I am interested in taping shows that i go to. Unfortunately I don't have any idea what I want to use. Anyone have any ideas?
I have looked into computer recording, or perhaps JB3 recording, but would like a honest opinion from some experts!
Any help would be good. I am definately on a budget, so i would want something that i could build up to slowly, but for now im jsut looking for ideas on a good digital recording setup!
I'm really pleased with my C1000 > AD-20 > NJB3 setup. It's low $$ and makes surprisingly good sounding recordings. I built this looking to do exactly what you sound like you want to do -- get going, see if it's as fun as it seems, have a good time, etc.
AKG C1000 (x2): $300
Denecke AD-20: $325
NJB3: $250
Light Stand: $85
Cheap t-bar: $15
C1000s: These get panned a lot, and there's no doubt whatsoever that you can get better recordings with much more expensive mics. To me, the clincher that makes these the best starter mics are the build quality. They're built like tanks! The capsules are internally shockmounted, so you can live without external shockmounts. They come with a hypercardiod converter, so you've essentially got two patterns to work with from the start. And, they can be internally powered with 9v batteries, so you don't need an external phantom power supply.
To be fair, lots of people recommend the Oktava MC-012s, and many people like what they get with them. Sound judgements aside, it's common knowledge (and I've got a pair to prove it) that the quality control on these mics is B-A-D. If you're going to buy them, definitely buy them from a well-respected retailer who picks through the mics and only sells the stuff that's not junk. Yes, you can get these mics from Guitar Center for as low as $100 for a pair, but be prepared to sort through every one they have just to find two that aren't trash. I did this, and even now I'm having trouble with them. But take my comments with a grain of salt; there are people out there who love these, and you might be one of them!
NJB3: What a cool little piece of gear. Essentially you get uncompressed WAV recording, super transfer rates (firewire!), and a lot of recording time without sweating tape swaps. And you don't have to buy tapes, which is pretty cool. There are some drawbacks, though. The NJB3 is a little persnickety and can be tricky to use reliably. Power is sort of an issue -- the advice you see to buy the second battery when you buy the unit is good advice. The bottom line for me, though, is that if you're going to use the NJB3 as a serious recording tool, an preampt is required and an outboard A-D converter is recommended. I've heard lots of people say they're doing great using the line in on the recorder, but I've never managed to make a decen recording with one. There's LOTS of information about the NJB3 scattered through this board, and there's even a Yahoo group called njb3tapers that you should check out if you're thinking of going this way.
Denecke AD-20: This is an outboard preamp/analog-to-digital converter. It takes the signal from the mics in and sends an optical digital out to the NJB3. It runs off a 9v for damn near forever! 'Nuff said. Again, a lot of people are recommending the Edirol UA-5 with a modification that allows it to output digitally without being connected to a computer. There's lots of information here about that, too.
Anyway, just thought I'd throw out my (brief) experience. Good luck!
Chuck
Denecke AD-20: This is an outboard preamp and analog to digital converter.
Topic: Ideas on a newbie rig?? (Read 5547 times)