Things I Need/Want:

4 input interface with good/decent preamps
4 mid-priced mics for recording a medium sized single bass drum kit
Various cables

So dudes, lay recommendations on me. Not at all afraid to spend a little extra money for quality options.

What is your computerbox?

Also, Firewire or USB?

Ballpark, what do you want to spend less than?

Four inputs for drums? Glynn Johns that bish. CAD makes some decent cheap condensers. Can't go wrong with an SM57 on the snare, or 58. I believe you already have one of those. Kick, you could drop some cash on one of the specialized large diaphragm dynamics, but actually you have a lot of options there, as long as the mic can handle the SPLs and has decent low frequency reproduction.

I was originally going to get the 8-channel version of this, but seeing as I am about to have to cut down on my equipment substantially, I might go with this:

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/US800/


But I will probably just stick with what I got.

I am comfortable with spending around $1000, more or less. Or more, I guess? I could see it getting expensive but this guy don't cuuuuuuurrrrrrr. I have a 57 and 58 so I guess I have a snare mic covered but there's some other bases to cover clearly.

Yeah, the Tascam US600(four mic inputs), US800(six mic inputs), and US1800/US2000(8 mic inputs) all look very interesting to me.

I would say that the extra $100 for the US1800 is worth it if one has the cash. Because it is actually a sixteen input(8 mic ins, 8 line ins) interface.

For $300, that is kooky.

Oh! I knew I was forgetting something, thanks for the reminder, Chris. I was going to be getting a new laptop anyways, so I wanted to see what you guys thought would be a good recording/recreational computer. No intense gaming here, just recording and internet use mostly.

Word, word. The more inputs the better if you are thinking drums.

Asus laptop with a 2nd Generation Intel i processor (i5 at least would be nice) with at least 4 gigs of ram should be plenty. Make sure the motherboard has USB 2, most of them do.

I guess I should get more inputs..? I didn't plan on using them for own personal use but I do plan on micing my metal drummer's kit so maybe 6 or 8..?

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications ... CatId=4938

That one has an i7 processor, and is essentially the one I wanted, but they ran out and I went with the 17" 8GB model.

Edit: It does have a 1gb video card though, so if you did want to play a game like, say, Diablo III when it came out (if it ever does, looks like 2012 now) you could. I know I am picking it up, and I can think of at least 1 other person on here (snaxie ) who might as well.

I'd go with the Tascam US-1800 if you wanted the best inputs:price ratio, as chris pointed out above.

Most new laptop computers will be USB only, unless you go mac or something slickspensive like a Sager. My Asus i think might be one of the last they did with firewire built in. Alienware might still offer it on some of theirs though, i haven't kept track with them.

USB 2.0 interfaces are less money anyhow, and now they are available in lots-of-channels forms, which makes them an even more attractive choice.

For a computerbox, i would also suggest Asus. Reconditioned if you are cheap and like being risky, new if you want a solid ass computer for a medium price with a sweetass warranty.

I would look at the Asus "G" series, whichever the hotshit one is when you are ready to get something. Currently i think it is the G53/G73. Asus gets a little number soup ish with the model names though. An Asus G51vx-Rx05 for instance will not be as nice a computer as an Asus G51vx-A1(same size but a different CPU, screen, HDD, and a few other things).

Seems more confusing than it is, though it is more confusing than Asus should have done it.

Just compare all of the specs before buying and it makes more sense.

Though for sure, with processors as generally rapid and pissed off as they are these days, almost any box with USB2.0 and a quad core intel CPU in it is going to be burly enough to rock with.

I like the Asus gamer laptops because they come with shit like 7200 rpm drives and generally just way more of everything than you really need.

For realz though, they are probably (definitely) overkill for recording rock and roll.

Now that the G series doesn't have firewire, i maybe would even go for one of the less pricy N or K series ones they do. I would have to spend some time looking at the differences between the new batch.

External 7200rpm HDD?

My buddy has a G series and it is real fancy, but a hulking beast. Huge fucking cases.

Word, I shall check out the Asus dealie when I have time to use a computer. As for.the interface, how are the preamps on those Tascams if anyone knows? I want something I can record quality shit on that I will never grow out of.

Yeah, they are big-ish, but i felt that almost all of the Asus other than the UL series(the mac wannabe ultralight ones) were pretty on-the-large-side.

I like the size of the G51 i have though, it is just a 15" screen. Bigger than like a Lenovo 15" laptop, but i like it this size.

And for sure, you would want a fast external for recording anyhow. Some of the Asus G series have slots for two drives though(like mine) which can make a recording rig simpler but making it so you can leave out the external drive part of it.

Basically it comes down to looking over all of the lists and deciding what the best combination of features and pricing make the most sense. When i bought mine is was G series all the way.

The Asus lineup changes a lot though, so i don't know what i would wind up buying from them if i were to be in the market for a new one today. ;idk: I would have to do the whole process of going through the feature lists again.

Ah we are talking about different generations.

My buddy has the 73/53 style case. Spaceship style:

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications ... CatId=4938

Buy used and you can go a long way for 1 large.

That sixteen channel Tascam deal certainly gives you the most ins for yer buck of anything that I know of. I like the Focusrite stuff for how they sound (and a number of us on here have them) but scoring a used one is a bitch and a half. Honestly most stuff sounds decent enough these days, better than an old Mackie board at least and plenty of records were made on those, and we thought those were good-er-ish! It's just clean, straight up. More or less.

Which would leave you with $700 for mics. And you have both a 57 and a 58 kicking about. Now, I suppose you'll have to factor in cabling too, but a workable 20' mic cable can easily be had for under $10. You're dealing with a balanced signal here versus the cable for a guitar rig, which is a totally different animal. Can you swing ten bucks and not have to factor it in?

So... you have two okay utility mics, $700 +/- and a four-piece kit to mic up. Assume that the mics will do double-duty on other sources. Whatchu' gettin'?

[tomaslindberg] GO! [/tomaslindberg]

Also, yeah, buy used, again.

Sennheiser e602/604 set is good. Rode NT5s. AKG D112. EV RE20. Shure SM7B. Bunch of SM57s. Audix D6 for the metal click in the kick. Audix i5 or Sennheiser 609 for a "better" 57? Shure KSM27. MXL v67g. Nady ribbons. Are Oktavas still cheap? There's other decent stuff too. Some of these are more pricey new but you can find deals. Message newholland. It should show up in his email inbox. He's good with this stuff.

If you spend enough time on Craigslist, seven bills will net you fourteen 57s. You could beat a man to death with a sack of fourteen 57s and it would still sound at least okay if you dialed it in right.

Think about it.

Also, yeah, for four mics on a drum kit, Glyn Johns is the way to go. You place 'em right you'll be surprised how much body you get on the toms.

D112 and a pair of NT5s both used you could score for five? Even cheaper with v67gs, and those are okay too; how handy are you with electronics...? Shop smart, it'll take you a long way, you'll learn stuff and get your nerd on. Prioritize, I guess, and comparison-shop, check out clips. The toms you'll probably want to buff up, but a pair of 57s'll do you and they can be had cheap.

Yeah, fast external for your recording drive +1.