Choosing A Digital Sound Recording System

Old school analog is out! Digital is IN! After you acquire a high quality condensor microphone, you’ll need a power source amplifier. This is where digital recorders come to play!

Be sure to acquire one that specifically has built-in Phantom Power so you don’t have to buy it separately. This can save you $300 or more.

I highly recommend Musician’s Friend for all your sound system needs. I shop for sound recording equipment there first. They ship fast, and their online shop offers customer testimonials and reviews where you can choose confidently.

Sometimes these digital recording systems are called digital workstations or multitrack recorders — these go GREAT with audio mixers, recording sound systems, or pro dj mixers. Most equalizers allow you to adjust bass and ref sounds. Here is a list of professional audio mixers to choose from.

Some of them allow you to record directly to CD. Others allow you to record to a digital harddrive so you can export through your computer’s USB port. I’ve had excellent results with the BOSS brand, Behringer, and less than stellar results with Yamaha. Which ones do you prefer? I must warn you that sometimes the more knobs and whistles a mixer has, the more studying you’ll need to do to get the sound right for that product. I spent $3000 on a Yamaha mixer only to never use it because it was too complicated for me to get it to do what I WANTED it to do. Expensive does not necessarily mean it’s better. The BOSS brand is user-friendly and has hundreds of effects for pre-editing the voice.

Check to see how many input channels it has for microphones. The more the merrier. You only technically need one. I like to have a minimum of 4 just in case I use more than one microphone. When collaborating with a guest artist, it’s nice to offer the special guest his/her own microphone rather than sharing one for maximum personal space and freedom to play. Having warm personal space makes it easier for the voice to authentically natural. Each microphone needs its own input channel so watch for cable requirements or headphone adapters so they fit in their proper holes

Some audio mixers have 16 or 24 mixers – which is designed for lots of instruments. You really only need one with 4 or 8 if doing erotic hypnosis with voice and maybe one instrument or two (including synthesizer or amp). Here’s an example of a good one.

I like to keep 4 microphone cables on hand (6 ft, two 10 ft.s, and a 20 ft) – Hand-soldered connectors. 2-conductor, 24-gauge, low-impedance black cable with copper spiral shield. Available in a range of lengths.

For plugging Hi-Z mics to unbalanced inputs, HZ-Series cables do the job. These quality HZ Series cables feature XLR female to 1/4″ mono connectors.

Check to see if you need male or female plugs on your system before buying your cords!

Digital workstation checklist:
16-track (256 V-tracks) digital studio with 80GB hard drive (2 x 40GB partitions) and CDRW drive
Approximately 240-hour recording time
Record all 8 XLR inputs simultaneously—ideal for tracking live performances
Powerful effects including COSM modeling for guitar, bass and microphones
Vocal Tool Box with auto pitch correction and Harmony Sequence function
16 individual track EQs, plus 8 dedicated compressors
Mastering Tool Kit with multi-band compression for loud and punchy CDs
Create backing tracks quickly with new Drum/Bass and Loop Phrase tracks
Step and realtime sequencer, plus automatic tempo mapping for imported loops
USB port for easy data exchange
V-LINK video control (requires Edirol video equipment, sold separately)

This is just a recommendation — good ones can cost approximately $600-$800. GREAT ones can cost several thousand. It depends on your budget and what you want to accomplish. Browse around! Ebay is an excellent place to save money for used products.

Love
Isabella
xoxoxoox