Looking to add a pair of studio monitors to my set up!

[hughythomas]

Lots of great information! Thank you for all the heads up!

The Presonus Firestudio looks like it will be perfect for the job required! Pretty decent price too so I'm sure I will be more than happy with it!

Looking at all the information, I think you are all correct, an analogue mixer wouldn't make much sense for me! I like the look of some of the control surfaces to use for my mixing. the main reason being, I just like the hands on approach, I find it lacks something using a mouse to mix, and I'm just used to having some sort of mixing desk ability at my finger tips, and therefore a control surface is going to fit the bill perfectly I think!

Its all pretty exciting, I'm looking forward to getting it all ordered up in the next couple of weeks!

I know this thread has gone slightly off topic from the actually monitors, but seeing as there are is so much knowledge already here, i'll just ask here! I have no expertise whatsoever of external FX rack based units. Obviously there is a lot out there, but my question is if I was to start looking at some in the new future, just how would they fit in the chain in the planned design so far? So just how and where would these start to connect? Is it something possible with what I have planned?

Thanks again everyone!

Yer, this forum never ceases to amaze me. Seems to be a plethora of highly informed and kind people on here!

As for external FX I'm going to have to suggest away from this again (just like the analogue mixer!). Sorry!

My reasoning is simple - you mention about how you would integrate such a device and this is PRECISELY the problem. With an Analogue mixer (as you are no doubt aware), one can setup a effects loop using the auxillary sends/returns of the console on each channel strip. Now, once you choose your DAW of choice invariably the program will have its own software based aux sends/returns for you to add insert effect plugins to.

If, however, you already have some external devices that you want to include in your signal path I would start to think about an Analogue Mixer. Not to say that you can't include external rack FX units with an Audio Interface (like the Firestudio for example). However, it will invariably take up quite a few of your Inputs & Outputs as we have to send a stereo signal not just TO the device but also FROM. If I remember correctly, Lexicon brought out a hardware effects unit (MX400?) which sent the audio streams via USB which was quite unique at the time.

Just to clear this up - do you already own some hardware rack units? Or does the idea of owning some appeal to you? If it is the latter can I respectfully recommend a UAD-2 Solo/Duo DSP Card:

http://www.uaudio.com/

The UAD plugins are all modelled VERY accurately off of vintage analogue gear and sounds FANTASTIC in my opinion. Even better, the plugins run off a DSP PCI/PCI-e card which slots into your computer and doesn't slow down your CPU.

Again, sorry for going off on one! haha!