I am looking to start tracking live drums and need preamps and compressors, I haven't really nailed down a budget but was thinking about the $2,000 level. I know there are a few multi channel preamp strips but I also know that a rack mixer could be useful as well...(Using the preamps on a Mackie 1604 instead.)
Any Suggestions?
Help buying preamps to track drums...
Moderator: James Steele
Forum rules
Here's where to talk about preamps, cables, microphones, monitors, etc.
Here's where to talk about preamps, cables, microphones, monitors, etc.
-
lodstudios
- Posts: 105
- Joined: Mon Mar 13, 2006 5:22 pm
- Primary DAW OS: MacOS
- Location: San Diego, CA
- Contact:
Re: Help buying preamps to track drums...
How about Presonus product?
I prefer Presonus Digimax LT+Presonus ACP 88
it's under $2000 with multi insert cable
rockid
I prefer Presonus Digimax LT+Presonus ACP 88
it's under $2000 with multi insert cable
rockid
-
BradLyons
- Posts: 2635
- Joined: Sun Oct 24, 2004 10:01 pm
- Primary DAW OS: Windows
- Location: Atlanta, GA
- Contact:
Lod,
There are many ways and options one can go and obviously, many different levels of pricing one can spend. Some pres are better than other for transients where some sound better for kick while others may not, toms, etc. But the solution someone just mentioned above does work VERY well and would be within your budget for certain. I'm a big Presonus fan, they make good products. I used to use a pair of ACP88's for live sound on drums, guitars and vocals but they work just as well in the studio. HOWEVER, your microphones will be just as important here as well. What do you have for drum mics? If you're talking about SM57's, then you'll need to re-consider the mics
I bought the Audix DP5 pack (kick/snare/(3) tom mics with mounts) awhile back to use live at my church, well no sooner did I buy those that the guy who brought in his "analog kit" (lol) had to re-locate across the country and leave--so the Vdrums came back in and my mics came home with me. Well around that same time I also bought a nice studio kit and was planning on buying some more expensive mics, but to my surprise these things sounded GREAT in the studio! Now grant it I'm running through many thousands of dollars of mic-pres, but these pres will also show the bad sides of a mic too so it really was an eye-opener about just how good these mics are! Traditionally, I would use Sennheiser MD421's on the Toms, an SM57 on top and bottom of snare, an AKG D112 inside the kick, and whatever cymbal mics. I STRONGLY encourage this product, it really is excellent! For overheads, again it comes down to what mics do you have right now? An inexpensive option is the RODE NT4 which is a stereo microphone allowing you to get perfect stereo. You could also consider the Studio Projects C4's which are a matched pair of pencil-mics giving you the option of either OMNI or CARDIOD, HUGE bang for the buck!
What kind of music are you recording? What microphones do you currently own? What interface are you using and what gear do you own now? WHy is the sky blue??!?!?
There are many ways and options one can go and obviously, many different levels of pricing one can spend. Some pres are better than other for transients where some sound better for kick while others may not, toms, etc. But the solution someone just mentioned above does work VERY well and would be within your budget for certain. I'm a big Presonus fan, they make good products. I used to use a pair of ACP88's for live sound on drums, guitars and vocals but they work just as well in the studio. HOWEVER, your microphones will be just as important here as well. What do you have for drum mics? If you're talking about SM57's, then you'll need to re-consider the mics
I bought the Audix DP5 pack (kick/snare/(3) tom mics with mounts) awhile back to use live at my church, well no sooner did I buy those that the guy who brought in his "analog kit" (lol) had to re-locate across the country and leave--so the Vdrums came back in and my mics came home with me. Well around that same time I also bought a nice studio kit and was planning on buying some more expensive mics, but to my surprise these things sounded GREAT in the studio! Now grant it I'm running through many thousands of dollars of mic-pres, but these pres will also show the bad sides of a mic too so it really was an eye-opener about just how good these mics are! Traditionally, I would use Sennheiser MD421's on the Toms, an SM57 on top and bottom of snare, an AKG D112 inside the kick, and whatever cymbal mics. I STRONGLY encourage this product, it really is excellent! For overheads, again it comes down to what mics do you have right now? An inexpensive option is the RODE NT4 which is a stereo microphone allowing you to get perfect stereo. You could also consider the Studio Projects C4's which are a matched pair of pencil-mics giving you the option of either OMNI or CARDIOD, HUGE bang for the buck!
What kind of music are you recording? What microphones do you currently own? What interface are you using and what gear do you own now? WHy is the sky blue??!?!?
Thank you,
Brad Lyons
db AUDIO & VIDEO
-Systems Advisor, CTS
Brad Lyons
db AUDIO & VIDEO
-Systems Advisor, CTS