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Not a clear thread

Depends on what the purpose of the studio is.
But here are some things I like:
Lavry black ADDA
Gene Lawson mics
Pendulum tube pres and comp, maybe a Quartet I or II

Humm more info perhaps
Is the 10k over what you have ? But will be subtracted by what you will get?

How many channels do you think you will record simultaneously ?
How many that need Mic's and pre's ? (not midi or DI)

How many tracks and instruments do you typically have in your sessions ?


What is a Fishman MIDI ? do you mean a Triple Play guitar midi controller ?
If yes since you have the Axiom what do you see your doing with the Fishman Tripleplay that you can't with the Axiom ?

The ES 335 is a Gibson Guitar correct ? If that will come out of the 10K think about (unless you know you just gotta have it) possibly think something like a Gretsch 5400 series which cost $950 or less

If you have Cubase why not consider perhaps selling the Boss and get a nice interface (Depending on how many inputs you need to run at the same time) and if the Axiom has USB to plug into your computer perhaps sell the MOTU micro and forgo the Fishman unless you know you need more MIDI inputs

Then if it were me I might think about putting any savings from above toward

Some good mics and 2 channel Mic pre (depending on need and what you get for interface (worth a thread in itself)

And last an Outboard analog 2 channel compressor for

Before I would spend any of the 10 grand on equipment I would work on improving my room acoustics. The best equipment in the world in a bad sounding room will sound ........inferior.

Assuming the room is good to go
Converter, Preamp and mics. In that order.

Edit - Add on a good acoustic guitar. Used might save you money on all items.

The world standard vocal mic is Nuemann U87. Yes, there are tons of clones, boutiques, and "improvements", but, like the good old Martin D-28, it's still the benchmark mic.

Yes, we need more details before comment.

1. Agreed that a good sounding recording space is critical and should be done first. It's not just important for good recording but also for critical listening.

2. Then I want good (not necessarily expensive) converters for the same reasons mentioned above.

3. I also want good monitors (which I think you have).

1, 2, 3 above set the foundation for making critical mixing decisions, critical recording decisions, critical mic and mic preamp purchase decisions, etc.

I also like to have a good clean two channel mic preamp. I like colored preamps as well, but clean preamps are generally less expensive and more versatile IMO, and I can add color with mics.

All that said, mics are the most sexy...:D
...but they're even more sexy when plugged into a good recording chain and listened to through a good monitoring chain in a good sounding room.

Thank you everyone, this is really going to help me, I will respond to each post later. But yes I need to give me information so I don't make any more mistakes.

That's not true. Like most good microphones, the 87 can shine in some applications but it's not the "be all, end all" of microphones. If I were starting a studio, I'd want a 47, a 49, and maybe a 67 before I plunked down money for an 87.

While definitely in the past a ubiquitous , broadcast, and voiceover workhorse mic. I think "world standard vocal mic " and "benchmark", today is a bit hyperbolic, and like the D-28..... today a number of those " tons" of alternatives are often as good and can can be the better choice, depending on specific application, and with a vocal mic , who's voice,.

Then also given the OP's 10k limit for "lifetime studio" (perhaps a bit of an oxymoron given the propensity for GAS) I am not certain spending aprox. 1/3 of budget on a mic makes the most sense. I am a total fan of getting the best mics possible and myself use a Brauner Phantom V (which I chose after having sung thru both it and a U87 Ai and a few others in that 2- 3000k price range and this was about 10 years ago ) but honestly in the OP's case of a 10k limit (as a lifetime expenditure) I would probably not recommend it or the U87... given the current crop of really pretty good mics available from $500 up

If it were me I'd go with:
Metric Halo 2882+DSP (1,800)
Daking 4-channel preamp (2,000)
Neumann KM-184 stereo pair (1600)
Neumann u87ai (3,600)
That's $9k
Then I'd add some plugs (Metric Halo Channel Strip 3, Waves Scheps 73, a nice LA2A compressor & an 1176 comp) and get some good bass traps & diffusers from ATS acoustics.

Of course, I'm ignoring the BOSS and assuming I'll go into my computer to record through the 2882/Daking combo.

To contribute to the u87 discussion - it's great on most voices...but the real plus is that it's also great on so many other things (guitars, mandolins, percussion, etc). It's a real workhorse in the studio...as are the KM-184s. With those you could get by nicely until you had the $$ to add more mics (like the u47 or a c12...or even a set of Schoeps, DPAs or Sennheiser MKHs).

So the real question is: when do I get my $10k?

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The most important piece of information is the purpose of the studio.
Is this a personal studio where you'll only be recording yourself?
Will you be bringing in a variety of other artists to record for profit?
What types of music will you be recording?
What instruments will you be recording?
If just for yourself, a sample or description of your voice would be helpful in pointing you towards microphones.

What you've elicited so far is not much more than a bunch of people telling you what they have or what they like. There's no connection between those lists and your needs because you've provided nearly no information. That's not a good method for avoiding "more mistakes," as you've called them. And speaking of mistakes, it would also be helpful to know what purchases you've made that you're calling "mistakes" and why you feel that way.

What jim1960 said

You might want to start over and first sit down and establish what your intention for this studio is and what your goals in recording are ? Yes they may change but what are they currently ?


As jim 1960 said personal or commercial ? is a big one, and can definitely dictate a vastly different approach.

If personal: Just you ? or possibly you and friends or family ? another big one in establishing how many analog mic inputs and pre's you anticipate using at the same time.

For example if just you and only two mics at any one time, your money would better spent on two good high quality channels of mic pre's as opposed to 4 or 8 mid quality channels, that you really only use two channels of at a time . etc etc etc