So my year off from college is halfway done. and im looking to have a in-dorm production studio when I go back. I just wanted some DJTT input on the stuff i’m about to buy and maybe some alternatives but I don’t have alot of space or cash to work with so small, cheap, and powerful is what I’m looking for.
I already have Ableton Suite 8 and an APC 40 but im looking to buy:
-KRK Rokit 5/6’s
-Akai MPK 25
-Audio4 DJ
-Native Instruments Komplete Elements
-1TB external Hard Drive
-7 Slot USB Hub
do I really NEED anything else? or is any of this completely unnecessary?
the rokit 5’s don’t go deep enough for a edm production. you’d need a sub with them.
and i would consider a Novation SL MkII, because of the functionality of automap.
and for production purposes i’d go for a m-audio fast track pro instead of audio4 dj, just more versatile, and your are going to mix internally anyway.
what sub should I get with the rokits? and that novation sl mkII looks raw. that is definitely an option. i’d definitely have to wait a while to get it though. thanks for the input.
I use them for dubstep/drum and bass production and find the bass to be very good actually. Just make sure you set them up well and find the sweetspot within your room, your not gonna hear real deep bass unless your a couple metres away, if not further…
as for synths it depends on what you making, but I cannot recommend NI massive enough, has so much depth and option for modulation that I use it for almost every synth I construct.
I’d also be against the audio4 DJ as a production interface. any USB/Firewire interface designed for production will suffice but its always the case that the more you spend the better it is likely to be…
Thanks guys. I’m pretty sure Massive comes with Komplete Elements. and i definitely planned on using that for most of my synths. I’m still planning on getting the rokits. I’m just confused about the audio interface. what differentiates a production audio interface from a “DJ” one i guess?
DJ interfaces tend to be more robust, smaller and have only as many in/outputs as you really need while production interfaces tend to be bigger and have more in/outputs, volume control knobs etc.
word. thanks for clearing that up. i think i have the info to pull together a small but really powerful studio. even though i wont have it all until probably the end of summer. thanks yall
DJ interfaces tend to have lots of phono (RCA) outputs/inputs and not a lot else.
Whereas a production interface will tend to have mic/line input(s) with gain control, balanced 1/4" or XLR outputs with volume control as well as a headphone out with its own volume control which can be handy at 3 in the morning when your still tweaking stuff!
You could use a audio4 hooked up to your rokits directly and then re-wire it for DJing, but I’d recommend having two separate interfaces, especially as you can pick up a pretty simple production interface with everything you need pretty cheap.
Spending $$$ on studio monitors and a sub may not be very helpful when mixing in a dorm. Most dorm rooms are acoustic disasters, and the room you mix in is far more important than the monitors. This is especially true when you have a sub involved, since a sub that isn’t properly placed and tuned in a neutral room can end up lying to you about the low end.
A quality, full-range set of headphones (AKG, Audio Technica, etc) will likely help you get the mix you want faster than monitors in a dorm. They’ll certainly be a more neutral environment.
The key is to check your mix in a number of different places, including somewhere with a full-range setup with a sub. Headphones aren’t pefect, and they shouldn’t be the only reference. Since so many universities offer recording degrees these days, your school might have a good studio that you could listen in once in a while.
I figured I’d have to get good headphones but really hadnt looked into them too much yet. however having nice monitors is also a plus when i just wanna listen to music. so ill probably get them regardless. but at Georgetown our music department isnt that great, but im sure we have a real studio somewhere on campus.
Unless you just really like the feel and size of the LPK 25, get something else.
There is plenty out there. Personally I recommend a Novation ReMote 25, if size is really an issue. But Novation all the way on keys. Even the older ReMOTE stuff is great, you can find that stuff used on ebay and craigslist like crazy.
I also agree about the room vs the monitors. Granted it would be nice to have some good monitors, but dont break the bank if you aint got the room to really benefit from high end monitors.
Jus my 2 cents.
I understand making music with headphones is sometimes a necessity but mixing on headphones is wack. Concentrating big sound to a tiny place, right upside your head, expecting that to translate to the way music physically feels on a system in a room and to your body seems unreasonable.
I’d also take a serious look at the Maschine. It’s software/hardware combination seems pretty intelligent (it’s the current thing I’m drooling over) and looks like it would be a great addition to a production environment as a pad controller.
Yeah im definitely getting that novation keyboard. And the monitors arent that expensive, and i wont have to replace them for a longg time which is great. and I dont know a better price vs quality option as far as monitors go. what is a great sound option for headphones though (definitely consider best price v. quality)?
And i mean i really like the maschine too. but until it has vst capability i dont really wanna invest in it. especially if i can midi map my apc to control drum racks like nativeKontrol allows you to. i’d rather spend that money for the more sounds and plugins in an upgrade to Komplete 7 from elements.
