Someone Please Help :), Buying Macpro, looking for studio set up hints Options

[lamegamer]

Heya. I have lots of questions but I'll try to keep them clear and this post short. I REALLY appreciate anyone willing to give advice.

I'm a PC user, new to Macs, and I'm about to buy a Mac Pro. Here is the equipment I need to chain up to my computer:

A Yamaha EX5 keyboard (which I'll be using strictly as a midi controller)
Pioneer DJM 300-S mixer (with my two Technics turntables)

I'm considering buying a M-Audio FireWire 410 Audio Interface ( http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/FireWire410-main.html ) to use to connect all of that to my computer.

For speakers, I'm looking at a set of M-Audio BX5a ( http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/Stud...eBX5a-main.html ) and, because I've heard those have overpowering high ends, a SBX Subwoofer ( http://www.ramelectronics.net/html/studiophile-sbx.html ).

I'll be using Logic, Reason, Garage Band, etc. to do my sequencing and composition. 95% of the time I'll be using this system to create music or record vinyl. Ocasionally, I may be recording live instruments with a mic or guitar thru the XLR imputs.
Okay, so now the questions. I know turntables, I know computers, I know music... But I don't know jack about Macs, external sound cards, or speakers in general:

1. Can I hook those speakers directly to the FireWire 410? If so, how do you hook all three up b/c I see the "direct outputs" on the back, but how do you determine which speakers get hooked where? Or, do you just hook the subwoofer up and then the two monitors get hooked to the sub?
2. Am I able to hook my turntable mixer up to the FireWire 410 so I can record my vinyl mixes?
3. Does this look like a good setup overall or should I go for something like a set of 5.1 logitech speakers which look like you can hook them optically to the FireWire 410?

I really appreciate any and all responses and help that people can give me. Thanks a bunch!

[MacGeek]

Don't worry about the perceived "Mac knowledge gap." You'll do fine. There isn't a lot of difference between the two - you just have to get used to doing things the way the Mac does and you'll do fine.

1. Can I hook those speakers directly to the FireWire 410? If so, how do you hook all three up b/c I see the "direct outputs" on the back, but how do you determine which speakers get hooked where? Or, do you just hook the subwoofer up and then the two monitors get hooked to the sub?

Yes. Those speakers (good choice, by the way) will do fine. Any powered speaker with 1/4 inch inputs would work. You will use some software to route your audio for the right ins and outs - including the sub.

2. Am I able to hook my turntable mixer up to the FireWire 410 so I can record my vinyl mixes?

Yes. Your mixer will be fine. As you know, a turntable puts out a very low-level signal and needs either a preamp or some digital amplification later in the process. I know on my Presonus FireBox, there is a little app that gives me an additional 12db of boost on whatever input I need. That's what I use when recording off my Denon.

3. Does this look like a good setup overall or should I go for something like a set of 5.1 logitech speakers which look like you can hook them optically to the FireWire 410?

Nah. Your setup looks fine.

MG

[Jim Hoyland]

To record from a record deck you need some kind of phono pre-amp rather than just extra gain.

Vinyl grooves can't handle the amount of bass present in most recordings so an industry standard high-pass filter is applied at the mastering / cutting stage. The low-end is then replaced by a frequency boost in any phono pre-amp. This is known as the RIAA curve.

There may be some software which replicates this bass boost, but generally a pre-amp is the best solution. If you have access to a DJ mixer this will do fine, otherwise Alice make a range of phono pre-amps with balanced XLR outputs,

[rickenbacker]

May I just say that if you're buying a Mac Pro, pairing it with an M-Audio FireWire 410 is like buying a Rolls Royce and then attaching a trailer.

You could really do a whole lot better. It may cost a little more, but you'll always be glad you did. Stretch to even something from MOTU and you'll be a lot better off, sound-wise.