The best upgrade for your studio

[rightintheface]

Sorry if this is a bit of a Gears***z style question... I've got some money coming to me from some production work (My god, there's still money out there!!), and it's time to upgrade my chain.
For infos sake I'm running a pretty entry level rig - m audio profire 2626, gap pre 73, DBX 160x, various low-range microphones. I've been getting good results, but it can always be improved.
I'm already working on properly treating my room (using diy panels following a few blogs etc), so deciding where to plant some seeds: mic, preamp, comp, converters?

In your humble opinions, what is the first thing you'd upgrade? - please don't say "the talent"

I don't have a killer LDC so I was thinking maybe something from the beesneez range?
Any help would be much appreciated!

[seancook]

Buy one great mic, let your ears and experience tell you what that mic but make it one you don't think you will ever sell

[Wiz]

what sort of things do your normally record, how many tracks at once?

Cue mixes all good?

[rightintheface]

Sean - that's the tilt I'm leaning on at the moment I reckon, one killer mic

Peter - I used to do a fair bit of multi tracking bands (including my own) but now I'm almost 100% working on hip hop, with me creating all the instro's from scratch and recording my own vox for choruses. The MC I'm working with will then come and lay down his vox. No problems with cue mixes for now (definitely down the line though, any you recommend?), couple of sets of better cans would be a good thing too.

I think I'm leaning towards new mic land...

Sound wise my voice is a fairly muddy tenor, I find I usually have to HPF to about 150hz to clean it up. Ivecycled through a bunch of dynamics and settled on an old ev 664 which gives me some crispness without too much proximity effect. The MC is using a Peavey (!) 520n (poor mans sm7), which will be upgraded to an sm7. Sold a rode K2 that was way too spitty for what we are both doing. As I said, pretty entry level.
Ill have to go somewhere and check out some mics in store, any recommendations for both mics and stores in Melbourne?

[Chris H]

Buy one great mic, let your ears and experience tell you what that mic but make it one you don't think you will ever sell

+1

[Wiz]

the headphone amp I use, is one of Robs, Proharmonic, I resisted spending money on a headphone amp for years...wish I had done it sooner.. I never realised what a difference it would make..miking things with cans on is exponentially better now.

I would suggest buying a good, resell able microphone, e.g. U87.

[ether]

... or a great set of monitors, if you don't have any already.

[mylesgm]

I just went through this process because I received some money too. So I went out and bought a couple of classic mics that I know I'll never sell. preamps come and go, comps and eqs, monitors and converters but you'll always need stellar mics. I bought a 1970s u87 and I know I'll think of the person who gave me the money often and I know it'll be one of the things I sell only when I have finished up. Buy something classic and something that you'll love and that will stay classic.

[walding]

Buy A top end mic first and I mean start as a minimum a vintage 87 and go from there.

Get the best you can possibly afford.

[rightintheface]

Looks like I'm gonna be hunting for an 87... The universal consensus is vintage ones are better I spose?

[walding]

Looks like I'm gonna be hunting for an 87... The universal consensus is vintage ones are better I spose?

Battery compartment 70's u87i is a thing of beauty

I have one and had it modded by Ross Giles, It will never leave me

Now if i could afford a 67 and a 49 I'd be in audio heaven........

[chribble]

Yep I've been here and done this too.

Mic over pre's for sure as a first big upgrade.

If you're into music production, i'd also recommend getting an analog synth as that bass makes a huge difference.