Recording Gear For Use With Sonar
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Contents |
Microphones
Types of Microphones
There are two common types of microphones that are used in the studio:
- Dynamic Mics
- These use a diaphragm with a moving magnet inside a coil. Sound waves in the air cause the diaphragm to physically move, making the coil convert sound energy into a weak electrical signal. These mics are typically fairly cheap to make, and fairly hardy. However, because they work by physically moving a diaphragm, they are relatively insensitive, particularly at high frequencies. This can be seen in they way they "tame" strong transients, which --depending on the application-- can be advantageous or disadvantageous.
- Condenser Mics
- These use an electrically-charged diaphragm placed in close proximity to a metal backplate, which is also electrically charged. Sound waves move the diaphragm, and changes in the distance between it and the backplate produce a weak electrical signal. As condenser mics have no coil or magnet to move, but merely a thin membrane (the diaphragm), they have a greater sensitivity and range than dynamic mics. However, condensor mics generally require a battery or a phantom power source (this is a 48v power supply sent from the amplifier to the microphone). If you have a mic that requires phantom power (condensors), you should make sure your soundcard, mixer or pre-amp supports it.
There are also several other types of microphones available:
- Ribbon Mics
- These microphones use a metal ribbon placed inside a magnetic field. Sound waves move the ribbon and thereby generate a voltage between its two ends. These mics tend to reinforce low frequencies, which can be pleasing or boomy, depending on the sound source and and application. Ribbon mics are also very susceptible to wind noise.
- Electret Condenser Mics
- These are essentially cheap versions of normal condenser mics. They use a permanently-charged electret material as a diaphragm, eliminating the need for external (battery or phantom) power. These are the mics typically found in boom box and portable recorders.
- Piezoelectric Mics
- These microphones use special crystals which produce an electrical voltage when pressure is applied to them. A strip of these crystals is connected to a diaphragm. When the diaphragm is moved, it deforms the crystals, producing opposite charges in the front and back of the crystal strip. Piezoelectric microphones produce a relatively strong voltage, but their frequency response is not very good.
As a general guide, a few "old classics" are:
- Dynamic: Shure SM57 (instruments), Shure SM58 (vocals)
- Condensor: Rode NT1 (general)
A glossary of microphone terms can be found here.
Specific Microphones
Shure Beta57a
- Type: Dynamic
- Pattern: Supercardoid
- Frequency Response: 50Hz-16kHz
- Venue: Studio, Sound Reinforcement
- Uses: Acoustic Instruments, Electric Instruments, and possibly vocals
- Price: Between US$100 and US$140
The Shure Beta57a is a dynamic mic promoted as being suitable for recording drums, guitar amplifiers, brass, woodwinds and vocals in a studio setting. A user guide can be downloaded from Shure.
User Comments
- I've found this to be a good mic for recording low-frequency acoustic instruments such as classical guitar. Its lack of high range, however, produces dull, even muffled recording of higher-pitched instruments such as the charango and mandolin. As for vocals, it records my low voice acceptably, but sounds like it has a wet towel over it when recording my nine-year-old daughter. SMS 17:12, 14 September 2006 (EDT)
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Microphone Preamps
Direct Boxes
Mixers
Sound Cards / Audio Interfaces
Types of Sound Cards and Audio Interfaces
Sound cards or audio interfaces can be classified into three groups: consumer, prosumer or semi-pro, and professional.
In general you should use semi-professional hardware. You can also try professional audio interfaces if you're rich or are really serious about sound quality. Many people have reported problems with consumer or on-board sound cards, like driver incompatibilities, random crashes, inability to record, etc.
Also, one word of warning - avoid ProTools hardware (Digi001 etc.), as some users have reported compatibility problems between it and SONAR. See this forum thread for some more details.
- Consumer (Low-End)
- These are the typical sound cards for gaming, as well as the on-board audio system inlcuded in many or most motherboards sold today.
- Popular cards in this range are the Creative Soundblaster line, AC 97. These are low-fidelity sound cards that are mostly designed for playing games and watching movies on your home computer.
- Prosumer or Semi-Pro (Mid-Range)
- Prosumer or semi-professional sound cards / audio interfaces are the minimum required for serious music recording.
- Popular hardware in this range is built by M-Audio, MOTU (PCI / Outboard), Presonus and EMU (PCI / Outboard). These are designed for home/project studio use, and feature better quality Analog/Digital converters, multiple in/outs, low-latency drivers, and sometimes built-in preamps. They usually record at rates from 44.1khz/24bit on up.
- Professional (Top-End)
The most obvious difference between cards in the same range is the number and type of I/O (input and output) ports. Another factor in choosing a sound card is the way it connects to your computer -- PCI, Firewire, USB or PCMCIA.
In theory PCI is faster than Firewire, which is faster than USB etc, but in the real world, you are much more restricted by your hard drive and CPU than soundcard/interface performance. So before you buy, you should check that the interface used by the soundcard will work with your PC. If you have a laptop, for example, you wont be able to use PCI cards.
Drivers are also an important issue, as they can make or break a sound card's real-life performance. The importance of mature, stable drivers cannot be overstated. Also, the type of driver should be taken into account. ASIO and WDM drivers perform better than other types.
Specific Sound Cards and Audio Interfaces
Consumer (Low-End)
Soundblaster (Anything)
If you're using a Soundblaster, stop. Forget about software, plug-ins, mixers, mics, preamps and everything else -- your next purchase needs to be a semi-pro sound card.
User Comments
- Been there. Done that. Great if you like a theremin by the seashore added to every track, though!
Semi-Pro (Mid-Range)
M-Audio Delta44
- Interface : PCI + Breakout Box
- Bit/Sample Rates: 24 bit / 96kHz
- Internal Rates: 36 bit internal mixing / routing
- Inputs: 4 TRS plugs
- Outputs: 4 TRS plugs
- Price: US$200 (MSRP)
The M-Audio Delta44 is an old standby in home studios. It consists of a PCI card, a special cable, and a breakout box with 4 TRS inputs and 4 TRS outputs. The breakout box places the signal processing components far away from the internal noise generated by computers.
Its compatible with ASIO, MME, DirectX and other audio drivers.
The latest drivers can be downloaded here, as can the Delta44 manual.
User Comments
- I've been using my Delta44 for about 6 years and don't have a single complaint about the hardware. It's simply worked, and worked well. It did take M-Audio a couple years to develop near-perfect Windows drivers (I can't speak for other OSes), but the current ones are flawless, as far as I can see. SMS 17:46, 14 September 2006 (EDT)
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Professional (Top-End)
Monitors (Audio)
Classes and Types of Monitors
There are two basic classes of studio monitors -- powered (active) and unpowered (passive). Powered (active) monitors come with their own built-in amplifier, while unpowered (passive) ones require that you purchase a separate, dedicated amplifier and connect the monitors to it.
In home studios you will typically find near-field monitors, which are designed to reduce the effects of room acoustics as much as possible. These monitors are smaller and less powerful that their bigger cousins, mid-field monitors, and are designed to be placed close to the user.
Specific Monitors
Behringer Truth B2031A
- Class: Active
- Type: Nearfield
- Frequency Response: 50Hz-16kHz
- Inputs: XLR and TRS
- Price: US$500 (MSRP)
The Behringer Truth B2031A are active nearfield monitors with a nominal frequency response of 50Hz-21kHz, with what the manufacturer claims to be an "extremely flat response". Each monitor includes two amplifiers, a 150 Watt amplifier for the 8 ¾" woofer and a 75 Watt amplifier for the tweeter, respectively. Each amplifier includes an automatic overload warning which triggers a red warning light on the front of the monitor when active, and which will turn off the amplifier under extreme loads.
User Comments
- The Behringer company has anything but a sterling reputation among audio pros and semi-pros, but I find my pair of B2031As to be excellent for their price range. SMS 17:12, 14 September 2006 (EDT)
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Headphones
Control Surfaces
Types of Control Surfaces
Specific Control Surfaces
Frontier Design TranzPort
- Type: Remote
- Price: US$200
Frontier Design's TranzPort is a wireless remote control for SONAR and many other audio applications. It's especially useful for home recordists that want to track in a room other than their control / computer room, typically to work in a quieter environment. It is also used by many while in the control room due to the increased ease of use it provides for working with SONAR.
The TranzPort is radio-frequency based, which means that it does not require a line-of-sight to its USB receiver unit in order to function. Nominal range is about 30 feet, though some have used the TranzPort at greater distances, while a few can't use it at more than 10 to 12 feet.
The TranzPort downloads page has up-to-date installers for Windows and Macintosh and plug-ins for specific audio apps, including a SONAR plug-in.
It also has a tutorial for recording with SONAR's layers, a SONAR-specific manual and a layout guide to the TranzPort's specific functions in SONAR.
User Comments
- It may be possible to increase the TranzPort's range slightly by putting the left side of the remote unit toward the USB receiver, as the remote's antenna is located there. SMS 17:19, 14 September 2006 (EDT)
- I've been really happy with this controller. If you record without an engineer, the ability to control Sonar without having to sit next to your PC is really liberating. Highly recommended.
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Outboard Effects
Home Page * Getting Started * Workflow * Tips, Techniques and Tutorials * Errors and Workarounds * Making Music * Composing, Arranging & Songwriting * Optimizing Your DAW * Recording Gear * Included Components * Third-Party Effects * Third-Party Virtual Instruments * Computer Systems and Components * Free Downloads * External SONAR resources
