If you were rich!

dav nagle

With so many options available in todays audio world the choices of buying mixing desks and outboard seem endless. So lets pretend we all had a big fat juicy budget of say €30,000 and we had to spend that budget on setting up our studio. How would you spend that kind of a large sum of money?

The basics pro studio would need:

1. Desk
2. Speakers
3. Daw
4. Compressor
5. EQ
6. Reverb
7. Microphones

I am not including the computer in this one, lets say we all have a computer. Would you go Logic or Pro tools, would you go LE or HD? Would you buy apogee or save those big bucks?


So lets have it!

PaulBrewer

All depends on what you want to do.... and what your client base is.

dav nagle

PaulBrewer wrote: »

All depends on what you want to do.... and what your client base is.

Yes very true, it's all about who you serve and what you need to serve them but if you were recording bands what direction would you go with a budget like the one mentioned above?

madtheory

dav nagle wrote: »

a big fat juicy budget of say €30,000

That's not enough for what I want- a fully restored vintage Neve of some kind, something from the Dunlavy range or PMCs at a pinch, and a fully stuffed Fairlight CMI III just for a laugh...

dav nagle

madtheory wrote: »

That's not enough for what I want- a fully restored vintage Neve of some kind, something from the Dunlavy range or PMCs at a pinch, and a fully stuffed Fairlight CMI III just for a laugh...

I hear you bro but seriously how would you spend that sort of budget?

unclebill98

dav nagle wrote: »

I hear you bro but seriously how would you spend that sort of budget?

Well that sort of gear would be the entire budget:D

af_thefragile

I'ld get a:
Mac G5 (Atleast quadcore, 4gb ram) with 2 monitors.
Digi 003 interface with the control surface.
SSL Duende
Cubase
Ohmforce effects (delay and filter)
Izotope Trash distortion
A couple of Neumann condensor mics
A couple of SM57's and a few more mics.
Sennheiser HD25 headphones
Dyne Audio Monitors.

And if you remove the comp, replace the Digi003 with a Protools HD system.

Thats should do me pretty well!

henessjon

that would be www


Wine and Women

and Waste the rest


oh and Im not experienced enough to respond to your question ..... but give me the money

and id get a mac, some serious monitors, decent Mic, a large live room properly tended by wall treatments and add your favourite application sequencer and some singing lessons to boot.

dav nagle

af_thefragile wrote: »

I'ld get a:
Mac G5 (Atleast quadcore, 4gb ram) with 2 monitors.
Digi 003 interface with the control surface.
SSL Duende
Cubase
Ohmforce effects (delay and filter)
Izotope Trash distortion
A couple of Neumann condensor mics
A couple of SM57's and a few more mics.
Sennheiser HD25 headphones
Dyne Audio Monitors.

And if you remove the comp, replace the Digi003 with a Protools HD system.

Thats should do me pretty well!

Sweet choice

dav nagle

unclebill98 wrote: »

Well that sort of gear would be the entire budget:D

and then some!:rolleyes:

Seziertisch

I'd just get onto SSL and get them to set up one of those shed studios for me on the grounds of my country house.

PaulBrewer

Seziertisch wrote: »

I'd just get onto SSL and get them to set up one of those shed studios for me on the grounds of my country house.

I have a Demo one, shall I post it to you?

studiorat

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If I were a rich man, I'd buy a new cow for my wife!

dav nagle

Okay so far this is what the professionals would go for with this kind of a budget:

1. A cow
2. Wine and Women
3. SSL shed
4. Vintage Neve
5. Digi003 with a Protools HD system

Seziertisch

PaulBrewer wrote: »

I have a Demo one, shall I post it to you?

Hold off on it a while, Paul. I am having some landscaping work done on the grounds. The water feature is taking longer than expected. Annoying, but you know how it is.

studiorat

Seziertisch wrote: »

Hold off on it a while, Paul. I am having some landscaping work done on the grounds. The water feature is taking longer than expected. Annoying, but you know how it is.

I'd come out and help ya but me back's knackered. Hence all the fannying about on boards this mornin'.

Engineer = Bad Back QED.

teamdresch

The way I see it, you're either buying for a studio that'd be able to record a full band, or an overdub/mixing studio.
Since the full band setup would tax a €30k budget pretty hard, I'd go for the more fun overdub/mix wishlist.

1. Desk - No need for one of these. Either get a monitor controller or a summing mixer.

2. Speakers - As it stands, I'd probably go for a pair of Focal Twins, although I'd be demoing some ATCs or similar with a big budget.

3. Daw - Pick yer poison. They all work. Converters/Interface are a whole other story.

4. Compressor - A couple of choices here. Either something classic like an LA2A/1176 or maybe something modern and versatile like a Distressor. Something stereo that you could use on the 2-bus too like a Portico 5043 maybe?

5. EQ - Clean and precise GML or something more fun like an API maybe.

6. Reverb - EMT 140 if you have the room. 240/250 if you don't. Probably a plugin to complement one of those.

7. Microphones - depends on how much dough you've got left over. I'd definitely pick up a Royer R121/R122. A proper dynamic - probably an SM7. There's a whole world of condensers out there, but I'd be trying a Brauner, Bock/Soundelux, Wunder or vintage Neumann/AKG.

dav nagle

teamdresch wrote: »

The way I see it, you're either buying for a studio that'd be able to record a full band, or an overdub/mixing studio.
Since the full band setup would tax a €30k budget pretty hard, I'd go for the more fun overdub/mix wishlist.

1. Desk - No need for one of these. Either get a monitor controller or a summing mixer.

2. Speakers - As it stands, I'd probably go for a pair of Focal Twins, although I'd be demoing some ATCs or similar with a big budget.

3. Daw - Pick yer poison. They all work. Converters/Interface are a whole other story.

4. Compressor - A couple of choices here. Either something classic like an LA2A/1176 or maybe something modern and versatile like a Distressor. Something stereo that you could use on the 2-bus too like a Portico 5043 maybe?

5. EQ - Clean and precise GML or something more fun like an API maybe.

6. Reverb - EMT 140 if you have the room. 240/250 if you don't. Probably a plugin to complement one of those.

7. Microphones - depends on how much dough you've got left over. I'd definitely pick up a Royer R121/R122. A proper dynamic - probably an SM7. There's a whole world of condensers out there, but I'd be trying a Brauner, Bock/Soundelux, Wunder or vintage Neumann/AKG.

Great post +1

Gonna check out this gear now

condra

For what I do and how I like to work, keeping it "in the box" suits me.

1. Desk
Any big "desk" from Argos or the likes

2. Speakers
Expensive Genelecs

3. Daw
Ableton Live on a good Apple Mac

4. Compressor
Wave Arts or Sonalksis

5. EQ
Wave Arts or Sonalksis

6. Reverb
Wave Arts or Sonalksis

7. Microphones
Shure SM57

Also - Umm a huge collection of old records, MPD32, a Minimoog and a Virus.

dav nagle

womoma wrote: »

For what I do and how I like to work, keeping it "in the box" suits me.

1. Desk
Any big "desk" from Argos or the likes

2. Speakers
Expensive Genelecs

3. Daw
Ableton Live on a good Apple Mac

4. Compressor
Wave Arts or Sonalksis

5. EQ
Wave Arts or Sonalksis

6. Reverb
Wave Arts or Sonalksis

7. Microphones
Shure SM57

Also - Umm a huge collection of old records, MPD32, a Minimoog and a Virus.

The Virus would be on my books to! What a machine!

PaulBrewer

teamdresch wrote: »

The way I see it, you're either buying for a studio that'd be able to record a full band, or an overdub/mixing studio.
Since the full band setup would tax a €30k budget pretty hard, I'd go for the more fun overdub/mix wishlist.

1. Desk - No need for one of these. Either get a monitor controller or a summing mixer.

2. Speakers - As it stands, I'd probably go for a pair of Focal Twins, although I'd be demoing some ATCs or similar with a big budget.

3. Daw - Pick yer poison. They all work. Converters/Interface are a whole other story.

4. Compressor - A couple of choices here. Either something classic like an LA2A/1176 or maybe something modern and versatile like a Distressor. Something stereo that you could use on the 2-bus too like a Portico 5043 maybe?

5. EQ - Clean and precise GML or something more fun like an API maybe.

6. Reverb - EMT 140 if you have the room. 240/250 if you don't. Probably a plugin to complement one of those.

7. Microphones - depends on how much dough you've got left over. I'd definitely pick up a Royer R121/R122. A proper dynamic - probably an SM7. There's a whole world of condensers out there, but I'd be trying a Brauner, Bock/Soundelux, Wunder or vintage Neumann/AKG.

Indeed .... except maybe Number 6

danjokill

1. Desk - Big Old NEVE maybe a 70's 8078
2. Speakers - Ns10s and krk Exposé E8B
3. Daw - Cubase (have it and love it) but i go tape rather than DAW OTARI MTR 90 MK II 24 track version
4. Compressor - UA 1176LN
5. EQ - TC ELECTRONIC EQ STATION
6. Reverb - Roland RE-201 Space Echo
7. Microphones - NEUMANN U87

PaulBrewer

danjokill wrote: »

1. Desk - Big Old NEVE maybe a 70's 8078
2. Speakers - Ns10s and krk Exposé E8B
3. Daw - Cubase (have it and love it) but i go tape rather than DAW OTARI MTR 90 MK II 24 track version
4. Compressor - UA 1176LN
5. EQ - TC ELECTRONIC EQ STATION
6. Reverb - Roland RE-201 Space Echo
7. Microphones - NEUMANN U87

krk Exposé E8B are dogs! Hope Enda doesn't catch me saying so!!

danjokill

PaulBrewer wrote: »

krk Exposé E8B are dogs! Hope Enda doesn't catch me saying so!!

Horses for courses !!!!!

PaulBrewer

danjokill wrote: »

Horses for courses !!!!!

That Horse is way too expensive for what it does!! Looks great though...

danjokill

PaulBrewer wrote: »

That Horse is way too expensive for what it does!! Looks great though...

Way-out of my current league but hey if i was rich!!!!!!


www.myspace.com/redcapprojectstudio

red_ice

er.. is it me or could you not get all the stuff in that shed + a house in america/canada to transform into a good studio enviroment for about the 250 mark?

250 thousand dollars on a shed that any knackball can get into.. Not to mention someone smoking and falling asleep working in there and setting that puppy on fire..

Great for mixing, i do agree, but recording? In there? Dont think so!

PaulBrewer

red_ice wrote: »

er.. is it me or could you not get all the stuff in that shed + a house in america/canada to transform into a good studio enviroment for about the 250 mark?

250 thousand dollars on a shed that any knackball can get into.. Not to mention someone smoking and falling asleep working in there and setting that puppy on fire..

Great for mixing, i do agree, but recording? In there? Dont think so!

Indeed! I'm not sure that idea was all that serious .... I think it was announced on April 1st ...

danjokill

red_ice wrote: »

er.. is it me or could you not get all the stuff in that shed + a house in america/canada to transform into a good studio enviroment for about the 250 mark?

250 thousand dollars on a shed that any knackball can get into.. Not to mention someone smoking and falling asleep working in there and setting that puppy on fire..

Great for mixing, i do agree, but recording? In there? Dont think so!

lost?

dav nagle

danjokill wrote: »

lost?

Keep on topic! What gear would you spend €30,000 on? The gear police are on to you!

dav nagle

red_ice wrote: »

er.. is it me or could you not get all the stuff in that shed + a house in america/canada to transform into a good studio enviroment for about the 250 mark?

250 thousand dollars on a shed that any knackball can get into.. Not to mention someone smoking and falling asleep working in there and setting that puppy on fire..

Great for mixing, i do agree, but recording? In there? Dont think so!

Keep on topic! What gear would you spend €30,000 on? The gear police are on to you!

dav nagle

PaulBrewer wrote: »

Indeed! I'm not sure that idea was all that serious .... I think it was announced on April 1st ...

Paul how would you spend the money?

dav nagle

danjokill wrote: »

1. Desk - Big Old NEVE maybe a 70's 8078
2. Speakers - Ns10s and krk Exposé E8B
3. Daw - Cubase (have it and love it) but i go tape rather than DAW OTARI MTR 90 MK II 24 track version
4. Compressor - UA 1176LN
5. EQ - TC ELECTRONIC EQ STATION
6. Reverb - Roland RE-201 Space Echo
7. Microphones - NEUMANN U87

Would you get all this for €30K?

danjokill

dav nagle wrote: »

Keep on topic! What gear would you spend €30,000 on? The gear police are on to you!

30k ......... mmmh let me sleep on that

PaulBrewer

danjokill wrote: »

30k ......... mmmh let me sleep on that

I wouldn't - I'd get into Organic Farming instead ...

dav nagle

PaulBrewer wrote: »

I wouldn't - I'd get into Organic Farming instead ...

Well maybe you and studiorat should join together and make organic trumpets in your organic farm :eek:

dav nagle

The new studio €30,000


Grow trumpets and record out of small plants, just look at that sound proofing

jiltloop

i'd get a soundcraft compact 4, a shure sm58 mic, a cheap hi-fi for monitoring, and then spend the change on some nice analogue synths, a tb303, tr 808 and 909, (have an sh-101 already woohoo!) an alesis andromeda, edp wasp synth (the rarer one with wooden side panels and proper keys), all the moog synths ever released, then a few vintage korgs and sequential circuit synths should do the trick!

dav nagle

jiltloop wrote: »

i'd get a soundcraft compact 4, a shure sm58 mic, a cheap hi-fi for monitoring, and then spend the change on some nice analogue synths, a tb303, tr 808 and 909, (have an sh-101 already woohoo!) an alesis andromeda, edp wasp synth (the rarer one with wooden side panels and proper keys), all the moog synths ever released, then a few vintage korgs and sequential circuit synths should do the trick!

My first real desk was a soundcraft compact 4, great little desk

crazeehorse

jiltloop wrote: »

i'd get a soundcraft compact 4, a shure sm58 mic, a cheap hi-fi for monitoring, and then spend the change on some nice analogue synths, a tb303, tr 808 and 909, (have an sh-101 already woohoo!) an alesis andromeda, edp wasp synth (the rarer one with wooden side panels and proper keys), all the moog synths ever released, then a few vintage korgs and sequential circuit synths should do the trick!

why not a nice korg ms20?

deecom

dav nagle wrote: »

Would you get all this for €30K?

No way would you get all that for 30k, way off the mark! Keep saving!!:D

ICN

dav nagle wrote: »

The new studio €30,000


Grow trumpets and record out of small plants, just look at that sound proofing

Dav - Brilliant - You're a funny fcuker! Hahaha!


If I was rich I would quit working & stay at home making music (not 24/7 though - I'd come out for air sometimes..)

We'd keep it simple & really real.

:pac:

dav nagle

Dead right ICN, the most important piece of kit needed in any studio is >>

ICN

dav nagle wrote: »

Dead right ICN, the most important piece of kit needed in any studio is >>

Jeesus -

A sex studio maybe - It looks like some kinda enema trumpet gimp mask.:eek:

Does Paul sell them? - :pac::pac::pac:


I've actually just noticed that this house came with windows - I wouldn't need to go outside if I was rich.. and after all of that!!

dav nagle

ICN wrote: »

Jeesus -

A sex studio maybe - It looks like some kinda enema trumpet gimp mask.:eek:

Does Paul sell them? - :pac::pac::pac:


I've actually just noticed that this house came with windows - I wouldn't need to go outside if I was rich.. and after all of that!!

These audio masks are made by Rupert Neve, I think Paul does sell them? Paul? Maybe PM him?

ICN

dav nagle wrote: »

These audio masks are made by Rupert Neve, I think Paul does sell them? Paul? Maybe PM him?

I'd be interested in a 2nd hand one if possible..

jiltloop

crazeehorse wrote: »

why not a nice korg ms20?

yes one of those too please, and theres probably loads of old classic synths that i'm forgetting about. and yes dav_nagle i just bought a compact 4 today, haven't got a chance to set it up yet but just reading through the manual and it seems like a nice little mixer

dav nagle

Yeah its a very nice desk, it has phantom and easy to operate, sturdy etc.. and its very compact, thats how I met Paul Brewer, I rang Audio warehouse out of the blue, I was looking for a desk with phantom power and a few channels.

jtsuited

i'd get a nice toft atb 24 desk.
some nice big complicated I/O and one of them there 8-core Mac Pros.

I'd spend the rest on behringer gear, rebadge it as some handmade vintage stuff, pay some engineers who are recently out of work to endorse it, and make a million quid in about 3 months.

dav nagle

2 very different systems both roughly under €30,000. Which would you prefer?

PaulBrewer

Don't think you'd need the Ensemble in the first one...