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Need assistance with choosing equipment? Superior recording equipment is vital for you artists out there who are taking the initiative to engineer your own home recordings. It’s very fun to do too. However, when the equipment isn’t the best, it can take away from the experience. You want to have high quality, efficient equipment in order to give you that pure, clean sound you hear from the majors. Everything suggested will be quality recording equipment, based on different budgets. You can click the title of any product for purchasing information.
One of the most essential constituents of sound recording is the type of microphone you use. Now, without going into too much detail, let’s just say that there are 2 main types of microphones: Condenser mics and Dynamic mics. Most of the time, dynamic microphones are not used in studio recordings, mainly live performances. So we’ll focus on the condenser mics.
 Professional-quality performance for any application!
Large-diaphragm condenser mics are often favored for vocal and acoustic instrument performances because they bring warmth and richness to live performance and recording sessions. The AT2020 from Audio-Technica combines the valued characteristics of these condenser mics with an open, airy quality for the most natural representation of your music. 
Classic Warm Sound The TLM 49 is a large-diaphragm studio microphone with a cardioid directional characteristic and a warm sound which is especially optimized for vocal performance. It is supplied as a set, with an elastic suspension. The TLM 49 design is inspired by that of the legendary M 49 and M 50 microphones of the 1950s. Naturally the TLM 49 has the typical Neumann fine matte nickel finish. The "sound design" is also oriented toward that of the M 49 and the U 47. By combining its retro look with proven Neumann transformerless circuit technology, this microphone ensures low self-noise and the use of high gain levels.  Industry Standard!
The Neumann U 87 is arguably the best known and most widely used studio microphone in the world (for good reason). The U 87 Ai condenser microphone is a large diaphragm microphone with three polar patterns and a unique frequency and transient response characteristic. A distinctive design and legendary Neumann sound make this mic a must-have for pro studios. The U 87 is known for its unique frequency and transient response characteristics which deliver a smooth natural sound with a variety of source material. The U 87 Ai is used as a main microphone for orchestra recordings, as a spot mic for single instruments, and extensively as a vocal microphone for all types of music and speech. The easy-to-recognize U 87 is a classic!
MonitorsEver wonder why your recordings sound so good coming out of your studio, but when you play them in the car, your cd player, or your iPod, they sound like crap? Studio monitors are your best friend when it comes to getting a good mix in. Many times, home studio operators try to look for the "best sounding" speakers they can find. This is a big mistake. You don't want your speakers to sugarcoat your sound, because when they do, you never hear the true mixdown. Most studio monitors deliver a flat sound, ideal for mixing. They attempt to project the purest sound possible coming from your recording software. Honesty with your monitors is key to a great mix and the overall judgement of your songs. Tight Budget: KRK RP5G2 Rokit G2 Powered 2-Way Active Monitor ($149.50)
Nice and even sound! As a recording engineer, you need to trust your instincts, your ears, and most of all, your reference monitors. It's like this: if the speakers that you're listening to your mix through aren't providing you with an accurate image of your sound, you won't know what you're listening to. Soon you'll start mistrusting yourself, so investing in pair of accurate monitors as a beginning recordist is especially important. Luckily, there's a name you can trust in home recording, and an active monitor that's been around the block more than a few times: the KRK RPG2 Rokit. Medium Budget: M-Audio BX5A Deluxe Active Studio Monitors ($299)
Pure Sound!
When some companies design a "low-cost" reference monitor, they take the design of their flagship model and subtract features until its price is more "reasonable." Not M-Audio. Their BX-series monitors are designed specifically for the home recording enthusiast, sporting features that you really need to get the most out of your mixes. They're a serious solution for those serious about their craft. You Have Money: JBL LSR4328P Powered Studio Monitor (220 Watts, 1x8 in.) ($1,539)
Brutally Honest! The biggest challenge for anyone producing audio is creating a mix that sounds great on all playback systems. Much of the problem is caused by the mixing room interacting with the studio monitors and creating an inaccurate picture at the mix position. JBL Professional, continuing its long tradition of revolutionary products, decided it was time to fix the problem. PreampsPreamps can make or break a recording! These can turn mediocrity into the Holy Grail of Everything! Many people get frustrated, saying “my mic is crap!” Many times, the case may be the you have a poor preamp, or no preamp at all! Preamps are basically signal processors and they ensure that clean signals come through from your microphone into your recording software. I would encourage you to do your research because different preamps do different things. It’s more than choosing between a Ferrari, Lamborghini, and a McLaren F1. Just think if there were 1,000s of cars that matched up with a McLaren F1? That’s how the competition is. Here is a list of some great, industry quality preamps: Tight Budget: ART Pro-VLA II ($299)
An Effective, Affordable Compressor/Leveling Amp from ART! The ART Pro-VLA II is a tube driven Vactrol-based compressor/leveling amplifier designed for tracking, mixing, mastering, live sound, or broadcast situations. By using an opto-electronic design, (as opposed to a more typical VCA driven level detection circuit) the Pro-VLA II allows more compression to be added to an audio source with a more natural, musical sounding output and virtually transparent dynamic leveling. This VCA-less design coupled with a 12AT7 vacuum tube in the gain stage makes the Pro-VLA II an ideal dynamic control device! Medium Budget: Avalon VT737SP ($2,250)
Serious About Sound? First impressions matter. When a client walks into your studio for the first time, you need to make the best impression, so do yourself a favor: coil your cables, throw out your old coffee cups, and make sure you've got an Avalon VT-737SP channel strip in your outboard rack. Ever since this "Class A Mic Processor" was introduced in the late 1990s, studios large and small have relied on its platinum-sounding tube preamplification, world-class optical compressor, and musical four-band equalization controls. A gleaming, glowing VT-737SP in your rack tells clients you've been in this game for more than little while, and that you're ready for anything they've got. You Have Money: Focusrite Liquid Channel Pro Channel Strip ($2,499)
Revolutionary! The Liquid Channel is a revolutionary professional channel strip that can precisely replicate any classic mic-pre and compressor. Combining radical new analog pre-amp technology with Dynamic Convolution techniques, The Liquid Channel fuses cutting-edge analog design with lightning fast SHARC DSP. Augmented by fully digital controls and optional remote software, The Liquid Channel provides the ultimate fluid vintage collection.
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