Home studio setup

[Dantemoulin]

Hey all!

I wanted to check with you guys if this setup is ideal for basic music production.

Internal Firewire card

External sound card: Focusrite Saffire Pro 14 or 24

Studio monitor: M-Audio BX5 D2

MIDI Keyboard: Alesis Q88

I will buy an internal firewire card because I do not have any currently and I need it for the external sound card.

I am not sure if I want the M-Audio BX5 D2 yet but for now that is what I want.

The MIDI keyboard is supposed to be a basic keyboard to help me learn how to play.

Any thoughts? Please feel free to suggest anything you would recommend! :)

[t0wer]

the firewire DAC/ADC looks good

and if you're looking for alternatives to the bx5s, i've heard good things from krk rokit series.

I'm not sure how they will do as studio monitors but for "computer speakers" I've heard good things about swan's active speakers

http://www.theaudioinsider.com/index.php?loudspeakers=swan-active-desktop-sound&cPath=21_24

[Dantemoulin]

the firewire DAC/ADC looks good

and if you're looking for alternatives to the bx5s, i've heard good things from krk rokit series.

I'm not sure how they will do as studio monitors but for "computer speakers" I've heard good things about swan's active speakers

http://www.theaudioinsider.com/index.php?loudspeakers=swan-active-desktop-sound&cPath=21_24

Thanks for the tips, I will definitely try to listen to a them if they are available at my local music store. :)

[DataLepton]

the firewire DAC/ADC looks good

and if you're looking for alternatives to the bx5s, i've heard good things from krk rokit series.

I'm not sure how they will do as studio monitors but for "computer speakers" I've heard good things about swan's active speakers

http://www.theaudioinsider.com/index.php?loudspeakers=swan-active-desktop-sound&cPath=21_24

KRK's rokit series are some of the best known studio monitors around. And they are well within the budget of most budding DJ's and Audio engineers. They are active speakers tho and you will have to choose the right size based on the size of your room. They look really great too!!

[Guest]

the firewire DAC/ADC looks good

and if you're looking for alternatives to the bx5s, i've heard good things from krk rokit series.

I'm not sure how they will do as studio monitors but for "computer speakers" I've heard good things about swan's active speakers

http://www.theaudioinsider.com/index.php?loudspeakers=swan-active-desktop-sound&cPath=21_24

If you're looking for a linear response then KRK Rockits aren't the way to go - they're fairly heavy on the bass side which makes them good for DJ's though.

[Dantemoulin]

the firewire DAC/ADC looks good

and if you're looking for alternatives to the bx5s, i've heard good things from krk rokit series.

I'm not sure how they will do as studio monitors but for "computer speakers" I've heard good things about swan's active speakers

http://www.theaudioinsider.com/index.php?loudspeakers=swan-active-desktop-sound&cPath=21_24

I have made up my mind, I listened to some different brands and I think the M-Audio BX8 D2 sounds best in my ears.

[Blade of Grass]

What are you going to be recording?

I found that having only two microphone inputs really sucks when you want to do something like mic a drum kit (seeing as you need at LEAST 5 mics IMHO).

Also, instead of getting the Focusrite Saffire Pro, why not go with a USB interface?

[Torand]

I use a MOTU 8Pre as my primary audio interface, a pair of KRK Rokit 5's [on Aurlex MoPads < make a huge difference!] and the KRK 10s.

 

Really love this setup, and as long as you take the time to balance the KRK's properly, i spent a long time balancing levels and the frequency cut off to the 10s until i liked the sound they produced. 

 

I think it mainly resides down to what you are doing, producing what genre? are you a producer or an engineer/techie just mixing for other bands? Live gigs and audio mastering? Etc... Audio equipment can be designed to be very specific in task.

 

I'd certainly suggest over estimating on how many inputs you need, as you will most likely be spending £200-£300+ on an audio interface, you want to get one that will last [Motu 8Pre cost me over £400 but is a great and solid bit of kit, my mate has the PreSonus AudioBox 1818 VSL as his laptop has no firewire...]. :P

 

PS. I bloody love my KRK's :D