Home studio

[finstah]

that seems to be a nice studio,can't wait to see some pics.

It's a freakin' mess right now. lol

[Zilthy]

DAW Hardware:

2013 Macbook Pro
2014 iMac
Thunderbolt Display
4 TB Thunderbolt Drive for tracks

DAW Interfaces:
POD HD Desktop
POD HD 500
POD HD 500X
M-Audio Mobile-Pre

DAW Software:
Logic Pro X
EZ Drums

Instruments/Hardware:
DT25 Combo
DT25 Head
Mesa Boogie 2x12 Recto Cab (vertical)
Casio CDP-120 (Yes, Casio, more on that following)
Roland TD-11K (More on that following)
Audio Technica 2020 Condenser Mic (I have had this one for years, it is my go to mic for both vocals and guitar cab micing)
Behringer Truth Monitors (Also had for years, very nice and clear and focused sound, but need to get used to the 'hyped' factor they add)
ADA MP-1 (Have not used much in awhile, but hopefully will be using more)
ADA 2FX (My go to for flange.  When I really want a flange, this is the only one that pleases me)

Now for my own comments on a couple of things:

The Casio keyboard.  On hindsight, I would probably go with a more generic MIDI keyboard with no sounds built in.  I got the Casio at a great price, looking for an 88 key piano weighted/action keyboard, but I find myself really missing having a pitch shift and modulation wheel.   On the other hand, it is forcing me to actually learn how to play, rather than rely on effects like pitch and mod, plus I can also just sit down, turn it on and play, rather than having to fire up a piece of software.

The V-Druns.  I could have bought the next version up of kit, which would have had the full mesh triggers and better brain, but, getting the lower cost kit and upgrading the heads cost less, and gave me *much* better heads to play with, and saved me a good chunk of money.  This is what I use to record with and trigger the sounds from the EZ Drums addon.  Now, I *could* go with Superior Drums, but the EZ drum kits sound great, and very co-incedentally, match up with what I can trigger on the V-Drums.  Well, technically, I *could* trigger more, but I want a rimshot to be a rimshot no matter what drum I hit.  I am sort of simple that way.

About the *only* piece I really would like to replace in my current setup is that M-Audio Mobile Pre.  I am not a big fan of that one.  It does the job, but I have never been happy with it.   So, I am now looking for a new 'main' audio interface (I can use the other line 6 interfaces, but...)

[rnolan]

Hey Zilthy, nice setup. I've had a pair of Truths for over 10 years I think (the newer Truths don't seem as good now that he has a whole town in China dedicated to the Behringer cause albeit they are much cheaper now, I paid AUD $2k for mine, I think they are $600 ish these days).  Along the way I added the Truth SUB (375w?) which works nicely with them (as it was designed to, xrossover built into the SUB).  I also now have a pair of QUAD ESL 63s, being electrostatic, they are very articulate but don't like to go to loud.  I sometimes run the SUB with them as well just help in the bottom end, and sometimes all together as the QUADs are very good in the midrange and help with the "hyped" factor.
I haven't tried the M-audio stuff.  Some friends bought the Yamaha 2 in/out USB I/O, it came with Cuebase, it was ok ??  A/D D/A convertors are, for the most part, pretty ordinary.  Then I still prefer tape, much finer granularity, obviously no where near as convenient though.  My Digi001 (8in/out) I've liked but only works with Pro Tools.  I wonder if Nakamitchi have any I/O devices.  The D/A conversion in their/my CD player is very nice, when I A/B it with my CDC CD player the difference is quite obvious.
I'm sure some the others here have some decent experience with various I/O (and I/O is the heart of the whole thing).
Cheers Richard

[rnolan]

Zilthy, another thought that may help encourage more use of your MP1, the new ADA GCS-3 cab sim (http://www.adaamps.com/Products/ada-GCS/GCS.htm) works really well in the MP1 fx loop and then you have stereo cab simmed outs, there's a few posts on the board from when I did this with MikeB's MP1, and a new pair of tubes probably wouldn't hurt it  >:D , my choice would be Mullard short plates (http://www.dougstubes.com/preamp-tubes/12ax7-ecc83-7025/mullard-cv4004-12ax7.html) I find them (I currently use the long plates in my MP2s) very 3D. But tubes are very subjective and lots of chat here about them.

[Peter H. Boer]

Nice Setup Zilthy  8)

I'll post my upgraded details when I've got it up and running  O0

[Zilthy]

Anybody with a Mac knows that you can do a helluva lot with Garageband and it's dirt cheap.

Too bad a mac isn't cheap  ;)

Definitely not.  But they sure are pretty!!!  :D

[Chucky]

That Radial Engineering JD-7 looks very nice too bad it's so expensive.

The dude that designed the JD-7 is actually a friend of mine Marsh...   ::)

[Chucky]

Anybody did some reamping with a mp-1 or mp-X,and how do you do it since the signal comming out of mixers and soundcards is line level?

You could use this (Radial Engineering once again...)  :banana-trip:
http://www.radialeng.com/r2011/jcr.php

[MarshallJMP]

Will check it out. :thumb-up:

[finstah]

Spent an entire week cleaning up enough to post the pics I promised. Some are blurry, sorry guys, took it quickly with my phone.  :P

[finstah]

few more

[Peter H. Boer]

Nice Finstah  :thumb-up: