# What is the best investment you've ever made in audio?



## Pier (Feb 9, 2021)

For me it's Zebra 2 by U-He. Hands down.

I admit I haven't used it that much lately since I got into Hive and The Legend, but it remains by far the best investment I've ever made. Bought it around 2010 and for years it was the only synth I used.

What about you?


----------



## Pappaus (Feb 9, 2021)

I can’t say best investment ever.....but Zebra 2 is a marvel. I was a Serum guy and my cpu would start to tap out after 2-4 instances depending on the patch. Switching to Zebra 2, I can just run as many as I need with no issues. I am also a Preset person (no time or patience to develop my own sounds) and zebra has so many options.


----------



## Living Fossil (Feb 9, 2021)

First of all: Logic. I use it since Atari days in the 80ies when it was still called Notator.
(Funny thing is that i paid for lots of its parts at the time when they were new and not integrated yet, such as the ES2, the clavinet and the hammond emulation.)

Second: The VSL cube. i preordered it around 2004 (or 2005) and the woodwinds are still my goto. Not because i wouldn't have others, but in an orchestral context they just work extremely well.

Third: Zebra 2. I was an early adapter on that one, when it was a 1 person company. I remember when once i had a problem and sent an email to u-he. About one hour later Urs mailed me a new build. At around 2 o'clock AM.  

4th: Ozone. I bought it first when it was at version 3. It's still in every single project (in most cases only the imager and the Limiter and the dither module).

5th: izotope's RX: I record a lot of stuff and RX makes my life so much easier...

6th: "Workhorse category": Kontakt, Echoboy

Extra category 1: Plug ins with a fantastic RoI that i don't use that much anymore: the Sonalksis Compressor, Waves S1 (still in almost every project, however nowadays quite often replaced by Precedence), the Exponential Audio reverbs (still get lots of use, but the Precedence&Breeze combo, Liquidsonics CRP, Sonsig do lots of the actual heavy lifting)

Extra category 2: More recent purchases: Breeze & Precedence, TDR Nova, lots of PiA stuff. 

Extra category 3: Real instruments: My upright Piano. While i mostly use sampled pianos in my projects, I still practise (a bit) every day, to keep my level. However, 3 years ago i turned it into a prepared piano for 3 months and used it as a signature sound for a film score.


----------



## edhamilton (Feb 9, 2021)

kii3 speakers.
every decision we make is based off what we hear.
A lifetime of owning great speakers and tuning my rooms - and the Kii's are by far the most accurate AND enjoyable speakers I've owned.


----------



## Jdiggity1 (Feb 9, 2021)

Tuition

...and my HD800s


----------



## twincities (Feb 9, 2021)

acoustic treatment. particularly that first ~$1500. nothing else has ever had that much impact per dollar.


----------



## bill5 (Feb 9, 2021)

Do freebies count?  If so, most of those.

If not, Mixcraft. Very inexpensive DAW and by far the best I've ever used.

(PS morbid curiosity: how is this off topic?)


----------



## Brian Cho (Feb 9, 2021)

My Sennheiser HD650’s. I’ve had mine for almost a decade and still going strong.

Some Runner Ups: 
Logic Pro (since version 8) 
Taylor GS Mini (Walnut/Spruce)


----------



## fourier (Feb 9, 2021)

When all my friends in my little hometown village used their gifts (from getting confirmed) on scooters and mopeds, my dad took me to the music store in the nearby small city. While there wasn't much to choose from if you didn't want drums or guitars, there was a Roland E-86 there. Based on the time spent, the joy and fun I had thanks to it it's by far the best investment - to me it matters more than the quality of musical output, that mainly two parents had to endure from 15yr old me.


----------



## heisenberg (Feb 9, 2021)

My MKH-50 microphone and a fist full of yellow & pink earplugs that i have used for years whenever I hop on my Sportbike.


----------



## musicalweather (Feb 9, 2021)

*VE Pro* really allowed for the expansion of my sample libraries. It would be impossible to run all of them without it. My faithful DAW of nearly 20 years - *Digital Performer*! Yes, damn it, it's a good DAW! *Omnisphere*, which I use in nearly all projects.


----------



## Wunderhorn (Feb 9, 2021)

There would be a bunch of equipment and software to be mentioned. But I have circle back to how I interact with music in the first place. By listening. And for that it is probably my listening sound system that I have to put on top of the list. Emotiva 5.1 setup. Fantastic sound and keeps the music love alive with great detail and depth.


----------



## NekujaK (Feb 9, 2021)

Definitely monitors, followed closely by room treatment.

It doesn't matter how great your mics are, how analog your synths are, how deeply sampled your orchestra is, how sophisticated your mixing desk is... if you can't hear them represented accurately, it's all for naught.


----------



## Saxer (Feb 10, 2021)

Switching to Barefoot Micromain Speakers made the biggest different in mixing for me. Speakers were one of the things I spent too much money on over time just to save money.

Breathcontroller and keyb+windcontroller are my main control instruments for all non percussive instruments (all brass, strings, woodwinds, choirs, sometimes also synths).

In software: Logic by far (incl. Logic's Sampler), Kontakt, all U-he, Omni/Trilian/Keyscape, Dune, VSL, Sample- & Audiomodeling.


----------



## pondinthestream (Feb 10, 2021)

My monitors. Adam A7. Great detail and imaging


----------



## LudovicVDP (Feb 10, 2021)

Switching from Ableton to Cubase completely changed my way of composing.
Not saying one is better than the other. It's just that that change of approach was THE kick that helped me raise my game.

Ah, and I recently (and finally !! What took me so long?) went from 22" and 24" screens to 32" and 24". Damn... How was I even able to do anything before? That 32" screen changed my life!
No room on the desk to get more screen estate... Otherwise that 24 would get replaced as well.


----------



## bosone (Feb 10, 2021)

I would say my audio card Creamware Sonic-Core Scope system
i purchased the first one back in 2000, then expanded the system and, right now, I'm still using it.


----------



## muk (Feb 10, 2021)

Very easy to answer for me: studying musicology, and taking piano lessons at conservatory. These two by a long distance.

On a much, much lower level:

Geithain RL 906 monitors
Cubase
TEC Breath Controller
Cinematic Studio Strings
Composer desk


----------



## Dietz (Feb 10, 2021)

There is no doubt that building a fully treated listening environment from the ground up was the best audio investment I ever made. However, it was also the most expensive one by far. 8-/


----------



## cloudbuster (Feb 10, 2021)

#1 - Bitwig Studio ... actually it's one of the best things I ever bought in my life. Endless fun and inspiration. Looking forward to feeding it with signals from my scientific instruments (still in storage) and making beats from molecular vibes of funny substances (among other things).

In-ear monitors/USB-DACs - too much stuff to mention, most of it custom made and modded, more or less replaced my full-sized cans on the road.

Tascam DR-150 - a bit on the bulky side for what it is but always there when I need it.

My Android phablet (Xiaomi MAX2 + 512GB micro SD) - hosts my music collection and Caustic, an Android DAW for quick sketches or beats wherever I am.

Gibson ES-355 ... I only wish I could play that thing like the maniac I bought it from, lol.

Other software? Ozone, my beloved collection of channel strips, UA Triad, ...

...
Edit: Looking forward to buying a Linnstrument, especially for the bunch of hybrid instruments I've been cooking up lately, a standard keyboard just doesn't cut it here.


----------



## TomislavEP (Feb 10, 2021)

1) Switching to REAPER from Pro Tools as my primary DAW
2) Purchasing and maintaining Komplete Standard as a solid foundation of my software collection


----------



## ThomasNL (Feb 10, 2021)

Definitely my computer. Getting a beast of a machine with 64gb of ram has given me so much freedom to compose. When I sometimes have to use my crappy laptop, I get reminded what I had to deal with before getting the computer.


----------



## Technostica (Feb 10, 2021)




----------



## Manaberry (Feb 10, 2021)

I guess my best purchase ever is my audio interface.
It's an Apollo x6 (pre-owned for 6 weeks only). I got it for $1800 and the seller bought it during the promotional offer last year without redeeming the offer. So I got a free DSP satellite with it.


----------



## Tremendouz (Feb 10, 2021)

Two NVMe SSDs for samples, 1TB and 2TB. Sure, they costed €400 total but I love how quickly everything loads.

32GB RAM coming from 8GB (could've gone for more but I wanted to reuse my existing stick, thus 4x8GB)


----------



## AudioLoco (Feb 10, 2021)

Have been buying and collecting gear for decades being an old man etc....

My best investment probably was my first set of Spitfire samples. (The Symphonic series + Albion one.)
It let me do my first composing job and sound "proper" right away, and open a world of possibilities.


----------



## GtrString (Feb 10, 2021)

Focusrite Isa Two is my best investment. I use it for almost everything drums, bass, vocals, acoustic guitars and other instruments. I can change the impedance for mics (highly useful), record stereo, use guitar pedals as inserts ect. Just an awesome piece of kit!


----------



## Ned Bouhalassa (Feb 10, 2021)

Piano in Blue. Ended up using it on everything. Best 100 bucks investment ever.


----------



## Gerbil (Feb 10, 2021)

My Disklavier. A simple U1. Bought it with my first proper gig wages in the early 90s. It's been updated since and still works beautifully. It's a riot going a bit Nancarrow on a mad weekend.


----------



## Pier (Feb 10, 2021)

bill5 said:


> (PS morbid curiosity: how is this off topic?)


I didn't know where else to put it as it was a broad topic


----------



## Pier (Feb 10, 2021)

cloudbuster said:


> Bitwig Studio ... actually it's one of the best things I ever bought in my life.


I just got into Bitwig and it's so great. I can't wait to see what's coming up in v4!


----------



## Pier (Feb 10, 2021)

AudioLoco said:


> My best investment probably was my first set of Spitfire samples. (The Symphonic series + Albion one.)


Are you still using those?


----------



## AudioLoco (Feb 10, 2021)

Pier said:


> Are you still using those?


Albion, less and less. The full brass, wood sections and the percussion kits are still getting fired up here and there and are useful.

The Symphonic stuff? Every single day! 
The woodwinds and brass especially are still my go-to.


----------



## studiostuff (Feb 10, 2021)

Neumann U-87 (1974-ish)


----------



## Leigh (Feb 10, 2021)

These two are tied: my Metric Halo ULN-8 and a pair of Neumann M149's.

**Leigh


----------



## bill5 (Feb 10, 2021)

Pier said:


> I didn't know where else to put it as it was a broad topic


d'oh, looked at this more closely, didn't realize there wasn't a "general" music topic  

I suspect my upcoming Nektar 88 will be on the list shortly but I hope don't jinx it!


----------



## SupremeFist (Feb 10, 2021)

Slate VSX.


----------



## NYC Composer (Feb 11, 2021)

Going by sheer return numbers (not really in order except for the first three):

1. the Roland Orchestral library for the S-700 series on CD-ROM.
2. EWQLSO
3. SampleModeling brass and saxes
4. Art Vista VGP 2
5. Cubase since the first version of VST
6. the Spectrasonics trio (Omni, Stylus, Trilian)
7. Valhalla Room
8. Komplete since Komplete 2


----------



## Monkberry (Feb 12, 2021)

NYC Composer said:


> Going by sheer return numbers (not really in order except for the first three):
> 
> 1. the Roland Orchestral library for the S-700 series on CD-ROM.
> 2. EWQLSO
> ...


I have a similar background. In my earlier days I started with sample CDR's (including Spectrasonics and EastWest early days) and and an Akai S3000XL sampler using Digital Performer and then Logic. Eventually, I moved to Komplete 2 and EastWest Composer Collection w/ EWQLSO which was a giant step forward from Peter Seidlecek's Advanced Orchestra. 
The most important investments at this point are:
PC I built in 2019 running Windows 10
Cubase Pro
NI Komplete series w/ Kontakt
Spectrasonics Omnisphere & Trilian for fretless bass
Toontrack Superior 3


----------



## mybadmemory (Feb 12, 2021)

Hardware: Everything by Nord. So inspiring.

Software: Logic. Loved it since 1998.

Samples: BBCSO. Finally real orchestra under my fingers.


----------



## Vin (Feb 12, 2021)

Hardware: probably the Avantone MixCube

Software: Omnisphere, Sonarworks


----------



## muk (Feb 12, 2021)

Has gear really been the best investment for you all regarding your paths in music? Better than education? Or did I misunderstand the question and it asks about gear only?


----------



## Loïc D (Feb 12, 2021)

A good chair


----------



## peladio (Feb 12, 2021)

Loïc D said:


> A good chair


Agree..most people skimp on this very important investment


----------



## Pier (Feb 12, 2021)

muk said:


> Has gear really been the best investment for you all regarding your paths in music? Better than education? Or did I misunderstand the question and it asks about gear only?


Good point.

Yeah, I was thinking about gear (including software). But skills definitely have a much higher ROI.


----------



## storyteller (Feb 12, 2021)

I‘ve been racking my brain on this. I’ve bought, sold, rebought, and sold again so much great high end gear throughout the years. But I think I’ve arrived at my “never sell” list.

Like @Vin, I’d say my Auratone 5c‘s (he said Avantone... they are made by two different companies. Both are great tho. Auratones are my preference between the two and are the original “mix cubes” that Avantone only began manufacturing a similar model when Auratone stopped. Now Auratone has recently started making the 5C again... available at Sweetwater.)

Also an SM57.

Software wise, Melodyne.


----------



## JohnG (Feb 12, 2021)

EWQLSO and six PCs to run it. 

Although, had I used the money to buy Amazon stock instead....


----------



## jononotbono (Feb 12, 2021)

For me...

My Guitar
Cubase
Audeze LCDX Headphones
Apollo Twin X Interface


----------



## S4410 (Feb 12, 2021)

A small Fostex 4track cassete recorder, ages ago. That thing made multi tracking affordable for me to begin composing,arranging and recording at home. Those were the days..


----------



## JonS (Feb 12, 2021)

Currently:
Best value are the Exponential Audio reverbs for $10-$30 each (R4, R2, Nimbus, Phoenix). Damage 2 for $199 exceeded my expectations. The Spitfire Audio Everything Collection is a phenomenal grand set of libraries, though not inexpensive. VSL Synchron and BBO series are terrific. All 4 Orchestral Tools Metropolis Arks for $1,000 was a great deal.
Back in the '90s:
The Tascam DA-88s and then Pro Tools, Genelec speakers, MOTU's Mosaic, MTPs, VTP and Digital Performer, and the Mackie 8-bus & Expander consoles all let composers do their thing!


----------



## giwro (Feb 12, 2021)

I’d have to say Hauptwerk... as an organist, being able to play music on the type of organ it was written for is amazing. As a composer for the instrument, being able to test registration at my desk instead of dragging myself to a venue is huge, too.

A big shout-out to GPO, as it got me started on writing more for orchestra and non-organ.. (and likely started my sample GAS - it was really a “gateway drug”) 

Finally getting HQ microphones to replace the mid-level ones I had. My Earthworks QTC-1 are simply amazing... 

Lastly, Dorico... it’s sped up my scoring speed way past anything I ever was able to do in Finale (and I’ve used that since 1994!)


----------



## Niah2 (Feb 12, 2021)

Definitely my Zoom H4 portable recorder that I've got ages ago. Being able to record all kinds of sounds and instruments anywhere and everywhere really paved the way for my music to have a more personal sound. I started to become less dependent of sample libraries and more free to accomplish my ideas. I still use it to this day.


----------



## Rob Elliott (Feb 12, 2021)

The space I spend 12 hrs +/day in. Design, Treatments, Art (just because). I want to have that 'yea glad to have another day's opportunities IN HERE' feeling every morning. I can't imagine how I would feel if the space wasn't right. You know, not so much 'wand' things but rather making the 'witch' happy.

(wait, just I just call myself a witch? Could have at least said warlock)


----------



## ed buller (Feb 12, 2021)

My Synth:






Best

e


----------



## Jaap (Feb 12, 2021)

ed buller said:


> My Synth:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Amazing Ed!


----------



## Cinebient (Feb 12, 2021)

Logic Pro X.


----------



## Evans (Feb 13, 2021)

Hardware

The jump from one piece of hardware to the next evolution of it - controllers or headphones, for example - have been welcome, but not as _dramatic_ of a change as moving to SSDs.
I stopped playing piano (for more than sketching) for nearly 20 years, but getting my Kawai ES8 last year was a big jump from the synth action keyboards I'd mostly used in the years between. Its sound isn't the best in the world, but I very much enjoy its feel.

Software

VEPro - I'm running a secondary server PC now and, quite simply, some players behave better inside VEPro (I'm looking at you, SINE+Cubase).


----------



## Harzmusic (Feb 13, 2021)

For me I think it was the VSL Special Edition back when I was starting out at 14 years old. That and Cubase LE 4 that came with a crappy unstable TASCAM Interface was how it started.

I could have gone with a few other options, recorded in seating position or something with good ensemble patches. It would have been more instantly gratifying, I'd have gotten the feeling I was chasing much more quickly - but I wouldn't have learned nearly as much.
I'm pretty sure that a lot of what I can do today are largely due to starting out with a library that was completely unforgiving.


----------



## kitekrazy (Feb 13, 2021)

M-Audio AP2496 - I still have 2 running in 2 systems. While some PCI devices will have issues in modern boards with a PCI slot the M-Audios don't. I paid $149 for these around the turn of the century.


----------



## Vik (Feb 13, 2021)

An acoustic piano (and tools to tune it) plus some other acoustic instruments – and time invested in learning about notation and harmony. Also: a MIDI keyboard with wooden keys.


----------



## shponglefan (Feb 13, 2021)

This:






For close to a decade I had been dealing with ground loop noise issues. It would manifest primarily as noise from my computer. The issue became a lot worse with my current studio PC build, and I would get loud CPU noise coming through my monitors.

I tried umpteen things to deal with it and managed to reduce it, but there was still some residual noise always present.

This box eliminated it. And while it seemed pricey for what it does, it was oh so worth it.


----------



## Rodney Money (Feb 13, 2021)

1. Finale notation, definitely, since 1999. It’s literally changed my life and helped me reach my goals not only in music but also life.

2. Cubase, that darn thing keeps paying for itself.


----------



## clarkcontrol (Feb 13, 2021)

What a great great thread! I want to like every post lol.

1. Mainstage. I do mostly live stuff these days (well, before the pandemic) and it absolutely crushes everything I throw at it. Super complicated splits and layers and routings and modulation it’s insane. Makes my MBP sound like a hair dryer on complex setups though lol.

2. VSL first edition. Got this to replace PS Advanced Orchestra, which was great for its day, but this really set the bar. Ran it on a G4 with 2 gig ram. Filled with 7200 rpm 500 meg drives the thing weighed almost 50 pounds.

Runner up would be Project Sam horns on CDR which were a blast to play and sounded great and those groove control libraries from Spectrasonics on my Akai s2000.

Of course Logic is awesome and such a great deal. Got it when studio vision folded. Damn I loved that sequencer but logic had the first sampler so time marches on.

There’s lots of great new stuff on Kontakt that I love and use a lot but anything besides acoustic samples I tend to gravitate back toward the logic synths or Omnisphere.


----------



## LynxUK (Feb 13, 2021)

1. A 1991 Ibenez RG770 I bought new in the same year, and still have and use.

2. The full Kontakt. I know, I know, we all have a love hate relationship with it, but it completely opens up another level of samples to try and test.

3.Studio One. I had been keeping an eye on it for a while, and when 5 was released it had progressed enough for me to give it a whirl...and I love it.

4.Spitfire Chamber Strings. I really purchased it as a way to create Divisi for Symphonic Strings, but have found I use it on its own and not for its intended purpose. Its Spitfire, its not perfect, but its good.


----------



## muratkayi (Feb 14, 2021)

*Maschine&Komplete*
Paid for itself within three weeks, just skyrocketed overall productivity

*Staffpad Sample Libraries*
Made me get back into writing down music and doing orchestral work. Instant enjoyable playback just by writing for sections and notating dynamics and tempo changes. It's like something from Hogwarts, singing paper. Boosted that part of my musical identity after it lay dormant for a long time and I finally got to both writing down and then hear an orchestral piece I had been carrying around in my head for 20 years. Got offered to do music for a stage show within one and a half months after purchase, but then covid came along and now it might turn out to be just a bunch of short videos. But you get the idea


----------



## PaulieDC (Feb 23, 2021)

RME Babyface Pro FS

But I need to mention my StudioLogic SL88 Grand

OK, HD650s to complete the set

None of these are give-upable.


----------



## Dietz (Feb 23, 2021)

Talking about RME: As far as I remember, I bought my MultiFace and my DigiFace around 2001 (?), and they are both still running strong (the latter more often than the former, though). 
Now _that's_ what I call sustainability in the digital world.


----------



## kclements (Feb 23, 2021)

MetricHalo 2882. Reaper. Yamaha C3 midi grand piano. LASS.


----------



## muratkayi (Feb 24, 2021)

ABout those RME interfaces: I have been told to get one, just because of their sustainability which is down to excellent software updates. I haven't gotten around to buying one, but I really like to hear about this, which is the polar opposite of my tascam16x08 which is totally fine hardware-wise, but has been basically left to rot on the side of the road by the maker so it became downright unusable.


----------



## Will Blackburn (Feb 24, 2021)

Aside from a decent computer it has to be my Quested S8r's and then Nebula


----------



## Virtuoso (Feb 24, 2021)

A lifetime subscription to Roon. I took an early gamble and it's really paid off - Roon has massively improved the way I enjoy music. 

But a really good set of speakers and monitors is a close second.


----------



## Monkey Man (Feb 24, 2021)

Kemper Rack and Event Opals, hands-down.


----------



## tmhuud (Feb 24, 2021)

Definitely the Uclear Speaker upgrade I made on my motorcycle helmet!









These are the Best Motorcycle Helmet Speakers Ever (+6 more)


Choosing the Best Motorcycle Helmet Speakers can be a tad bit confusing. We de-clutter the process by listing the top 7 Best Motorcycle Helmet Speakers of 2022.




www.motorcyclelarry.com


----------



## JyTy (Feb 25, 2021)

I don’t know if it is the best investment I ever made, but it is certainly the one I love the most. Meet Monarchy Majesty:






But the thing really shines with the Axe FX III combo... now that I have mentioned it I think that Fractal FXIII is probably my best investment so far... the thing is an absolute beast!!!

Other worthy investments were:
- scoreclub & Evenant courses
- EW CC plus subscription
- Slate Digital VSX headphones


----------

