Home Studio Upgrades???

[TurboPablo]

Here is what I have.....

Sm57
Cascade Fathead BE
MXL 57 Condenser
Mackie Blackjack
Warm Audio WA-12
Mackie MRK2 5" Monitors.

Here is what I am thinking......

Upgrade the Blackjack to a Audient ID22

Add a Warm Audio WA76 Compressor.

Then grab another Mic of some sort. Seinheiser E906??? Or something like it?? I am totally open to mic suggestions.

Would the ID22 be a significant tonal upgrade over the Blackjack? The only "problem" I have with the Blackjack is that I can't turn the channel gain down enough to make the best use of the WA-12's different functions. For example, if I hit the Tone Button on the WA-12 I either have to have the PAD on or run the WA-12 gain way down to basically minimal or no effect.Or, I have to back the gain on the Blackjack all the way down. Basically, the Blackjack clips too easily. Which makes me feel like I am leaving a lot of the WA-12 on the table.

Does that make any sense?

Does any of this make "cents"?

[TurboPablo]

Halp before I spend monies....

[ajaxlepinski]

IMHO, you need a converter with input trim.

One condensor mic and one SM57 is all you need for home recording inless, you record more than one instrument at one time.

Spend your money on plug ins!!!

[TurboPablo]

IMHO, you need a converter with input trim.

One condensor mic and one SM57 is all you need for home recording inless, you record more than one instrument at one time.

Spend your money on plug ins!!!

Does that mean a input I can turn below Unity?

Also, I like hardware. Makes me feel all 1974.

[Markdude]

The iD22 would be a good option since you can bypass its preamp completely and run the WA-12 directly into the converter. It also has ADAT I/O in case you want to expand down the road.

[TurboPablo]

I think I will order the ID22 today or tomorrow.

[Ostinato Rubato]

Slate Digital. I know it's one of those things I'm annoying about and all but honestly try the monthly plugins subscription and you'll see why. I can pretty much promise you some vastly improved recorded tones and mixes just by using a couple of their plugins. You don't even really have to know that much about what you're doing to get things sounding good either. Really great stuff.

[ajaxlepinski]

Being able to bypass the unit's preamp, as Markdue described, is a great feature.

Input trim on my Mbox Pro lets me reduce input levels below unity, most of the time but, not always. Some high volume recordings overload and I have to use the pad, and the pad isn't always enough. Wish I could bypass the preamp sometimes!

[ibenhad]

Does the Mackie have channel inserts to skip the built in preamps? Instead of the warm audio comp I would get the RNC it's better IMHO and I believe cheaper.

[nakedzen]

Slate Digital. I know it's one of those things I'm annoying about and all but honestly try the monthly plugins subscription and you'll see why. I can pretty much promise you some vastly improved recorded tones and mixes just by using a couple of their plugins. You don't even really have to know that much about what you're doing to get things sounding good either. Really great stuff.

+1 They do have a "Slate Sound" to all of them that you need to like. Which I do very much. But they tend to accentuate the high mids I've found.

Get more good dynamic mics would be my other suggestion, like Beyerdynamic M201, Sennheiser MD421, Audix D6, Sennheiser MD441 etc. Mics will have the largest tonal impact out of your options.

Upgrading the condenser to something like Shure KSM32 or AKG 414 could be an option too.