Quote:
Originally Posted by moon
Thanks yeah  I'll just be getting one or two pres. SCA kits are more expensive per channel unless you start to fill up the rack. |
I like to DIY as much as the next guy but I'm not sure DIY is the best option in this area. Maybe it is, maybe it isn't - I haven't tried them all so I don't know - but there's one area that I'd ask you to consider: resale.
If you like recording, you'll consider this to be taking just the first of many steps. You'll start with this pre and that mic but, after a few years, you'll find you've worked yourself through 5-10 pres and 5-10 mics.
You can do what Chris suggested - have the manufacturers mail you the mics/pres and try them out - which is fantastic. Like he said, it's a great way to try lots of things. Or you can do what I've done - become obsessed, buy the best used gear you can, and work your way through 20+ pres and 20+ mics in 18 months by buying/selling. Either way you will know what works in what situation - that's a huge thing too.
So are you that type of guy? Are you going to always be chasing that great recorded sound? If so, resale is of primary importance to you. Ideally you want to stick with gear that:
- Resells for within 5% of what you paid
- Resells quickly
This is sort of what Doug was talking about when he talked about sticking with quality gear that has a reputation. How hard is it to find a used Royer 121 for sale for $900? Not that hard really. How hard is it to sell your used Royer 121 for $900 when you've decided you don't need it? Not hard at all.
Now let's come back to DIY gear. Let's say you invest $500 in buying/building two channels of pres. After a few months you decide you want to upgrade - will you even be able to sell them? Maybe, maybe not. If you can sell them, how much can you sell them for? The SCA stuff sells for pretty close to what it retails for - there is definite value in having someone else do the work - but I don't know about all the DIY stuff. People have a tendency to really not value DIY as much as branded, of course, so there's a bias going into it. How many people know of Chandler or BAE or Neve yet have never heard of Five Fish? A lot.
Anyway, it's worth considering at least!