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Occasionally I encounter some equipment that I think provides a lot of bang for the buck. The following list contains a few things that I think is a hidden gems for both the home recording artist and the club musician. Consider bookmarking this page as I’m always finding new stuff.

The Best Outboard Compressor
The FMR Audio RNC-1773. Called the “really nice compressor”, this unit rocks! This is a great compressor for front-end use while laying down tracks or as a mix-bus compressor.The RNC can do everything from gentle compression to heavy squashing.The manufacturer provides setting examples that will get you started without ruining your tracks. Now how much do you think this compressor costs? Only $200! Believe it’s difficult to find another compressor that delivers the same quality for under $2000, let alone $1000.

Some Fantastic Mics:
You can’t go wrong with the Shure SM-57. You can find one for 80 dollars. It’s not sexy but if I had to make do with only one microphone, this would it. One thing about this mic is that you do need a a good preamplifier. This can easily offset any cost savings over some other more pricier mics, but I still think everyone should own at least one.If you’re looking for a condenser microphone there are several that The Shure SM-57 is a good deal and you can find one for about $75 if you look reasonably hard. It does need a good preamp if you want to get the maximum oomph out of it, so overall it’s not exactly a bargain deal. But every semi-serious musician should have at least one.

Other Super Microphones
One of my favorites is the Rode NTK. This is a big diaphragm tube (valve) condenser microphone. Any sound source you pick, it will sound tremendous. On many tracks, such as a male baritone vocal, hand drums (and I record a lot of them), and percussion instruments (I record a lot of them too), this microphone sounds out of this world. Pricing is about $500 for the microphone and a shock mount it’s a bargain.I find that I use it more often than some mics that cost a thousand dollars or more.Sometimes it’s a little bright for some applications, however overall this microphone delivers the goods.

Some more great diaphragm condenser microphones: Studio Projects C1 and C3. The C1 has a cardioid pattern only while the C3 has cardioid, figure eight and omni. Both of these mics sound very nice – low noise and clear, pleasing tones. They are not as good as the NTK nevertheless at their prices (about $229 for the C1 and $349 for the C3) they are great deal for amateur.But you can’t beat the sound you get from these microphones at these price points.The T3 condenser mic by Studio project is supposed to be very good.

Preamplifiers
If you’re in the market for a top quality tube preamplifier at a good price I’d recommend the Peavey VMP-2 (yeah, that Peavey, but it does sound good). This is the only all-tube preamp that you’ll find for under a one thousand (street price around $700). It’s a tiny bit noisier (very little) than most of the pricier all-tube preamp, but at less than half the cost you won’t be disappointed. Tip: to get the most out of this preamplifier don’t record all your tracks through it. Use it on percussion, bass, or vocals and use a solid-state preamplifier for the remainder of the tracks. Using it on every track will add some mud to your mix.
Thinking about making do with a transistor amplifier? For about $400 you can get a 1202 VLZ that has four channels- that’s $100 a channel, plus you get a mixer to boot. Some people say that they make the tones brittle.This occurs when if you crank them too much. But keep the trim pads below the 1 o’clock position and you’ll be rewarded with some nice, clean sounds.

If you can spend some more bucks on a preamplifier and you don’t want a many channels try the Grace 101. For about $600 for one channel you get a no frills, clean and open preamplifier. This preamplifierhas a very musical sound and I love it on percussion (shakers and stuff) and instruments like acoustic guitar. One thing however: If you want “warm” this preamplifier won’t give it to you. The Grace 101 will duplicate the sound source exactly like the original. You must get your mics positioned just perfectly. Once you get the hang of placing your mics and finding the good source sound, you’ll be amazed at the ability of this preamp to capture a performance
The Vintech 1272 can give you Neve sound without the $3000 price tag. For half price, you get two channels that will let you play classic Neve.

Thus while composing musical album or making films or anyth other kind of professional recording, professional music gear are must. They are basically the instruments or rather the equipments and systems that are used in making these musical albums and films. Therefore, they are bound to be extraordinary, technically fast and perfect as compared to music gears used for general purpose. And this is the reason that these systems are usually quite expensive.

So, here is some detailing of the equipments that fall into the category of professional music gears:

Microphones: For audio recording and reproduction, microphones are vital. They are basically the instruments that convert sound waves into electric signals. They are mainly used in motion pictures, audio engineering (live and recorded), radio broadcasting, television broadcasting and voice recording in computer. Microphones are generally of different types that are used in different situations. Like, there are condenser microphones, dynamic microphones, ribbon microphones, carbon microphones, liquid microphones and laser microphones.

Speakers: Next there are speakers through which the sound is received. Technically speaking, they are basically electromechanical device that converts an electrical signal into sound. Loudspeakers can be referred to as professional speakers. They provide wide range of frequency and distortion free audio and thus falls onto the category of professional music gears. High fidelity speakers are the perfect example.

Recording equipments: Next comes in the category of professional music gears are the equipments that are used for recording. For audio recording, there are varieties of equipments available with good specification and quality. There are analog recorder, digital recorder, tape recorder, disc recorder and many others that are used for different kind of audio. These recorders moreover provide high quality recording and are technically very strong. As for example, there is mini disc recorder that provides PC uploading of audio recorded from microphone or line input. Then there are hard disc recorders and solid-state recorders, etc.

Amplifiers: Then there are amplifiers that are used for audio applications often. They are device that convert a signal with a small amount of energy into a similar larger amount of energy. The amplifiers have some good features that make them ideal for music. For instance they have unique bandwidth, which is adjusted to normal hearing. However, the most common amplifier is often used is the electronic amplifier, which is ideal for radio, television transmitters and receivers and high fidelity stereo equipments, and even guitars. The components of these electronic amplifiers are vacuum tubes or transistors.

DJ equipments: These are one of the most demanding professional music gears. It’s all about maximizing the smooth transition between the different tracks. The mixer is the main part of the DJ equipments that create tracks out of different tracks. They are necessary for composing music because they are the base or the source that can create tracks by mixing the music from different pieces.

There are many websites that provide the services for online music gear classifieds. If you are trying to buy some instrument you can search amongst the classified postings to get the best one. If you want to sell your used guitar, or for that matter any other musical instrument, you can post your classified on such sites. It provides the platform for interaction between the seller and the buyer.

Selling and buying music gears have never been easier. With the Internet it has been turned into a simple matter of a few mouse clicks. Now you have the option to view sites entirely dedicated to selling and buying of used music gears ranging from guitars and drums to microphones and speakers.

Generally you have to fill up a form in order to sell or buy a specific gear in such classifieds. There are two types of classified services available. Paid classifieds and free ones. Both have their respective terms and conditions that you have to abide by to utilize the services.

You can choose from several categories of classified ads according to your purpose. Options like owner ads, dealer ads, for sale ads, want to buy ads, etc. are commonly encountered. One of the chief advantages of such music gear classifieds is that it makes the process of selling used gears a lot more effortless.

Another benefit that you can reap from music gear classifieds is the affordability. Generally brand new gears come at a dear price. Whereas used instruments are comparatively cheap. So you can get the desired gear without digging a hole in your pocket.

It is also easy to locate the instrument you want in classifieds. One can search for what one is looking for by a range of categories. Some of the popular categories include guitars, keyboards, drums or percussion, basses, bass amps, recording and audio, etc. to name a few.

The music gear classifieds are not only helpful in making the process of buying and selling easier, but you can actually get loads of information and news or product reviews also. This is no doubt a beneficial edge over the traditional brick and mortar retail outlets.

Such sites dealing in music gear classifieds can also often become the meeting point for musicians. Professional musicians and amateurs, music enthusiasts and bands can connect locally, regionally, nationally or even globally as well through the classifieds.

If you are a beginner you might want to get a second hand music gear for your practice. Or you might even be interested in collecting a particular vintage music gear for your collection. It can happen that you are a music band member and looking for some music gears to upgrade the band performance. Whatever might be the purpose, you are almost sure to gain from music gear classifieds, as they are easy, fast and organized, offering you a dizzying range of choice.

The growing music industry in the US has enhanced the growth of music gear industry in many ways. There are a number of establishments engaged in the retail sales of musical gear. As the music industry grows hand in hand with technology the demand for their products also grows. The total market share of these musical instruments is about 69% of the overall marketplace.

With the changing trends in the music industry with regard to new genre music that requires techno sound, computer software is made use of to facilitate playback, recording, composition, storage and performance. There are a number of online communities of composers, performers, teachers and manufacturers who have an interest in making or supporting music making with computers.

The growth in the music gear industry has brought about the sequencer software, which is the widely used form of software in music technology. This device allows you to record audio MIDI musical sequences.

The music gear commonly found in a recording studio includes the mixing console, Multitrack recorder, microphones and the reference monitors which are loudspeakers with a flat frequency response. And in recent years these equipments include Digital Audio Workstation, music workstation and outboard effects such as compressors, reverbs and equalizers.

Musicians and composers all along had a desire to integrate stereos, turntables, recording equipments, MIDI keyboards and even electric guitars with computers. The music gear industry soon witnessed a serious computer-based composition with the Atari ST, Amiga and Mac computer systems. Technologists continue to seek more integrated, easier to use and higher performance tools for audio creation tasks. Many current Digital Audio Workstations even support integration with video streams allowing full production.

There is a great development in every sphere of the music gear industry. The developments of new versions of music gear are on the rise as competition is also high. Specialized manufacturers are coming up with new improved versions of music gear.

Some of the latest equipments in the music gear industry are described in the following paragraphs.

The multi track recorder is ideal for a high-quality digital recording studio, with amazing Zoom MRS-802BCD Digital Multitrack Recording Studio with CD burner. It offers eight mono tracks, a discrete stereo track for its drum machine, great zoom effects, and full mixing, editing and CD burning capabilities.

The best selling studio mixer is the Phonic MU802 8-input Compact Audio Mixer. This mixer is known as the box that rocks in the music gear industry as it is designed for both studio and live performances. The Soundcraft Gigrac 1000 studio mixer lets you fine-tune your sound with 1000 watts of power, digital quality effects and a 7-band equalizer for each channel.

Another equipment in the music gear industry that has made a lot of difference in audio recording is the high quality studio monitor. One of the best selling products now is the Samson Resolv 65 Studio Monitor and Fostex PMO 5.5 inch Active Studio Reference Monitor, ideal for remote and small project studios.

Here, we have seen the latest and the top quality equipments that can produce optimum output. This may cost a little more but it is economical. Buying the latest product will save you from all the hassles of upgrading your recording system every now and then. These developments have tremendous impact on the quality of the performane.

How do we know which music gear or accessories are to be bought? You need to make up your mind on how to buy your required music gear accessories. There are a number of fancy and costly products available in the market. However, take care that you buy only the equipment that suit your budget, style and requirements. You can consult top music experts to help you in buying accessories that suit you. You can try to email them or meet them personally to do this.

Some important music gear and accessories

If you are planning to buy accessories for your pet iPod then the ear buds are an excellent choice for any one who likes good quality at reasonable price. If you search a little, you can find a specific lot that are admirable due to their greater audio quality, safe fit, and noise separating capability.

Headphones have improved a lot over time, and they are ready to go better with time. A number of brands have done a superior job of shrinking the size of its noise canceling headphones and bettering the audio quality. Most of the products are not cheap but it enhances your audio experience considerably.

If you search online, you can get some stores which are coming up with the idea of gifting your favorites the required music gear accessories. This would prove to be a great experience in your buying experience as you will get the expertise to find the right accessory for the right gear for your preferred music instrument.

To keep your favorite super mix CDs organized, you need to have a proper CD cataloger, pouch, or case. The features to look out for are the durability, water resistance, the structure and the usability options.

When you feel that your hands need to be free but the mic should be in place, try the music mic belt. Those are the ones created to hold your mic securely in one position. Most of the variants are water resistant and durable.

An Armband to hold your pet MP3 player is no longer a dream. The size is not too much of a factor here as most are designed to fit the odd sizes. The main features of these products are the smoothness and light weight.

A useful ornament for microphone is the microphone windscreen. It is essential as it can protect you from germs and can help you in reducing the pops and the hiss from the recording. The protective screens, an essential accessory, are used to save the mic from dust,sogginess and material dent.

There are several types of music gear available that help in improving the sound quality of an instrument. These equipment are in high demand amongst the musicians and performers worldwide as they make the audience experience superb sound quality.

The most popular sound controlling music gear are amplifiers, microphones, hi-fi mixers, graphic equalizers, and speakers, to name a few. These equipment have different functions with different technologies and are needed in different situations and for different purposes.

An audio amplifier, for example, is a gear meant to increase low power audio signals to a point appropriate for driving loudspeakers and is the ultimate stage in a characteristic audio playback chain. In this collection of amplifiers, mention may be made of valve audio amplifier, audiophile, single-ended triode, tone control circuits, etc.

A microphone, also referred to as the mike or mic, is an acoustic to electric transducer or sensor that converts sound into an electrical signal. Generally, in the case of vocal rendition, the vocal sound is converted into electric signal by a microphone, and then subsequently made to be a part of the entire sound system.

A loudspeaker, or simply a speaker, consists of an electromechanical transducer that changes an electrical signal into sound. The term loudspeaker can refer to individual devices, and complete systems consisting of an enclosure incorporating one or more drivers and additional devices. Loudspeakers are the most variable elements in any audio system, and are responsible for marked audible differences between otherwise identical sound systems.

A mixer is a type of electronic equipment used for combining or mixing, routing and changing the level, tonality and the dynamics of audio signals. There are generally two types of mixers, the analog and the digital.

Another sound controlling music gear often in demand is the tone control circuit. It is an electronic circuit that helps in adjusting an audio signal before it is fed to speakers, headphones or recording devices by way of an amplifier. Often referred to as filters, these circuits help to elevate or assuage the high and low frequencies of the signal.

Multi channel audio is yet another example of a sound controlling music gear that utilizes the techniques for expanding and enriching the sound of audio playback by recording additional sound channels to reproduce the enhanced sound on additional speakers. Popularly known as the surround sound technology, it is the multi channel technology applied to channels surrounding the audience to give them a real life feel.

There are also many other types of equipment that are used to improve the sound quality of musical performances. These sound controlling music gear come in various names and with a range of functions and techniques. Several brands of such gadgets are available in the market as music companies are constantly trying to improve upon their technological and qualitative aspects, offering musicians, performers, and the audience a newer experience of sound quality.

There are lots of inexpensive music gear available now. Let us have a quick glance at some of them.

Microphone

Let us talk about microphone first. They are very important for doing music. Their price has fallen now. There are a whole lot of microphones available now and that too at reasonable prices. Marshall Electronics’ MXL V67G, Behringer BL can be a good option for you.

Mixer

Mixer is necessary for music and also for your home studio. There are lots of mixers available now in the market. Some of them come at low price. But be very careful before going for them. Before buying, you should be aware of some facts. You should check out how many channels they are offering. Make sure that they offer you at least 12 to 16 channels. Otherwise it will not be much useful.

The next big factor that you should keep in mind is the digital features. Many low price gear now provide various digital effects like reverbs. Many of these effects are inbuilt. These effects are also very good for general use.

Another option is having a firewire option. It will help you to send signal to the computer from the mixer. But this option is relatively new and it hasn’t appeared as an indispensable feature. So it is up to you whether you will use this or not. The Behringer mixers and the Mackie mixers are good quality low budget mixers.

Audio interface

Audio interface connects the mixer with the computer. It also converts the analogue audio signal to digital signal. Using a firewire audio interface or USB Audio interface will be good for you.

Computer Audio Workstation

Computers are very important for making music. You can mix music at home if you have a pc. But you just need a good configuration. There are lots of brands available that will provide you good PCs, both laptop and desktop at low prices. Brands that give good quality desktop are Apple iMac Desktop Computer with Intel Core, Apple Macpro recording package, etc. Laptops brands are, Apple MacBook Notebook computer with Intel Core, Rain Recording Live book L4 Laptop Audio Computer etc.

Studio Monitors

Studio monitors are almost like sound speakers. But they have got some differences. For instance, audio monitors are specially made to deliver the recorded material accurately. Alesis M1 Active 620 2 way near field Monitor, Behringer B2030A Active Studio Monitor, Dynaudio Acoustics BM5A Active Nearfield Monitor, Event TR8XL Tuned Reference Biamplified Monitors,etc. are good quality studio monitors.

There are several types of music gear available that help in improving the sound quality of an instrument. These equipment are in high demand amongst the musicians and performers worldwide as they make the audience experience superb music.

The most popular sound controlling music gear are amplifiers, microphones, hi-fi mixers, graphic equalizers, and speakers, to name a few. These equipment have different functions with different technologies and are needed in different situations and for different purposes.

An audio amplifier, for example, is a gear meant to increase low power audio signals to a point appropriate for driving loudspeakers and is the ultimate stage in a characteristic audio playback chain. In the collection of amplifiers, mention may be made of valve audio amplifier, audiophile, single-ended triode, tone control circuits, etc.

A microphone, also referred to as the mike or mic, is an acoustic or electric transducer or sensor that converts sound into an electrical signal. Generally in the case of vocal rendition, the vocal sound is converted into electric signal by a microphone. The microphone has become a part of the entire sound system.

A loudspeaker, or simply a speaker, consists of an electromechanical transducer that changes an electrical signal into sound. The term loudspeaker can refer to individual devices, and complete systems consisting of an enclosure incorporating one or more drivers and additional electronics. Loudspeakers are the most variable elements in any audio system, and are responsible for marked audible differences between otherwise identical sound systems.

A mixer is a type of electronic equipment used for combining or mixing, routing and changing the level, tonality and the dynamics of audio signals. There are generally two types of mixers, the analog and the digital.

Another sound controlling music gear often in demand is the tone control circuit. It is an electronic circuit that helps in adjusting an audio signal before it is fed to speakers, headphones or recording devices by way of an amplifier. Often referred to as filters, these circuits help to elevate or assuage the high and low frequencies of the signal.

Multi channel audio is yet another example of a sound controlling music gear that utilizes the techniques for expanding and enriching the sound of audio playback by recording additional sound channels to reproduce the enhanced sound on additional speakers. Popularly known as the surround sound technology, it is the multi channel technology applied to channels surrounding the audience to give them a real life feel.

There are also many other types of equipment that are used to improve the sound quality of musical performances. These sound controlling music gear come in various names and with a range of functions and techniques. Several brands of such gadgets are available in the market as music companies are constantly trying to improve upon their technological and qualitative aspects, offering musicians, performers, and the audience an unprecedented experience of sound quality.