Mac or PC for "?at home studio?"
- Thread starter DanDaMan315
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herm0016
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you are going to have to give us more info. what are you recording? what software do you want to use? audio quality is not related to the OS, It is to your input/output device, your amp, speakers etc...
budget?
I really like M-audio products, have had great luck with them working with both pc and mac, they have high quality DtoA and AtoD converters and pre-amps also.
budget?
I really like M-audio products, have had great luck with them working with both pc and mac, they have high quality DtoA and AtoD converters and pre-amps also.
True that audio quality isn't related to the OS.
Audio latency however IS related to the OS, and its sound APIs. Low latency is CRUCIAL when producing audio, CoreAudio on OSX is probably the best out there in terms of low latency audio.
~MiSfit
Audio latency however IS related to the OS, and its sound APIs. Low latency is CRUCIAL when producing audio, CoreAudio on OSX is probably the best out there in terms of low latency audio.
~MiSfit
herm0016
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Depends on how you are recording.
I record with almost zero latency because I monitor the input on the preamp/AtoD. You can apply effects later in post processing. Recording this way will give you a much truer look at your input and gain structure before the AtoD gets ahold of the signal.
that said, Logic is one of the best recording/midi suites and only runs on a mac. also, firewire is much better than usb for audio interfaces because of its increased bandwidth.
I record with almost zero latency because I monitor the input on the preamp/AtoD. You can apply effects later in post processing. Recording this way will give you a much truer look at your input and gain structure before the AtoD gets ahold of the signal.
that said, Logic is one of the best recording/midi suites and only runs on a mac. also, firewire is much better than usb for audio interfaces because of its increased bandwidth.
I'm looking for something to record a 6-string bass, vocals, and acoustic guitar. I want to make sure the set up can record the low b-string. I have a DFI Lanparty nF4 Ultra, Venice 939 at 2.7, OCZ Gold 3200 4x512, Audigy 2 ZS, hacked ATI Radeon x800XL, WD Raptor 150gb, NEC DVD burner, Samsung CD burner, Linksys 54G wireless card, P180. I really want something that take 1/4" native.
What is the Mac mini have in terms of a sound card thats really all I can afford.
What is the Mac mini have in terms of a sound card thats really all I can afford.
herm0016
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you can record on your setup, hardware specs are not really all that important. You do not use a "sound card" to record things. Are you trying to record them all at once or each separate? If all at once i recommend fast track ultra I have used this with great success recording. with these you can monitor your audio inputs directly with the headphone or monitor outputs of the unit. if they will be recorded separate you can look at the interfaces that have 1 or 2 inputs. I recommend the fast track pro model. Maudio also makes pci cards, but these generally do not include microphone pre-amps and are not as highly regarded as their usb/firewire offerings. other options are available as well, look for products from emu, lexicon, digidesign, and others.
what software are you going to use?
logic is mac only and on a similar level as pro-tools for recording but it has much better midi components
ProTools is an industry standard for recording. (the LE or "lite" version is more than you will probably need)
Audicity is free and works well for more basic stuff.
There may be more out there, do some research.
what kind of microphones for the vocals and acoustic? condenser or dynamic?
vocals: usually a dynamic mic is your best bet. a shure sm58 is the standard.
Acoustic: if you don't have pickups and a DI box, I recommend a sm57, again a standard.
look to the shure pg line for good mics that are a bit cheaper.
Base: Are you planning on recording the output of the amp or a direct in from the base? Most recordings use a microphone in front of the amp to get the distortion, and then mix in a direct line from the instrument also.
How much experience do you have recording? do you know how to do things like set your input gains correctly?
Even if you buy a mac mini you will still need to purchase an audio interface like the one above.
technically you can record with your creative card by using the line in, but you will not have a good way to monitor the input live, or set the gain structure. you will not have a mic preamp to boost the signal to line level, you will only be able to record one thing at a time and the quality of the recording will suffer.
what software are you going to use?
logic is mac only and on a similar level as pro-tools for recording but it has much better midi components
ProTools is an industry standard for recording. (the LE or "lite" version is more than you will probably need)
Audicity is free and works well for more basic stuff.
There may be more out there, do some research.
what kind of microphones for the vocals and acoustic? condenser or dynamic?
vocals: usually a dynamic mic is your best bet. a shure sm58 is the standard.
Acoustic: if you don't have pickups and a DI box, I recommend a sm57, again a standard.
look to the shure pg line for good mics that are a bit cheaper.
Base: Are you planning on recording the output of the amp or a direct in from the base? Most recordings use a microphone in front of the amp to get the distortion, and then mix in a direct line from the instrument also.
How much experience do you have recording? do you know how to do things like set your input gains correctly?
Even if you buy a mac mini you will still need to purchase an audio interface like the one above.
technically you can record with your creative card by using the line in, but you will not have a good way to monitor the input live, or set the gain structure. you will not have a mic preamp to boost the signal to line level, you will only be able to record one thing at a time and the quality of the recording will suffer.
Basically I need 192khz, the highest bit-rate possible for the money. Nothing M-Audio I can afford even has 192khz. I'm using audicity, I don't plan to use any effects so it works.
herm0016
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a CD is 44.1khz. You do not need 192 unless you are planing on putting out an album on sacd or dvd audio, even then, you really don't need it as most dvda and sacd is played at 96khz. If you were planning this you would be in a real studio with a real console. When recording we usually stick to 44.1 or multiples of this because almost everything ends up on a CD anyway and you can get a better final product by keeping a constant sample rate through the entire production. What can you find that is 192khz "for the money"? As far as the mac-mini goes, do you already have an interface w/ preamps and such? if you do and are just looking for a computer to use it with the mini is a great way to go.
edit:
it will only record in 24 if that is what your sound card is capable of.
it will work a lot better if you use 24bit non-floating in audacity. floating will also work.
24 bit refers to your bit depth, or the vertical scale of the recording and the 44.1,96, or 192 refer to the sample rate, or how many samples per second the computer takes of the analog audio signal.
edit2: the xfi is "only" 96khz just like the m-audio products. it says 192, but that is only for the digital in/out, if it is even true. the DtoA and AtoD are both 24/96
edit:
it will only record in 24 if that is what your sound card is capable of.
it will work a lot better if you use 24bit non-floating in audacity. floating will also work.
24 bit refers to your bit depth, or the vertical scale of the recording and the 44.1,96, or 192 refer to the sample rate, or how many samples per second the computer takes of the analog audio signal.
edit2: the xfi is "only" 96khz just like the m-audio products. it says 192, but that is only for the digital in/out, if it is even true. the DtoA and AtoD are both 24/96
Why does it let me record in that audio quality then? I was thinking maybe it was using my using my CPU to crunch that I have no idea. I plan to produce a very high quality (without a real studio) DVD with as high quality of music as an average computer with a DVD drive can play. Is paying for a good program going to make the actual recording sound better? I'm not using effects so I don't really care about that stuff. I don't really understand how a program or a sound card really does anything special other than the specs it shows. I want really low harmonic distortion in recording (and output for myself) because that is mostly what I can hear. No one really shows good specs on the meat of the sound cards they offer. Is a 1/4" jack going to make the recording sound better? I figure the adapter, or any adapter is going to lower the recording quality.
herm0016
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- Feb 26, 2005
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sounds like you need to read up a bit.
audio recording is 80% technique and 20 percent gear.
audacity has a 192 setting because its extremely easy to add that sort of stuff to software, not because its going to get used, same with 32bit/24bit. you will not find any consumer or prosumer gear, or, even much live or studio gear that is hardware 32 bit/192khz. 99% of it is 24/96.
the best advice i can give you hardware wise i have already given you. the DtoA and AtoD converters are the most important thing in the interface. the most important thing overall is your microphone and mic placement, your gain structure ( the level that the inputs and outputs of each step are set to) your microphone should have an xlr jack, not 1/4 in. all your gear should have balanced inputs and outputs.
yes, if you use a lot of adapters of low quality it can harm the recording, but you would have to string every one of them together in the same signal path to notice it. for a high quality recording you should have a DI box between the output of the guitar and the interface. http://www.zzounds.com/cat--General-Direct-Boxes--2753
read this stuff, and answer the rest of my questions!
http://www.tweakheadz.com/16_vs_24_bit_audio.htm
http://www.vocalist.org.uk/microphone_techniques.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balanced_audio
audio recording is 80% technique and 20 percent gear.
audacity has a 192 setting because its extremely easy to add that sort of stuff to software, not because its going to get used, same with 32bit/24bit. you will not find any consumer or prosumer gear, or, even much live or studio gear that is hardware 32 bit/192khz. 99% of it is 24/96.
the best advice i can give you hardware wise i have already given you. the DtoA and AtoD converters are the most important thing in the interface. the most important thing overall is your microphone and mic placement, your gain structure ( the level that the inputs and outputs of each step are set to) your microphone should have an xlr jack, not 1/4 in. all your gear should have balanced inputs and outputs.
yes, if you use a lot of adapters of low quality it can harm the recording, but you would have to string every one of them together in the same signal path to notice it. for a high quality recording you should have a DI box between the output of the guitar and the interface. http://www.zzounds.com/cat--General-Direct-Boxes--2753
read this stuff, and answer the rest of my questions!
http://www.tweakheadz.com/16_vs_24_bit_audio.htm
http://www.vocalist.org.uk/microphone_techniques.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balanced_audio
I decided I'm just going to record in CD quality 16-bit, 44.1khz. ZZounds doesn't look like that great of a website, same prices as guitar center and I'd rather go there. I'm looking around ebay for a 5 1/4" bay for the Audigy 2 ZS. Is the headphone plug on a bass amp use a different amplifier than it does for the actual speaker? I see no real need to use an amplifier when recording on my computer, as far as I know, because (with gain) the signal comes in loud enough. I know this is very off topic and is getting more that way but do you have any suggestions on a good bass distortion (no effects) pedal.
You cannot record a guitar properly without a preamp!
Some high end sound cards / audio interfaces have a good preamp built in, but as far as I know, the Audigy does not. You want something (at least) that has adjustable gain. A dedicated guitar pre-amp box would be ideal, since it will output a true line-level signal, which you can then connect to your audio interface to record.
It will probably work with a mic in, but it's not going to sound very good. Look into something like the E-Mu 0202. It has great quality, and is quite affordable. The Audigy2 has poor DACs / ADCs, as does most consumer grade gear.
A program like Guitar Rig would probably be perfect for your distortion. It does very cool things, and supports hardware pedals as well (through USB or MIDI).
~MiSfit
Some high end sound cards / audio interfaces have a good preamp built in, but as far as I know, the Audigy does not. You want something (at least) that has adjustable gain. A dedicated guitar pre-amp box would be ideal, since it will output a true line-level signal, which you can then connect to your audio interface to record.
It will probably work with a mic in, but it's not going to sound very good. Look into something like the E-Mu 0202. It has great quality, and is quite affordable. The Audigy2 has poor DACs / ADCs, as does most consumer grade gear.
A program like Guitar Rig would probably be perfect for your distortion. It does very cool things, and supports hardware pedals as well (through USB or MIDI).
~MiSfit
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