studio setups

[ollie303]

whats your current kit (app) list?
im a bit lost on which direction to take, but seeing what others are using would be a good insight.
im using reason alot nowerdays, find it more flexible than my old hardware setup but do miss the hands on approach.
any one recomend a good happy medium, or am i best of staying digital.

hmmmmm

[FILTERZ]

I am currently using

Korg Prophecy

Tb303

Elektron Machine drum

Mpx 1

Mackie 32-8 desk

Mackie speakers and sub woofer

Laptop running sx2 and steinberg 8x8 midi interface and motu 828 with lots of plugs , synths etc

Emu 6400 ultra

Line 6 , delay modeller .

[stjohn]

A&H Pa12 mixing desk
Elektron MAchinedrum
Korg ESx1
Yamaha DX200
Roland ef 303 (havnt used it yet)
uc33e
a nice desktop with::
Live 6
FM8
Massive
REaktor 5

[fatcollective]

all ya need these days is: -

a damn good PC (with legit copy of cubase or other sequencer)

good solid sound card

plenty of VST's and samples (legit copies if poss, but plenty available for free these days anyway)

Midi keyboard

good monitors (most important)

and away ya go!!

[Craig_Lea]

Spirit SoundCraft Desk
Spirit Absolute 2 Monitor's
Samson Servo 170 Power Amp
Beyer Dynamic DT770 Headphones
ST Audio - DSP2000 Soundcard

Waldorf - Microwave XT
Novation - Supernova
Emu - Orbit
Emu - ESI2000 Sampler
Korg - MKS-50
Korg - ER1

LA Audio Compressor
BOSS EQ

Roland SMPU64 Midi Box
Midi Keyboard

Tascam DA20- MKII

Desktop with 2GB RAM and a P4 OC'd to 3.6

Logic Audio Platinum 5
Plus a shed load of VST effects, instruments and samples.

Edit :

Nearly forgot, the best thing ever :
It's a pain in the arse to move, and it takes up a load of space, but it's great.
An old server case with it's own set of sockets :)

http://www.craig-lea.co.uk/Studio_07.jpg

[stjohn]

all ya need these days is: -

plenty of VST's and samples (legit copies if poss, but plenty available for free these days anyway)



sorry to bring up the age old debate....
but im convinced that software does not match up to hardware :)

ive been messing with my mates new Virus... and it burns any software out there in terms of sound!! it functions as an external distortion/filtering system... and works as a VST viz the USB interface.. I have nearly every decent VST under the sun and nothing sounds this good!!

drum machines then again... i havnt tried the new audiorealism one... but for pure sound... Jomox Xbase series, and pure functionality, elektron machinedrum... wipe the floor IMO...

as i said sorry to bring this up ...but im convinced the as far as pure sound quality goes.... hardware all the way!!

this is of course only for my tastes..software enthusiasts do your thing!!1:cheese:

[fatcollective]

sorry to bring up the age old debate....
but im convinced that software does not match up to hardware :)

ive been messing with my mates new Virus... and it burns any software out there in terms of sound!! it functions as an external distortion/filtering system... and works as a VST viz the USB interface.. I have nearly every decent VST under the sun and nothing sounds this good!!

drum machines then again... i havnt tried the new audiorealism one... but for pure sound... Jomox Xbase series, and pure functionality, elektron machinedrum... wipe the floor IMO...

as i said sorry to bring this up ...but im convinced the as far as pure sound quality goes.... hardware all the way!!

this is of course only for my tastes..software enthusiasts do your thing!!1:cheese:

your totally right, hardware is fvck loads better than any vst...but for a basic set up for none hardware freaks...you dont actually need all the kit!

[RDR]

sorry to bring up the age old debate....
but im convinced that software does not match up to hardware :)

ive been messing with my mates new Virus... and it burns any software out there in terms of sound!! it functions as an external distortion/filtering system... and works as a VST viz the USB interface.. I have nearly every decent VST under the sun and nothing sounds this good!!

drum machines then again... i havnt tried the new audiorealism one... but for pure sound... Jomox Xbase series, and pure functionality, elektron machinedrum... wipe the floor IMO...

as i said sorry to bring this up ...but im convinced the as far as pure sound quality goes.... hardware all the way!!

this is of course only for my tastes..software enthusiasts do your thing!!1:cheese:

I dont agree

esp in the case of the virus - its a piece of hardware that runs software, and if its the new one it has a usb interface as well...

[RDR]

Macbook 2gh C2d 1gb ram

Tannoy monitors

UC33e

Evultion MK249c USB 66note keyboard

Behringer BCR2000 - Good!

Mbox 2 Factory - Joe meek plugins..hehe! (legit)

Pro-Tools 7.3 nuff said.

Ableton 6.0.10 (legit)

Shure SM58+Stand

Korg M1+all the cards ever made (software - but its the same as having one as you cant say its a virtual digital synth... it sounds WAY better) LEGIT

Korg Wavestation (software - but its the same as having one as you cant say its a virtual digital synth... it sounds WAY better) LEGIT

Korg Mono/Poly - Real

Sequential Circuits Pro 1 - Real

Alesis D4 - Shit

Emu Proteus FX - Worse than shit

Gmedia - Minimonster (what a synth.. amazing playing enhancements!) LEGIT

[stjohn]

I dont agree

esp in the case of the virus - its a piece of hardware that runs software, and if its the new one it has a usb interface as well...

yea thats very true... same with the machinedrum also!!! BUT.... why sound so good?? does the software Virus sounds as good? and would a software machinedrum sound as good??... id like to know

i suppose you could put it down to the dedicated DSP engines onboard, that are tailor made for each machine...
i know that €1000 odd is alot to spend on any instrument... but it always seems to sound better....dont get me wrong, im not under the impression that spending money automatically gets you in the brilliant sounds gang, but it definately helps.

IMO

[Jay Pace]

any one recomend a good happy medium, or am i best of staying digital.


Get a sherman filterbank. Adds instant analog to everything you do, makes reason synths full and fat and drives drums and loops.

My favourite bit of kit by a mile.
http://lios.apana.org.au/%7Ezonavar/fb2.jpg

[dirty_bass]

sorry to bring up the age old debate....
but im convinced that software does not match up to hardware :)

ive been messing with my mates new Virus... and it burns any software out there in terms of sound!! it functions as an external distortion/filtering system... and works as a VST viz the USB interface.. I have nearly every decent VST under the sun and nothing sounds this good!!

drum machines then again... i havnt tried the new audiorealism one... but for pure sound... Jomox Xbase series, and pure functionality, elektron machinedrum... wipe the floor IMO...

as i said sorry to bring this up ...but im convinced the as far as pure sound quality goes.... hardware all the way!!

this is of course only for my tastes..software enthusiasts do your thing!!1:cheese:

Well, I was trained and worked in a 100% analog studio (for 4 years), even the sequencing was analog.
And I have absolutely no qualms with using software.
Any tool will sound good if you know how to treat it right.
My old mentor heard some dubby stuff I brought him, and even he didn`t work out what was analog and what was digital when I was asking him to master it (and he runs the 100% analog studio).

I can`t stand any of the virus synths personally. They sound too crunchy for me. If you want true analog then it has to be vintage or nothing. As the virus synths aren`t even analog anyway, and run on processors, basically running the same algorythms as present in the better soft synths.
Most people don`t realise that a lot of hardware sounds "better" because they have hardwired Exciters and Expanders sitting over the outs to sweeten up the sound.
Pull em apart and you`ll see for yourself.
It`s something that has been going on for ages.
Just get yourself some good software exciters.
Bbe does a good one.

As for the debate.
There isn`t one.
Whatever you use, it`s a matter of personal taste with your working method.
Just make sure you know how to use it, and how to get the best out of it.
Either digital or analog, it makes little difference now.

[stjohn]

Most people don`t realise that a lot of hardware sounds "better" because they have hardwired Exciters and Expanders sitting over the outs to sweeten up the sound.


u know what... i actually was thinking this was the case! i was wonderig how and what would make the output of the Virus sounds so wide and present..

but in saying that... it sounded brilliant!! the bbe one crashes my sessions for some reason... but it did work for a while and it sounded good , but i sitll think the Virus was streets ahead of anything i could have gotten from s/w... and i was only playing with it for about an hour! i hear you about the crunch, but i kinda like that sound, filthy but clean!

regarding the analog side... i dont necessarily mean analogue is best... i dont have much analogue gear... but IMo any machinedrum down sounds alot better than drumatic, microtonic and other s/w drumsynths.... IMo of course...
it seems that a lot more blood sweat and tears goes into a fully functioning beatbox, hence the price difference and moreover an improved sound quality..

anyway horses for courses...coz im not really aware of all the technical ins and outs of each instrumenet..i can only really go by what sounds good to my ears!!

[fatcollective]

Good monitors are very important, its worth spending a bit on a decent pair...without a good (accurate) sound coming through, all your hardwork tweeking and eqing will be useless and probably sound shit!

[RDR]

Good monitors are very important, its worth spending a bit on a decent pair...without a good (accurate) sound coming through, all your hardwork tweeking and eqing will be useless and probably sound shit!

Yes indeed +1!

[BloodStar]

my current setup
c2d e6600 2Ghz RAM
E-MU 1212M
Adam A7
Bitstream 3x
Korg Pad Kontrol
+some vsts

Cant comment on HW synths as I have never worked with them seriously.
Lately I am thinking about buying one, but nowadays it is quite hard to decide as there is moremachines I like. Studio Electronics SE-1X or Moog Little Phatty are the ones I am quite impressed with.
Not too much into Virus sound. but TI sounds excellent, though.

[mattboyslim]

Apple G5
Logic Pro 6
Tascam US-122
JBL Control 1s - next upgrade definately

Apple Powerbook G4
Ableton Live 6
Loads of plugs

Korg Electribe S

Pioneer DJM600
SL1200
SL1210

[herman]

Im with DB on this one I started out on a Hardware set up also but as the years have gone by and software has improved with time I have more or less completely gone to a software setup now pretty much the only hardware I have kept is my Supernova which Im still in no rush to get rid of.

Current Studio set up is down to,

Mac Pro Quad 2.66
Uad1E DSP card (best money I have spent in ages)
Cubase 4
Ableton 5
Battery 3
FM 8
Massive
Linnplug Alpha
Linnplug Octopus (personally I think this kills FM 8 for FM synthesis)
Audio Realism ABL2


There is quite a lot more software but thats the main off the top of my head anyway.

[mattboyslim]

oooh forgot, Doepfer pocket control, and an Evolution UC-33e

[holotropik]

Extremely simple me....

Korg EMX
Korg ESX
Korg ER-1
Korg ES-1
Korg EA-1
Korg Zero8

Tracktion 2 (with some VST)
Ableton (just getting to know now)


......no I dont work for Korg or represent them in any way.....hehehe ;)

[DJCraig Ryan]

What would you boys recommend buying a Laptop or a desktop PC for production?

At the min i'm swaying towards a laptop due to its compatibility
and then being able to take it with me to parties/gigs. But then again i'm thinking you can get more power with a desktop and for cheaper.

What do the majority of you men use?

Any help/points much appreciated...

[ollie303]

good read so far this. ta

[aallvor]

Extremely simple me....

Korg EMX
Korg ESX
Korg ER-1
Korg ES-1
Korg EA-1
Korg Zero8

Tracktion 2 (with some VST)
Ableton (just getting to know now)


......no I dont work for Korg or represent them in any way.....hehehe ;)

Hihi, same here, I tend to end up with something Korg everytime I get a new bit of kit; Prophecy, Legacy Collection, AM8000r so far... Would like an ESX and/or Kaoss Pad as well :)

[Craig_Lea]

What would you boys recommend buying a Laptop or a desktop PC for production?

At the min i'm swaying towards a laptop due to its compatibility
and then being able to take it with me to parties/gigs. But then again i'm thinking you can get more power with a desktop and for cheaper.

What do the majority of you men use?

Any help/points much appreciated...

It's cheaper and easier to upgrade Desktops too.
It depends on what your overriding factors I guess.