Recommendation re: Budget pc audio recording

M

Mavoz

Well-known member
Hi,

I hope someone can give me some quick tips/advice.

I play keyboard and am a 'hobbyist' filmmaker. Years ago (in the nineties) I did some basic home recording with my keyboard and midi...but haven'treally gone near that whole area since then.
I'm in the midst of working on a project and would like to record my synth for backing music + record voice over work for this film.

Can anyone recommend a good value/all in one audio mixer/sound card that would allow me to:


- Record from my Roland XP 80 synth.
- Record audio from my mics (DPA4061 and OktavaMKo12) - ie. i need phantom power.
- direct inject into my pc

Software wise I would like to utilise Adobe Audtion or an Open source solution. (or I guess I could even record directly into Premiere Pro?...Maybe not!)

Price wise I don't really want to spend more than $500 if I can help it.

Can anyone give a quick recommendation for a way for me to achieve these objectives without spending a small fortune? Or do I need to spend a lot more?

Thanks for any input/advice!

PS I just had a crack at hooking my keyboard direct into the PC Motherboards line in...and pressing record in Adobe audition....kinda sounds like keyboard recorded through a drain pipe microphone...with low volume and lots of gurgles!
 
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Mavoz said:
Hi,

I hope someone can give me some quick tips/advice.

I play keyboard and am a 'hobbyist' filmmaker. Years ago (in the nineties) I did some basic home recording with my keyboard and midi...but haven'treally gone near that whole area since then.
I'm in the midst of working on a project and would like to record my synth for backing music + record voice over work for this film.

Can anyone recommend a good value/all in one audio mixer/sound card that would allow me to:


- Record from my Roland XP 80 synth.
- Record audio from my mics (DPA4061 and OktavaMKo12) - ie. i need phantom power.
- direct inject into my pc

Software wise I would like to utilise Adobe Audtion or an Open source solution. (or I guess I could even record directly into Premiere Pro?...Maybe not!)

Price wise I don't really want to spend more than $500 if I can help it.

Can anyone give a quick recommendation for a way for me to achieve these objectives without spending a small fortune? Or do I need to spend a lot more?

Thanks for any input/advice!

PS I just had a crack at hooking my keyboard direct into the PC Motherboards line in...and pressing record in Adobe audition....kinda sounds like keyboard recorded through a drain pipe microphone...with low volume and lots of gurgles!
Click to expand...

www.echoaudio.com I'm happy with my AudioFire8, does everything you're asking for. They have 2, 4, 8, and 12 channel models depending on your needs.
 
Thanks Steve...that looks like exactly what I was after...the Echo Audiofire 4 (or maybe the 8) looks like it will probably have all I need too in terms of number of inputs...

Now I just have to figure out the best music app for recording from the synth!
 
There are a few great entry-level systems in the ProTools LE product line.

I've been cutting TV and features on an Mbox for a little over five years, and I've been quite satisfied with it. My only real complaints with it are the lack of surround support, and the poor quality of the built-in mic preamps. The former is a limitation of all the PT LE products, while the latter can be easily resolved by hooking a compact mixer or mic preamp onto the front-end. Moreover, I understand that Mbox-2 users enjoy far better mic inputs.
 
On the low budget side...

Unless your sound card is totally crappy, you should be able to get a better recording than that, by going direct into the computer like you said you did. Honestly I'd give your card another shot and try to figure out what is wrong. Maybe your are going mic in instead of line in?

The biggest advantage a higher end sound card is going to give you is better mic pre-amps, which you don't need since you are going line into your card.

So on the lowest budget side, You could get a Sound Blaster Audigy card.

I'll mention the Lexicon Lambda, because I have it. It's pretty inexpensive, gives you a USB powered breakout box, and has nice quiet dbx pre-amps. It's very quiet, and comes with Cubase (almost all of these cards come with cubase now it seems)

And don't forget, you can get a 30 day free trial of Adobe Audition.
 
get a firebox

get a firebox

- get a firebox,
- get a usb to xlr cable so your cpu recognizes your midi right away without the need for any controllers or complicated connections.

This presonus firebox supports 5.1, so you can mix surround on it if needed, also hase phantom power for you mic.

Get good studio monitors with xlr and plug them in.

- Software, get fruityloops, cubase if needed, reason perhaps, then youtube those softwares to see some free tutorials and youll be off in no time.
 
Thanks for the responses....

I can see there are a wealth of choices out there....

Presonus Firebox...as shown www.soundcorp.com.au/product/?productcategoryid=154&productid=864

or
Echo Audiofire 4
http://www.echoaudio.com/Products/FireWire/AudioFire4/index.php

or even some of these: (Tapco, Lexicon etc.)
https://www.billyhydemusic.com.au/shop/index.cfm?action=browse&id=46

Not sure what would be best!

Software wise I already have Adobe Audition 2 in the video bundle..but am not sure if that is really in the same league as Cubase and some of the other solutions out there.

The idea of some form of software synth with different sounds also appeals..(if it can provide better sounds than what my XP 80 has in the box).

Anyway I can see it is a whole new area to explore.

Thanks.
 
Get a Firebox, I have one and it works great! Also, I use both Audition and Cubase. My laptop and firebox gives me a nice little studio in a few boxes. :smile:

You'll need firewire input and the firebox has a wall wart for power so consider that. You can use it for MIDI, vocals, guitars, general mic recording ... and the headphone out is very hot!
 
10s said:
Get a Firebox, I have one and it works great! Also, I use both Audition and Cubase. My laptop and firebox gives me a nice little studio in a few boxes. :smile:

You'll need firewire input and the firebox has a wall wart for power so consider that. You can use it for MIDI, vocals, guitars, general mic recording ... and the headphone out is very hot!
Click to expand...

Thanks for that....that Firebox did look good. (I found with another external sound card I was actually getting much results ..but the mic inputs with phantom on the firebox look very useful.)

Also....does software like Cubase offer any major advantages over Audition?

...and....can you actually record software based instruments via midi with Audition? ie. Use the synth as a controller..

My XP80 is starting to sound a little "80's synth" like ...with the advancement of computers in recent years can software solutions now compete with the sounds you get out of modern hardware keyboards from companies such as Roland and Korg?

Thanks for any words of wisdom!
 
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I use Cubase for MIDI and song production, I like Audition for film audio surgery/editing. Modern soft synths sound very nice; you'll use the keyboard for a controller.

There are better units than the firebox, but it works and sounds good for the $. Your computer has to be up for the job. The firebox also outputs to speakers :)
 
10s said:
Get a Firebox, I have one and it works great! Also, I use both Audition and Cubase. My laptop and firebox gives me a nice little studio in a few boxes. :smile:

You'll need firewire input and the firebox has a wall wart for power so consider that. You can use it for MIDI, vocals, guitars, general mic recording ... and the headphone out is very hot!
Click to expand...

Audition works fine, also Sony Soundforge. For that matter, good old freeware Audacity is all you need 90% of the time and is capable of fully professional results.
 
Thanks for the tip....I just purchased the Firebox and it is working great. Am using a mixture of Audition and the bundled Cubase LE...a lot to learn..but have got the basics going and it all works well! Thanks!
 
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