Would the RNP be a justified upgrade?

[jason]

Hi there again-

I currently use a Presonus Firebox to record into my computer, My mic's are AT2020,AT2021(I know, not the best) and an SM57. I only record Electric/Acoustic guitars and vocals. I really like the sound of the SM57 on my vocals, but as most of you probably the firebox just doesn't do it for the SM57 without all the background noise from the pres being cranked so high. So I was looking to upgrade and get a RNP to push the SM57. My question would the RNP be a justifiable upgrade to the firebox. Will it work with the 57 or would I need to upgrade even further to reap any benefits? Thanks.

[_controlfreak]

The RNP would indeed be a justifiable upgrade. It gives you 2 good sounding preamps that can dish out 60db of gain each (as opposed to the 45db the FireBox puts out). Definitey $500 well spent.

[Weasel9992]

+1 on the RNP. Really good pre.

Weez

[joelpilling]

Another one for the RNP, you will notice a difference over the PreSonus pres.

[jason]

Thanks for your input guys, I'm pretty much convinced now. Guess I'll be dishing out another 500 shells.

[nanashiwanderer]

well you convinced but from what i've heard of the SM57, it seems love the RNP. They say its a completeley different mic once you get to that level.

[joelpilling]

Thanks for your input guys, I'm pretty much convinced now. Guess I'll be dishing out another 500 shells.

Welcome to recording! Its expensive, but well worth it.

[jason]

well you convinced but from what i've heard of the SM57, it seems love the RNP. They say its a completeley different mic once you get to that level.

That is what I am hoping for anyway. I really like the tone colour I get with the 57 and the Presonus, it's just way too noisy. If I could get the same tone or close to, without all the background noise I will be a happy camper.

[joelpilling]

I was recording my voice (whispers!) with a 57 through my firepod today.
Boy, that was a task. Just the fact that the RNP has enough gain to support it is a big plus.

[adhesive]

RNP + SM57

Did it, loved it.

LIVE IT!

[picture of effeminate guy jumping in the air like a girly-girly]

[joelpilling]

RNP is my next purchase, I love using the SM57 for vocals (it does really well on my own voice). But man, I have to crank it with the firepod.

[KOSMONAUT]

i'm pretty interested in buying a rnp(that or dav bg1) currently i am using a focusrite twintrack pro for my vocals and guitars. would I see much improvement in performance?

[Luke]

+1 for SC-1 ...yeah, the diy nerd entered in

[nanashiwanderer]

i'm pretty interested in buying a rnp(that or dav bg1) currently i am using a focusrite twintrack pro for my vocals and guitars. would I see much improvement in performance?

Yes anything besides Focusrite RED, ISA, or blue, or liquid. Is a lowend focusrite green Pre and pretty much isn't much better than a stock mackie preamp.

[sti23]

I am posting in this thread because my situation seems relevant and it keeps me from starting a new one.

I haven't seen many posts on using Lexicon Lambda interface to record voices and guitar. That is the one I use currently with my AKG Perception 220. Everything works great, sounds pretty good too. Acutally, it sounds loud and clear when I am monitoring with my headphones, but the sound is pretty quiet when I convert to an audio file. I have to turn the volume up much higher to listen to it.
It says it has a preamp, but I'm assuming that it is pretty weak. I currently sequence with Cubase LE4 which came with the Lambda. I'm not sure if the recording is low in volume because of something in Cubase, or if it is the Lambda itself. I have not tried other instruments on it yet, and the guitar-I recorded through the mic. I'm hoping that the RNP will resolve the problem. Anyone else run into this problem with the Lambda in particular? Are the Lambda Lexicon's just not very good? Sorry for the semi-off topic.

[EnlightenedHand]

Any recording that you make at proper tracking volume will be much quieter than what you would expect from something that has been mixed and mastered, because among other things, volume enhancement has taken place during the mixing an mastering phase of production. So you should expect raw recorded tracks that have simply been converted into playback files to be significantly quieter than what you might be used to. It's not a problem. It just means that you haven't enhanced the volume at all.

[sti23]

i appreciate your quick reply. Thanks, i will look into that. Can you point me in that direction?

So you do not think it's equipment at all?

[apadua]

For something quick and dirty, Insert a limiter or compressor plugin on the master bus and adjust the parameters so that the output levels don't exceed 0. (maybe -.02 should be safe)

There are also stand alone software packages dedicated for this type of thing. (Wavelab, Isotope, T-Racks)

or

Send the project in to be mastered professionally... If you go that route try to leave some headroom for the Mastering Engineer (ME).. I try to stay with -6 to -12

[Twiggy]

+1 for what has been said.

Your mixes should sound quieter than commercial releases. The volume increase (sometimes just percieved volume increase) comes at the mastering stage.

An easy way to get tracks louder without doing too much damage is to insert a limiter on the 2-buss as apadua suggested. If you raise the gain but not so high that it starts compressing the audio, you're tracks are louder with minimal degridation.

Its no substitute for proper mastering though.

[sti23]

so are you guys saying that the lexicon lambda is good for now and does not need a separate pre?

[Twiggy]

If it sounds good to you right now and all you need is loudness, then yes, You don't need a seperate pre.