I currently have a rode nt1a and scarlett 2i2. But all the pros shit on both this preamp and microphone

I currently have a rode nt1a and scarlett 2i2. But all the pros shit on both this preamp and microphone.

From research what im being lead to believe is that the best microphone is the U87 and the best preamp Universal audio LA610.

The best shotgun microphone is the MKH 416 and the best portable preamp is the Sound Devices 302.

Others claims that the best mic is the RCA44 or that any high end ribbon microphone is warmer than the U87. Do things truly sound richer on these preamps or microphones? If this is true how come it's so difficult for people to tell what microphones were used during blind tests?

Attached: Scarlet2i2G2-large.jpg (750x367, 76K)

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amazon.com/dp/B072RC5NZQ/ref=emc_b_5_t
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I don't know if there's a big difference between a Rode NT1a and Rode NT1, but I've never seen anybody shit on an NT1.

It's "difficult" for people to tell the difference because the majority of them are being paid to sell a product. I'd wager the rest of them are amateurs doing test in poorly treated rooms.
If you put an LA610 and a cheap consumer Focusrite next to each other in a proper room, you're going to hear a difference.

2nd gen focusrite is one of the best interfaces for *recording* you can get up to $500-$600. I also connect my JBL308s to it. (+ guitar/s and mic)
What music are we talking about here?
I'm had a LOT of pleasant experience with it in alt-metal, experimental, math metal and acoustic stuff. Most of it with clean vocals btw. I mean I can get something better but if you can master well you don't need to upgrade unless you want a Grammy or something.
This user is right about room treating. I had to spent around $260 on panels alone to get everything sound right.

>how come it's so difficult for people to tell what microphones were used during blind tests?
Professional musicians and audio people are some of the dumbest niggers alive, you can sell them any kind of snake oil and if its expensive they will "hear" the difference.

Do you have any idea what you're talking about?
Are you in any way qualified to have an informed opinion?

I think no.

audio engineer here, best gear is the one you got. Just have reliable preamps and good accurate speakers. Adam audio are great and yamaha hs5. A sm57 goes a long way and has been used for everything. U87 clones are great too, they still have a polished clear sound to them. You don't have to break the bank, it matters that your music sounds good.

I use a Heil PR40 with a Scarlet Solo. I've had both for around ~3 years and absolutely love them. One small problem that I used to have with the scarlet is that it starts to degrade in sound every so often from voltage irregularities from USB3. Apparently, sometimes motherboards can be a little bad with V regulation.

I bought an external usb hub with AC power and plugged in there, haven't had any issues for around a year. For recording the solo is fine for me. I do talkshows / podcasts. Works like a charm.

This might be PSU problem or you didn't check power management modes in BIOS. Once I set everything to extreme performance I had zero problems. Basically there was a setting that regulates how fast mobo reacts to voltage fluctuations, say CPU suddenly requested a shitton for effects and in this setting in would offer that power where needed in like literally nanoseconds. It was supposed to be for overclockers but it did exactly what I needed so who cares.

Get a power conditioner. My laptop would send hum to my interface and you could here through the recordings. got one and it cleaned up the sound and hum.

Not him but if you swear by it can you link yours, like an amazon link or something.

Yeah you can find them cheap on amazon and high end ones used on guitar center

I have this one in the mixing room

amazon.com/Furman-M-8X2-Outlet-Conditioner-Protector/dp/B003BQ91Y6/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1528346274&sr=8-4&keywords=power conditioner

and this one for the bands it has usb so they can charge their phones

amazon.com/dp/B072RC5NZQ/ref=emc_b_5_t

thanks

I've got a Rode K2, and switched out the tube, with the same preamp as OP. Sounds just as good as anything else on the market.

Yeah except different mics have dramatically different sound profiles in a lot of cases. They physically pick up sound differently, because they don't all have the exact same design. There's a reason for this.. Because different microphones have different use cases, are made by different manufacturers, and are usually designed for specific volumes, are used in different environments, etc. There is a lot of snake oil out there, but you'll really see most of that in the consumer space. Professionals are called professionals for a reason.

Chasing the "best" in audio is often just a boondoggle. If you have preferences or specific recording needs that's one thing but I can't tell what you need from your post.

It's just hardware
Good hardware doesn't make good music
You do so focus on that

>tfw first gen 2i2
I hate this soundcard

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>Scarlett 2i2
>Soundcard
What?!

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound_card#Professional_soundcards_(audio_interfaces)

It functions primarily as an audio interface and I know what that means. How did you equate it to an audio card and why would you have bought it for that purpose? On-board audio on fairly modern motherboards doesn't require an upgrade. Audio production is a different use case.

-it's cheap
-it has a nice big volume knob
-it has balanced outputs
-it has a headphone out conveniently placed in front with a dedicated volume knob
of course it's the go-to cheapo usb soundcard for desktop use, it's comfy as fuck no matter if you produce audio or not

you fell for the meme, bro. even 2nd gen is not a good choice, because there are better alternatives.

>falling for buzzwords
fuck off to reddit

>falling for buzzwords
>fuck off to reddit
All that proof. Surely convinced me which ones I've fallen for and how, thanks.

In my country, we call them "sound card", whatever it's internal or external device.

There were no 2nd gen when I bought it

>It functions primarily as an audio interface and I know what that means. How did you equate it to an audio card and wOn-board audio on fairly modern motherboards doesn't require an upgrade. Audio production is a different use case.
My motherboard doesn't have XLR or +48V

Full-time recording/mixing/mastering engineer here.
>Do things truly sound richer on these preamps or microphones?
In short, yes. More expensive microphones require generally less EQ-ing aside from some LPF and a bit of sparkle. You're not combating irritating frequencies and harsh sibilance like you are with lower end mics. Preamps make less of a difference until you drive them and it really comes down to noise performance and THD.
>If this is true how come it's so difficult for people to tell what microphones were used during blind tests?
Depends on who you ask: There is clear difference between an NT1A and a U87, side by side and I would have no issue telling the difference but my ear is trained to pick up these differences- others may not.

Better microphones require less processing because they are able to give a signature that sounds pleasing straight off the mic- this generally means good linearity in the audible spectrum. Because of this, it can be used for practically anything including vocals. The NT1A is regarded primarily as a vocal mic, but I would venture to use it on something else like overheads or cab mic- try it out. The theory when it comes to mixing is that you should get your mix sounding right at the source instead of attempting to doctor it with loads of EQ and compression after the fact- better microphones help with this. Of course this means nothing if your acoustical space is sub-optimal and this is the issue I would tackle first before considering mic upgrades. A U87 sounds great on it's own, but if you're looking to achieve clean-sounding vocals or dialogue, a good mic alone is NOT going to make it sound good. I can't stress this enough. I've had to turn down vocal jobs from clients because of how poorly recorded they were despite some of them using c414's and TLM 103's (for instance.)

Attached: STUDIO3.jpg (2048x1365, 598K)

In conclusion, you're probably going to be disappointed if you spend 3k on a Mic/Pre combo.

If acoustics is something that you simply cannot avoid fixing, you're better at looking for a dynamic microphone rather than a condenser- like an SM7B or something of that nature.

Can you please tell me what those better alternatives are? I've seen praise for the 2i2 basically everywhere, even focusrite claims that they have a lower latency compared to other interfaces (I hardly believe that). I want to get into audio production but I can't decide which interface is best to start with.

Focusrite USB soundcards have terrible low latency performance. There's a big thread with some info here:
gearslutz.com/board/music-computers/618474-audio-interface-low-latency-performance-data-base.html?s=e5223238883576279880b2a6358d3665

There's a lot to read and many more devices that weren't even tested.
In that price range and with USB, something from Steinberg, Yamaha, Roland should be relatively safe bets.
If you're willing to spend more get something from RME.
Also USB isn't the best for low latency, but it's usable.

IMO rme is the only manufacturer who got usb really figured out
64i/o via usb2 on a shitty ultrabook on 64 samples asio buffer are no big deal, while any other manufacturer can't do 64 samples on 8 i/o

here
Actually looking at that big chart it seems 2nd gen Focusmeme did improve latency somewhat, if the 6i6 numbers are anything to go by. Not to RME levels, but it seems alright. Not sure if they also fixed the shitty headphone amps, though.
There's more info scattered throughout that thread if you're willing to dig/search.

I have a first gen 2i2
The sound is okay I guess (i'm not an expert but I sounds ok ).
However I have stability troubles. I can go as low as 3~4 ms of latency (short latency is needed when I record my guitarist), but the device crash randomly after a while with low latency, I have to unplug it then replug it.

Audiophiles are mentally ill.

Attached: audiotism.webm (1280x720, 2.99M)

No one ITT talked about audiophiles, snake oil and retarded over expensive equipment.

Thread is about some recording equipment
>hurr durr must be some retarded audiophiles
Your a special kind of stupid aren't you?

Attached: balkautism.png (2051x1148, 1.49M)

wrong thread sorry

I am a poorfag and I do everything with a second hand e845

>bringing up a topic no one else has out of anger
I am gonna guess you are not only poverty stricken but you also get mad when people who make better life choices than you spend their money how they wish to.

Personally, the sound upgrade is so minimal from your setup to the expensive ass neumanns. I have a AKG C214 with the same audio interface and I just eq with Voice Meeter Banana. Fuck all that sound treatment shit.

The scarlett 2i2 is fucking TRASH. Fuck you.
If you're a poorfag enough to have even considered the scarlett at least get a (((steinberg))) preamp.

Looking at this thread, I feel I was memed
I had bought a Scarlett 2i4 as my first interface, like 1 years ago. it is a first gen.
I got shit latency (windows), so I gave up on recording my shitty guitar.
Then, one week ago, I got a steinberg UR44 in a sale, and it fucking worked nice on windows, compared to how shitty the scarlett is.
Yesterday, I got a hands me down mac book pro 2015, and being trying to test both.
On the mac, the scarlett has almost no latency, whereas the steinberg was a little difficult to set up due to driver shenannigans. I can't really notice a difference in the sound (my ear is shit)

I don't know which one to keep. The pros on the scarlett 2i4 would be that it requires no power but I really work more on my windows desktop), and that I can return the UR44 until next month.
It really feels like a lateral move instead of upgrading.
So, what would be a real upgrade, an UA Apollo twin? I dislike that the apollo has no MIDI, though, which I use for programming my footswitches and other pedals.

What's a good mix + interface combo for a home studio in the $300-400 USD range? Recording vocals and guitar, already have a MIDI controller keyboard.

Did you get to try any Mackie? The onyx producer 2.2 seems like a good option to me. I know that the onyx preamps are quite good and it also has midi in and out.

Why there isn't a general for this kind of audio gear? I think it would be much more useful compared to /hpg/ (which is basically an anime and stax shitpost general at this point) and the speaker general.

Any templates for the OP of such a general?

why would you need a general for that
it's not like the market for cheap interfaces is huge

I meant perhaps a whole audio production general. I don't even want to know how far /mu/ has sank at this point.

The NT1A is more than good enough for most usecases. The Scarlet on the other hand is (in my experience) pretty shit.

There's a DAW general that pops up every now and then

yeah /prod/ on mu is completely trashed, but I don't think Jow Forums is the place for this

I dunno, maybe a guide on which gear (interfaces, mic, etc) is the best for each price range would be a good start.

I didn't meant only for cheap audio interfaces, but for every kind of gear that might be valuable in home recording.

if its powered from the usb port then it must be shit. all real audio hardware have their own psus.

>Professional musicians
actual musicians just use whatever $5 guitar lead they find lying around the studio. not that they could afford anything more anyway.

You're not a musician, aren't you?