Need an advice...RME Quadmic or...?

[HollowmanPL]

Hey

I'm looking for some preamp/interface to record a good crushy guitar sound from my engl powerball (it got a great sound)

I own a shure sm57 and interface Maudio profire 2626 but I'm really not satified with it. Sound is really thin and boxy.
I'm looking for something with better preamps or something to record quite good guitar sound.
I was wondering if the RME Quadmic will be ok for this.
Any opinion about it? Any advice?

 

[LydonB]

RME is nice. A shootout of sorts was done by Lasse and it was between an API 512c and an RME (fireface...can't remember) and the API pretty much owned the RME. Really depends how much you have to shell out I guess.

There are also a ton of threads on this topic, do a little searching too.

 

[HollowmanPL]

I've already check forum and all similar threats.
I checked what Lesse compared - thats why RME Quadmic (he used it in comparision) interested me.
I got to spend around 500-700 bucks for new/used tool

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

As a fellow Profire-owner I can pretty safely assure you that either you have a defunctional unit or then it's not the interface's fault. There are lots of things that affect the guitar tone, such as the guitar you track with (what kind of axe is it, by the way?), the kind of cab you use (what cab is it?), the settings on your amp, whether you double or quad track and the mic placement. Also, I've never tracked a Powerball myself, but I frequently read here that it's really, really hard to get it sound good when tracked (just wait for Lasse to chime in ).

If you post a clip, I'm sure we can give you some ideas on how to improve the tone.

 

[Metaltastic]

It may be good and "crushy" in the room, but things change under a microphone, and I've heard enough amazing clips from people using Firepods and USB interfaces to know that if you can't get a good sound with a 57 and the Profire, the Profire is not to blame...try messing with amp settings first, and also posting clips

 

[HollowmanPL]

http://www.speedyshare.com/753407731.html - heres the clip - it's a little bit rough guitar tracks but i dont have anything fresh coz i got really mad an deleted everything.

I know that many things affects guitar sound
Guitar - bernie rico copy withy seymour duncan livewire and (not fresh but not REALLY used) ernie ball strings i also check it with Charvel guitar with stock pickups.
Cab - randall 2x12 with cel. seventy

I've check many positions and tried to use shure sm57 with beyerdynamic microphone but nothing special.

Room is nor super pro elo professional but it's adjusted/adapted quite well.

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

http://www.speedyshare.com/753407731.html - heres the clip - it's a little bit rough guitar tracks but i dont have anything fresh coz i got really mad an deleted everything.

I know that many things affects guitar sound
Guitar - bernie rico copy withy seymour duncan livewire and (not fresh but not REALLY used) ernie ball strings i also check it with Charvel guitar with stock pickups.
Cab - randall 2x12 with cel. seventy

I've check many positions and tried to use shure sm57 with beyerdynamic microphone but nothing special.

Room is nor super pro elo professional but it's adjusted/adapted quite well.

First of all, I don't think that tone is all that bad, just needs tweaking. This might be completely different from what you consider a good tone, but here's my really quick take on it EQ-wise: http://www.tainted-studio.com/misc/Necroproboszcz.mp3

Less bass, less of the dreaded 650Hz area, more presence and more highs.

I have to say that your cab really isn't very ideal. I owned a 4x12 Randall with Celestion Seventy-80's, and wasn't crazy about it. Have you tried tracking the Powerball through other cabs?

 

[HollowmanPL]

i know randall 2x12 its not mesa etc. but it sounds quite good - the way i would like to hear it on my computer
i didnt check it with other cabs.

I really dont know where is the mistake...

 

[blackcom]

I have API and NEVE. I've compared and RME is very good bang for the buck. Get the Octopre while at it.

 

[AdamWathan]

I'm with everyone else here, buying a new preamp isn't going to completely overhaul your tone and make it amazing all of a sudden... Amp settings, speakers and mic placement are the things that are going to give you the results you are looking for... If it sounds great in the room really it's just a matter of figuring out where to put the mic so that it is capturing the same sound you are hearing with your ears, I guarantee it's not the Profire that's ruining your recorded tone bro! Crank the amp, throw on some iso headphones and play with the amp settings and mic placement until you hear the same sound in your headphones that you were hearing in the room before.

 

[Metaltastic]

With recording, the earlier in the signal chain it is, the more it matters, and inversely, nothing later in the signal chain can fix problems earlier! So...

Source > Mic > Preamp > Converters

 

[nwright]

I'm with everyone else here, buying a new preamp isn't going to completely overhaul your tone and make it amazing all of a sudden... Amp settings, speakers and mic placement are the things that are going to give you the results you are looking for... If it sounds great in the room really it's just a matter of figuring out where to put the mic so that it is capturing the same sound you are hearing with your ears, I guarantee it's not the Profire that's ruining your recorded tone bro! Crank the amp, throw on some iso headphones and play with the amp settings and mic placement until you hear the same sound in your headphones that you were hearing in the room before.

+1

I have a Profire, and IMO it is NOT to blame.

And, the tone on the clip you posted isn't bad, IMO...May not sound like the amp in the room, but I don't think I've ever heard a recording that truly captured the amp in the room sound, for metal anyway.

To me the goal would be to get a good tone that works for the song and the mix, not to capture what you hear in the room.