Overall sound

[TomConklin]

Hey there Colon. I was wondering if you might be able to guide me a bit with my overall sound. I'm having trouble finding the right settings with my current equipment for my voice. My set up at present is fairly modest, but until I can come up with a few more bucks... it's what I got.

Here's what I am working with at present:

Audio Technica AT3035 microphone (with pop screen)
dbx 286A mic preamp/processor
Xenyx 1204 Behringer mixer

One issue and it's a big one is that I don't have a pro sound card on the PC that I am using yet. I know that is a big no no with you. I plan on getting one as soon as I can. And - because I have no pro card, I also can't hook up pro monitors. So, it is difficult for me to know just how my stuff sounds to others.

Is there a logical process to setting up the processor and mixer to bring out the "best settings" for me? I feel a bit limited too with the modest EQ settings available with the mixer I'm using. It's basically I high-mid-low set up. I guess any advice you could provide would be helpful.

Thanks!

[SomeAudioGuy]

Uh, I'll take a shot at this.

Yeah, I would get on a soundcard, but there's no reason not to also grab some really good monitoring headphones or speakers. You can always run them through the mixer, and get a relatively clean and accurate idea of what you sound like.
Depending on how you cable your soundcard, you'll probably end up going through the mixer anyway.
Until you have an accurate way to monitor, you're pretty much going to have to use the shotgun approach. Realistically (depending on your voice and mic flat EQ should work fine to start), but to be safe record yourself on a variety of eq settings, proximity from the mic, and room placements. Burn those recordings to a CD, and play them on everything with speakers. TV's (through a dvd player), car stereos, boom boxes, test a couple different headphones if you have them. You're looking for the setting that sounds the most natural over a variety of devices (you NEVER know what your audition will be played back on). Sufficed to say, you're going to be taking a lot of notes...

The soundcard is hamstringing you (something tells me recording above 16bit/44.1K is out of the question), and the AD/DA prolly blows, but you should be able to generate pretty decent audition level to almost session quality recordings with your current kit (depending of course on your room and setup).


Throw me some samples if you need another pair of ears, and of course you can always hit my blog for more info (it's in my profile).

Hope that helps!

[TomConklin]

Hey Someaudioguy... Thanks for the tips. I may send some stuff up for a listen at some point. Thanks!

[Colin Campbell]

SomeAudioGuy offers good advice Tom. The dBx tends to be on the harsh side. It's difficult to get the most out of it. It's very "touchy." I'd avoid any EQ on the Behringer. EQ on the dBx, though I realize that it's EQ is somewhat limited.

[TomConklin]

Hi Colin, thanks for the added input. The dbx is what I have for the time being so I need to make the best of it. Are you suggesting that I set the Behringer high, mid and low to zero and try to adjust the dbx? The dbx doesn't really have EQ settings as you referred to. It has mic pre-amp, compressor, de-esser, enhancer, expandergate and output - that's it.

[SomeAudioGuy]

Colin's notes are great, but I wouldn't be TOO worried about the sound of the dbx. They've been around forever because they make decent budget gear.
Your set up is very similar to the first booth I put in.
I had an MXL990 --> Behringer T1953 --> Behringer ub2222 --> Audigy Platinum
It took a lot of practice, but the recordings out of that booth were pretty good. Definitely not TV good, but good enough to produce a little radio.
Colin's right that the EQ on Behringer mixers is VERY un-natural, but I've found on the older line of Eurodesk (what came before your xenyx) that adjustments between 11o'clock and 1o'clock CAN be useful. That's about it though. Any more than that and it's probably going to kill your sound.
To start, I'd say really learn the in's and out's of your dbx's compressor, recording with a little 3:1, low threshold, should give you a nice hot sound, and as long as you don't hit the output gain too hot, shouldn't be too noisy. Save the expander and gate for later, and I'd probably avoid the desser.

Your still gonna have to d oyour home work though...

[TomConklin]

Thanks very much someaudioguy... that's a big help. I appreciate all the suggestions!