Spec me a dream rig.

[Razorjack]

I've got access to almost any piece of gear I want for an upcoming project and need to work out a nice rig for drums, guitars, bass and vox tracking. No mixing will be done with this rig, the idea is to capture everything as cleanly as possible with lots of options for the mixing engineer.

I'm looking for suggestions and thoughts on the rig I've been looking at. I just don't want to overlook something obvious that might make life that bit easier. If you have experience with any of the gear then chime in, between myself and my assistant engineer (just a mate, not trying to sound like I'm good or anything!!) we've used it all but never in a metal setting.

Right now I'm looking at:

Pro Tools HD rig (running on a dual G5)
Prism AD Converters
8 channels of 1073
8 channels of Millenia HV3D
Chandler TG-2
Avalon U5 DI

Ampeg SVT 2 Pro
Laney 4x10 cab

Marshall JCM800 2205
Engl Powerball
Orange 4x12 cab

Senn MD-421
Audix i5
SM57
Royer-121
(1 on each speaker of the guitar cab)

Neumann u47 (FET or tube? Personally prefer FET...) for Vox and bass
EV RE-20 for bass

u87's for overheads
e604's for toms (need something small for this drummer)
Beta52 for kicks
Ride - Suggestions?
Hats - Suggestions?
Good 'ol SM57/i5 on snare - Anything else worth looking at?
Earthworks DK25/R for ambient/room sounds

So, am I being dumb and forgetting something or am I just overthinking everything!?!

 

[AudioPhile777]

I'd maybe go with the D6 on the kick... and grab whatever you can for the hihat/ride... I dont know what this studio has, lol...

 

[DanAbela]

Ive been messing around with the whole sm57 on top of snare, i5 on bottom and vice versa and I tried using an sn57 and i5 on the top and i5 on bottom and found it sounded amazing. Just takes a while to make sure you have no phase problems.

Dan

 

[James-Doolan]

d6 inside the kick and yamaha subkick outside the kick iv heard good results using this for bass drum.

 

[Matt Crooks]

Get enough API 512s to cover the whole kit. The neves will be nice on guitar but the APIs will give the drums more attack (not that 1073s across the kit would be bad).

If you can get KM84s for overheads, use those and use the 87s as room mics. KM84s for hat and ride as well.

Add a subkick to the outside of the kick drum(s). Perhaps run that through the neve to get a bit more girth.

Looks like you're covered for guitars.

For bass, I'd take the SVT classic of the 2 Pro, but both are good. For micing the bass amp, get U47.

You didn't mention outboard comps... some 1176s would be nice.

What's the vocal chain going to be?

 

[Razorjack]

Get enough API 512s to cover the whole kit. The neves will be nice on guitar but the APIs will give the drums more attack (not that 1073s across the kit would be bad).

If you can get KM84s for overheads, use those and use the 87s as room mics. KM84s for hat and ride as well.

Add a subkick to the outside of the kick drum(s). Perhaps run that through the neve to get a bit more girth.

Looks like you're covered for guitars.

For bass, I'd take the SVT classic of the 2 Pro, but both are good. For micing the bass amp, get U47.

You didn't mention outboard comps... some 1176s would be nice.

What's the vocal chain going to be?

I think I might take your advice on the API 512's, I hadn't realised I could get my hands on any so I just overlooked them.

I've use the KM84's for overheads before and they were really nice, don't know why I didn't think about them this time around!

Not sure about the vocal chain right now, was more than likely going to go with the TG2, was thinking either a DBX160 or an 1176 to smooth out the levels a bit.

You got any recommendations for a nice vocal chain? The singer is kinda like Chris Cornell crossed with Rob Flynn (with a bit of James Hetfield for good measure). I've been leaning towards the tube U47 for it's ability to help the vocals stand out in the mix, it always seems to make vocals more present.