with most DAWs, and great feel on the keys for the price, too.
Make sure you get what works for your workflow. If more knobs are better, then go for that. If having more pads readily available without having to press any buttons is better, go for the Launchkey.
Another option is the Akai MPK Mini Mk2 but I've heard it can be really wonky with certain software.
I have an Akai MKII that I plug into a pretty basic setup using FL Studio and have spent hours making 8-12 bar beats of various genres. Its good fun. There are thousands of hours of youtube of people making stuff in FL Studio for lessons, and you can kinda point/click to make simple beats then just play the Rhodes/Piano/Synths over the top to your hearts content. It is the best way I've found to poop on it so far. Im close to buying the looper he uses but Ive spent a long time playing around with just that keyboard (99$) and learning FL Studio. Knowing the software, and finding your style are probably the key things. Being able to find instrument packs to get the sounds you want etc.
I will jump in and sayi f you want to get into producing I would highly recommend getting a 25 key midi keyboard. AKAI MPK Mini is a solid choice. If you want to used pads AKAI MPD218 is a good choice as pads on most midi keyboards are not ideal. Other than that, a DAW and some monitors is really all you need to start.
The volca stuff is great, though if you are going to use Ableton a good starting point may be the Akai mini so you can work with various software instruments and have tactile elements - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IJ6QAO2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_LzWxDb6DVGZPF
Which of these would be more useful to some one who enjoys playing around with this as a hobby, not trying for a professional level. All I have right now if fl studio and am thinking about buying my first bit of equipment . I'm a fan of hip hop and sampling
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Numark-MixTrack-Platinum-Controller-Capacitive/dp/B01J3S8MUO
Or
https://www.amazon.co.uk/AKAI-Professional-Performance-ready-4-Way-Thumbstick/dp/B00IJ6QAO2/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=akai+mpk+mini+mk2&amp;qid=1567268323&amp;s=gateway&amp;sprefix=akai&amp;sr=8-3
If you're looking for something compact, check out the MPK mini MK2. It's right at $100, comes with a pretty decent synth(Hybrid3), and it just gets the job done. I've abused mine for over a year and it hasn't given me any issues. Definitely worth a look! Best of luck!!
Akai Professional MPK Mini MKII | 25-Key Portable USB MIDI Keyboard With 8 Backlit Performance-Ready Pads, 8-Assignable Q-Link Knobs & A 4-Way Thumbstick https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IJ6QAO2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_kIgADbBHGN19A
hey, i enjoyed the report. Good to know that even with a stomach full of food the DXM works. I listened to your song, trippy haha. What program do you use to create? I am not a well versed in midi keyboards/pads but I did do a bit of research before buying the one I did and I love it. https://www.amazon.ca/Akai-Professional-MPK-Keyboard-Controller/dp/B00IJ6QAO2?th=1&amp;psc=1&amp;source=googleshopping&amp;locale=en-CA&amp;tag=googcana-20&amp;ref=pd_sl_8ui5vlk1ju_e. It comes with some free downloads for sound banks and had its own DAW. I've hooked it up to FL studio and it worked. I think you'd like this keyboard for many reason but mainly the little knob/stick in the top left corner is able to distort sound by pitch and speed, is super satisfying warping sounds while baked. Also everything including pads are really sensitive to the pressure you are trying for and play well with real time sound.
Here's an Amazon link!
Reaper's trial is full-featured, it just opens with one of those WinZip-style "Hey, please do actually pay for our program at some point" messages that you have to look at for 5 seconds or so. You don't need to worry about not being able to save or anything. It's also only $60 to buy a personal license anyway. (Here's the link, incidentally.)
As for the MIDI keyboard, I've been recording for about three or four years now, and I just bought my first MIDI keyboard about a month ago (the new MPK Mini, which I'm rather liking so far). It depends on how you like to work. A lot of people are all about playing things in live with a keyboard. Personally I'm very meticulous with my arrangements and have a high tolerance for tedium (not to mention I'm a terrible keyboardist), so I got a lot of mileage out of just clicking the notes onto the MIDI roll with a mouse. I have a professor currently who's an incredible EDM producer and doesn't even use a mouse most of the time, just the trackpad on his laptop.
So in short, you can probably go very far without a MIDI keyboard, if it turns out that your workflow is good without one.
> arturia minilab
Is there something particular in the Arturia that you are looking for or is it one that you have settled upon? They make amazing gear, but there are so many products out now that you can find one that directly fits your needs.
For instance:
http://www.amazon.com/Novation-Impulse-25-Controller-Keyboard/dp/B005M02VJG
This is a bit more, but has transport controls and rocker-style pitch and mod wheels and some extras. It can be found used but new for $139.90.
I personally was at Musik Messe in Germany last year; Largest Electronic and Audio Expo in the world. There are so many people making gear now that you really can find pretty much what you are looking for. Additionally there are tools like
http://www.amazon.com/Akai-Professional-MPK-MINI-MKII/dp/B00IJ6QAO2/ref=pd_cp_MI_0
Not trying to sway your vote one way or another. I just have spent thousands over the years on all sorts of controlers over the years, have been doing this for a very long time, and want to help educate those who are pursuing similar paths.
One word of advice, having a hopped up gaming computer is great. However, the "tuning" I was speaking of in the thread pertaining to digital audio recording is a lot different than how one would tune a computer for gaming. Both can still be achieved well on a single computer, but there are some major differences that have to be lived with on the gaming side to ensure best recording experiences possible.
It's actually pretty easy. I have a lot of experience playing music, but 0 experience playing any kind of piano or keyboard...and I use a MIDI controller/keyboard to make that stuff.
So you really don't need to have crazy skills or anything, just an ear for what you're into. Got this one for 100 bones on amazon, but I bet you can find even cheaper ones.
I then use this program called Reason to emulate synthesizers and drum machines and stuff. Set a tempo and get to recording!
I put some more of my stuff up for you to check out if you're interested on that account.
thanks for the quick answer!
I think i'll go for the 25 keys one because i do not need a big keyboard. Thanks a lot btw it seems perfect!
EDIT:
What do you think about this one?
https://www.amazon.com/Akai-Professional-MPK-Performance-Ready-8-Assignable/dp/B00IJ6QAO2/ref=sr_1_4?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1543602444&sr=1-4&keywords=midi%2Bkeyboard&th=1
Another vote for the scarlet interface. As far as a controller, as the others have said, this depends on what you're interested in doing. I would recommend either the McMillen k board (has good ratings, good reactivity, and the soft keys can function well for a wide range of inputs. It is just a stripped down midi controller, no frills, no knobs. Supposedly indestructible and very low profile, small footprint.)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PRSMRVA/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_N.4TBb0BEJ5VK
Another option is an akai mpk mini. Feels a bit like old school casio entry-level keyboards, but it has both keys and a set of 8 pads. The pads are good and it's got some nice options for additional control of your DAW.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IJ6QAO2/ref=cm_sw_r_em_apa_Af5TBb712R4KB
I outfitted my entire studio (minus the push 2) for about 500 by getting equipment used off of amazon, offerup and craigslist. Be patient, get what you need to get started and spend most of your time learning your DAW and its core functions and stock plugins. Watch tutorials and read the manual. Experiment a bit and research when you run into an obstacle. Start with too much and you'll get overwhelmed quick. Take your time and you'll feel like a wizard.
edit: A quick afterthought. Both of these keyboards have smaller keys. If that's an issue, you may want to look at other options. I list both of these because they have good quality and versatility for the price, with a nice addition of being highly portable should you want to take your setup mobile.
You can get by with as little as an Akai MPK MINI. Headphones are always on sale. Get sennheisers or grados. Or get maudio studio monitors.
I would get this midi keyboard
https://www.amazon.com/Akai-Professional-MPK-Ultra-Portable-Controller/dp/B00IJ6QAO2/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1536448710&amp;sr=8-3&amp;pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&amp;keywords=mpk+mini+mk2&amp;dpPl=1&amp;dpID=416Tlwn7yzL&amp;ref=plSrch
This thing is really affordable and is the best bang for your buck. It's portable, feels great, and convenient. The drum pads feel amazing and the keys are kinda small, but still velocity sensitive so it's great for laying down synth leads or chords. It's a great intro piece to your production. Its so much better than a computer or laptop keyboard. You'll find out even early on how limited just a laptop keyboard is.
So idk ask for this for Christmas, mow some lawns. It'll be one of your greatest investments in early production.
>https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IJ6QAO2/ref=cm\_sw\_r\_cp\_apa\_i\_kIgADbBHGN19A
RedDeadRedemptioner,
Thanks for the suggestion! Now THAT looks like a sexy midi keyboard. I'm strongly considering getting it. Perfect size for my desk especially.
I've been looking at this one: http://www.amazon.com/Akai-Professional-MPK-MINI-MKII/dp/B00IJ6QAO2/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1421106407&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=midi+keyboard
Akai 25 key on sale now.
Amazon lighting deal 99.99 now 79.99
https://smile.amazon.com/Akai-Professional-MPK-Mini-Controller/dp/B00IJ6QAO2/ref=pe_2608000_217037450_pd_h0_t&amp;smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER
Sorry I don't have any advice on the units you're looking at since I'm new to the space too, but I can share my experience.
The route I ended up going was purchasing an Akai MPK Mini, and used that to get a free copy of Ableton Live Lite. It's giving me the opportunity to experiment with soft synths to see what I'm capable of before taking the plunge into the rabbit hole of $1,000+ units, just in case I end up getting overwhelmed or bored with the creation process. Luckily, so far I haven't.
I also use midi2lr. It's a life changer. I keep meaning to buy one of the X-touch-mini's, but I already had one of these - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IJ6QAO2/ref=s9_acsd_top_hd_bw_boEuX_c_x_1_w?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&amp;pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-4&amp;pf_rd_r=Z06DHTG7ACHWCTNRHX2Y&amp;pf_rd_t=101&amp;pf_rd_p=faffebcf-0ddd-527b-962e-cdd5b006e17a&amp;pf_rd_i=11973721
So I just use that for now. Map next and previous photos to big buttons... I have the 0-5 rating numbers assigned to the left most white keys... my most used presets assinged to the right most white keys... the knobs control all of the basic panel sliders. It's amazing how much faster it makes editing.
I'm also looking at <$150 controllers, but I've been checking out the AKAI MPK mini. Doesn't look like there's too much difference in quality but I've heard that AKAI drum pads are always good.
You absolutely can learn piano on 25 keys, dont limit yourself. Once you know your way around the 13 keys in an octave, it's just repeated up and down the keys.
Would love to hear from someone who had experience with some of these controllers
my boyfriend has been really into music (mostly hip hop/rap) since he was a kid and has recently expressed an interest in the producing side of things. he’s mentioned a couple of times that he’d like a keyboard or synthesizer, so i thought i’d get him one for Christmas this year.
i should emphasize that he’s never played an instrument before; i’m sure he doesn’t know how to read notes or anything. i played the piano for about 10 years growing up so i at least can help him out with some of the basics, but what i don’t know anything about is keyboards or synthesizers.
i just want to get him a solid option for beginners. i don’t want to spend too much money (hopefully $150 or less?) in case he tries it and isn’t into it. i don’t know if a keyboard or a synthesizer would be a better fit for him and his interests. below are a few options i pulled from amazon, but again, i don’t know anything about any of this so if you have suggestions please let me know! i really really appreciate all your help in advance, i’ll send gold to a few of those who reply later this evening :)
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I recently purchased this https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00IJ6QAO2/ref=ya_st_dp_summary
I really like the Akai MPK Mini MK2. Check it out! It's got 8 drum pads, 8 knobs, and a mini keyboard. All for $100. I have one myself and absolutely love it!
Mackie CR3's work well, had a roommate with them (and he was a professional musician). $120 for a pair.
Here's a few solid choices:
Presonus 3.5"
Mackie 3" (I have these and love them, though I kind of wish I got the 4" version)
Mackie 4"
Also keep in mind there is a bluetooth version of each of the Mackie's if that appeals to you. Mackie's customer service was good to me too. My CR3's started going out randomly around the time the 1-year warranty was about to expire and they sent me new ones for free. I've had the new ones for over a year and they're still going strong.
I would like to add music production hardware to this list. Since OP is gonna use it for making music, good speakers and a sound card are a must.
I recommend the UR22 sound card. It connects via USB to your computer has 2 ins and 2 outs and comes with pre-amps, which is perfect for the home studio (unless you're recording several tracks at once for drums). The UR22 comes with the Cubase 6 software, which is what I personally use. The Pro Tools Sound card is really expensive and harder to find. If you already have software you can still use the UR22. My only complaint is that the preamps are a little on the low side, but they get the job done on a budget, not really a big deal.
https://www.amazon.com/Steinberg-UR22MKII-2-Channel-USB-Interface/dp/B017MVUAHM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1465770351&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=ur+22
As for audio monitors, I really like the Mackie CR3s. You can get a pair of these for 99, which is great on a budget and still produce high quality sound. Monitors can get really pricey and take up a lot of space, if you want something of a higher quality you'd have to buy each on separately. Also get 2 1/4" cables to go out from the sound card to the audio monitors.
https://www.amazon.com/Mackie-CR3-Creative-Reference-Multimedia/dp/B00KVEIY4E/ref=zg_bs_11974991_1
If you're dead set on just a single speaker, you could find some sort of iPod dock or Bluetooth speaker (like Bud said) with an auxiliary input to plug in the Chromecast. They're fairly common, and many are under $100. I did the same with my girlfriend's old iPod dock and it works great.
However, if you're open to 2.0, these Mackies are powered (no need for an external amplifier) and sound wonderful. Probably better than a lot of bluetooth speakers or iPod docks that are under or around $100.
Looks to be these.
For reference, most people around here just wouldn't consider $129 expensive. Most people around here probably aren't going to have very much experience with small plastic speakers in this price range.
However, there are lots of people here who listen to a lot of music at their computer and there are lots of solutions for that ranging from $100 to $10,000. If you're looking for an inexpensive speaker solution for a computer, these are a pretty good option. Cheaper than the T40 and will likely sound better.
You're going to need active monitors like these http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KVEIY4E/ which start at $100/pair
Yes, you either need amp+speakers or powered speakers. You aren't really going to find any powered speakers for under $100 except like a set of Logitech computer speakers.
You can check out these but with 3" woofers you're going to get very little bass and you might end up blowing them by driving them too hard.
I have an lp60 (wanted to start small) and I bought Mackie CR4's from Amazon. They have been everything and then some.
Got my dad the same setup for christmas but with CR3's, watching the old man rock out to zeppelin IV was the coolest thing. The mackies sound good for the price.
http://www.amazon.com/Mackie-CR-CR3-Reference-Multimedia/dp/B00KVEIY4E/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1457983336&amp;sr=8-6&amp;keywords=mackie+cr5
Well your motherboard has a built in audio controller which is generally considered pretty good (unless you plan on doing high end audio work, e.g. audio production/mixing). These are quite good studio monitors in my experience for $100. They’re an active/passive pair so you plug your inputs into the back of the active speaker which will act as an amp and send signal over to the passive one. Basically this means you won’t have to buy an external DAC/amp to use these. I plan to buy myself a set in the near future as the cheap Logitech pc speakers I’m currently using are pretty not awesome.
Sure thing.
Speakers (4" silver): https://www.amazon.com/Mackie-CR-CR3-Reference-Multimedia/dp/B00KVEIY4E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1488319509&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=mackie+cr3
Desk top: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60275223/
Desk legs: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/80150095/
Hi guys!!
Im looking for a 100 dollars or less speakers for my pc!
Should I get Mackie CR Series CR3 - 3"
or one of these
Cyber Acoustics 30 Watt Powered Speakers
Logitech Speaker System Z313
please help :) any other suggestion is welcomed
In that case I would suggest Mackie CR3. They should cost around $99 and the sound quality is excellent for the price. I've had a pair for the past 2-3 years and am really pleased with the quality.
https://www.amazon.com/Mackie-CR-CR3-Reference-Multimedia/dp/B00KVEIY4E
Find these in Ca.
What's your budget? I picked up Mackie CR3 for $100. They are amazing.
I used to have this system, lasted about 5 years until the speaker clips just broke off.
https://www.amazon.com/Klipsch-ProMedia-Certified-Computer-Speaker/dp/B000062VUO
Does not include a sub, but I bet these thump https://www.amazon.com/Mackie-CR-CR3-Reference-Multimedia/dp/B00KVEIY4E
well, i figured this out, i think, if you're curious to know.
it seems OBS will recognize any audio device that your computer can, however it will only listen to channels 1 and 2 of whatever mixer you're using. you can sort of hardware-hack around this, by routing an rca-to-rca cable from the record out to the channel 1's in, thus making your audio heard within OBS, however you lose out on an entire channel just for this purpose.
i decided to get an extremely cheap usb/rca device, which will do the trick a lot more efficiently and will save me the channel i need.
this was the only video that actually shed some light on my situation.
http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-UCA222-U-Control-Ultra-Low-Downloadable/dp/B0023BYDHK/ref=pd_sim_MI_4?ie=UTF8&amp;refRID=0FBGN4Q2EAYN1X0Z6B75
Try this one here
I'm not familiar with Massive, but I can help with getting your bass signal to your pc.
As a first option, there are 1/4" guitar USB devices sold expressly for this purpose. Behringer makes the cheapest one I know of: Behringer UCG-102. Ran across it while looking for a general purpose USB audio interface, but I didn't buy it because of the reviews complaining about the drivers. There's a $30 Mac cable I've seen used, too, but I don't know if anyone has PC or linux drivers for it. There are a lot of others, most of which start around $100 that I've seen. The Native Instruments one runs several hundred $$, I think.
I have a cheap jerry-rigged method that suits my needs, though. If you have a desktop pc, a DI pedal, or a better soundcard than usual, you might be able to do something like this more easily, but this is what I threw together one day after picking up the ground-isolator and USB audio interface for other purposes:
1/4"-to-3.5mm adapter into the headphone-out of amp, then a 3.5mm-to-RCA converter on top of that. Ground-loop-isolator (mine has RCA inputs and outputs, hence the converters) from that into the USB audio interface. I'm using the Behringer UCA-222. The interface connects to the PC via USB, or course.
Two things worth noting: 1) you'll probably want to install "ASIO4ALL" drivers to decrease latency times on this or similar USB audio interfaces and 2) you may not need a ground loop isolator, depending on your hardware. I'm using a laptop in this setup, and if it's plugged in then there's some interference. Easy way to check: while the pc's plugged in, if you can output your pc's audio to the Line In on your amp without hearing static, you probably don't need a ground loop isolator.
Hope that helps.
My motherboard has ALC892 and upgrading to a DAC has a significant improvement in my system, even the cheapest DACs sound better. But depending on your mobo implementation of that chip, and your PSU etc, YMMV. Sound card is still in your case so any EMI you may hear with your mobo sound will likely still be there, better to buy a external DAC like this one:
www.amazon.com/Behringer-UCA222-BEHRINGER-U-CONTROL/dp/B0023BYDHK
So what's the application? Is this at home? How do you want to control it? You can get a Raspberry Pi and install PiCore There are DAC that rival anything available. You can get the HiFiBerry DAC/AMP and plug in a USB drive. Play all your music off that. Control it with your phone.
The Audiosource is a nice amp, and the ELAC are great. I am not a huge fan of the Fiio, it's nice, but it's not very robust. I have had better luck with those cheap Behringer UCA 222
I use that mixer for my podcast. Bought it off Craigslist for 40 bucks about four years ago and it's still going strong. It gets the job done and I really have no need to upgrade. But like others have said:
But like I said, that's the mixer I use, granted I didn't pay $90 for it. The way I'm able to record to my PC is with this Behringer USB audio interface. Sure it's a lot more cables, but it was a much cheaper alternative back when I was starting up and didn't have the funds for a USB mixer. I would check your local craigslist or eBay for some used Behringer or Mackie mixers, both are built to last and there are some great deals to be had. Spend the extra money you save on better mics and you'll be on your way. If you're the paranoid type you can always invest in a digital recorder for back up, since someone else mentioned there's always a risk the program or PC will crash. Hasn't happened to me yet, but you never know. Be sure to let us know when your first episode is up!
You're asking this question in the wrong sub, but what you want is a low-latency audio interface. The Behringer UCA222 is an inexpensive USB option. I haven't used that interface (I use an Apogee Duet), but the specifications look good for the price and the reviews are mostly positive.
That $30 audio interface should work much better than an old sound card.
I use this to avoid using the 3.5mm jack on the switch.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Behringer-UCA222-U-Control-Ultra-Low-Interface/dp/B0023BYDHK/ref=sr_1_8?crid=2FPMNL3YYLOI4&amp;keywords=beringer+usb+audio&amp;qid=1569309803&amp;s=gateway&amp;sprefix=beringher+usb%2Caps%2C157&amp;sr=8-8
I have absolutely no problems with the "sleep mode" hiss that you mention (no need to disconnect) and it's better sound quality IMO.
My setup isn't that different from yours, I have a mixer and a focusrite saffire 6 USB. You combine everything at the focusrite level, I do it at the mixer level (in my case, there's a reason for this that is unrelated to the switch). Some sound sources I don't want them to go through the DAC, so they go straight to the mixer.
Depends on your price range. I started with a Behringer UCA222 then upgraded via a Steinberg UR-22 which broke after a while. Now I'm using a Behringer UMC404HD which has lasted well so far. You could go for the smaller version, which is surprisingly cheap, if you don't plan on recording many instruments at the same time.
People say good things about the Focusrite Scarlett series as well. I've never used one but they are a little bit more pricey than the Behringers so I always end up with one of them instead.
Depends in the controller. I got the Numark Mixtrack Pro as my first controller. It has a mix input and I use it with virtual DJ, which has a built in recording option. If you don't have that option, Behringer has a great external sound card that will give you RCA inputs in your computer to use a free program like audacity to record. Won't be studio, but will work.
I played on a Mixtrack Pro for years - bought it as a cheap experiment, figuring I'd upgrade when it wore out, and then it just... didn't wear out. I ended up playing quite a lot of gigs with it. It was really nice to have a cheap indestructible controller I could throw in a bag and take out to a warehouse or some forest or whatever.
Only thing the non-Pro Mixtrack is missing is a sound card, which would let you have a separate headphone cue output from the master output. But for $40, what have you got to lose? Try it out. You'll probably have a good time. If you like it, buy a sound card, or buy a better controller. I think it's a good plan.
This thing and one of these
To be able to hear it on your computer, you will need an audio interface, or, an audio input on your built-in sound. If your computer is a desktop and you have external speakers that are driven by audio out (and not usb) and are powered (aren't passive), you could just get a Stereo to Left+Right cable to plug the Microkorg into. If the speakers are passive (don't plug into power), you will need and amp to boost the signal from line level out to speaker level (or it will be very quiet).
To be able to control FL Studio / have FL Studio control the Microkorg, you will need a midi interface.
Something like the PreSonus Audiobox USB is a great 2 In x 2 Out Audio and 1 In x 1 Out Midi interface ($100 at Sweetwater. You can get cheaper midi and audio interfaces, but I wouldn't trust them all that much ... personal opinion ... though for starting out, it might not be a bad idea to test the waters as it were.
I used THIS usb audio interface for recording and it worked well enough for what you want to do. You record into Audacity by setting the input to USB. A separate mic input is not needed. I used it on an older MacBook Pro.
holy shit, thank you so much for the explanation and the link - that helped me out a TON in even understanding what i'm getting into.... so basically, i have everything from 5-7 (i got beyerdynamics dt 770 pros a while ago), what i need is the others and an audio interface ... question: is it problematic to buy a cheap audio interface for my purposes (like, say, https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-U-Control-Ultra-Low-Interface-Software/dp/B0023BYDHK ) ?
and, since i can get a new beyerdynamics m99 for 300€ (im from europe), would you say thats an alternative of the same quality to the shure sm7b (which would cost 80 euroes more)? i'm trying to get the entire package for 500 euroes. my current setup is an usb microphone, so i'll need to get all the gear.
Unless you need the extra ports and utility, higher price doesn't increase audio quality only functionality.
My best purchase in recent time was a BEHRINGER U-CONTROL UCA222.
Here is how I can hear both my computer sound and Yamaha P71 sound through my headphones.
Hopefully that is helpful. Took me a while to figure out but it works really well.
Yes, there are at least three options (maybe more I am not familiar with). If you purchase an external audio interface with a USB -> Toslink digital path (like the Behringer U-Control UCA222), and an appropriate cable, you can transfer all the digital audio content you want in real time from your computer to your MZ-N505. Then you'd need to place your own track marks and name the tracks manually. With NetMD software running on a PC, you can transfer WAV files directly to an MD at LP quality and naming files is much easier. There is more modern software for Windows, Mac, and Linux that can afford SP transfers and which also automates file naming, but you'll need to be comfortable with a command line interface. Setting up any of this is a little outside my ability to support directly, but there are many tutorials online to be found if you look/ask around.
Can't recommend the Zoom series enough. They have absolutely fantastic audio quality. You can even pick up the discontinued ZoomH1 for under a hundred bucks second hand - although the battery latch does jiggle so you need to tape or tack it down when doing field-recordings, but the quality is just as good as the H1n and H4n which are far more expensive.
I used the H1 for years before upgrading, and only did so cos I had spare cash and felt the non-jiggling battery latch was worth a couple hundred bucks. But if you're on a budget, and have some tape, its a non-issue. I took that thing all over - Indonesia, New Zealand, Kuala Lumpur, Tokyo, Sydney, etc - and it stood the scorching heat, unrelenting humidity, ferocious snow, and more, pumping out quality in all scenarios.
Throw a deadcat on there and you're set for almost any amount of wind as well. I don't use the H1 for field recording anymore, but its now attached to a boom-arm on my desk and I use it for voice work. Probably the most value I have ever gotten out of $180.
I have a Zoom H1. It's pretty good for what it is, is cheap but still has nice quality for the price. It does feel a bit flimsy but if you're careful with it it'll last you for a long time. It also happens to be on sale at Amazon.com right now.
http://www.amazon.com/Zoom-Handy-Portable-Digital-Recorder/dp/B003QKBVYK
Easiest way to do it is a field X/Y mic (We used a Zoom H1, H4 is even better) at the head of the table, going into Audacity, or Garageband if you happen to have a Mac.
With some noise removal, you can get a decent recording, essentially what we had in season 5.
Nowadays we each have our own mic going through a mixer into Audio Hijack.
WHICH I CANNOT RECOMMEND ENOUGH! It's so cool. It can record anything happening on your computer and manipulate and store it any way you want.
Would you be able to place an external audio recorder (http://www.amazon.com/Zoom-Handy-Portable-Digital-Recorder/dp/B003QKBVYK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1408388355&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=zoom+h1) closer to the action? This would greatly improve your sound.
Audacity is a free, open-source recording program that's pretty great. It's possible to plug directly in to the mic input, but I'd suggest getting a USB mic and using your amp. The Samson Go Mic is good and the Zoom H1 (and other H series recorders) can also function as USB mics.
Get one of these http://www.giant-squid-audio-lab.com/gs/gs-mono.html
Plug it into one of these: http://www.amazon.com/Zoom-ZH1-Portable-Digital-Recorder/dp/B003QKBVYK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1371510911&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=zoom+h1
You can get away with crappy video and proper audio, but not the other way around. This is the best, most cost effective option and is not something you will have to buy again for lack of quality being on the cheap.
I've had really good luck with the Zoom H1: http://www.amazon.com/Zoom-H1-Portable-Digital-Recorder/dp/B003QKBVYK
Stereo, can record in 24bit/94khz wavs, really affordable ($100 or less). The device itself doesnt feel as robust as the more expensive ones, but its been knocked around quite a bit and still works perfectly. The audio quality is pretty damn amazing for that price. It has an output so you can have it record right to the camera's mic-in, or just save to micro-SD.
Consider this + this?
http://www.giant-squid-audio-lab.com/
http://www.amazon.com/Zoom-H1-Portable-Digital-Recorder/dp/B003QKBVYK/
I haven't used either, however I've been researching these for work and they both sound like winners. If this project gets the go-ahead, I'll be getting this setup.
Zoom h1 is a solid, simple recorder. Record to WAV then edit as needed with Audacity or Reaper
Dang, I was going to recommend this, but it's out of your price range ($95 / £77). Linking it here for others though:
http://www.amazon.com/Zoom-H1-Portable-Digital-Recorder/dp/B003QKBVYK/
Amazon UK link:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Zoom-H1-with-2GB-card/dp/B003Y6S2WU/
Creative ! I think the zoom h1 makes real nice recordings . But you just need a way to create a hand held mount that will eliminate the hand friction . Or use an external mic. The recorder is affordable.
Video
>12X optical point and shoot with amazing low-light performance.
That pretty much disqualifies zooming on every P & S camera. Typically zoom lenses have a max aperture of f5.6 or greater at the longest end. This problem is made worse by the tiny sensor built into p&s cameras.
Also...
Audio
>the mic was crap and you couldn't hear anything over the amazing bass (I heard a paper tape over the mic can help in these cases!).
Sound pressure at concerts is way too high for clear audio on the built in mic of any p&s or even a DSLR camera. To record clear audio during a show you'd could try getting an external digital recorder (like a Zoom H1 audio recorder), record the audio and video separately, then re-sync them in your video editing software. See what I'm talking about >HERE<
I figure you want a p&s to keep your setup small, discreet, and allowable at a concert venue, so all DSLRs are out in this reccomendation.
So, what you'll need to do is this:
Note* - If you must zoom, you need to stabilize the camera (preferably a tripod or monopod). If you cant use either cause of the venue, then tuck your arms against your body tight, and hold the camera with two hands. In any case, your video is still gonna look like crap if it's zoomed, grainy (cause the camera will raise the ISO to try get a decent exposure), and jerky (cause your holding the camera with one arm above the crowd).
This is one as an example that I'm looking at.
http://www.amazon.com/Zoom-H1-Portable-Digital-Recorder/dp/B003QKBVYK/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top
It records WAVs at 96kHz/48kHz/44.1kHz at 16-bit or 24-bit
I have a zoom h1 and it records pretty nicely. I'm not recording instruments with it or anything, but It works well for enviornmental sounds and random weird things that I tend to record. The price is definitely right on this one.
http://www.amazon.com/Zoom-Handy-Portable-Digital-Recorder/dp/B003QKBVYK/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1415834311&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=zoom+h1
I've had this one for about a year and like it a lot. I got the wind screen attachment also, but I've never needed to use it even though I do interviews in cars, outside, etc. YMMV. I've had good luck with this recorder even in settings like restaurants where I might be interviewing one or two people over a lot of background noise.
At that budget, I'd recommend a portable recorder, like the Zoom H1: It'll get the job done, and will work just fine for this purpose.
I googled its price, out of curiosity, Amazon is selling one for 109 dollars.
Of course, if quality is really not an issue, then yes, you can always just use your phone; Just don't expect professional-level quality.
I really like these:
Zoom ZH1 H1 Handy Portable Digital Recorder (Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003QKBVYK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_X8j3CbJG81417
But I’ll take a laptop and mics sometimes too - or just use my phone!
Im new to the game as well, but so far these are the things I have picked up for my G6:
first, i bought a G6 kit that came with some handy stuff
I have also purchased
A slightly better tripod
A flood light
Battery pack for said light
Variable ND Fader for filming out doors
Rode shotgun Mic
Zoom H1
Lav mic to go with the H1
Headphones to listen for levels
Triple Mount Hot Shoe
Backpack to hold everything
This is just a fun lens, and its cheap the 50mm means its a 100mm equivelent, so its for really tight portraits, but the low aperture is good for low/light and for a very shallow field depth. When I am able to use it, this lens produces the most popular results when i post them online.
new strap cause the one that comes with the G6 sucks!
What i want to get:
A bigger zoom lens I am mostly interested in videography(weddings etc), and this would be good for back of the house shots)
The M 3/4's "nifty fifty"
If you're just needing Natural Sound, then the Rode VideoMic Go will do you fine. It also picks up decently well in interviews.
However, even if you have that Shotgun for interviews, to make them just that much better, use a Giant Squid Lav Mic connected to a Zoom H1. It's a phenomenal entry level Lav setup that is decently affordable.
In this range I'd probably try my luck with the Zoom H1. No experience with the H1, but I use an H4N and the stereo mics work pretty well by themselves on that.
Amazon link.
Zoom H1 handy recorder
Reaper
Don't be a cunt
I highly recommend the Zoom H1. It's got built in stereo mics and can record at 96k 24bit. It's super portable, so it works great for recording practice sessions or performances. It also comes with Wavelab which is a reasonably useful DAW.
https://www.amazon.com/Zoom-ZH1-Portable-Digital-Recorder/dp/B003QKBVYK
The H1
Rode Shotgun (if its in your price range, there are cheaper) http://amzn.to/2cqqWVA ($200+)
Takstar mic - http://amzn.to/2cqqA10 ($24) got really good reviews and claimed that it's the same manufacturer as the rode?
Recorder: H1 - http://amzn.to/2c6zbJS ($90)
Lav: Rode Smartlav - http://amzn.to/2cqofTU ($80)
Cheaper Lav - http://amzn.to/2c0jWh6 ($18) works just as well
Trrs - Trs adaptor - http://amzn.to/2c6zbJS ($15)
Hope this helps, check out my gear list if you have any questions!
https://medium.com/@IndiemarchFilm/wedding-season-gear-list-eda046d9749a#.rhqzcw6d9
Not all. Just the ones in our area. I know other people who are recording shows as well. Definitely not all but we will have a few.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003QKBVYK/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1500661051&amp;sr=8-3&amp;pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&amp;keywords=zoom+h1
Not that this idea is bad (it isn't,) but I'll at least point out that buying that puts you at half the cost of the Zoom H1, which would get cleaner audio than the internal pre-amps anyway.
Don't mind at all. Save for 2 of our interviews on Friday morning, we're going to be talking to developers and exhibitors on the show floor. For a few years now, whenever we do interviews without the luxury of being able to do our full mixer and mic set up, we've been using a Zoom H1 (I've also been using it to record the commentary on my let's plays). I upgraded to the H4n recently and I'll be trying that out this year.
If you want to get an idea of how stuff came out while we recording, this is our interview with tinyBuild from last year: http://www.podcastgarden.com/episode/tinybuild-games-pax-east-2014_15536 Skip ahead to about 2 minutes in. This is after post-processing with some noise removal to get the general din of the crowd out.
It works really well and can even double as a USB mic. Here's the listing on Amazon: http://amzn.com/B003QKBVYK
I think this would have been a much better choice for the money.
>HD201 are pretty bad headphones, they have a good price/performance ratio, but they're still bad.
I figured, but I can't afford nicer ones at the moment, and I have a decent set of speakers.
(At least I think so? M-Audio Studiophile AV 40)
Had these for 2+ years now. The sound sometimes disappears from one of the speakers until you turn it off and on again but otherwise no complaints.
Here are some options that I would look into.
None of these include Bluetooth so you'll need a cable to connect to each. If this is an issue I would look at a different option.
$119 from Amazon, it seems.
I have these, and while they're not perfect, they sound good.
http://www.amazon.com/M-Audio-Studiophile-Powered-Monitor-Speakers/dp/B0051WAM64/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1341875188&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=av40
So I'm looking to get into the vinyl game and am looking at buying my first turntable. I've found some good deals on Craigslist for the Audio-Technica AT-LP120, so I'll go with one of those. Now, I own M-Audio AV40 speakers (link here) that are currently hooked up to my computer.
My question is how can I have both my computer and the turntable using these speakers?
Also, will I need anything besides the turntable to the speakers? I know they're active, so that should be enough correct?
Thanks for the help!
I'm far from the most senior audiophile here, but I hope I can help a little. There was a similar question a week ago or so that summarized some good options in this price range. Here it is, these are all powered speakers or speakers with an amp.
Among the ones mentioned, I have the M-Audio AV40s and I love them. For what you listen to, I can genuinely say you probably will too. On top of sounding wonderful, they are really easy to drive, which makes them very versatile. Honestly, they out perform some $350 speakers I have in terms of accuracy and sound staging. The only downside is the serious lack below 80 Hz, but I think for the music you listen to, it shouldn't be noticeable.
The other options on that list I can't talk as much, but I've heard nothing but good things about Swans (besides the fact that they're gorgeous too). The Klipsch I have heard, and to be honest I didn't like them as much as I thought I would. Maybe it was the way they were setup, but they seemed to be lacking in the lower mids. And the Dayton's are often thrown out there (and always by ZeosPantera) which I looked into, but after reading so many "they're great for being only $25" posts, I seriously started wondering if they were worth the $50 they are now.
So yeah, look into Swans and M-Audio. You can find the later at GuitarCenter or any music store (they are monitors after all) where you can request a listen. Swans I'm not so sure about where to find them, but aesthetically, they may go with your turntable nicely.
I'm pretty sure these are the same ones I have mounted as my surround side speakers. The cones are all paper, the high end is weak and they're inaccurate all around.
I've recommended M-Audio's AV40s to plenty of people and have never heard a single bad thing about them, besides maybe bass response which you should not expect from any 4" speaker anyway. Pair these with a decent sub, and you've got audiophile-quality sound for under $500.
[edit] This is the subwoofer I've had for over 3 years. The reviews do not lie, it is way more than you would think a single 10" could ever be capable of.
Personally, I agree with /u/tysonification but if you are truly intent on buying some monitors at that range then I'd recommend M-Audio AV 40s. I've heard some pretty tight tracks that have been produced using them (though that says more of the producer than the speakers themselves).
That amp is meant for outputting to powered speakers. The speakers you have posted here are passive and can not be powered without an amp. You could use these speakers with your headphone amp
Prior to my more budget friendly ventures, I was eyeing the M-audio AV40. What are your opinions on those speakers? Are they better than the AV30?
I have a pair of M-Audio AV40s and a Polk Audio PSW10 for my setup and they sound great as long as the room isn't enormous and you aren't planning on using them to fill an entire room with sound (speakers seem to be more directional). I managed to snag both sets of speakers for less than $100 each. Neither of them require an amplifier, so it makes them more convenient for a computer setup.
I recommend M-Audio AV-40's, Audioengine A2's, or Swan M200MkII's.
http://www.amazon.com/M-Audio-Studiophile-Powered-Monitor-Speakers/dp/B0051WAM64/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1347067631&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=m-audio+av-40
http://www.amazon.com/Audioengine-Premium-Powered-Desktop-Speaker/dp/B000VKEFMS/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1347067724&amp;sr=1-2&amp;keywords=audioengine+a2
http://www.theaudioinsider.com/product_info.php?products_id=184&amp;gclid=CMWF6YTrpLICFYk7OgodN0IAAw
Not sure what youre looking for or your budget, but i got there a few weeks ago and am really liking them. You may want to try to find the proper audio subreddit for it to get better results.
I saw these for sale on Amazon earlier today. link
I got these, I think they sound great
Do not buy a wave music system. You can get similar quality sound for much less money. BOSE is really great at telling you they make great sounding stuff, they're not as great at actually making great sounding products. Many of their products rely on sound reflection, a property that qualified sound engineers try to avoid at all costs (this is why multimillion dollar concert/opera halls don't have straight walls).
Anyway, if my budget was $400... here's what I would do:
amplified speakers: http://amzn.com/B0051WAM64
tube phono preamp: http://amzn.com/B001BYM3JU
...and that would still leave with you a few bucks for taxes and cables.
If you have money at your disposal, use This. You can put it on top of your desk and simply switch jacks when needed. It sounds tedious, but it's better than to crawl under your desk. Also, you can have multiple audio sources and can configure bass levels.
Use either an analog mic into a mixer or a usb mic with built in monitoring, then use headphones to hear the mix during your recording session. You can find a cheap usb audio most for about $50, I use the Behringer xenyx 302usb, for example. You'll find that these tend to give better audio recording quality than a standard mic in port as well, since they are usually shielded better and build to a higher quality standard.
I use a Lexicon Alpha interface. Its about as basic as it comes, but hell it works just fine. One instrument and one mic input, I usually plug my bass straight in or run it through my amp output since I'm too cheap to get buy a DI or a good mic for bass. It also comes with the program Cubase. Again, its basic and its kinda finicky, but its as functional as any other software once you learn how to use it. There could be better interfaces at this price though, it looks like Behringer also has a pretty competent interface for $50 but I've never used it.
Yes, a mixer is required if you want both. I presumed you wanted to just hear audio from whichever device without re plugging the headphones, which is a common request.
There are tiny mixers that would be suitable to your application.
I'd go for something like this:
https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-302USB-BEHRINGER-XENYX/dp/B005EHILV4
This lets you take line in from your PC via USB, which will be marginally better than using its line out, and you would plug in your PS4 using a cable that ends in 2x RCA. It also allows you to use your headset with 1/8" cables directly (including the mic!), provided you get a TRRS to dual TRS adaptor.
I was originally going to recommend the Behringer micromix discussed elsewhere in this thread, but it's a 4 to 1 mono mixer, so not what you want.
Here's the mixer I'm using with the cables unplugged, this (I think) is it on Amazon. For power I have it plugged into my computer via USB, although when I first started using the mixer with Rock Band, I just had it plugged in via a power outlet.
These are the two cables I use for plugging in the kit and PS4 controller. Here's the mixer with the cables plugged in. The middle white and red RCA cables are plugged into the AV receiver, which is a Sony STR-DG820 (my dad purchased it years ago and just had it laying around somewhere).
Under the Quick Menu > Sound/Devices on the PS4, this setting has to be put on All Audio so that way when you plug in the controller, it'll route all game audio to the mixer.
Here's a video of how it sounds with me playing through bits of In Waves, Snow (Hey Oh), and Sulfur. Before playing Snow, I swapped the aux cords so the ReTrak cable is connected to controller and the other to the kit since for some reason the audio for the guitar riff that plays throughout most of the song can't be heard when I have them the way I mentioned above. Besides that, it all comes together pretty well. Hope this all helps.
Edit: fixed swap mentioned at bottom.
Assuming you already have a camera, you need everything from the camera output until it hits the interwebz.
Magewell HDMI or SDI USB capture device. It shows up as a UVC device (like a webcam, no drivers necessary) on Macs and Windows.
You also need a way to get audio into the computer. Cheapest way: Behringer 302USB. No drivers for this either. One mic input, one RCA stereo input.
For the computer, you need something relatively powerful. A modern mid-spec notebook will work. Make sure it has USB3. For software, OBS. It's free.
You need internet also (duh.) Wired when possible, best to bring a long CAT5 cable with you. If there's no internet in the venue, I've had success with cell hotspots.
I'm just using a dynamic XLR mic and an audio interface that I had sitting around since I do some studio work. Also a boomstand behind the table.
Interface: http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-302USB-Premium-5-Input-Interface/dp/B005EHILV4/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1376861795&amp;sr=8-8&amp;keywords=xlr+to+usb
Mic: Shure SM48
Generally speaking, the more software you use, the more things can mess up when trying to link them into OBS. I personally never recommend software mixers just as they have a nasty habit of screwing up when live.
One thing I can't stress enough when it comes to audio, don't go too cheap! Fundamentally, you do have to spend a little bit to get a setup that works. An entry level audio setup will still set you back around $100.
For entry setups I'd recommend looking at the Neewer kits on Amazon. They do need a phantom power source too, yet they're still better than using a basic headset mic. From there, with them being all XLR based, you can use essentially any usb mixer you want. Behringer have a huge range of these with USB output to hook them into PC, starting around $40 too.
Unplug from PS4 and plug into PC.
If you want everything plugged into one central location, then you're going to have to look at buying a mixer and experiment with the wiring yourself.
If you're on a budget
This mixer with this mic and this stand
The mic is a dynamic as opposed to a condenser (and on amazon comes with a free cable) So it won't pick up background noise nearly as bad as a condenser (especially the yeti) would, and the stand comes with a pop filter. When you decide to upgrade the mic, you can buy an inline phantom power box for like 20 bucks (the unit only has 15v, which isn't enough for most condensers) if you decide to go the condenser route down the road.
This is what I use so my speakers work with both my PC and my turntable at the same time
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B005EHILV4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
I have my PC set to to a DAC and this mixers allows for inputs from both the turntable and the DAC. This all then goes to the output (speakers)
I think it's decent enough, but if you can afford it pick up a mixer
This is what I have
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005EHILV4/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1523346470&amp;sr=8-1&amp;pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&amp;keywords=behringer+xenyx+302
Have you thought about micing your amp? I much prefer this method over using "line outputs". You can pick up an SM57 and an audio interface for a decent price off Amazon. This way you can setup your computer to play audio through the interface (and into headphones) when recording.
As far as the delay in Audacity, you can set up "Latency correction" in "Edit -> Preferences -> Audio I/O".
Here you go!
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005EHILV4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
Note that acoustic treatment is typically much less important for dynamic mics than for condenser mics :) It's a little trickier for multiple person commentary (as you sort of need a dynamic mic per person, which means probably XLR over USB, but you'll be saving on sound treatment, so there's that). Something like a Focusrite scarlett 2i2 interface with two ATR2100 mics or two Shure SM58 mics (SM58s are tanks, and are usually in great quality when gotten used).
Joint commentary is tricky. You can either do a shutgun mic, or condenser and try to manage unwanted noises, or you can go the multiple dynamics route, which should give a very good signal-to-noise ratio.
http://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-Saffire-USB-Audio-Interface/dp/B002R9ILOY
http://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-2i2-USB-Recording-Interface/dp/B005OZE9SA/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1406221994&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=audio+interface
http://www.amazon.com/M-Audio-Track-Mobile-Interface-Preamps/dp/B000BD31ZW/ref=sr_1_30?s=musical-instruments&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1406221909&amp;sr=1-30&amp;keywords=m-audio - This one is okay-ish, i have it, it does the job but not more, dont recommend if you intend to record, the pre-ams are noisy as hell.
I have Reason 7 and a Mac Book (13 inch, non retina, 2012). Everything is just fine and projects from Reason 3 can be used with no problem.
When I was buying a Mac Book the retina was like $600 more than the base model so I went with that, and I'm glad I did. You don't need a retina display to make music.
Also I use an external display, so I never even open the Mac (actually I could probably have just bought a mac mini and it would be the same).
So, you're an engineer...be careful - just get a limited rig and then start making music. Do NOT start reading about everything that's available, your engineering brain will take over and you'll never get around to making music - instead you'll just fall into gear acquisition syndrome.
I would also advise getting the following:
A bluetooth Mac keyboard, a blue tooth mouse, and 4 or 8 rechargeable AA batteries (the batteries are key), and an external display.
For monitors a pair of Jbl LSR305. These seem to be the best "bang for your buck" monitors and in online reviews people will not shut up about how good they sound for $150. Avoid Rokits.
As for midi, I'd say get a good midi keyboard and a good set of drum pads. If you want cheap and easy I'd go for a nanoPad2
If you want something a bit more involved (and actually this is what you should get) go for the padKontrol
You'll need keys. Since you say you're a composer you'll need at least 49 keys (61 and 88 are obviously better, and best). When I was buying stuff the MPK49 was pretty much the best thing you could get (except for the pads). The MPK249 is coming out soon and supposedly has better pads, but we'll see.
And finally an audio interface. I have an Echo Audiofire4 which isn't made anymore (btw it's fucking awesome so if you can find one used, do it). It seems the focusrite 2i2 is the most popular choice among newbies...personally I'd go for something with more inputs. RME and MOTU seem to the best but you'll pay a lot more (though in the long run it's worth it).
I would also say, go slow. There are a ton of cheap midi controllers (like $50-$100) so just get one, see what you like and move on from there. DO NOT cheap out on your audio interface. Your audio interface is the most important part of the whole chain.
So, Reason 7 on a Mac and an external display/mouse/keyboard, some keys and pads, an audio interface, and a good pair of monitors and you're set.
Hope this helps.
Plenty of people will encourage you to get a focusrite scarlett 2i2. At 150, it's a great purchase, and will be far cleaner (in terms of sound quality) than running a USB mic, especially if you're using a laptop (even with an SD, laptops introduce a fair amount of noise). This is what we'll call your AI, or Audio Interface.
http://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-2i2-USB-Recording-Interface/dp/B005OZE9SA
Next, you need a mic. Starting out, I'd recommend you look around on craigslist for some used mics, read up on them, then snap up something simple. That said, plenty of people use SM58s. They're reliable studio workhorses. At 100 (far less if used) new, they're fantastic. Next you'll need an XLR cable for the mic (~10$), and a 1/4" TRS for the guitar (she probably already has one for an amp). The scarlett supports 2 ins (both can be 1/4" TRS or XLR), so she can record herself playing guitar and singing simultaneously. So you're currently out 260. You might also consider getting a decent pair of closed ear headphones for monitoring (cheaper than actual monitors), but many people will argue on this point. Decent closed ear headphones are very expensive (~270 and up), but this may be going beyond your present needs. Let me know if this helps.
http://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-2i2-USB-Recording-Interface/dp/B005OZE9SA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1372253777&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=focusrite+scarlett+2i2
You're welcome. I've read the whole thread and this is what you're looking for.
Currently using the AT2020, running through the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2
This is actually the same audio interface I installed in a radio production studio, and is essentially the same setup minus the in-my-case-unnecessary sound board, just without the electrovoice RE20
I love them, I use to use them for my DJ setup downstairs and recording. I use this http://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-2i2-USB-Recording-Interface/dp/B005OZE9SA They sound great though. If you were going to go with studio monitors, these are a great cheap option. I still prefer yamaha monitors though, thats why I have those downstairs for my DJ equipment =)
Nope, it would absolutely be perfect. Get a Scarlett 2i2 to start you off with a really nice, but basic set-up.
You can gradually move on from there.
Even just buying a second microphone, like a dynamic mic for other applications (plug for a SM57 clone) would make your versitility unbeatable on a budget.
You will learn a ton, and achieve pretty great sound if you work hard.
How about a recording interface? I'm asking for this.
I can only imagine that the PAD would shut them up. If your that concerned about picking up background noise in an open mic setting the only way I see to go about it is to have an audio interface (I have the modestly priced scarlett2i2 http://www.amazon.ca/Focusrite-2i2-USB-Recording-Interface/dp/B005OZE9SA which has wonderfully warm sounding preamps) and then a mic that hooks up via 1/4 inch or XLR. In which case you cant go wrong with a blue spark (http://www.amazon.ca/Microphones-Spark-Condenser-Microphone-Cardioid/dp/B004BR20OM) Which I love or even something cheaper. Ive had a couple apex mics around the 100 dollar mark that actually sounded quite nice as well.
EDIT-I can't spell
Unfortunately, with guitar interfaces, you get what you pay for.
And anything under $350 is going to have limitations and make compromises.
Cheap: Focusrite Scarlett 2i2.
Cheaper: Lexicon Alpha Desktop Recording Studio.
ASIO4All if the drivers suck.
If you find you want to record, get Reaper.
Free to try, cheap to own.
Shit, so I just gotta get this here thingamabob? I'm down, absolutely.
ELI5: If I get this doodlygadget, (plus a audio cable, right?) then I will have the capability to: hear the sounds that I can hear right now on the monologue, directly on Logic Pro X. And to do that, I would need to: plug in the MIDI cable that I already have, AND plug in the audio cable, THROUGH the doodlygizmo, and then plug THAT into the computer. Am I correct? So do I actually need two more cords, to send audio through the interface and then into the computer?
Man I am in over my head
But I have so many ideas for cool music I gotta do this
Not sure how you're able to speak while monitoring with latency, it's incredibly distracting. In fact, this is how speech jamming works.
Like /u/JeamBim pointed out, you need an interface which has direct monitoring of audio before it goes to your computer (such as the Scarlett 2i2)
The cheapest option would be to not use headphones at all but if you need to hear audio from your computer, you'll need to get something to monitor.
Hey, I'm kinda in the same boat, I'm going to buy some Monitors, and I need something for the PC to make it worth it. I'm sure your PC already has some kind of sound card, but I'm guessing it's just got a 3.5 mm stereo jack.
You could get a splitter e.g.:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA8N23HS1217&amp;cm_re=3.5mm_rca-_-9SIA8N23HS1217-_-Product
Then you need to convert the RCA to TRS (that's the only input, right?), you could use something like this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA2E11AU1608&amp;cm_re=RCA_TS-_-9SIA2E11AU1608-_-Product
So - this MIGHT work ok, but it might not as well. Two reasons:
So you might find you aren't happy with the setup. The next step is to get some kind of Audio Interface (fancy name for sound card) that's designed for this kind of thing.
Just getting a dedicated audio interface will improve the sound a lot. You could get one with unbalanced outputs - just RCA out. Since your monitors are so close it probably won't matter.
Here's the cheapest I could find that does have balanced outs, but there's probably others:
http://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-2i2-USB-Recording-Interface/dp/B005OZE9SA/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1457608397&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=focusrite+2i2
The plus side is these things usually have a separate headphone output and volume control, which is super useful if you just want to listen through headphones for a bit and not use the speakers.
Hope that's useful.
For $400, you could either go with bookshelf speakers + an amplifier though someone else would have to fill in the suggestions on that route for me. You can also go with powered monitors (meaning that they're already amped) such as the JBL LSR305s. Keep in mind that you'd need to make sure wherever you purchase these from that they'll come in a pair as studio monitors are sometimes not sold in pairs. As for a cheap interface to connect it, the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 is a solid purchase. This example specifically is about $260 for the speakers, and $150 for the interface so just at about $410. Keep in mind there are many cheaper interfaces you can use or even just a DAC such as this one which would be cheaper by a decent amount.
Either way, both options would be far, far better than the Audio Engine A5+, imo.
I've been looking to get a pair of JBL 305s myself. I agree with others here that the hissing is likely due to using your on-board sound card versus an external USB DAC. Although you are likely using these studio monitors for listening rather than recording, a lot of people seem to use a USB audio interface with monitors like the Scarlett 2i2 that acts as a DAC with instrument recording capability. It has balanced 1/4" TSR outputs for monitors and if you ever decide to get an XLR condenser mic it has the input for that too.
It might be overkill for just a listening setup, but it's cheaper than an Audioengine D1 DAC. I can't speak to the quality difference since I own neither, but it seems you'd get a lot more for your money with the 2i2. Some comments I see is that the 2i2 doesn't have a very robust headphone amp built in for higher impedance headphones, though the same is likely true of the D1 DAC since it is also USB powered.
Go for an XLR mic setup:
Audio interface: https://www.amazon.com/BEHRINGER-Audio-Interface-1-Channel-UM2/dp/B00EK1OTZC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1550175285&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=behringer
Mic: https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-Ultravoice-Dynamic-Microphone-Cardioid/dp/B0002KZAKS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1550175302&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=behringer+xm8500
XLR Cable: https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-Male-Female-Microphone-Cable/dp/B01JNLTTKS/ref=sr_1_4_acs_sk_pb_2_sl?s=musical-instruments&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1550175307&amp;sr=1-4-acs&amp;keywords=xlr+cable
Mic stand: https://www.amazon.com/Adjustable-Microphone-Suspension-Broadcasting-Voice-Over/dp/B00DY1F2CS/ref=sr_1_8?s=musical-instruments&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1550175316&amp;sr=1-8&amp;keywords=mic+stand
Total: $80.16
You wont get anything anywhere near the quality for that price.
I've got a very similar setup, same mic but I have the U-Phoria UMC22 interface instead. So if you have any questions, just ask