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Got around £300 to spend on production gear?
Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 8:13 am
by VirusTI
Okay, so currently I'm using Macbook Pro, running Logic Pro 9, Massive and FM8. I also have a Korg Nanopad and some "Urbanz" headphones (which are pretty shite) to help me produce, so I wanna invest in a Midi Keyboard, some much better headphones and perhaps anything else you guys suggest
What would be
a) Some GOOD headphones for around £100-£150
b) A good midi keyboard for around £100 - £150
c) Anything else you'd suggest for producing?
Thank ya'll

Re: Got around £300 to spend on production gear?
Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 8:47 am
by OlzaMK
Welcome to the harsh reality of life. There are no cheap alternatives for everything. You need to grind hard and buy that shit 1 by 1. Over the years you will start accumulating lots.
I'd start with buying a good audio interface, then a 61 key midi controller. I regret cheaping out on my midi controller. Also monitors!
Re: Got around £300 to spend on production gear?
Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 9:14 am
by Dr_Driller
maschine ?
i'm also looking for good headphone for low price, i'm hesitating beetween 3 models :
Bowers & Wilkins C5 (very good sound but not confortable)
Sonak Phound Audéo PFE 132 (good sound but bass not loud)
Etymotic HF5 (exellent sound, not confortable, sound ugly in the beginning need 100h running to start render its real sound)
Re: Got around £300 to spend on production gear?
Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 9:25 am
by OlzaMK
Just purchased a Maschine for $400, dunno if NI is still having the sale on them. Cant wait for it to come in though
Re: Got around £300 to spend on production gear?
Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 9:38 am
by Dr_Driller
maschine is sooooooooooo fucking gooooooooood !!!
i no more use cubase, fabfilter plugins, samples cd...
now i just use maschine !!
only external plugins i use are massive and reflektor
and with the next update, transient master & new saturation (tape, tube) are coming

))
my last two tracks where made with this full NI setup and maschine as a daw :
http://soundcloud.com/dr_driller/icescream
http://soundcloud.com/dr_driller/drillerstep
Re: Got around £300 to spend on production gear?
Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 9:48 am
by VirusTI
OlzaMK wrote:Welcome to the harsh reality of life. There are no cheap alternatives for everything. You need to grind hard and buy that shit 1 by 1. Over the years you will start accumulating lots.
I'd start with buying a good audio interface, then a 61 key midi controller. I regret cheaping out on my midi controller. Also monitors!
I'm gonna get monitor headphones instead of monitors, as I have family / neighbours etc who would complain about the noise. Also, I thought I didn't need an audio interface if I was just using a midi keyboard and a pair of headphones?
For Keyboards, what are opinions on:
Alesis QX49 49-Key
Akai MPK49
M-Audio Axiom 49 Advanced 49-Key
For Headphones, what are opinions on:
KRK KNS 8400 (I heard these aren't very flat around the low end, also their frequency response only goes up to 23khz?)
AKG K702
Thinking of either some Beyerdynamics or Audio Technica's as well, any model's particularly good?
Re: Got around £300 to spend on production gear?
Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 10:33 am
by Electric_Head
Beyerdynamics all the way.
I use the DT990 open backed phones.
The DT770 is good for loud environments.
Re: Got around £300 to spend on production gear?
Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 10:53 am
by Ongelegen
Electric_Head wrote:Beyerdynamics all the way.
I use the DT990 open backed phones.
The DT770 is good for loud environments.
This man knows!
The Pro version are 250ohm, so it's recommended to use a headphone amp or an interface which has enough power to drive them.
Re: Got around £300 to spend on production gear?
Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 11:04 am
by Electric_Head
Get the cmoy BB from JDS labs.
Great little amp.
Re: Got around £300 to spend on production gear?
Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 12:25 pm
by AxeD
Project EX wrote:Electric_Head wrote:Beyerdynamics all the way.
I use the DT990 open backed phones.
The DT770 is good for loud environments.
This man knows!
The Pro version are 250ohm, so it's recommended to use a headphone amp or an interface which has enough power to drive them.
This, definitely wouldn't buy a Maschine if you don't have sound yet.
Re: Got around £300 to spend on production gear?
Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 5:16 pm
by VirusTI
So far I've narrowed it down to the following:
KRK KNS 8400 (I heard these aren't very flat around the low end, also their frequency response only goes up to 23khz?)
AKG K702
Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro
Beyerdynamic DT990 Premium Edition (Either the 32 or 250 ohm version, although they will be running straight out of my Macbook Pro, so the 250 ohm ones may be to quiet)
Any suggestions / experience? Ideally I wanna keep the cost around £150, but if it's slightly higher (as per a couple listed above) and definitely worth it, I'll consider
Re: Got around £300 to spend on production gear?
Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 5:44 pm
by Skang
I vote for the DT990's (250 ohm) I love mine. Sound is superb and they are definitely the most comfortable cans I've worn
Re: Got around £300 to spend on production gear?
Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 6:37 pm
by VirusTI
Skang wrote:I vote for the DT990's (250 ohm) I love mine. Sound is superb and they are definitely the most comfortable cans I've worn
Are they alright going straight out of a macbook pro, you reckon?
Re: Got around £300 to spend on production gear?
Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 8:14 pm
by VirusTI
Okay, after much thought, I'm probably gonna go with the Beyerdynamic DT880 Pro's (250 ohm) as they give the best neutral frequency response in comparison to the 770's and 990's...
I'll also probably go for the Axiom 49 over the MPK49, there doesn't seem to be a huge difference to me, except for £80 ^
Re: Got around £300 to spend on production gear?
Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 8:22 pm
by lloydy
I'd go with electric head and say get some beyers 770 pro's,i had the 250 ohm ones for 5 years with never a problem(untill we got a puppy)i have now got the 80 ohm and the bass response is beyond excellent.They are not the best for the top end but are still ok,i would honestly get them if you have the money because you will not be disappointed.
Re: Got around £300 to spend on production gear?
Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 8:26 pm
by Instep
i have an mpk mini (akai)
thats good cuz its only a hundy and its got good knobs and good pads. its great cheap all around midi
but if your doing EDM who needs it! ur programming everything no?
i'd save the money to get plugings ur gonna need so you don't feel guilty about being a pirate.. yaarrgh
Re: Got around £300 to spend on production gear?
Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2012 6:36 am
by Electric_Head
VirusTI wrote:Okay, after much thought, I'm probably gonna go with the Beyerdynamic DT880 Pro's (250 ohm) as they give the best neutral frequency response in comparison to the 770's and 990's...
I'll also probably go for the Axiom 49 over the MPK49, there doesn't seem to be a huge difference to me, except for £80 ^
The DT880s aren't necessarily better imo.
The DT990s are class on all levels I find.
I'd say the 250 ohm out of a macbook will be very soft.
But as I mentioned previously, the cmoy bb is a great headphone amp and not very expensive.
$60
http://www.jdslabs.com/products.php
Re: Got around £300 to spend on production gear?
Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2012 9:42 am
by ill mindset
Re: Got around £300 to spend on production gear?
Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2012 10:42 am
by Barka
The Shure SRH-440's are quite nice for the price, very neutral sound, they just sound a bit too bright straight out the box, but after a few hours of use the sound gets significantly rounder and and perfectly neutral.
Re: Got around £300 to spend on production gear?
Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2012 10:55 am
by Perej