please recommend a <$500 setup for recording guitar

[mc1]

i have a zoom h2n (~$179) which i use for recording. i love its portability and ease of operation.

i'm wondering what a better setup would be for under $500. or if any improvements at this level would be marginal. i have a laptop, but nothing else. i really would prefer a more portable setup than using the laptop if possible. i also wonder if the laptop noise would be an issue. but i'm interested in any and all options.

any recommendations?

[Fran Guidry]

I'm really impressed with the Zoom H6 and its XY module. Since it has P48, decent mic preamps, and USB interface connectivity, it can be used as the basis for a home studio as well.

This duet was recorded outdoors with the XY module: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3k6INzDr0ys

and this was done in my living room with the same audio rig: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLPdBM2srGU

Based on my comparisons, the H6 has lower self-noise than the H2n along with its greater flexibility. On the other hand, the difference is not huge. But then I've _never_ found a huge improvement from any gear I've purchased in over 10 years of chasing this acoustic guitar recording thing. The improvements have been subtle at best and more often non-existent. The real improvement seems to have come with time and experience and lots of practice.

One more bit ... better monitors might deliver a more long lasting benefit than a better recording system. Being able to hear better makes a huge difference in figuring out which way to go for improvements.

Fran

[mc1]

thanks fran. and zoom is about to come out with the h5, i believe (was it you that posted about that?).

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc..._recorder.html

thats good advice about the monitors. any recommendations there? there seem to be a lot of options.

i'm also still not getting the most out of the h2n, so i need to experiment with it some more. do you think the mid-side option is useful for recording guitars? i have only used the xy option.

[MikeBmusic]

The better your monitors, the more your room sound comes into play, so then you have to think of acoustic treatment (bass traps).
There are a number of low-end monitors in the $200- $300 each range, look for a deal on used ones from someone moving up.

[Fran Guidry]

Originally Posted by mc1

thanks fran. and zoom is about to come out with the h5, i believe (was it you that posted about that?).

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc..._recorder.html

thats good advice about the monitors. any recommendations there? there seem to be a lot of options.

i'm also still not getting the most out of the h2n, so i need to experiment with it some more. do you think the mid-side option is useful for recording guitars? i have only used the xy option.

I don't have any experience with monitors in that price range, so any advice I give would be based on hearsay, in other words, hot air.

I have not found a use for the MS feature in the H2n or the H6. I didn't test the H2n MS much, but the MS module in the H6 adds a noticeable level of self-noise unless the side mics are turned off, resulting in mono.

Fran

[rick-slo]

For solo guitar I think you will do well with a good pair of open, or semi open, back headphones. I tried studio monitors but with room acoustics they did not help. Most music listening these days is via headphones anyway. You can have some reference guitar recordings to make general comparisons.

[sdelsolray]

Originally Posted by mc1

i have a zoom h2n (~$179) which i use for recording. i love its portability and ease of operation.

i'm wondering what a better setup would be for under $500. or if any improvements at this level would be marginal. i have a laptop, but nothing else. i really would prefer a more portable setup than using the laptop if possible. i also wonder if the laptop noise would be an issue. but i'm interested in any and all options.

any recommendations?

Yes, find more $$ and get better recording gear, and learn how to use it. Your playing is simply too good and deserves it.

[philjs]

Originally Posted by rick-slo

For solo guitar I think you will do well with a good pair of open, or semi open, back headphones. I tried studio monitors but with room acoustics they did not help. Most music listening these days is via headphones anyway. You can have some reference guitar recordings to make general comparisons.

I've recently started using a Focusrite VRM box with AKG K240 Studio headphones, in addition to my cheap-ish pair of monitors (Alesis M1 Active Mk II pair), for mixing and love the combination of the box and phones. I'm hearing things that I don't hear as clearly from the monitors themselves.

Basically, the VRM box models three rooms and 15 pairs of "industry-standard" monitors ranging from Auratone 5C to Genelec 1031A and Adam S2.5A. It's cheap (about $100), and has both USB and S/PDIF connections so you can use it stand alone or with any interface that has a S/PDIF out.

To the initial question, I'd recommend the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 or the Steinberg UR22 for a cheap (about $150) but excellent quality interface with great mic preamps. You can get a stereo pair of Samson C02 or Rode M5 SDC (small diaphragm condenser) mics -- not the best but not shabby either and I'll bet they're better than the Zoom mics -- for $200 to $250. Some makers also have packages that include a LDC and a SDC mic for similar amounts of money.

In short, there are options...!

Phil

[ChuckS]

Since you've already got a zoom for portable recording, and you have a laptop available, I'd suggest you get a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 or 6i6 along with an ADK A6. For you $500 budget, and with some real careful shopping, you could get (2) ADK A6's and a 2i2.

[Joseph Hanna]

I'll take your Zoom H2n and a great (or even kinda great) sounding room all day long. If the room isn't good the rest of the "buy this or buy that" is just thrownin' good money after bad.

Talent first, time invested in trial and error second, great sounding room third, great sounding guitar forth. Pre-amp's and converters and all the other gobbledygook falls way, way down the latter from there.

[RedJoker]

Originally Posted by Joseph Hanna

Talent first, time invested in trial and error second, great sounding room third, great sounding guitar forth. Pre-amp's and converters and all the other gobbledygook falls way, way down the latter from there.

This is fantastic advice! Well, at least I hope it is. Its the advice I'm going to follow.

[BoneDigger]

I have a Zoom H4N and the sound it produces is actually quite good. I also have a laptop and recording setup but the Zoom does not lag far behind in tone. If you a mixing, the DAW and interface is best. But, for just a single track the Zoom is hard to beat.

Todd

[Doug Young]

Originally Posted by Joseph Hanna

Talent first, time invested in trial and error second, great sounding room third, great sounding guitar forth. Pre-amp's and converters and all the other gobbledygook falls way, way down the latter from there.

I'm totally with Joseph here. Good gear is nice, but it's not the most important thing, and often doesn't matter at all. I know I suggested on your other thread that the H2 mics might be an issue, but the sound people are hearing could easily be your room, or something else.

On the other hand, I'm impressed with the H6, it makes a pretty nice base for anyone recording solo guitar. You shouldn't outgrow it. It's something to keep, even if you win the lottery later. And when you decide to spend the next $500, you can add external mics, which may or may not be a step up in quality, but do allow you more flexibility in mic placement, which ties into Joseph's #2 point. Separate mics offers more options, more things to try, tho there's also more ways to go wrong - the "error" part :-)

One nice thing about portable recorders, including your H2 is that you can easily take it to other places. You might find a better acoustic room somewhere you can use. Since you can easily carry it elsewhere, you can try anything and everything, from every room in your house, to friends, etc.

[mc1]

thanks everyone for all the helpful advice and thoughts.

Originally Posted by Joseph Hanna

I'll take your Zoom H2n and a great (or even kinda great) sounding room all day long. If the room isn't good the rest of the "buy this or buy that" is just thrownin' good money after bad.

Talent first, time invested in trial and error second, great sounding room third, great sounding guitar forth. Pre-amp's and converters and all the other gobbledygook falls way, way down the latter from there.

those are some very fine points.