Hello there everybody,
I am trying to setup my computer for recording, my recording needs are simple I want to record my keyboard and vocal into computer at max quality (24-bit 96 kHz) on two separate channels (not stereo but 2 analog channels because even after panning the sound there is always mix in stereo) now what do you think I will need? I was thinking about getting a Midiman Audiophile 2496 by M-Audio, Fostex VM08 8X2 Digital Mini Mixer, Alesis M1 Active Biamp Reference Monitors but all these things are getting very expensive for me can some recommend and alternative for a lower price? I just want to record my keyboard and vocal on two separate channels live (yes I know why live?? ) so I need minimum 2 analog input audio card please help me as I am new to all this recording stuff, but yes I will prefer to keep the quality as clean as possible and pleas do also tell me what is the difference between a condenser mic and a regular mic? I mean is it better to use condenser mic does it really improve the quality that much?

There are so many choices out there.
But you can still find nice decent comp audio interface cards. Most of them also come with bundled audio software that can give you at least 8 channels of audio recording capability.
One most important issue is your PC's compatibility. Once you install everything and be ready to run it, you may experience some problems, just because your mother board or chip set or some other thing (windows OS) may not be compatible.
You may start looking some user groups for advice like user groups at www.digidesign.com for protools users group. Check www.steinberg.net for nuendo and cubase user groups. check cakewalk user groups. They all have excellent posts for system configurations.
I personally use digi001 box with PTLE, am very much happy with it so far. It cost about 799 at the moment.
One other really good card is Echo. If you are looking for a good budget card try Echo Mia. It is not expensive, it comes with bundled software. It gives you multiple i/o options along with Spdif digital i/o. 8 channel onboard mixer with DSP via the sound card. It works with most of the software.
Alesis M1 active monitors are very good for the money. At the moment you can get a steal for a pair. It would make a good near field monitor which you will need for critical mixing.
You have to start reading some magazines like "recording", or "electronic musician" as they have excellent articles about some product review and some recording techniques. Go to www.e;lectronicmusician.com and check their previous archives about all kinds of topics from choice of mics to use, recording techniques (eq, compression, mixing, etc...), some gear reviews, etc...
I also check www.intermusic.co.uk for their reviews and lessons on recording techniques.
Also check www.sospubs.co.uk for their excellent archive of recording related issues.
You may be able to find an excellent price at www.bpmmusic.com
Condenser mics will always give you the best result for recording (voice or acoustic instrument). Dynamics also have their fair share depending on the application.
While Sure SM58 or Sure SM57 became the industry standard over the years for so many applications as a stand out dynamics mics, there will always a clear and distinguishable difference between a dynamic and a condenser mic in favor of later one.
You can get a SM57/SM58 for about 90 or cheaper. I would suggest Rode NT1 being the most economical and the best buy for the price as a condenser mic. Check out the reviews your self for the NT1. It is one the industries work horse for a project studio/or home studio. You can get one about 179.
But do not forget, if you have a condenser mic, you need a 'phantom" power supply (10-12 volt DC) to use the mic. You don't have this issue with a dynamics mic.
I would definitely suggest you to have an little mixer for it will allow you to have your own mix, cue mix, recording channel, monitor, direct record with nice mic preamps, and for many other countless good reasons.
Since you are planning to get active monitors, you can get a nice little mixer.
The Mackie VLZ series are the best ones that will give you the clear and great mic preamps available. The VLZ PRO1204 is the smallest with 12 channels and it also comes with "phantom" power switch and many other things. Check www.mackie.com
You can find one on Ebay for less than 300, and believe me it will be the most crucially important unit on your gig!

Mackie 1202 - 300
Rode NT1- 179
Alesis M1 450 (pair)
Echo Mia - 179-189

An alternative to alesis M1 could very well be the roland active monitors which is much cheaper or try Fostex PS3.1 power monitor system with sub (superb sounding!)

Fostex PS3.1 189-199


Good luck

F Kara

Thanks F. Kara,

Can you recomend a digital mixer is fostex vm88 any good cause I was thinking of using the mia digital input for cleaner recording..

VM88 is not a bad deal now. Especially after Fostex discontinued the unit, its price dropped considerably. I bought one for its digital ADAT i/o to use it as a front end to my digi001 box. It also comes equiped with internal FX processors of two. I believe its EQ was a little limited. I returned my back. I didn't find the mic pre as great as other models. Mackie VLZ series got a much better mic pres that has a lot of head room and clearity. One other problem that I with VM88 was it was generating a lot of noise on some of the FX parameters. But I can not say that it is a bad unit. For the price it sounds like a bang for the buck. It is a matter of taste. I currently use Spirit M8 and am very happy with it.
I understand the idea of staying in digital domain to preserve the signal integrity, but you may not be able to find the richness that an analog board can give you unless you use really good A/d converters.
I personnaly use tube equipment to get the musical data into digital. Especially for samples and keyboards. Mackie board would give you really good mic pre and later on you can add a nice tube compressor to further enhance your sound. (www.hhbuse.com) Check HBB fatman radius 3 - this unit is a stereo compressor with 15 presets and it is the ideal unit for the novice and even presents a good starting point for the experience. it is basically TL Audio Fatman 3 distributed by HBB in the US. Later on also, you can add TC M-One (price dropped now!) or a Lexicon as an FX processor or even Alesis Quadverb (going so cheap now!).
You see add on later as your needs grow over time.
I would seriously consider getting a stereo tube compressor (with presets!), that would help you optimize the signal you would get into DAW while considerably warming up your sound and may be enhanching it most of the time. Currently there are presonus blue compressor with presets (it is the cheapest for 149), or focusrite penta (379 with presets).It also gives you the Focusrite class A mic pre, but is a stereo compressor with presets that you can add tube emulation through its settings. I personally preffered the Fatman 3 as it gives the punch I needed.
If I am not wrong (and may be I am!), the VM88 does not have spd/f i/o. Only in optical i/o that can be configured as ADAT or spd/f.

Regards,

F Kara